The Sky Wagon was as they had left it, apparently undisturbed. But they were not taking anything for granted. Rick and Scotty checked the plane over literally inch by inch, searching for signs of tampering.
As Rick examined the landing struts, a shadow fell across the doorway. He looked up to see an American watching him.
The American stepped forward. He was of medium height, with close cropped sandy hair. He wore a yellow T shirt under a white linen coat. His trousers were gray rayon, and his footgear was openwork sandals. He looked comfortable and cool, even in the broiling Philippine sun. Rick judged him to be about forty years old.
"Mind if I look?" the man asked.
"Not at all," Rick answered politely. He hesitated, then introduced himself and Scotty, who had come around from the other side of the plane.
"My name is Nast. James Nast. You must be two of the scientific party I read about in the Manila Bulletin."
"I didn't know anything about us had been in the papers," Rick replied.
"This morning," Nast said. He took a tabloid-size paper from his pocket, unfolded it to the item, and handed it to them.
The item was brief. It merely stated that a party headed by Dr. Anthony Briotti, with Mr. Richard Brant and Mr. Donald Scott, had been entertained by the Assistant Secretary of the Interior at dinner prior to their departure to Mountain Province to search for primitive artifacts. Dr. Okola, of the University of the Philippines, local adviser to the American party, also had attended the dinner.
"Lazada must have given that to the press," Rick remarked.