Jim looked at me in astonishment.
"Why, what on earth do you mean, Julian?" he asked. "What on earth has that to do with our chance of saving them?"
"Jim," I cried once more, hardly knowing how to contain myself with excitement and reaction; "was there ever such a precious pair of fools in the world before as you and me, my good fellow? It's Wednesday morning in Tanaki, man! It's Wednesday in Tanaki! Tanaki's the other side of 180!"
As I said the words, Jim jumped at me like a wild creature and grasped my hand hard. Then he caught Martin in his arms and hugged him as tight as if he'd been his own father. After that he threw his cap up in the air and shouted aloud with delight. And when he'd quite finished all those remarkable performances, he looked hard into my face and burst out laughing.
"Well, upon my soul, Julian," he said, "for a couple of seasoned old Pacific travelers, I do agree with you that a pair of bigger fools and stupider dolts than you and I never sailed the ocean!"
"If it had been our first voyage across now," I said to Jim, feeling thoroughly ashamed of myself for my silly mistake, "there might have been some excuse for us!"
"Or if the boy hadn't told us there was a discrepancy in the accounts the very first day he ever came aboard," he added solemnly.
"But as it is," I went on, "such a scholar's mate, such a beginner's blunder as this is for two seafaring men—why, it's absolutely inexcusable!"
"Absolutely inexcusable!" Jim repeated, penitently.
"But if we clap on all steam we may get there yet on Wednesday morning," I continued, consulting my watch.