"Now, sir, all's ready. Smunko's piping off the other blacks; we're not a quarter of a mile from the land."
Mont's heart beat high.
"Tell the others," he said.
"No; let you and I go together."
"I can't leave Carl, and the professor is one of us."
In this Mont was firm.
He would not leave the Searcher without Carl and the professor.
So the two were told that all was ready.
"Come on, now," said Mont. "We must not lose our chance."
With the valuable pearls they had secured in the Indian Ocean in their pockets, the others followed Mont to the deck.