After dinner, we gathered in the video room. Following an earlier suggestion from Inês, Admiral H. Nunes had scheduled a session for 8:30 pm. So Inês has selected two films for us to watch, taken from the station's collection.The first movie, a documentary about Scott's incredible story, finished at 9:30. Some of the military, who had followed the session, retired to their quarters. Of the civilians, the only one to go out with them was Ernani. Claiming to be tired, he said goodnight and went to bed.

     While Inês was preparing the second movie, Carlos commented:

     "Superintendent, you missed a great outing this afternoon."

     "I'm sorry, but I wasn't in the mood. I don't like going out in the cold."

     "Quite an opportunity. You'll never have another one!"

     "Not a problem! My mother always says: 'Better a coward alive than a hero dead'."

     In the midst of Carlos' smile, the admiral showed interest in their wanderings, especially when he was told that they had been to the abandoned english station. He asked:

     "They said you'd entered the english station..."

     "Yes, we did, admiral", replied Ema.

     The admiral wore a look of concern on his face:

     "Didn't they say you guys shouldn't go in there because it could collapse at any time?"

     Carlos admitted:

     "Ernani spoke out. Indeed, the station is on its last legs. They should put up a sign so that no one can get in."

     Inês asked:

     "Did you find anything strange there? Ernani was terrified when he arrived. He talked about someone watching you. And also talked about a book by Agatha Christie: 'Death Comes as The End'."

     I had the impression that Ema wanted to say something, but a look from Carlos stopped her, giving me the impression that she was trying to divert the focus:

     "I've never seen such an impressionable guy. The place is indeed gloomy. But apart from that book, nothing special."

     "What about someone peeking at you?" insisted Inês.

     He minimized the importance of the fact:

     "Garbage! It was the wind and the thermal contraction in the plank floor, nothing more."

     Carlos turned to the admiral, apparently trying to divert the subject and immediately cut off Inês' interest, the reason for which I would only learn much later:

     "So, admiral, is this really your first time at the station?"

     "Of course not!" he snapped back.

     The admiral was not at all comfortable with the sudden change of subject. That embarrassing question had, in a way, already caused a row earlier in the auditorium. He followed in anger:

     "Yes, I've been here before! You bunch of tattlers. You guys think that just because I live in Punta Arenas, I have to set up camp at Ferraz Station? Humberto doesn't know what he's talking about. I'm responsible for the Interministerial Commission for Marine Resources and there are many other issues there. It's not just Ferraz Station that is linked to this secretariat. Furthermore, I superintendent powers, we have highly qualified people in the Navy. And: the back-up teams and scientists change every year, how can they know if I'm coming or not? Don't listen to such insolent people."

     What everything seemed to indicate, however, was that the admiral had never committed himself with the necessary conviction to heading the Secretariat for Marine Resources. The existence of tattlers, therefore, could be credited to himself, who knows?