ALBACORA 135 



drinks, I was glum but finally Walt's recurrent optimism 

 began to make itself felt. 



"See those rocks over there," he called down from 

 the bridge. "Way over starboard." 



"Who cares about rocks," I said. 



"What rocks?" Hedley Doty shouted up to Walt. 



"Over there near the shore," Walt answered. 



"What about them?" Doty said. 



"They're covered with penguins," Walt yelled. 

 "That's what." 



I spun my chair around and stared. The shoreline 

 was flecked with gold and copper under the afternoon 

 sun. I did not notice any rocks. "You're wrong, Walt," 

 I shouted. "You won't find penguins this close to the 

 equator." 



"Why not?" Luis Rivas asked. "The Humboldt is a 

 cold current, isn't it?" 



"Pictures of penguins would go great," Walt shouted. 



"Let's try it, then, Lou," I said. "At least it'll get 

 our minds off albacora." 



"Your mind, maybe," Lou said. "I'm not forgetting." 

 He shrugged. "I've heard that penguins are supposed to 

 breed in caves along the shore around here," he said. 

 "What the hell, let's take a peek." 



"I'd love to get one aboard," I said, enthusiastically. 



"Let's move in on 'em, Walt," Lou shouted. 



The wind seemed to pick up as the Explorer turned 

 toward shore and I saw the rocks now, white with the 



