“Very well, then, you meet the Majestic. Go down to Quarantine with the inspectors and board the boat. I’ll give you a letter to the proper authorities. You can be a cabin boy, and in that way may get a good chance to observe this fellow Simonski. Don’t pay any attention to anything else. This diamond smuggling has got to be broken up. I won’t be a bit disappointed if you don’t learn a thing. But if you should find out something, it will be a great achievement for you. I’ll write that note for you at once.”
CHAPTER XVI
WHERE THE JEWELS WERE HIDDEN
Hardly had the great ship Majestic dropped anchor at Quarantine before a customs boat drew up alongside of her. A ladder was lowered, and up the ladder scrambled the boarding party. This consisted of several customs men and Willie. The instant Willie reached the deck, he scurried into the cabin. He did not want to be seen by any more people than he could help. He presented his letter to one of the ship’s officers. Immediately he was hustled into the stewards’ quarters and there he was outfitted like a cabin boy.
But Willie hardly needed to take such precautions to escape observation. The passengers were in a flutter of excitement. The usual preparations for debarking were afoot. Many persons were bustling about saying farewell to acquaintances. Everywhere there was great activity in the staterooms. Many persons were packing hand-bags. Some were rolling up steamer rugs and capes. Others were folding outer coats or pulling them on. Canes, umbrellas, shoes, veils, hats, and innumerable other objects of apparel were being collected, so that their owners could debark promptly. No one had time even to notice cabin boys.
Those who had not filled out the official papers on which they were to make their customs’ declarations were now working frantically to get these declarations completed. An exemption of $100 was allowed each traveler. He might bring in dutiable goods to that amount. Goods in excess of that sum had to pay the full duty. Always there was the temptation, when making out these declarations, to undervalue purchases.
Had these travelers known that awaiting them on the piers were expert appraisers of the Customs Department, who could tell almost to a cent what things had probably cost, their sense of honesty might have been mightily strengthened. But the temptation to avoid the payment of duty often proved too strong, and many articles were purposely undervalued in the customs declarations. As Mr. King had said, many persons of respectability and even of prominence forgot their consciences when they tried to come ashore with dutiable goods. So they misrepresented the value of their purchases.
Up to the time these declarations were signed, misstatements could be corrected and trouble avoided. But once a person had attached his signature to his declaration, any discrepancies thereafter discovered in his report might render him liable for smuggling. Up to the time he signed his declaration, a passenger trying to get dutiable goods in free was merely planning to commit an illegal act. Once he had signed, he had committed that illegal act. So the signing was the crucial point; and many and many an intending smuggler has betrayed himself by nervousness at this point. Indeed, many and many a person attempting to smuggle goods ashore has been caught simply because of his general nervousness. Had Easterly been here, that is what he would have been watching for—people who were ill at ease, and particularly would he have been watching Simonski.
Willie had been given the number of Simonski’s stateroom. He hardly believed he would find the man there, for it was not likely he had much baggage. Practically everybody not engaged in packing baggage was on deck, getting a welcome view of old New York again. Willie suspected Simonski would be there, too. His guess proved to be correct.
Willie went straight to Simonski’s stateroom, and after listening intently at his door for a moment, knocked on it. There was no response. Willie turned the door-knob and pushed. The door opened. A man’s coat lay on the bed. Close beside the bed was a leather hand-bag. In a corner stood an umbrella. Evidently the occupant had everything prepared for a quick debarkation. That didn’t prove anything, of course, for every home comer was eager to get ashore. Yet the quicker one could have his luggage examined, the better was his chance of covering up any little irregularities. With such a great crowd of passengers to handle, the inspectors would do their work hastily. Willie fairly itched to open the bag, but he knew it would be dangerous to touch anything. Simonski might return and catch him in the act. Then his usefulness would be ended. So he withdrew from the room and shut the door. He had not touched a thing. He did not believe Simonski could have any possible way to tell whether or not any one had entered his room. He wondered if the reason Simonski had left his door unlocked was to give an investigator a chance to go through his baggage. A clever rogue might well do such a thing.
Willie made his way forward, in search of Simonski. The ship was as busy as a beehive. Passengers were hastening back and forth along the corridors. Stewards and cabin boys were assisting with the final packing, and carrying luggage forward toward the gangway. Friends were calling to one another in loud tones or gathered in groups, chatting busily. Forward, both within the ship and on the decks, hundreds of passengers were massed.