6 



"I saw that Spanish cross in my dreams 

 again last night," I said, as we ate our breakfast aboard Sea 

 Diver the next morning, preparatory to starting the day's 

 search. "It looked exactly hke the one I saw in the clouds 

 over the mountains the day we arrived." 



Ed stared at me absent-mindedly. "Did you?" he said. 



I could tell his mind was not on this evidence of the 

 supematural's interest in our expedition. He was wonder- 

 ing why the Nordberg diesel was spitting oil and had sud- 

 denly become so cussed to start, for he immediately said: 

 "Vital, when you get the time, take the head off that diesel. 

 I'd hke to see what's wrong with it." 



But Kay, who was dawdhng with her cereal, for her 

 appetite was never very good at this early hour, turned 

 to me in excitement. "Marion, isn't that fascinating? It's 

 the second time you've seen that cross. Do you suppose it 

 really has some significance?" We both felt a httle thrill 

 of superstitious awe at the thought. 



The men proceeded to talk over plans for the day. At 



Search for the Santa Maria 209 



