"We cannot trace the makers of the sanitary fittings, and so forth, but
they are all of American pattern. There's nothing in the nature of
a trademark to be found from end to end of the place; even the iron
sluice-gate at the bottom of the brick tunnel has had the makers'
name chipped off, apparently with a cold chisel. So you see they were
prepared for all emergencies!"
"Evidently," said Dunbar, resting his chin on the palms of his hands and
his elbows upon the table.
"The office and warehouse staff of the ginger importing concern are
innocent enough, as you know already. Kan-Suh Concessions was conducted
merely as a blind, of course, but it enabled the Chinaman, Ho-Pin,
to appear in Wharf-end Lane at all times of the day and night without
exciting suspicion. He was supposed to be the manager, of course. The
presence of the wharf is sufficient to explain how they managed to build
the place without exciting suspicion. They probably had all the material
landed there labeled as preserved ginger, and they would take it down
below at night, long after the office and warehouse staff of Concessions
had gone home. The workmen probably came and went by way of the river,
also, commencing work after nightfall and going away before business
commenced in the morning.
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