When the first one was unloosened, he kicked it off, but with such careless vigor that it skidded far across the floor and smashed against the box on which Kamasura sat.

The little Oriental leaped to his feet and caught up the shoe.

As he did so, Harrigan's watchful eye saw a bright-red spot on the Jap's wrist.

That was where the grip of his fingers had lain when they struggled on the deck above.
"'Scuse me, Kamasura," he called cheerily, and raised his hand to betoken that the boot had come from him.
There was a flash of teeth and a glint of almond eyes as the Jap grinned in answer and the boot was tossed back.

Harrigan caught it, but his eye was not on the shoe.