“Yes, sir, I know him,” said Willie.
“Well, you may leave here at twenty minutes of ten. Put the message in Mr. Henderson’s own hands. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And,” said Mr. King, with a smile, “if you don’t get back here until one o’clock it will be all right.”
“Oh!” gasped Willie. “Thank you ever so much, Mr. King.”
Willie could hardly stay in his seat until nine-forty came. Then he grabbed his cap and bolted through the gate. Like so many other seeming obstacles in life, it was no longer a bar to progress. It was an opening to advancement. At least so it seemed to Willie. He ran to the subway, caught a train, rode to the proper station, then tore away hotfoot for the pier.
The scene he had witnessed while he was waiting for the Lycoming to get into her pier was reënacted now, though with this difference. The throng that awaited the arrival of the Lycoming was composed almost wholly of native Americans, and mostly of people of means and culture. They were quiet and self-contained. The crowd Willie saw now was largely made up of Greeks, Italians, Syrians, Turks, Armenians, and other strange peoples from strange lands. It was an interesting, picturesque crowd, and Willie was glad of a chance to see all these foreigners at such close quarters. But what a difference there was in their behavior!
“My gracious!” thought Willie. “You might think there was a fire, or at least a prize-fight going on, the way they talk.”
It was no wonder Willie was so amazed at the manner of conversation he now beheld. Such violent gestures, such excited explosive speech, he had never before witnessed. He could hardly believe that anybody could converse in that way except under stress of violent emotion. Yet what he saw now was hardly a circumstance to what he saw later, when the boat was docked, and these foreign folks were greeting their compatriots from far lands.
But at first Willie had eyes for nothing but luggage. He had delivered his letter to Mr. Henderson, and found Mr. Easterly; and with him, he took up a position where he could watch the incoming baggage put ashore.