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Little tugs bustled up to the side of the Black Arrow and guided her between Brooklyn and Staten Island into New York Harbour The colossal Statue of Liberty regarded the skyline of Manhattan, great long arh into the autumn sky

Finally they s of Ellis Island The passengers who had private cabins left the ship first

Wladek hadn’t noticed them until that day Theyhall Their bags were carried for the faces at the quayside Wladek

knew that wasn’t going to happen to him

After the favoured few had disembarked, the captain announced over the loudspeaker to the rest of the passengers that they would not be leaving the ship for several hours A groan of disappointment went up, and Zaphia sat on the deck and bur, - ,t into tears Wladek tried to comfort her Even - tually an official came around with coffee, a second with nu around their necks Wladek’s was B127; it reminded him of the last time he was a number What had he let himself in for? Was America like the Russian caiven no food or further infores from the dockside to Ellis Island There the men were separated from the women and sent off to different sheds Wladek kissed Zaphia and wouldn’t let her go, which held up the line A nearby official parted the,’ he said ’Keep that up and we’ll have you two ht of Zaphia as he was pushed forwards with George They spent the night in an old, da the crowded rows of bunks, offering curt, but not unkind, assistance to the bewildered i they were sent for medical examinations The first hurdle was the hardest: Wladek was told to cliht of stairs The blue - uniforait carefully

Wladek tried very hard to minimise his limp, and finally the doctor was satisfied Wladek was made to remove his hat and stiff collar so that Ids face, eyes, hair, hands and neck could be examined carefully The man directly behind Wladek had a hare lip; the doctor stopped him immediately, put a chalk cross on his shoulder and sent him to the other end of the shed After the physical was over, Wladek joined up with George again in another long line outside the Public Exa about five e was ushered into the rooe carinned at Wladek and said, ’Easy, you’ll walk right through it’ Wladek could feel the pal as he stepped forward

He followed the official into a small, undecorated roo furiously on what looked like official papers

’Do you speak English?’ asked the first

’Yes, sir, I do quite good,’ replied Abel, wishing he had spoken e

’What is vour name?’

`Wladek Koskiewicz, sir’

Theblack book ’Do you knohat that is?’

’Yes, sir, the Bible’

’Do you believe in God?’

’Yes, sir, I do’

’Put your hand on the Bible, and swear that you will answer our questions truthfully!

Wladek took the Biblo in his left hand, placed his right hand on it and said, ’I promise I tell the truth’