"I don't think Okola specified a time," Tony replied. "And the morning is still pretty young."
That was true enough, Rick thought. Besides, he had the impression that the Filipinos, although they followed Western customs, had the Far Easterners' disregard of time.
"If the Angel doesn't arrive, one of us will have to drive the truck to Baguio," he said. "I had hoped he would take the truck, then we three could fly."
Scotty asked, with deceptive casualness, "Tony, what do you think of Dr. Okola?"
Tony answered promptly. "A first-rate scientist and a distinguished gentleman besides. Why?"
"Do you trust him?"
"Implicitly. We're not dealing with a stranger here, Scotty. Okola's name has been known to me since I first became interested in archaeology. We have many mutual friends, and he has been very helpful and courteous since this project was first proposed. Yes, I trust him."
"That's good," Scotty said, "since we're buying the services of this Angel purely on his say-so. We'll have to trust Angel. We have no choice."
"True. I'm prepared to trust him, simply because Okola said we could."
Rick nodded agreement. "I'll take him on faith, too." He had learned not to be overtrustful in far places among strangers, but he agreed with Tony's estimate of Okola. The man, he believed, was just what he seemed to be—a Filipino scientist and gentleman. He had liked Okola.