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othes and the other remnants of a lifetime； people packed on people surrounded by people who stoically shrugged and waited for the rain to stop。 Tin alleys wandered higgledy…piggledy with no plan except to squeeze another space for another family of refugees and illegal aliens but not really aliens for this was China and； once past the border； any Chinese became legal settlers to stay as long as they wanted by ancient Hong Kong Government approval。
The strength of the Colony had always been its cheap； abundant and strife…free labor force。 The Colony provided a permanent sanctuary and asked only peaceful labor in return at whatever the going rate of the day was。 Hong Kong never sought immigrants but the people of China always came。 They came by day and by night； by ship； by foot； by stretcher。 They came across the border whenever famine or a convulsion racked China； families of men； women and children came to stay； to be absorbed； in time to go back home because China was always home； even after ten generations。
But refugees were not always weled。 Last year the Colony was almost swamped by a human flood。 For some still unknown reason and without warning； the PRC border guards relaxed the tight control of their side and within a week thousands were pouring across daily。 Mostly they came by night； over and through the token； single six…strand fence that separated the New Territories from the Kwantung； the neighboring province。 The police were powerless to stem the tide。 The army had to be called out。 In one night in May almost six thousand of the illegal horde were arrested； fed and the next day sent back over the border … but more thousands had escaped the border net to bee legal。 The catastrophe went on night after night； day after day。 Tens of thousands of newers。 Soon mobs of angry sympathetic Chinese were at the border trying to disrupt the deportations。 The deportations were necessary because the Colony was being buried in illegals and it was impossible to feed； house and absorb such a sudden； vast increase in new population。 Already there were the four…plus million to worry about； all but a tiny percent illegals at one time。
Then； as suddenly as it had begun； the human gusher ceased and the border closed。 Again for no apparent reason。
In the six…week period almost 70；000 had been arrested and returned。 Between 100；000 and 200；000 escaped the net to stay； no one knew for certain how many。 Spectacles Wu's grandparents and four uncles and their families were some of these； seventeen souls in all； and since they had arrived they had been living in a resettlement area high above Aberdeen。 Spectacles Wu had arranged everything for them。 This was more of the land that the Noble House Chen family had owned since the beginning that； until recently； had been without value。 Now it had value。 The Chens rented it； foot by foot； to any who wished to pay。 Spectacles Wu had gratefully rented twenty feet by twelve feet at 1。00 HK per foot per month and； over the months； had helped the family scavenge the makings for two dwellings that； until this rain； were dry。 There was one water tap per hundred families； no sewers； no electric light； but the city of these squatters thrived and was mostly well ordered。 Already one uncle had a small plastic flower factory in a hovel he had rented at 1。50 HK per foot per month lower down the slopes； another had rented a stall in the market area selling tangy rice cakes and rice gruel in their Ning…tok village style。 All seventeen were working … now eighteen mouths to feed with a newborn babe； born last week。 Even the two…year…olds were given simple tasks； sorting plastic petals for the plastic flowers the young and old made that gave many of the hill dwellers money to buy food and money to gamble with。
Yes； Spectacles Wu thought fervently； all gods help me to get some of the reward money for the capture of the Werewolves in time for Saturday's races to put on Pilot Fish； the black stallion who； according to all the portents； is definitely going to win。
He stifled a yawn as he plodded on barefoot down one of the narrow twisting alleys in the resettlement area； his six…year…old niece beside him。 She was barefoot too。 The rain kept misting his thick glasses。 Both picked their way cautiously； not wanting to step on any broken glass or rusting debris that was ever present。 Sometimes the mud was ankle…deep。 Both wore their trousers well rolled up and she had a vast straw coolie hat that dwarfed her。 His hat was ordinary and secondhand like his clothes and not police regulation。 These were the only clothes he possessed except for the shoes he carried in a plastic bag under his raincoat to protect them。 Stepping over a foul pothole he almost lost his footing。 〃Fornicate all hazards；〃 he cursed； glad that he did not live here and that the rented room he shared with his mother near the East Aberdeen police station was dry and not subject to quirks of the weather gods like those here。 And thank all gods I don't have to make this journey every day。 My clothes would be ruined and then my whole future would be in jeopardy because Special Intelligence admires neatness and punctuality。 Oh gods let this be my great day！
Tiredness wafted over him。 His head was hunched down and he felt the rain trickling down his neck。 He had been on duty all night。 When he was leaving the station early this morning he had been told that there was to be a raid on the old amah； Ah Tam； the one connected with the Werewolves； whom he had found and tracked to her lair。 So he had said that he would hurry with his visit to his grandfather who had been taken ill and was near death and hurry back in good time。
He glanced at his watch。 There was still time enough to walk the mile to the station。 Reassured； he went on again； eased past a pile of garbage into a bigger alley that skirted the storm drain。 The storm drain was five feet deep and served normally for sewer； laundry or sink； depending on the amount of water therein。 Now it was overflowing； the swirling runoff adding to the misery of those below。
〃Be careful； Fifth Niece；〃 he said。
〃Yes。 Oh yes； Sixth Uncle。 Can I e all the way？〃 the little girl asked happily。
〃Only to the candy stall。 Now be careful！ Look； there's another piece of glass！〃
〃Is Honorable Grandfather going to die？〃
〃That's up to the gods。 The time of dying is up to the gods； not to us； so why should we worry； heya？〃
〃Yes；〃 she agreed importantly。 〃Yes； gods are gods。〃
All gods cherish Honorable Grandfather and make the rest of his life sweet； he prayed； then added carefully； for safety； 〃Hail Mary Mother and Joseph； bless old Grandfather。〃 Who knows whether the Christian God or even the real gods exist？ he thought。 Better to try to placate them all； if you can。 It costs nothing。 Perhaps they'll help。 Perhaps they're sleeping or out to lunch but never mind。 Life is life； gods are gods； money is money； laws must be obeyed and today I must be very sharp。
Last night he had been out with Divisional Sergeant Mok and the Snake。 This was the first time he had been taken with them on one of their special raids。 They had raided three gambling joints but had； curiously； left five much more prospe