"My meaning's this: Old Huang Chow is the biggest dealer in
stolen and smuggled valuables from overseas we've got in London.
He's something else as well; he's a big swell in China. But
here's the point. He's got business with buyers all over London,
and they have to pay cash--no checks. He doesn't bank it: I've
proved that. He's got it in gold, or diamonds, or something,
being wise to present conditions, hidden there in the house. Pi
Lung was after his hoard. He didn't get it. Cohen and me was
after it. Where's Cohen?"

I agreed that it looked very suspicious, and presently:

"When I went in with Cohen," continued Poland, "I knew one thing
he didn't know--a short cut into the warehouse. He's been
playing pretty-like with Lala, old Huang's daughter, and it's my
belief that he knew where the store was hidden; but he never told
me. We knew there were special men on duty, and we'd arranged
that I was to give a signal when the patrol had passed. Cohen
all the time had planned to double on me. While I was watching
down on the Causeway end he climbed up and got in through the
skylight I'd shown him. When I got there he was missing, but the
skylight was open. I started off after him."

Then Poland clutched me, and his fright was very real.

"I heard a shriek like nothing I ever heard in my life. I saw a
light shine through the trap, and then I heard a sort of moaning.
Last, I heard a bang, and the light went out. I staggered down
the passage half silly, started to run, and ran straight into the
arms of two coppers."