Alfred couldn't help but grin at the blind optimism displayed by someone who had so very little to do with actually finding it; he knew that his navigator and several of his officers were decidedly less certain. He wasn't even sure whether Pablo really believed they had a chance at finding it, when it came down to it, or whether he was just along for the ride, so to speak. But it was nice to know that someone on the expedition was confident, instead of just pretending to be.

"I hope you're right," he said with a chuckle. "Or I'll have some explaining to do to the sponsors. They didn't shell out for a three-month pleasure cruise."