The tourists returned to the Sha-mien at four o'clock.

They were silent and no longer observant, being more or less exhausted by the tedious action of the chairs.

Even Ah Cum had resumed his Oriental shell of reserve.

To reach the Sha-mien--and particularly the Hotel Victoria--one crossed a narrow canal, always choked with rocking sampans over and about which swarmed yellow men and women and children in varied shades of faded blue cotton.

At sunset the swarming abruptly ceased; even the sampans appeared to draw closer together, with the quiet of water-fowl.