The Case of the Royal Leper

A member of the British peerage is diagnosed with leprosy, a disease intolerable to the Crown because of its historical implications. Holmes and Watson, whose activities are known and respected, are asked (a virtual command) to convey the individual to the leper colony on Molokai, among the Hawaiian islands. The matter is so secret that royal physical and human assets cannot be utilized because of the risk of involving many people. The detectives are not allowed to restrain the gentleman, e.g., with handcuffs, because of his royal status. While he is very much against being exiled in this manner, he is not unreasonable, and such a lovely portrait of the colony is painted for him that he reluctantly deigns to go. (However, he backslides on this continually, creating many problems.) Several routes are considered, and the one selected partially involves the “colonies” because of the relatively recently completed transcontinental railroad, shortening the land travel duration from months to days.

Subplots/activities include:

a) The discovery of something by Holmes en route that makes him an assassination target for much of the trip.

b) The maturation of Holmes and Watson’s charge as the result of events on the trip.

c) Involvement in four wars.

d) Learning to live off the land.

e) Inventing a novel way to fight off savages.

f) A modicum of disobedience to the Queen.

g) The need for Holmes and Watson to learn the skills of Able-Bodied Seamen before the mast of a large sailing vessel.

h) The process of Watson properly organizing the medical practices and medicinal supplies of a very large hospice and administering medical care to a multitude of patients under primitive conditions.

i) Learning to ride for vast distances on steeds whose ancestry was traceable to Genghis Khan; similarly on Bactrian camels.

Holmes and Watson wrestle with many difficulties, but Holmes, as usual, evidences his renowned deductive and inventive powers, observational skills and cool demeanor when lesser mortals panic. A surprising ending rights a terrible wrong.