The old Chinee was sorting clay pipes when he saw the door to the dark room suddenly open. No knock? No password? Who had key? Only a couple smokers had key.
Very small-a frog, or a lizard, in a waistcoat, and the tiny-Oooh. Basty. Basty bringing new one. The Chinee looked around at the dim figures on the mats, no one awake now. Smoke themselves to sleep.
Basty Badger approached the old Chinee at the table. "You shouldn't let them sleep with burning pipes, Yen Ching."
The frog-lizard friend, looking around, babbling a mile a minute. "Opium! Fancy this, an opium den. Rather Sax Rohmer, Fu Manchu, what?"
This why I no like animals as customer. Yen Ching grabbed the little badger by the scruff of his neck. "Who is howling reptile? Why he so loud?"
Basty disengaged himself by slipping out of his jacket. "Relax, you yellow, squinting beast."
The little badger pointed at the green skinned, bulbous eyed creature, as he bent down to pick up a discarded pipe.
"He's got the durrocks, Yen. Thinks this is a big lark." The little rodent winked at the old Chinee. "Up at school, Toad here's the bad influence on me, rather."
As the Toad approached, Yen Ching saw him pulling a fat pocketbook out of his vest.
"You do bring in lots new smokee, Basty Badger." The Chinee gave Basty a toothless grin. "He smoke much, we forgive you debt, hah?"
Basty winked and they both watched the stupid Frog-thing as he waved a sovereign in the Chinee's face, pointing at the same time to the discarded pipe in his other hand.