“THEY HAD PASSED IT AND FORWARDED IT, AND GOT A RECEIPT FOR IT.”
The Customs authorities declared they had not got the trunk; they had passed it and forwarded it, and got a receipt for it. There could be no doubt, from their point of view, that the Ambassador had taken delivery of his trunk No. 23. The railway authorities were equally agreed on the same point. The baggage was all in special carriages; not a pin could have been lost between Yokohama and the Shimbashi station at the capital, whence it had been handed over to his Excellency’s servants for removal to the hotel. The police authorities were equally certain that there had been no hanky-panky business of any kind. It would have been impossible for one of the Ambassador’s trunks to go astray or be stolen, either in the streets of the seaport or in the capital itself. The steamship authorities had a receipt for every article. They knew the Ambassador’s trunks, and especial care had been taken of them throughout the voyage. Nevertheless, they would again investigate.
Then, Banzai! there came a telegram from the chief purser of the liner:—
“Ambassador’s trunk No. 23 found on board. Must have been left behind inadvertently. Forwarding to Tokio at once.”
The little Custom House inspectors looked at the newly-found trunk in utter stupefaction.
“Truly,” said they, “we passed this identical trunk not three hours ago.”
“Hayako!” (Hurry, there!) shouted the head inspector, as they dallied over the mystery. “His Excellency waits!”
“THE LITTLE CUSTOM HOUSE INSPECTORS LOOKED AT THE NEWLY-FOUND TRUNK IN UTTER STUPEFACTION.”