key and street-number had posted to Reade Street to attend the silk's
reception. Waiting for the coming back of the conveying dray was but a
slow, dull business, and I was impatiently, at the hour I've named,
walking up and down, casting an occasional glance at the big last
trunk where it stood on end, a bit drawn out and separated from that
common mountain of baggage wherewith the wharf was piled. One of the
general inspectors, a man I had never seen but whom I knew, by virtue
of his rank, to be superior to our chalk-wielding coparcener, Lorns,
also paced the wharf and appeared to bear me company in a distant,
non-communicative way. This customs captain and myself, save for an
under inspector named Quin, had the dock to ourselves. The boat was
long in and most land folk had gotten through their concern with her
and wended homeward long before. There were, however, many passengers
of emigrant sort still held aboard the ship.

As I marched up and down, Lorns came ashore and pretended some
business with his superior officer. As he returned to the ship and
what duties he had still to perform there, he made a slight signal to
both myself and his fellow inspector, Quin, to follow him. I was well
known to Lorns, having had several talks with him, while Harris was
abroad. Quin I had never met; but it quickly appeared that he was a
confidant of Lorns, and while without a money interest in our affairs
was ready to bear a helping hand should a situation commence to pinch.

Quin and I went severally and withal carelessly aboard ship, and not
at all as though we were seeking Lorns. This was to darken the chief,
who was not in our secrets and whom we both surmised to be the cause
of Lorns' signal.

Once aboard, and gathered in a dark corner, Lorns began at once: