Although there were but a few passengers on the Dunham Castle,
they were subjected to a long delay during which suspicious
customs men searched their baggage and questioned them. Finally,
however, O'Reilly found himself free to go ashore. He had passed
the ordeal handily, and now he was eager to reach some lodging-
place where he could remove that revolver which knocked against
his leg so awkwardly at every step. Once on the dock, he gave his
bag to a negro and led the way toward the street. At the last
moment, however, just as he was about to plant his feet upon solid
earth, he was halted by two men who rose from a bench where they
had been idling. They carried the tasseled canes of the Secret
Service, and O'Reilly felt his heart jump.
With a murmured apology one of them relieved the negro of the
valise while the other began to search O'Reilly's person for
concealed weapons. He began at Johnnie's shoulders and patted one
pocket after another, "fanning" him in the fashion approved of
policemen. Now, too late, the American regretted his refusal to
heed the mate's warning. It seemed certain that he was in for
trouble, but he drew his heels together and stood with the
revolver pressed between his legs, praying that those exploratory
palms would not encounter it. When the officer had slapped every
pocket, ending at the hips, he nodded; his companion snapped shut
the valise, and handed it back to the porter.
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