Ah cum began to worry.

Each morning his inquiry was properly answered: the patient was steadily improving, but none could say when he would be strong enough to proceed upon his journey.

The tourist season would soon be at ebb, and it would be late in September before the tide returned.

So, then, fifty gold was considerable; it would carry Ah Cum across four comparatively idle months.

And because of this hanging gold Ah Cum left many doors open to doubt.
Perhaps the doctor, the manager and the girl were in collusion: perhaps they had heard indirectly of the visit paid by Mr.
O'Higgins, the American detective, and were waiting against the hour when they could assist the young man in a sudden dash for liberty.