"A steamer making for dock," whispered Max. _"Brr!_ it is a nightmare,
this! I think in a minute something will happen. _Ssh!"_
Ah-Fang-Fu glanced slowly around. Then he stood up, raised the lamp
from the table and made a tour of the bunks, shining the light in upon
the faces of the occupants. Max watched him closely, hoping to learn
in which bunks the members of 'The Scorpion's' group lay. But he was
disappointed. Ah-Fang-Fu examined _all_ the bunks and even shone the
light down upon Stuart and Max. He muttered to himself constantly, but
seemed to address no one.
Replacing the lamp on the box, he whistled softly; and:----
"Look!" breathed Max. "The stair again!"
Stuart cautiously turned his eyes toward the open stair.
On the platform above stood a bent old hag whose witch-eyes were
searching the place keenly! With a curiously lithe step, for all her
age, she descended, and standing behind Ah-Fang-Fu tapped him on the
shoulder and pointed to the outer door. He stood up and shuffled
across, went up the four steps and unbarred the door.
_"Tchee, tchee,"_ he chattered. "Pidgin make a look-out."
He went out and closed the door.
"Something happens!" whispered Max.
A gong sounded.
"Ah!"
The old woman approached the matting curtain hung over a portion of
the wall, raised it slightly in the centre--where it opened--and
disappeared beyond.
"You see!" said Stuart excitedly.
"Yes! it is the audience-chamber of 'The Scorpion'!"
The ancient hag came out again, crossed to a bunk and touched its
occupant, a Chinaman, with her hand.
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