ALBACORA 143 



to clean his stinking pocket. But it didn't work so he 

 cut out his pocket with a knife." 



When Mario crawled aboard the Explorer, his pants 

 were in tatters, as though a knife really had sliced some 

 pieces out of them. 



"You mean you really didn't fall overboard?" I 

 asked. 



Mario answered with a broad, meaningless grin. 



"Oh, we hit a rock," Walt said, "but Mario didn't 

 fall over then. I pushed the little stinker in." 



"Walt," I said. "You don't mean it." 



"Sure I do," he said. 



I looked at Mario. His grin was still there and it 

 was still without meaning. 



"Tell me the truth," I coaxed. 



"I've told it to you," he insisted. 



That was as far as he would go and I never did find 

 out how Mario landed in the water. 



"By the way," Walt said, "about those baby pen- 

 guins. The water carried them into the cave. I think 

 they got home in pretty good shape." 



