His face was half hidden under a freshly pipeclayed _sola topee_--sun-helmet.

He turned and shouted some orders to the Kanaka crew, then nodded to the sampan's coolies, who bore upon the sweeps and headed for the Sha-mien.
Ah Cum turned to his own affairs, blissfully ignorant that this tub was, within forty-eight hours, to cost him fifty gold.

What had shifted his casual interest was the visible prospect of a party of three who were coming down the packet gang-plank.

The trio exhibited that indecisive air with which Ah Cum was tolerably familiar.

They were looking for a guide.