“No, by heaven!” exclaimed Rio. “What I have to say ain’t about tea. Of all the people and talk I ever seen—” He had started to rise when Deane stopped him.
“Tell us about your trip, Rio,” she said. “Where did you go?”
He hesitated, but finally sat down on the edge of his chair, looking sullen.
“A little banana town. In South America,” he answered at last.
“Santa de Marina?” asked Martin, looking interested.
“Yeah,” said Rio.
Martin turned to the others and spoke proudly.
“Rio took his own ship into that harbor once.”
“So Rio was a master!” observed Roberts. Then, staring at the floor, he said with a cruel abstractness, “Yes, the sea is relentless. Many derelicts seek my aid on land when they find deep water too deep.”