Part 2 (2/2)
As they crossed a pedestrian overpass by the cathedral, Scotty said quietly, ”In case you were feeling neglected, you can stop We're being tailed” Rick and Zircon were too experienced to pause or show interest
Scotty added, ”There's quite a e Push right into it I'll drop out and intercept hi tailed, ant to knohy”
The plan was executed smoothly Rick was never sure when Scotty melted into 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 ore 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 if necessary But the ain for Americans,” he announced ”Me Moro froet 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 Co after the, as I recall it I also see Moros in Manila are not genuine
They're Visayans fro 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 sizing us up to see if we're tourists or local Ae of a plate-glassto survey the street behind theht Let's not be jumpy, boys Of course ant to know if, or why, anyone is shadowing us, but I think we have the answer in this case Let's let it go at that”
CHAPTER III
Bagobo Country
By ten o'clock on the following , bumpy road into the foothills of Mindanao
They had risen with the dawn and taken Philippines Airlines, PAL for short, to Davao On arrival they had checked in at the Apo View Hotel and had lost no ti local constabulary headquarters
Major Paulo Lacson, in charge of the detachment, had instantly ordered a pair of command cars Before the Spindrifters quite realized it, they hisked out of town, en route to the point where Briotti and Shannon had vanished Colonel Rojas' letter of introduction had really worked ic
Rick stared out at the tropical landscape, and toward the peak of Mount Apo, an active volcano over nine thousand feet high, but he didn't really notice details In a short while they would be at what he considered the real start of their search
The major drove the lead car, with Zircon in front beside him Rick and Scotty occupied the rear seat In the second car were four armed, enlisted men As the small convoy roared toward the town of Calinan, Major Lacson told them all he knew of the case It was the sah, since their information had been based on the officer's reports
Rick shook his head worriedly If Lacson, obviously an intelligent and efficient officer, could find out no ers?
The command car whisked by an abaca plantation, with reen bananalike abaca plants extending into the foothills
”Look” Scotty pointed at drying racks on which Manila he The fiber was a honey blond shade
”It's just the color of Barby's hair,” Rick exclaimed