I could fathom nothing there.
"Well," snarled the lieutenant, "I suppose you will not object to my seeing your passports ?" "Not in the least," said I.

But I felt a shock.

The word "American" was written after the nationality clause in my passports.

I was in for some excitement on my own account.

If I returned from my rooms saying that I could not find my passports they would undoubtedly hold me till the same were produced.