Immediately after luncheon they packed; and as Nancy closed her suitcase, sure enough, it locked!
“Don’t worry,” advised Jeanette. “You won’t need it on the steamer; and somebody in Nova Scotia will be able to open it. Anyway, you couldn’t have carried it about with you with the lid open.”
“But the customs!”
“Let the customs officer open it. He’ll have all kinds of keys.”
“But he’ll think I’m smuggling in Heaven knows what.”
“Then it’ll be a good joke on him when he doesn’t find anything,” chimed in Martha. “You should worry.”
On the dock, Miss Ashton was waiting for them; and after greetings were over, they gave their luggage to a porter. After going through several passages, sheds, and gates, they finally went up the gangplank, and on board.
Their two staterooms were nearly opposite each other, on the main deck.
“Who is going to be my partner?” inquired Miss Ashton, looking at the three girls.
“I, if you want me,” replied Martha. “It would be a crime to separate the two inseparables.”