Free Passage of Arms by Eric Ambler

Well, it just is not true. If you want anything properly made you have to give them at least thirty-six hours. So let's do our shopping first, and then we don't have to worry."
    They window-shopped for a while in the hotel ; and then the girls left Greg with a tailor named Mr. Yu, and went back to the Star of Siam to order Thai silk skirts. They had arranged to meet in the hotel lobby. When Greg had chosen his suit materials and had his measurements taken, he made his way down there.
    He knew that he had at least half an hour to wait. It was too early for a drink. There was a row of travel agents' booths in the lobby, most of them offering sightseeing tours. It might be a good idea, he thought, to see about renting a car and driver.
    The moment that thought came into his head another one followed it: "Maybe I'd better check with Arlene first."
    It was enough. He said "God dammit" between his teeth, and went over to the nearest booth.
    A Chinese in a black business suit came forward.
    "Good morning, sir. What can I do for you?"
    "I want to rent a limousine with a driver to take us around. Do you have cars?"
    "We do not have our own cars, but we can arrange that for you, sir. An American car if you wish. When and for how long would you want it?"
    "Well, we only have two days. We'd like to see as much as we can. We could start right after lunch from here."
    "Then I would suggest, sir, that this afternoon you go across on the car ferry to Hong Kong and drive up to the Peak. There is a magnificent view from there. After that I would suggest a drive to Deep Water Bay and Repulse Bay with tea at the hotel there. Tomorrow you could tour Kowloon and the New Territories."
    "Would that take us as far as the Red Chinese border?"
    "Certainly, sir. And you could lunch at Shatin. But I will get you a good driver who will know all these things and make helpful suggestions."
    "How much would it cost?"
    By the time Arlene and Dorothy arrived it was all settled.
    Arlene clearly resented having the arrangements taken out of her hands in this fashion, but had difficulty in finding anything in them to criticise. She did the best she could, however.
    "We didn't have to have a car this afternoon," she said. "We could have gone across to the island by the Star ferry and taken a. cab the other side."
    "In all this humidity?" said Dorothy. "It's worse than August in New York."
    "Humidity?" Arlene smiled knowingly. "You wait until we get to Singapore."
    Greg congratulated himself on this small rift in the female alliance ; but his satisfaction was short-lived. They went to a Chinese restaurant for lunch and Arlene insisted on their all using chop-sticks. It was considered discourteous, she said, to use a fork. Dorothy thought it great fun; but Greg, who liked Chinese food and was hungry, became impatient and dropped some of the food on his tie.
    After lunch they went back to the Peninsular Hotel to pick up the car and driver.
    The car proved to be a three-year-old Chevrolet Bel-Air and Arlene looked at it disdainfully. The driver was a young Chinese wearing grey flannel trousers, a dark blue blazer and a chauffeur's cap. He took off the cap and stood respectfully at attention as he held the rear door open for the ladies.
    "Want me to go in front with you?" Greg asked him.
    "If you do not object, sir, I think you will be more comfortable."
    "Okay."
    When they were in the car the driver turned to him.
    "I see you have a camera, sir. There are certain places on the road up to the Peak where particularly good shots can be obtained. Would you like me to stop at those places?"
    "That'd be fine. By the way, what's your name?"
    "My Chinese name is Khoo Ah Au, sir." The driver smiled. "American clients find it easier to call me Jimmy."
     
    III
     
    Khoo Ah Au liked American tourists. He found them, on the whole, generous, easy-going and completely predictable. They were rarely ill-tempered, as the British often were, or eccentric in their demands, as were the