Page:The Wireless Operator with the U.S. Coast Guard.djvu/282

 and lay at anchor near the lightship, waiting for the opium carrier.

Daybreak found the Orient, true to her reckoning, approaching the Iroquois. The latter signaled to her to stop. Promptly the Orient hove to, and Captain Hardwick sent two small boats, containing the half dozen custom inspectors and a dozen of his own crew, to search the southern freighter from stem to stern.

The commander of the Orient was plainly taken aback. Before he fully realized what was happening, the boarding parties from the Iroquois were swarming up the Orient’s ladder. Like oil on water, they spread to all parts of the ship, before the crew could make a move to conceal anything. Captain Hardwick knew what he was about when he sent twice as many of his tars aboard as there were custom inspectors. The able seamen made a dive for the forecastle and began a systematic search of the sailors’ living quarters. Some of the custom inspectors sealed up the cargo holds, so these could be inspected leisurely at the dock later on, while others were examining the quarters aft. It was soon evident that the search would require much time, so the workers settled down with grim persistence, while the crew of the Orient passed jokes at their expense and went as far as they dared in taunting the unsuccessful searchers.