But we must collect as many fragments of glass as we can." Once more we searched amongst the rubbish and succeeded, eventually, in recovering some seven or eight small fragments of the broken spectacle-glasses, which Thorndyke laid on the mantelshelf beside the little sticks.
"By the way, Thorndyke," I said, taking up the latter to examine them afresh, "what are these things?
Can you make anything of them ?" He looked at them thoughtfully for a few moments and then replied: "I don't think I will tell you what they are.

You should find that out for yourself, and it will be well worth your while to do so.

They are rather suggestive objects under the circumstances.

But notice their peculiarities carefully.

Both are portions of some smooth, stout reed.
There is a long, thin stick--about six inches long--and a thicker piece only three inches in length.