Bryonia came to the cabin and being questioned declared that he knew the way to his own island of Tuamotu from here, but could not tell how to get from there back to our regular course.
“I know, though,” said Captain Steele, “for Tuamotu is marked on my chart. It seems a French ship stopped there once, and did some trading with the natives, so I’ve got it pretty fairly located.”
“But what sort of a reception will your people give us, Bry?” I asked.
He smiled.
“I am Chief of Tuamotu,” he answered proudly. “I am equal to a king. My friends will be welcome.”
“All right,” said my father. “Take the wheel, Bry, and steer us towards Tuamotu.”
Bry became navigator then, and although he knew nothing of the science he possessed an instinct that guided him correctly. Having once been over the course from Tuamotu to Faytan he had the points firmly fixed in his mind, and as the distance was only about a hundred miles and the breeze held finely, on the second day we sighted a big island which both Bry and Nux declared to be Tuamotu.
Meantime a semblance of order had been restored to the ship. From being in the depths of despair our passengers were now elated with hope. They paid little heed to the fact that water was pouring into our hold as fast as the engines could pump it out, for having escaped the more tangible dangers of Faytan they believed our luck had changed and all would now be well with us.
Our men realized the situation and wore grave looks. But Lucia pounded the piano and sang her Spanish songs; Señor de Jiminez resumed his writing of the speech to be delivered before the Colombian Congress, and Madam de Alcantara dressed herself in her most gorgeous robes and declared she had enjoyed her recent adventure except for a sad attack of “nerves.”
Joe and I made a list of the pearls we had secured at Faytan, including those rifled from the dead bodies of our enemies. They made so large a collection and were of such extraordinary size and color that we knew they would sell for an immense sum in America. All of our men were to participate in the “prize money,” for all had helped to earn it.