group of dark-skinned, swaggering soldiers. This hot, volcano-looking
land was the one I had come to free from its fetters. These swarthy
barefooted brigands were the men with whom I was to fight.

My trunk had been packed and strapped since sunrise, and before the
ship reached the pier, I had said "good-by" to everyone on board and
was waiting impatiently at the gang-way. I was the only passenger to
leave, and no cargo was unloaded nor taken on. She was waiting only
for the agent of the company to confer with Captain Leeds, and while
these men were conversing on the bridge, and the hawser was being
drawn on board, the custom-house officers, much to my disquiet, began
to search my trunk. I had nothing with me which was dutiable, but my
grandfather's presentation sword was hidden in the trunk and its
presence there and prospective use would be difficult to explain. It
was accordingly with a feeling of satisfaction that I noticed on a
building on the end of the pier the sign of our consulate and the
American flag, and that a young man, evidently an American, was
hurrying from it toward the ship. But as it turned out I had no need
of his services, for I had concealed the sword so cleverly by burying
each end of it in one of my long cavalry boots, that the official
failed to find it.

I had locked my trunk again and was waving final farewells to those on
the Panama, when the young man from the consulate began suddenly to
race down the pier, shouting as he came.

The gang-way had been drawn up, and the steamer was under way,
churning the water as she swung slowly seaward, but she was still
within easy speaking distance of the pierhead.