Title: Poley the Moley
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes (ACD)
Rating: G
Length:589 words
Summary: The Ferret returns to Baker Street wearing a gift from his new girlfriend and helps Sherlock Holmes solve a case.

The Ferret trotted into 221B and was greeted by Mouselet who was sitting on the dining table, watching Sherlock Holmes sticking articles into his commonplace book.

“That’s pretty,” she said.  “Where did you get it from?”

The Ferret twirled the delicate chain he was wearing round his neck.  “My girlfriend gave it to me.”

“Girlfriend?”  Holmes looked questioningly at Mouselet.

“A mole,” she replied.  “Her eyesight won’t be very good.”

“Hey, that’s not fair,” the Ferret replied.

“May I have a look at it?” Holmes asked.

“Of course,” the Ferret replied.  “I’m not too sure whether it’s really me.  But I wasn’t going to refuse a present.”

“Oh, quite,” Holmes said.  He accepted the chain and looked closely at it.  “These pearls may be small, but they look to be of very high quality.”

“Poley said she could probably find a couple of circlets for Mouselet and Aemelia too.”

“Poley?” Mouselet asked.

“Yes, Poley the moley.”

Holmes’ lips quirked, but he managed not to laugh.  “What sort of circlets?”

“I think they’re probably diamond rings.  Poley said they were very sparkly.”

“Can you show me where Poley found them?”

“Yes, do you want to go now?”

“I think it might be a good idea.”

Holmes put on his overcoat and the Ferret climbed into one pocket, while Mouselet sat in the other.  They set off down the road, the Ferret giving directions.

Finally, he said, “Stop!  We’ve been meeting round here.”

They had stopped in front of a house which looked in need of a certain amount of repair.  The garden was distinctly overgrown, and Holmes could see in one corner a number of molehills.

“Poley said she’d moved in recently.  She’d been living a couple of houses further down the road, but the gardener was getting very efficient, so she’d decided to find somewhere quieter,” the Ferret explained.

Holmes bent down and examined the molehills.  He picked up a few small items of jewellery, which he passed to Mouselet to put in his pocket.

“These look to me like the proceeds from the burglary a few weeks ago at Lady Whittaker’s house.  The burglars must have decided to bury the smaller items and wait until matters quietened down.  They’d have got away with it if Poley hadn’t started tunnelling in the garden.  We’ll take what we can see and then I’m afraid we’ll have to let Lestrade know, so his men can dig up the rest.  Ferret, you may want to warn Poley.”

The Ferret hopped down.  “I will do.” 

He disappeared into one of the holes and returned a few minutes later.  “She’s moving on again.  She’s got her eye on a nice little residence two gardens further up.  I did notice she was wearing a chain with a black stone round her neck, which she seemed rather proud of.  Do you want me to see if she’ll give it up?”

“No,” Holmes replied.  “I think she can keep it.  We can call it her reward for finding the jewellery.  I shall tell Lestrade that I received an anonymous tip off, and at worse he’ll assume that my informant made off with the chain.”

“But it was Poley,” the Ferret objected.  “And she’s not an ony mouse, she’s a mole.”

“I know,” Holmes said soothingly.  “But I think Lestrade would probably be happier with that, than being told it was Poley the moley.”

Mouselet giggled and Holmes said, “And now I suggest we return to Baker Street, as Mrs Hudson should be about to bring up lunch.”