Ernesto Ortiz went on the usual rounds of his copra plantations, and stopped in Tiguna for more supplies. He also bought some clothes and a few more farm animals to take back to Doma.
   Everything was accomplished, and he set sail.
   He still didn’t know what was the actual rout from Lao-tuna to Doma. He had tried two degrees to the North, and two degrees to the South. Both seemed to take him to the same place. He never could detect a current anywhere that would make the difference. What was it?
   Then again, there were so many other strange things about this island. Everything had to be done twice. They always remembered only things that were done on the trip before the last, never the last — except on occasions when he happened to go two degrees North twice in a row, or two degrees South twice in a row. How did that have anything to do with it — unless...!
   Ernesto shivered at the thought. He dared not think it.
   No, there must be a current somewhere. He just hadn’t found it yet.
   Having put the worry out of his mind once more, he changed the course two degrees to the South. He was looking forward to seeing everyone — Johnny, Milly, Paw, Maw, all the pleasant islanders with so little on their minds, and the playing children.
   This was the tranquil state of Ernesto’s mind as he pulled in sight of the shore. It was the middle of the day, so people were out and around performing the necessities their day-to-day live depended on. He could see Bertram — or was it Thurston — out on the beach with a slender stick, poking it into the sand in search of turtle eggs. Paw was leading one of the goats to a new grazing spot. Children were jumping and splashing in the waves, but soon, they were racing down the beach towards the pier, clad only in the sea water that clung to their bodies. Other children playing near the huts dropped their toys and also came running.
   Ah — the children. Where was João?
   Ernesto looked as hard as he could while still keeping the rigging under control.
   Others were also making their way to the pier.
   It looked like most of the children were on the pier except João.
   Ernesto released the sails and let the boat coast up to the pier, and then threw a rope to Randal — or was it Renton — who grabbed it and tied it to the post.
   ‘Where’s Johnny?’ someone called.
   What did they mean — where’s Johnny —? How did they expect Ernesto to know?
   The boat was secured, and Ernesto hoisted the gangway into place.
   ‘Where’s Johnny?’ someone else said.
   ‘Isn’t he here with you?’ Ernesto asked.
   ‘But he went with you — didn’t he?’
   Hardly anyone was actually on the beach when Ernesto had left last time with Johnny, but as it was understood that Johnny was to go, and after Ernesto had gone, Johnny wasn’t there anymore, it was assumed that he had gone with Ernesto.
   ‘No, he didn’t go with me. I didn’t think he wanted to go again so soon,’ replied Ernesto, with a bit of apprehension.
   When he had left last time, Ernesto had seen only Johnny standing on the pier waving to him. Hardly anyone else was around. Then he had seen Johnny race to the lower pool. The last time he looked he saw him disappear into the jungle towards the way to the upper pool.
   ‘Aii! He’s not here then?’
   ‘And he didn’t go with you?’
   ‘Oh no!’
   Now everyone was shouting and exclaiming at once so no one could understand what anyone was saying.
   The island was only so large. If Johnny hadn’t been around, and he wasn’t on the boat, something terrible must have happened.
   Ernesto mentioned that he had seen him run towards the mountain.
   ‘Maybe he went up the East side to the top,’ said Joey, still dripping with sea water. ‘He’s been going awfully fast up that way, he could have fallen and hurt himself!’
   Everyone went to the east slope to see if there were any trace of Johnny there. Later, Ernesto took the boat all around the island with a few of the islanders on board. Some of the others walked around. They walked over the mountain, and over every part — even parts that hadn’t been explored yet.
   There was just no trace of Johnny.
   It was obvious. Johnny had fallen into the sea and drowned.
   ‘He had been asking strange questions about heaven,’ remembered Maw. ‘Did he somehow — know?’
   Paw remembered that Johnny had been so disappointed the time before that he had been left behind. The last time Papa went off without him must have been too much. Maybe he had tried to swim after the boat and couldn’t get back to shore.
   Ernesto just shook his head sadly. These poor people’s memory was very very bad.
   Ernesto decided that he must erect a monument to João on a rock somewhere by the shore. He would order one from the engraver in Tiguna. Sadly, he set sail once again.
   In Tiguna, after he had docked his boat, he began to make his way immediately to the vicinity of the old Portuguese church. Next to that, he knew, was an engraver. He had to arrange it through the bishop, Monsignor Argabuendista though, as he spoke Italian, and Ernesto didn’t know Italian.
   As the engraver chiselled away, the padre stood by while Ernesto told him the sad story.
   ‘There’s something about that place, I think, that affects the remembering. They never remember anything I tell them on the previous trip. Only after two trips, and I say it once more do they remember it. Even the wedding, they forgot. Do you believe, I had to have it twice?’
   ‘To the same woman?’
   ‘Yes. To Milly, the same woman! I heard someone say those islands are haunted with spirits. Is that true, Padre?’
   ‘The name of the island is Doma, you said?’
   ‘Yes. Doma.’
   ‘Yes,’ said the Padre. ‘I heard that is was. There are two islands, I understand. The twin islands. They are called Doma and Dtoma. The natives say that there are spirits that appear on both islands at the same time.’
   ‘They must affect the memory, because I even have trouble remembering when I’m there.’
   Finally, the engraving was finished, and Ernesto had it carried to his boat. After just a few errands, he set sail.

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