CHAPTER II
The Hindu Merchant
Thirty-six hours later, after a grueling transcontinental--trans-Pacificflight with only the briefest of stops to change planes, Rick, Scotty,and Zircon were in Manila. Their stay in Manila only three hours old,they had already visited the American consulate and found that no newinformation on the missing scientists had been received; they hadarranged a luncheon date with Dr. Okola, and had reserved space onPhilippine Airlines to Davao on the following morning.
Rick paced the floor, sipping a glass of fresh limeade, made with_calamansi_, the tiny, pungent local limes. His time for the past threedays had been spent alternately dozing and thinking about the problem ofthe missing scientists. The more he wondered about their strangedisappearance, the more worried he became.
"There's simply no reason for it," he said aloud.
Scotty looked up from the chair in which he was reading the Manila_Times_. The husky ex-Marine didn't have to be told what his pal wasthinking. "No reason we can see," he agreed. "But there has to be areason."
Hobart Zircon spoke from the desk where he was writing a note to HartsonBrant. "You might remember, Rick, that we've been on other expeditionswhere the reason for certain events was just as puzzling."
Rick knew the kind of events the physicist meant. Only a few dozen yardsfrom this very room, in the ancient walled city across the street, heand Scotty had been under rifle fire for a reason they couldn't haveguessed at the time.
"Listen to this," Scotty said suddenly. He read from the newspaper."'The American consulate reported today that three members of theSpindrift Foundation staff have arrived in Manila to begin a search forthe American scientists reported missing a short time ago. Thescientists disappeared north of Davao.' End of item."
"That's short and to the point," Rick commented a little bitterly. "Theycertainly don't make much fuss over two missing Americans, do they?"
"And it's on page seventeen," Scotty added. He folded the paper back tothe front page. "Look at this headline."
Across the top of the front page was emblazoned: WHERE IS ELPIDIOTORRES?
"Who's he?" Rick asked.
"A Filipino kid. He ran away, got lost, or got kidnaped. No one knowswhich. His father is a big sugar operator and politician. The kid hasbeen gone for weeks, but the paper is still playing it up at the top ofpage one."
Rick snorted. "Headlines for one Filipino boy and page seventeen for twoAmerican scientists. Some contrast!"
Hobart Zircon fixed a stamp to his letter and walked over to the boys."You're not thinking straight, Rick. Suppose two Filipino scientistswere lost in the Rocky Mountains, and the son of a leading Americancitizen was missing. How would our own papers play it?"
Rick had to grin. "Emphasis on the local boy, I suppose. You're right,Professor. I'm just upset. I'd hoped for more from the consul thismorning."
The vice-consul in charge of the case had nothing to add to what theyalready knew, and had slim hope of obtaining more information. TheAmerican ambassador had received assurances from the Philippinesgovernment that all possible aid would be given to the Spindrift searchparty, and that the constabulary would not give up the hunt. No morecould be done. The American consulate had no resources with which toconduct a search.
"Come on," Zircon said. "It's time for lunch. Dr. Okola will be arrivingin a few minutes."
"All right. But I wish we could really get started on our search, orfind someone who could help us. Even Chahda hasn't shown up. We haven'teven had a reply to Dad's message."
As they went down to the dining room Scotty pointed out that Chahdamight be very hard to reach. "For all we know, he could be in theinterior of Malaya, or some unlikely place. He would come if he could,Rick."
Rick knew Scotty was right. Chahda had proved his loyalty and friendshipmore than once. Just the same, he had hoped Chahda would come. The Hinduboy with his "Worrold Alm-in-ack" education, as he called it, could be agreat help. Chahda had not only memorized the entire _World Almanac_,but he seemed to have a sixth sense about people and places that wasalways a source of amazement to Rick and Scotty.
Lunch with Dr. Okola was pleasant, even though it did nothing to advancethe search. Rick and Scotty reminisced about _The Golden Skull_expedition with the Filipino archaeologist and enjoyed the hour. Theyparted with Dr. Okola's assurances that he was ready to help in any wayhe could.
As Rick unlocked the door of their room after lunch, he said, "I guessit's up to us to..." He stopped with a yell of delight as the doorswung open. Seated by the window, waiting for them, was a slim,brown-skinned boy in a turban. Chahda!
The Hindu boy pounded them in glee, then shook hands with Zircon. "It isgood for old friends to meet," Chahda declared, "even in such unhappyingsoaking-stances."
"Circumstances," Rick corrected automatically. "Why didn't you wire? Wethought JANIG hadn't been able to get our message to you."
"I was in Singapore with my boss, Carl Bradley," Chahda explained. "Whenyour message comes, he says go now, Chahda. By the time a message backcatches them, so will you. You know, he right? I get here before you,already two days now."
"Two days!" Scotty exclaimed. "What have you been doing?"
Chahda bowed. "Scotty, please to be speckfull. You now speak to RamanSunda, salesman of cloths."
"I'll show proper speck," Scotty said with a grin. "Do you meanclothes?"
"Not clothes. Cloths. Tax-tills."
"Textiles," Zircon boomed. "Chahda, what on earth does a Hindu textilesalesman have to do with finding Briotti and Shannon?"
"Plenty do with, Professor. In this country is plenty Hindus like me.Many sell tax-tills. So I travel, and listen. Yes?"
Rick still didn't get it. "But why, Chahda?"
"We face fact you like so much, Rick. Okay? This is country ofbrown-skinned people, like me. People talk to me when they not talk toyou. So I go alone to Davao, on island of Mindanao. Is big city, says in'Alm-in-ack.' Has 111,263 peoples. Some maybe know something, so myfriends here, they send me to friend in Davao. He helps me meet peoplewho can maybe help some more. Okay?"
"I should have known," Rick said with admiration. "Leave it to you todig up an angle."
Chahda winked. "Among Hindus is always ideas. Now, I go Davao tonight.You coming too? Okay. You stay at Apo View Hotel. Is very good. I staythere, too. We not knowing each other for little while, I think. That iswhy I come into your room with special key my boss gives me to open manydoors. Better I work alone for now."
Scotty asked, "How much do you know about our friends' disappearance,Chahda?"
The Hindu boy launched into a concise and rapid summary. Rick wasn'tsurprised to find that Chahda knew everything they had found out.
"You never fail to amaze me," Zircon boomed.
Rick went to his suitcase and drew out the unit of the Megabuck networkhe had made for Barby. He explained its operation to Chahda, whopromptly slid it under his turban where no one could see it.
"Sahib Brant plenty smart to make this," Chahda intoned. "Poor nativeboy salutes mighty scientist!" He ducked Rick's return swing.
Dr. Zircon had gone to his own suitcase. He returned with hispocket-size wire recorder and handed it to Chahda. "I brought this torecord conversations in other languages. I think you might stimulatemore interesting talk than we could, Chahda. It will record for an houron a single spool."
Chahda took the gadget and checked its operation. Rick was amused to seethat the "poor native boy" figured it out in something less than aminute, and put it casually in his coat pocket.
"We meet in Davao," Chahda said. He shook hands all around, then pausedat the door. "Please, you good friends. I see you worry plenty. We findTony and Dr. Shannon. You see." He opened the door and was gone.
Rick breathed a sigh of relief. "I feel better," he stated. "Just seeinghim again makes me feel good."
"I agree," Zircon said, "and so does Scotty. Now, we will do a littlesight-seeing. I haven't been in downtown Manila for twenty years. We'llo
nly worry and fret if we stay in this hotel room, so let's go."
The three taxied through the old walled city, then across the PasigRiver and into Manila proper. They inspected the Escolta, principalstreet in the shopping area, then headed for Quiapo Square to see thegreat cathedral and the shops. Traffic was heavy, so they paid the taxidriver and got out and walked.
As they crossed a pedestrian overpass by the cathedral, Scotty saidquietly, "In case you were feeling neglected, you can stop. We're beingtailed." Rick and Zircon were too experienced to pause or show interest.Scotty added, "There's quite a mob on the sidewalk once we get down fromthis bridge. Push right into it. I'll drop out and intercept him. Ifwe're being tailed, we want to know why."
The plan was executed smoothly. Rick was never sure when Scotty meltedinto a convenient doorway. After a moment he stopped and looked around.He was in time to see Scotty step from the doorway and confront a small,poorly dressed man who wore a red fez.
Rick and Zircon were at Scotty's side in an instant.
The man in the red fez reached for a pocket, and Rick tensed to swing ifnecessary. But the man only drew out a cardboard pillbox. "Plentybargain for Americans," he announced. "Me Moro from Sulu. My cousin bestpearl diver in Jolo. He get real pearl, I sell. You look."
He opened the pillbox. Rick saw a half dozen pearls of assorted sizes.
"We're not interested," Zircon said flatly. "Sorry. Come on, boys."
They walked away, leaving the Moro staring after them.
Zircon chuckled. "A common thing, as I recall it. I also seem toremember that most of the pearl-selling Moros in Manila are not genuine.They're Visayans from Cebu trying to sell phony pearls to tourists."
"But he was trailing us," Scotty insisted.
"I don't doubt it in the least," Zircon replied. "He was probably sizingus up to see if we're tourists or local Americans. Is he trailing usnow?"
Scotty took advantage of a plate-glass window to survey the streetbehind them. "Not that I can see," he admitted.
"All right. Let's not be jumpy, boys. Of course we want to know if, orwhy, anyone is shadowing us, but I think we have the answer in thiscase. Let's let it go at that."