"What are your plans?" Santos asked.
Rick shrugged. "It is hard to know where to begin. Before we plan our campaign to locate the place where we dig, we must survey the terraces. Is there any sort of field where I could land at Banaue?"
"No," Santos replied with great positiveness. "Once you see the terraces you will see for yourself that there is no place."
Rick stood up and Scotty followed suit. "I think perhaps we had better fly over to Banaue and see the terraces. Then we will have a better understanding of our problems. Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. De los Santos."
"It is nothing. But tell me. Isn't there another in your party? Another American?"
"Yes. How did you know?"
"Oh, the Assistant Secretary of the Interior phoned personally. He described all of you, and said to do everything possible to make your visit interesting and successful."
"That was very good of him," Rick said. "We will be back again, perhaps tomorrow. Will you be here?"
"I believe so. If I am not, it will be because I am inspecting a road section. Never am I gone long."
Santos lingered to give instructions in the native language to one of his men, and Rick took advantage of the few seconds to whisper to Scotty: