The Mandarin's Fan by Fergus Hume — Read

Next morning at the early hour of nine o'clock Orlando Rodgers drove up to Royabay filled with curiosity. He had received Rupert's letter which summoned him to come down on matters connected with the murder, and he was eager to learn details. Rodgers himself, had been unlucky. He had traced The Stormy Petrel to the Thames near Rotherhithe, and had learned from the Captain that two Chinamen had hired the boat for a couple of days. They went down to Marport and had gone ashore early in the evening. They came on board again after midnight, and then had requested to be put ashore at Rotherhithe. The Captain confessed that he had been paid well for the job, and thought -- with a wink -- that there was no chance of his knowing his employers again.

Rodgers of course recognised that Tung-yu and Hwei in their queer partnership had hired the yacht -- which it seems was a public boat anyone could take for a period, -- and he knew also that the den, where Rupert and Clarence had met with their adventures, was in Rotherhithe. He learned of this from no less a person than Mr. Burgh himself, for the buccaneer called at the police office in London to ask if the Chinamen had been caught. Rodgers had extracted a full account of the adventures, and had gone to the den only to find it empty, and the Chinamen conspicuous by their absence. Burgh himself had not returned as he promised, and the detective was annoyed at this, after he heard Rupert's story. Had he known what this was, he certainly would have arrested Burgh there and then, for participation in the murder. But the astute Clarence in telling his Penter's Alley adventure, had taken care not to incriminate himself.