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It was a little past seven before we reached the Westminster wharf and found our launch awaiting us.
七點稍過，我們到達了西敏士特碼頭，汽船早已等候在那里了。
Holmes eyed it critically. "Is there anything to mark it as a police-boat?"
福爾摩斯仔細地看了看，問道："這船上有什么標志指明是警察使用的嗎？"
"Yes, that green lamp at the side."
"有，那船邊上的綠燈。"
"Then take it off." The small change was made, we stepped on board, and the ropes were cast off.
"那么，摘下去。"綠燈摘下后，我們先后上船。船纜解開了。
Jones, Holmes, and I sat in the stern.
瓊斯、福爾摩斯和我都坐在船尾，
There was one man at the rudder, one to tend the engines, and two burly police-inspectors forward.
另外一人掌舵，一人管機器，兩個精壯的警長坐在我們的前面。
"Where to?" asked Jones.
瓊斯問道："船開到哪里去？"
"To the Tower. Tell them to stop opposite to Jacobson's Yard."
"到倫敦塔，告訴他們，把船停在杰克勃森船塢的對面。"
Our craft was evidently a very fast one. We shot past the long lines of loaded barges as though they were stationary.
我們的船速度確實很快，超越過無數滿載的平底船，
Holmes smiled with satisfaction as we overhauled a river steamer and left her behind us.
又超越過一只小汽船，福爾摩斯微笑地表示滿意。
"We ought to be able to catch anything on the river," he said.
他道："照這樣的速度，我們可以把河里的什么船都趕上了。"
"Well, hardly that. But there are not many launches to beat us."
瓊斯道："那倒不見得，不過能夠趕上我們這樣速度的汽船，確是不多見的。"
"We shall have to catch the Aurora, and she has a name for being a clipper.
"我們必須趕上'曙光'號，那是一只有名的快艇。
I will tell you how the land lies, Watson.
華生，現在沒有事，我可以把目前發展的情況和你講講。
You recollect how annoyed I was at being baulked by so small a thing?"
你記得不記得我說過一個很不算什么的障礙把我難住了，我是決不甘心的嗎？"
