Chapter 4.3 – The Red-Headed League
Part I: Mr Wilson’s Story
Meanings
- league – an association or a formal group of people
- fiery – (here) very bright in colour
- pawn-broker – a person who lends money at interest when valuable things are kept with him until the loan is repaid
- cellar – a room below ground level in a house, used for storing things
- well-suited – suitable
- to develop photographs – to treat a film with chemicals in order to produce photographs
- diligently – carefully, with a lot of effort
- bade – (here) said or wished
- dissolved – (here) means that the organisation has come to an end
In Between the Lesson
Q1. Find samples of ‘classified ads’ from an English newspaper. Where will the advertisement given here be seen in the classifieds?
Ans: Students must do this on their own.
Q2. What do you have to do when you are told to ‘apply in person’?
Ans: If I am told to ‘apply in person’, I would take my resume and go personally to the concerned office to submit it.
Q3. Find out how photographs were developed in those days.
Ans: Students must do this on their own.
Think and Answer
Q4. Who do you think is smarter – Mr Wilson or his assistant? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans: The assistant is smarter. He spotted the advertisement of the Red-Headed League and persuaded Mr Wilson to apply for the job. On reaching Fleet Street, Mr Wilson saw that it was full of red-headed people. He was discouraged and wanted to go back. But the assistant pushed through the crowd and entered the office.
Listen and Answer
Q5. Why was Fleet Street full of red-headed people?
Ans: The advertisement asking red-headed men to apply for a well-paying job had appeared in a newspaper. Many red-headed men saw it and came to Fleet Street in response to the advertisement.
Q6. Who was well suited for the job?
Ans: Mr Wilson, who was a red-headed man, was well suited for the job.
Q7. Why did Mr Wilson accept the job?
Ans: The pay was good and the work was easy. Besides, he had to work only for four hours daily. Spaulding assured him that he would look after Mr Wilson’s business in his absence. Therefore, Mr Wilson accepted the job.
Q8. Would you like to do such a job? Why?
Ans: No, I would not like to do such a job because I would find it boring. I prefer a job that is interesting and challenging.
Q9. Why would anyone want to copy an encyclopedia? Think of two good reasons.
Ans: A person might want to copy an encyclopedia to send some particular information to someone else. Another reason could be to keep a person completely occupied and away from trouble for some time.
Q10. What would we do today if we needed copies of text from a big book?
Ans: We would go to a photocopy shop and get it photocopied. We could also scan it and take a printout.
Things to Do
Q11. What is the difference between a dictionary and an encyclopedia? Find out.
Ans: A printed dictionary is usually found in one volume and contains thousands of words with brief meanings. A printed encyclopedia usually has many volumes and gives detailed explanations of topics and concepts. A dictionary is mainly used to find the meaning, pronunciation, and usage of a word. An encyclopedia is used to gain detailed knowledge about a topic.
An encyclopedia contains general knowledge about many subjects. A dictionary focuses mainly on words. A page in a dictionary may contain many word entries, while a page in an encyclopedia may contain only one or two detailed topics.
Q12. Suggest a few words that may appear under ‘A’ after ‘Archery’ in an encyclopedia.
Ans: Words that may appear under ‘A’ after ‘Archery’ in an encyclopedia are: architecture, aromatics, asparagus, astronomy, astrophysics, etc.
Discuss
Q13. What would you advise Mr Wilson to do in the given situation?
Ans: I would advise Mr Wilson to go to the newspaper office and find out who had placed the advertisement. He could then make further enquiries about that person. If he could not find the person, he should consult a detective or a lawyer for help.
ENGLISH WORKSHOP
1. Find and write the descriptions of different people given in the story.
a) Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a private detective and the protagonist of the story. His sharp observation skills and logical reasoning help him solve mysteries that astonish everyone. Sometimes quiet and thoughtful, and at other times energetic, he uses unusual methods that confuse others. He is mysterious and rarely reveals his thoughts until he has solved the case.
b) Dr John Watson
Sherlock Holmes’ partner and the narrator of the story. Good-natured, brave, and practical, Watson supports Holmes, although he rarely solves the mysteries himself. He often shares the reader’s confusion.
c) Jabez Wilson
A London pawnbroker, Jabez Wilson is an ordinary man whose only remarkable feature is his bright red hair. His simple and trusting nature prevents him from suspecting anything unusual about Vincent Spaulding or the strange Red-Headed League.
d) John Clay (Vincent Spaulding)
A notorious criminal working at Jabez Wilson’s pawnshop under the name of Vincent Spaulding. He is actually John Clay. Despite his clever plan, he attracts the attention of Sherlock Holmes.
e) Duncan Ross
John Clay’s partner in crime. His red hair helps Clay create the Red-Headed League to keep Wilson away from his pawnshop for four hours every day.
3. Form groups of five. Discuss how you can complete the rest of the story
without referring to Part II of the story.
Ans: Mr Holmes and Dr Watson try to find out why the League shut down so suddenly. Holmes feels that he should meet Mr Wilson at his house to ask some questions that are troubling him.
When Holmes reaches Wilson’s house, he notices someone leaving the house. He inquires about that person and learns that he is Wilson’s assistant. Holmes feels that he has seen the assistant’s face before.
Later, Holmes checks the records and discovers that the assistant is actually a notorious criminal who had been absconding. Holmes already has a sketch of Mr Ross. On further inquiry, he comes to know that Ross and Spaulding are close associates.
Holmes goes to Mr Ross’s house and questions him strictly. Mr Ross finally confesses that he and Spaulding were planning to rob Mr Wilson the very next day. Holmes immediately informs the police. Both Spaulding and Ross are arrested and put behind bars.
4. Language Study – Modal Auxiliary
Modal auxiliaries are helping verbs used with main verbs to show ability, possibility, permission, request, intention, etc.
The modal auxiliaries are :
z can, may, shall, will
z could, might, should, would
z must, ought to, used to, need, dare
Remember the following :
z We do not use ‘to’ before a modal.
z We do not add ‘-ed’ or ‘-ing’ to a modal.
z We can form questions and negative sentences using modals without using
the auxiliaries be, have, or do.
Examples :
-They can swim.
– May I come in ?
– We shall sing.
– Can he swim?
– You may go.
– She ought to play.
– He cannot swim.
– You must go.
-They might come.
Frame simple sentences -statements, questions, requests, orders, permissions, etc.
using the modals listed above.
(i) Can that old man climb this steep hill?
(ii) May I eat the last piece of cake?
(iii) I shall complete my homework before the holidays.
(iv) The children will play in the house this evening.
(v) The boy could complete the job before his boss arrived.
(vi) We might go for a picnic this weekend.
Part II – What Happened Next
Meanings
- thump – to hit or strike something heavily
- Strand – a famous street in London
- take the criminals by surprise – to catch the criminals without warning
- stopped all the holes – closed all the routes by which the criminals might escape
- gash – (here) a long, deep cut or slit
- foiled – prevented; defeated
- object – (here) purpose or reason
- motive – reason for doing something
- inferred – concluded; understood from evidence
In Between the Lesson
Listen and Answer
Q1. Tell the name of the young man who opened the door to Mr Holmes.
Ans: The young man who opened the door to Mr Holmes was Vincent Spaulding.
Q2. What did Holmes want to see?
Ans: Holmes wanted to see the knees of Mr Spaulding’s trousers.
Q3. Guess where Mr Merryweather took the others.
Ans: Mr Merryweather took the others to the huge cellar of the City branch of one of the main banks in London.
Think, Discuss and Guess the Answer
Q4. How did Mr Merryweather come to know about the crime?
Ans: Mr Holmes must have informed Mr Merryweather about the crime.
Q5. Why did Mr Holmes think the criminals would act that night?
Ans: Firstly, the Red-Headed League had been dissolved. Mr Wilson could now remain in his shop the whole day. This showed Holmes that the criminals’ plan was ready. Secondly, it was the weekend. Any crime committed on Saturday night would not be discovered until Monday morning when the bank reopened. This would give the criminals enough time to escape. These reasons made Holmes believe that they would act that night.
Listen and Answer
Q6. How did the criminals enter the cellar?
Ans: The criminals entered the cellar through a square hole dug in the floor.
Q7. Who were the two criminals?
Ans: The two criminals were Mr Spaulding (John Clay) and Mr Duncan Ross.
Q8. Who tried to get away? Do you think he was able to escape? Why?
Ans: Duncan Ross tried to escape. However, he was not able to escape because three men were waiting for him at the other end.
Q9. Explain the trick of the ‘Red-Headed League’. How was it related to Mr Wilson’s hair?
Ans: Spaulding and Duncan Ross realised that they could dig a tunnel from Mr Wilson’s shop to the bank cellar. However, they needed to keep Mr Wilson away from the shop for a few hours every day. Since Mr Wilson had bright red hair, they created the Red-Headed League as a trick. They knew Wilson was simple and would fall for the plan. This allowed them enough time to dig the tunnel without suspicion.
Q10. Why did Holmes become suspicious?
Ans: The advertisement for the Red-Headed League was unusual, and the job offered to Mr Wilson was strange. The assistant worked for half wages and often disappeared into the cellar. These facts made Holmes suspicious.
Q11. How did Holmes find out that the assistant was a criminal?
Ans: Using Mr Wilson’s description, Holmes made enquiries and discovered that the assistant was actually a known criminal.
Q12. How did Holmes guess that he was digging a tunnel?
Ans: Holmes noticed that Spaulding’s knees were wrinkled and stained, which suggested digging work. He also frequently went into the cellar. Seeing that a bank was located next to Wilson’s shop, Holmes inferred that Spaulding was digging a tunnel.
ENGLISH WORKSHOP
1. Put the Following Events in Proper Order
Correct Order:
(i) The bank received a lot of gold from the Bank of France.
(ii) Clay dug a tunnel.
(iii) Ross closed the office of the Red-Headed League.
(iv) Holmes visited the area around Mr Wilson’s shop.
(v) Holmes and the others went to the bank.
(vi) Clay and Ross entered the cellar to steal the gold.
(vii) Holmes caught the criminal.
2. Adverbs Ending with ‘-ly’ and Their Adjectives
(i) silently – silent
(ii) suddenly – sudden
(iii) really – real
(iv) beautifully – beautiful
(v) frankly – frank
(vi) carefully – careful
(vii) quickly – quick
3. Detective Story Elements
Ans: Students must do this on their own.
4. Story Writing
The Joshi family had gone to see a film. It was 1 a.m. when they returned home. Mr Joshi parked the car, and Mrs Joshi was about to open the door when they heard voices from inside the house. They looked at each other in shock. The children trembled in fear. Who could be inside the house?
“Maybe it’s robbers,” said Mrs Joshi nervously. “There have been many robberies in the area recently.”
Mr Joshi signalled for silence. He picked up a cricket bat from the garage and gave a stout stick to Rahul.
As quietly as possible, Mrs Joshi opened the door. Mr Joshi and Rahul rushed in. They stood still in surprise. There was no one in the room.
Then they realised what had happened. The television was on, and a detective serial was playing. The voices they heard were from the TV. The family burst into laughter. Relieved, they switched off the TV and went to bed.
5. Language Study – Synonyms, Antonyms, Homonyms
Synonyms are the
words from the same language that have the same or more or less the same
meaning.
Examples : • good – nice – pretty • shut – closed – sealed
• intelligent – bright
Antonyms are words from the same language that have opposite meanings.
Examples : • strong – weak • right – wrong • hard – soft • up – down
Homonyms are words that are spelt and pronounced in the same way but
have different meaning.
Examples : • round (adjective) – round (noun) • walk (noun) – walk (verb)
- Start a collection of synonyms, antonyms and homonyms. Collect at least 50
each. Keep adding to your selection.
1️⃣ Synonyms (Words with Similar Meanings)
- adapt – adjust
- anger – rage
- annual – yearly
- big – large
- brave – courageous
- bright – shining
- busy – occupied
- calm – quiet
- careful – cautious
- clever – smart
- close – shut
- cold – chilly
- come – arrive
- cry – weep
- dark – gloomy
- eager – keen
- easy – simple
- end – finish
- fast – quick
- false – fake
- friend – companion
- gift – present
- happy – joyful
- help – assist
- idea – thought
- important – necessary
- job – work
- keep – hold
- kind – gentle
- large – huge
- little – small
- make – create
- neat – tidy
- old – ancient
- quiet – silent
- rich – wealthy
- sad – unhappy
- safe – secure
- start – begin
- strong – powerful
- truthful – honest
- tired – weary
- ugly – unattractive
- useful – helpful
- vacant – empty
- wrong – incorrect
- yell – shout
- afraid – scared
- beautiful – lovely
- choose – select
2️⃣ Antonyms (Words with Opposite Meanings)
- absent – present
- accept – refuse
- alive – dead
- always – never
- ancient – modern
- arrive – depart
- ascend – descend
- beautiful – ugly
- big – small
- brave – cowardly
- bright – dull
- build – destroy
- buy – sell
- clean – dirty
- clever – foolish
- cold – hot
- come – go
- dark – light
- early – late
- empty – full
- enter – exit
- even – odd
- fast – slow
- friend – enemy
- give – take
- happy – sad
- hard – soft
- high – low
- honest – dishonest
- kind – cruel
- laugh – cry
- lazy – active
- long – short
- love – hate
- near – far
- open – close
- peace – war
- poor – rich
- right – wrong
- rough – smooth
- safe – dangerous
- strong – weak
- success – failure
- thick – thin
- true – false
- victory – defeat
- warm – cool
- wet – dry
- young – old
- increase – decrease
3️⃣ Homonyms (Same Spelling & Pronunciation, Different Meanings)
- bat (animal) – bat (used in cricket)
- bank (river side) – bank (financial institution)
- bear (animal) – bear (to tolerate)
- book (a set of pages) – book (to reserve)
- can (a container) – can (able to)
- watch (to see) – watch (a timepiece)
- well (healthy) – well (water source)
- right (correct) – right (direction)
- ring (jewellery) – ring (sound)
- kind (type) – kind (caring)
- lie (to rest) – lie (false statement)
- match (contest) – match (stick for fire)
- park (garden) – park (to stop a vehicle)
- play (drama) – play (to enjoy a game)
- light (not heavy) – light (brightness)
- fair (just) – fair (exhibition)
- left (direction) – left (past of leave)
- point (tip) – point (idea)
- spring (season) – spring (coil)
- train (railway) – train (to teach)