ves; also a large oil-stove and a number
of pots, pans, and queer-looking jars. On the counter stood a ship's
lantern. The shelves were laden with packages and bottles. Behind the
counter sat a venerable and perfectly bald Chinaman. The only trace of
hair upon his countenance grew on the shrunken upper lip--mere wisps of
white down. His skin was shrivelled like that of a preserved fig, and he
wore big horn-rimmed spectacles. He never once exhibited the slightest
evidence of life, and his head and face, and the horn-rimmed spectacles,
might quite easily have passed for those of an unwrapped mummy. This was
Sam Tuk.

Bending over a box upon which rested a canvas-bound package was a burly
seaman engaged in unknotting the twine with which the canvas was kept
in place. As Sin Sin Wa and Sir Lucien came in he looked up, revealing a
red-bearded, ugly face, very puffy under the eyes.

"Wotcher, Sin Sin!" he said gruffly. "Who's your long pal?"

"Friend," murmured Sin Sin Wa complacently. "You gotchee pukka stuff
thisee time, George?"

"I allus brings the pukka stuff!" roared the seaman, ceasing to fumble
with the knots and glaring at Sin Sin Wa. "Wotcher mean--pukka stuff?"

"Gotchee no use for bran," murmured Sin Sin Wa. "Gotchee no use for
tin-tack. Gotchee no use for glue."

"Bran!" roared the man, his glance and pose very menacing. "Tin-tacks
and glue! Who the flamin' 'ell ever tried to sell you glue?"

"Me only wantchee lemindee you," said Sin Sin Wa. "No pidgin."

"George" glared for a moment, breathing heavily; then he stooped and
resumed his task, Sin Sin Wa and Sir Lucien watching him in silence. A
sound of lapping water was faintly audible.

Opening the canvas wrappings, the man began to take out and place upon
the counter a number of reddish balls of "leaf" opium, varying in weight
from about eight ounces to a pound or more.

"H'm!" murmured Sin Sin Wa. "Smyrna stuff."

From a pocket of his pea-jacket he drew a long bodkin, and taking up one
of the largest balls he thrust the bodkin in and then withdrew it,
the steel stained a coffee color. Sin Sin Wa smelled and tasted the
substance adhering to the bodkin, weighed the ball reflectively in his
yellow palm, and then set it aside. He took up a second, whereupon:

"'Alf a mo', guvnor!" cried the seaman furiously. "D'you think I'm going
to wait 'ere while you prods about in all the blasted lot? It's damn
near high tide--I shan't get out. 'Alf time! Savvy? Sh