One autumn day, I visited my friend, the famous detective Sherlock Holmes. He was deep in conversation with an elderly man who had fiery red hair. While I saw just an unhappy tradesman, Sherlock noticed much more. He saw a Freemason who had done manual labor, traveled to China, and had been writing a lot recently. This man was Mr. Jabez Wilson, a pawnbroker.
Two months earlier, Mr. Wilson had responded to a strange newspaper ad. The ad was from the League of Red-Headed Men, offering a job with a big cash reward. It invited all red-headed men over 21 in London to apply. Although it seemed too good to be true, Wilson’s assistant convinced him to go. When they arrived, they found hundreds of red-headed men waiting. Because of Wilson’s impressive hair, he was quickly taken to meet a man named Duncan Ross.
Ross gave Wilson a simple but painful test and then welcomed him into the League. Wilson’s job was to spend four hours each day copying the encyclopedia. For this, he would be paid much more than his regular job. Wilson accepted and worked there every day for two months. But today, he found a sign saying the League had been disbanded, and Ross had vanished.
Confused, Wilson turned to Sherlock Holmes for help. Sherlock took the case and we went to Wilson’s pawnshop. There, we met his assistant, Vincent Spaulding. Sherlock asked him for directions to the Strand and then left. After examining the area, Sherlock took me for a walk around the block. Satisfied, he told me to meet him at Baker Street at 10 pm to stop a major crime.
That night, I arrived at 221B Baker Street to find a carriage waiting. Inside were Sherlock, a bank director, and a police officer. Sherlock explained that we were there to prevent a robbery. The bank director added that a large amount of French gold was temporarily stored in his bank’s vault. We went to the bank’s basement, but found nothing suspicious. Sherlock told us to hide and wait.
Eventually, we heard scratching and sliding sounds. We sprang into action and caught two men: Wilson’s assistant Spaulding and the man known as Duncan Ross. Sherlock explained that their real target was the French gold. Spaulding had taken the job with Wilson because the pawnshop was close to the bank. To dig a tunnel without being noticed, they needed Wilson out of the way. So, they created the Red-Headed League and recruited Ross to help. While Wilson worked for a small wage, Spaulding and Ross dug a tunnel to the bank vault, reaching it that day.
Sherlock realized what Spaulding was up to when he noticed the worn and dusty knees of his trousers, identifying him as a known thief. He tested the ground near the pawnshop and found it hollow, confirming his suspicions. “Poor Wilson,” I said, “he lost the best job of his life and 4 pounds a week.” But Sherlock replied, “Don’t feel sorry for him, Watson; he’s richer now with all the knowledge he’s gained.”
Imagine you are a detective like Sherlock Holmes. Create a short mystery story involving a peculiar case. Include clues and a surprising twist. Share your story with the class and see if they can solve it before you reveal the ending.
Revisit the story of Mr. Jabez Wilson and the Red-Headed League. Identify and list all the clues Sherlock Holmes used to solve the mystery. Discuss with your classmates how each clue contributed to the final solution.
Choose a character from the story, such as Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, or Mr. Jabez Wilson. Write a character sketch that includes their personality traits, motivations, and role in the mystery. Share your sketch with the class.
Design a creative newspaper ad similar to the one used by the Red-Headed League. Your ad should be mysterious and intriguing, aiming to attract a specific group of people. Present your ad to the class and explain your creative choices.
Create a map of the key locations mentioned in the story, such as the pawnshop, the bank, and Baker Street. Use your map to explain how the geography of these locations played a role in the unfolding of the mystery.
I called upon my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, one day in the autumn of last year and found him in deep conversation with a very stout, florid-faced, elderly gentleman with fiery red hair. Where I saw merely an unhappy tradesman, Sherlock observed a Freemason who had done manual labor, visited China, and written quite a bit recently. This last inference was at the heart of the matter. This gentleman, Mr. Jabez Wilson, was a pawnbroker.
Two months ago, he answered a peculiar newspaper advertisement. The mysterious League of Red-Headed Men had announced an opening that came with a significant cash incentive, and every red-headed man above the age of 21 in London was encouraged to apply. Wilson was hesitant to go; it seemed too strange to be true, but his assistant, who found the ad in the first place, convinced him to. Outside the League’s office, they found hundreds of men, all awaiting their turn for the position. Seeing Wilson’s particularly magnificent hair, the hosts parted and ushered him through to a room with a little man.
This interviewer, one Duncan Ross, subjected Wilson to a single, painful test, then inducted him into the League. All he had to do to receive his stipend was spend four hours there every day transcribing the encyclopedia. He’d be paid handsomely; much more than his day job. Wilson, of course, accepted and showed up to that address every day without fail for two months. Including today, when he was shocked to discover a sign saying that the League had been disbanded. Ross, meanwhile, had disappeared without a trace.
So Wilson turned to the one man who might make sense of these events. Sherlock accepted the remarkable case and whisked me to Wilson’s place of business, where his assistant, a young man named Vincent Spaulding, answered the door. Sherlock asked him nothing more than walking directions to the Strand and concluded the interview. The great detective proceeded to examine the area, then led me on a stroll around the block. Satisfied, he instructed me, to my great surprise, to meet him at Baker Street at 10 pm to thwart a considerable crime.
That night, at the doorstep of 221B Baker Street, I discovered a carriage waiting. Inside, Sherlock and two other men: a bank director and a police officer. Sherlock explained: we’d gathered to prevent a robbery. Not just any robbery, the banker added; the theft of a massive quantity of French gold, on temporary storage in his bank’s subterranean vault. The carriage let us out, and there, in the cold recesses of the bank’s basement, we found … absolutely nothing of criminal consequence. Sherlock told us to hide ourselves in the darkness, ready for a fight.
At long last, we heard a scratching, then a sliding sound. We leapt into action and, after a scuffle, detained two men: Wilson’s assistant Spaulding, and the man Wilson knew as Duncan Ross. Sherlock explained: the target all along had been the French gold. Spaulding knew it would be here, so he got himself employed by Wilson on account of the proximity of the pawnshop to the bank. But in order to dig a tunnel undetected, he’d need Wilson out of the way for long stretches. That was when he dreamed up the Red-Headed League, for which he recruited his accomplice. Every day while Wilson toiled away for a pittance compared to the value they’d steal, Spaulding and Ross dug their tunnel, finally reaching the bank vault today.
Sherlock wasn’t sure exactly what Spaulding was up to until he saw the worn and dusty knees of his trousers and recognized him as a notorious thief. He tested the pavement by the pawn shop, and finding it hollow, rounded the block, where he discovered the true target. “Poor Wilson,” I concluded. “Out of the best job of his life and 4 pounds per week.” To which Sherlock retorted, “Have no pity, Watson; the man is richer by far in his newfound knowledge of various subjects.”
Mystery – A genre of literature that involves suspense and the solving of a crime or puzzle. – The novel’s mystery kept readers guessing until the very last page.
Detective – A character in literature who investigates and solves crimes. – The detective pieced together the clues to uncover the identity of the thief.
Tradesman – A character in literature who is skilled in a particular craft or trade. – The tradesman in the story was known for his exceptional carpentry skills.
League – A group of characters in literature who come together for a common purpose. – The league of heroes united to protect the city from danger.
Job – A task or duty that a character undertakes in a story. – Her job was to gather information that would help solve the mystery.
Assistant – A character who helps or supports another character, often in solving a problem or crime. – The detective’s assistant was crucial in piecing together the evidence.
Robbery – A crime involving the theft of property, often a central event in mystery literature. – The robbery at the museum set off a chain of events that the detective had to unravel.
Gold – A valuable element often used in literature to symbolize wealth or greed. – The treasure hunt revolved around a hidden stash of gold coins.
Tunnel – An underground passage that can serve as a setting for suspenseful scenes in literature. – The characters discovered a secret tunnel that led to the hidden chamber.
Knowledge – Information or understanding that a character gains, often crucial for solving mysteries. – Her knowledge of ancient languages helped decode the mysterious manuscript.
