Scotty picked up the telephone and ordered him a double limeade with plenty of ice.
"Much thanks, Scotty. Well, this morning at dawn we merchants go to Bagobo village. Sell plenty cloths, too. You know some Bagobos speak a little English? Not much, but enough. While I sell, I start asking questions, but I get no answer. Then, boy my age starts buying cloth for new turban. We alone, so I try bribe. I say, 'Tell me about missing Americans and I give cloth for free.' And you know, he starts!"
"Go on, confound it!" Zircon bellowed. "Don't keep us in suspense like this."
"Okay, Professor. I talk fast. This boy gets no chance to say something, because headman busts in and he shoots words at boy like machine gun. Boy no more will talk to me, but I give him cloth, anyway. Because all the time I have wire machine going!"
"Wonderful!" Rick exclaimed. "Now, if we can only get it translated!"
Scotty opened the door at a knock and admitted Major Lacson. Zircon introduced Chahda and explained quickly what had happened. He showed the officer the wire recorder.
"Good!" Lacson picked up the telephone and made a call. After a brief exchange in the local dialect he hung up. "We will take it to Davao University. Dr. Gonzalez, the professor of languages, will translate it. He speaks Bagobo expertly. Come. My car is outside."
Chahda hung back. "You go. Better I stay under cover while longer. You call me on radio when you find something."
Rick agreed, then followed the others. They piled into Lacson's command car and headed for the university.
"I have some news myself," Lacson reported. "Your friends came in a sloop called the Sampaguita, which is a local flower. They tied up at a private dock on the waterfront."