It was broad day.  Light, fleecy clouds covered the heavens to the southeast, but in the blue between a huge rift the sun shone down benignly.  And in its bright rays they could count nine islands and islets, sprinkled here and there like emeralds in a sparkling sheet of mother-of-pearl.  It needed only a glance at the chart to tell them that these were the Samoan group, and a little searching also told them that the nearest large one was Upolu.