Yankee Doodle Went to Town is a mystery short story by Isaac Asimov.
Part of the Black Widowers series, it was first published in the 1974 collection Tales of the Black Widowers. It was later collected in The Best Mysteries of Isaac Asimov.
Summary[]
Colonel Samuel Davenheim, an old army friend of Geoffrey Avalon, is the guest at a Black Widowers dinner. He presents a frustrating professional problem: he is investigating a corruption ring within the army, suspecting that two men—Sergeant Robert J. Farber and Private Orin Klotz—are part of a larger conspiracy involving higher-ranking officers. While he can pressure the two lower-ranked soldiers, he cannot prove the involvement of anyone else.
Davenheim reveals a crucial, bizarre clue: whenever he questions Private Klotz intensely, the private unconsciously hums the first two lines of "Yankee Doodle." Davenheim is convinced this is a subconscious leak of information but cannot decipher its meaning.
After the club members discuss various symbolic interpretations of the song, the waiter Henry intervenes. He deduces that the humming is triggered when Klotz says "Farber and I" in his denials. Henry connects this to the original, lesser-known lyrics of "Yankee Doodle," which begin: "Father and I went down to camp / Along with Captain Goodin." He theorizes that a man named Captain Goodwin is the higher-ranking conspirator Klotz is subconsciously referencing.
Davenheim confirms that a Captain Charles Goodwin is stationed at the same base, validating Henry's deduction and providing the breakthrough he needs to pursue the investigation further.
Characters[]
Black Widowers[]
- Geoffrey Avalon
- Emmanuel Rubin
- Mario Gonzalo
- Roger Halsted
- James Drake
- Thomas Trumbull
- Henry (the waiter)
Others[]
- Colonel Samuel Davenheim (the guest)
- Private Orin Klotz
- Sergeant Robert J. Farber
- Captain Charles Goodwin