Story 1 of 4 · Sherlock Holmes Short Stories
The Adventure of the Diamond
Companion to pages 7-13 of the Ladybird/Penguin reader
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First, read the chapter in your book
Open pages 7-13 in your Sherlock Holmes book. Come back here to practise.
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📋 Plot Recap
Pages 7-13
On a cold December evening just after Christmas, Dr Watson drops by 221B Baker Street and finds Holmes intently studying an old black hat. Holmes explains that the hat was brought in by Peterson, a commissionaire who had witnessed a street brawl in which a stranger dropped both the hat and a fat goose before running off. A card attached to the goose named a Mrs Henry Baker — but London has hundreds of Henry Bakers, and the trail is anything but obvious.
While Holmes demonstrates his trademark deductions about the unknown owner — his intelligence, his recent fall in fortune, his strained marriage — Peterson bursts into the flat with extraordinary news. His wife has just discovered something hidden in the goose’s stomach: a brilliant blue diamond. Holmes immediately recognises it as the Countess of Morcar’s stolen gem, for which a £1,000 reward has been offered. A man named John Horner has already been arrested for the theft, though his guilt is far from certain.
Holmes drafts a newspaper notice asking Mr Henry Baker to come and collect his lost goose. With Peterson dispatched to deliver the notice and to buy a replacement bird, Holmes and Watson settle in to wait. The trap is set — and dinner at seven.
On a cold December evening just after Christmas, Dr Watson drops by 221B Baker Street and finds Holmes intently studying an old black hat. Holmes explains that the hat was brought in by Peterson, a commissionaire who had witnessed a street brawl in which a stranger dropped both the hat and a fat goose before running off. A card attached to the goose named a Mrs Henry Baker — but London has hundreds of Henry Bakers, and the trail is anything but obvious.
While Holmes demonstrates his trademark deductions about the unknown owner — his intelligence, his recent fall in fortune, his strained marriage — Peterson bursts into the flat with extraordinary news. His wife has just discovered something hidden in the goose’s stomach: a brilliant blue diamond. Holmes immediately recognises it as the Countess of Morcar’s stolen gem, for which a £1,000 reward has been offered. A man named John Horner has already been arrested for the theft, though his guilt is far from certain.
Holmes drafts a newspaper notice asking Mr Henry Baker to come and collect his lost goose. With Peterson dispatched to deliver the notice and to buy a replacement bird, Holmes and Watson settle in to wait. The trap is set — and dinner at seven.
Summary written by Studixa — read the book for the full text and language.
👥 Who’s Who in This Story
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Sherlock HolmesDetective
The famous private detective. Sharp, observant, lives at 221B Baker Street. Solves crimes through tiny details others miss.
👨⚕️
Dr John WatsonNarrator · Holmes’ friend
A doctor who helps Holmes and writes down his cases. He’s the storyteller of every adventure in the book.
🧥
PetersonCommissionaire
Works near Baker Street. Saw the street fight, brought the hat and goose to Holmes, and made the diamond discovery.
🎩
Henry BakerThe hat’s mystery owner
We don’t see him yet — Holmes deduces a lot about him just from the hat. Holmes is sure he’ll come if he’s innocent.
💎
The Countess of MorcarOwner of the diamond
Wealthy woman whose blue diamond was stolen from the Hotel Cosmopolitan. She has offered £1,000 for its return.
🚓
John HornerSuspect (arrested)
A builder who was working on the fire in the Countess’s hotel room when the diamond disappeared. Holmes isn’t yet sure he’s guilty.
🏨
James RyderHotel manager
The Hotel Cosmopolitan manager who took Horner up to the Countess’s room. Could be more important than he first seems…
🆕 Key Vocabulary
The bold words you met in pages 7-13. Hover or read carefully — these come back later.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| detective | someone whose job is to find out the facts about a crime | Holmes is a famous detective. |
| clue | a small fact or sign that helps solve a mystery | The hat could be a clue to a crime. |
| goose | a large bird that looks like a big duck | Peterson found a fat goose in the street. |
| walking stick | a stick people carry to help them walk or, sometimes, to defend themselves | The man used his walking stick to fight. |
| arrest | (of the police) to take someone to the police station because they may have done something wrong | He didn’t want the police to arrest him. |
| hide | to put something where people cannot see it | Someone painted the hat black to hide the grey spots. |
| reward | money or a prize given to someone for helping | There is a £1,000 reward for the diamond. |
| manager | the person in charge of a hotel, shop or business | James Ryder is the hotel manager. |
| newspaper | a paper printed every day with news stories | Holmes will put a notice in the newspaper. |
| innocent | not guilty of doing something wrong | Is John Horner innocent or guilty? |
❓ Comprehension Check
Did you understand the chapter? Click the answer you think is correct — wrong answers turn red, the right one turns green.
?Why does Watson visit Holmes at the start of the story?
?How did Peterson get the hat and the goose?
?What does Holmes deduce about the hat’s owner?
?What does Peterson’s wife find inside the goose?
?Who has the police already arrested for the theft?
?Why does Holmes want to put a notice in the newspaper?
?Why does Holmes think Henry Baker will probably come?
Score: 0 / 7
💬 Discussion & Writing
Talk about these in class or write a short answer in your notebook.
1. Sherlock Holmes makes a lot of guesses about the hat’s owner just by looking at the hat. Which deduction surprised you most? Why?
2. Holmes says: “If your wife loves you, your hat is always clean.” Do you agree with this kind of reasoning? Can you really learn so much from such small details?
3. What do you think is going to happen at seven o’clock when Holmes and Watson meet Mr Henry Baker? Write a short prediction (3-4 sentences).
