Considering the details Jack forgot to mention in his invitation, Hank Campbell would have been much happier spending the rest of his time in the dark.

For one, Her Majesty Gertrude VII's kingdom, Medillo Grande, is the only part of Poco Cabesa that isn't automatically preceded by "that godforsaken hole" in normal conversation. And Gert rules there with a mysterious and matriarchal hand, which keeps visitors to a minimum.

Over in Joetown, things were and are quite different. Comrade Joe the Only, enlightened capitalist though he might be, is also a product of his culture. Any business showing a profit draws Comrade Joe and his boys like picnics draw ants.

Despite his education, Joe carries the genetic code of the risk-takers, freebooters, buccaneers, and marine supplies salesmen who made Poco Cabesa what it is today. Try as he might, sometimes his pirate nature gets in the way of his entrepreneurial spirit.

At various times, Comrade Joe the Only's uncle (Comrade Joe the First) claimed that he could trace his heritage to ancestors as diverse as Hyman Klinkle, an ancient African Aksum king named Malik Malik, and a quarter-Cherokee singer-barmaid named Dewdrop.

Add to the above the simple fact that Jack Waller's "Following the Equator Air & Sea" is, simply expressed, a bottom-feeder in the charter biz.

Its "clients" are people who wait until the last minute (or those who don't have a choice to begin with) and it flies where no else bothers to go (or wants to).

All this, of course, depends on Jack's ancient PBY Flying Boat, "Sylvester," being, well, flyable.

The preceding would be bad enough were it not for the fact that the one enterprise on Poco Cabesa best suited to work arm-in-arm with FTEA&S is owned and operated by young Emma Riley, Jack's mortal enemy.

A voluntary refugee from the business world rat-race, Emma operates "Riley's Dream" (or tries to), a cluster of bed-and-breakfast cottages on the southern point of Medillo Grande.

Built by her father, Cap'n Roy (another naval aviator, Jack's first C.O., and an island legend or apparition, depending upon your viewpoint, who also happens to have been Her Majesty Gert's last husband), the modest resort failed aborning.

"We was gonna attract the world's luminaries!" Jack still claims.

In Emma's mind, Jack gets top-billing in the story of her father's island debauches, shaky investments, and untimely demise. Anything or anyone associated with Jack is persona non grata to her.

Which is going to complicate things quite a bit for old Hank.

When "Sylvester" does fly, distance is no barrier (assuming you have lots of time). That means FTEA&S clientele run the gamut, from the learned to the loony to the sometimes shady, and the routes, well, the routes sometimes follow the Equator.

It also means that, like the old tramp steamers that once wandered the world's oceans, FTEA&S takes the risk that a potential customer is waiting at the next stop. But, considering the risk someone takes when they charter "Mad Jack" and crew, everything balances out in the end. Anyway, it makes for some dandy tales!