"“Just a little,” said Holmes..."See in text(Chapter I)
Throughout the Holmes novels and short stories, there are many instances in which Holmes becomes defensive when anyone ever implies that he has superior detection skills.
Here is one of very few grammatical errors in Doyle's writing: a dangling modifier which can be easily corrected by changing being to carrying. A grammatical error is unusual for Holmes whose preciseness carries over to his speech.
"I think that we might venture a little farther than this..."See in text(Chapter I)
As several Holmes critics have noted, the competition between Holmes and Watson is more evident in The Hound of the Baskervilles than in any other of the Holmes novels or short stories.
"To James Mortimer, M.R.C.S., from his friends of the C.C.H.,” was engraved upon it, with the date “1884..."See in text(Chapter I)
Watson tries to use the band on the walking stick to deduce Mortimer's purpose and occupation, but as usual he is a bit off even when he tries to mimic Holmes.
"“I think,” said I, following as far as I could the methods of my companion, “that Dr. Mortimer is a successful elderly medical man, well-esteemed, since those who know him give him this mark of their appreciation.”..."See in text(Chapter I)
Dr. Watson is attempting to mimic Holmes's methods to impress his friend.
Holmes yawns because, as a man of fact and science, he puts no credibility in the possibility of the supernatural. To him, belief in the supernatural is simply a misunderstanding of gullible people.
