“The jeweler,” Mr. Curtin said, “in the shop where we left the girls.” They retraced their steps to the shop of Manuel Rodriguez.
Nina and Louise were still in the shop. They both looked at Vicki and their father curiously. When she saw the little ship in Vicki’s hand, Louise gasped.
“The gold ship, Vicki! What in the world ...?”
“I’ll explain later,” she promised. Then she handed the ship to Mr. Curtin who in turn gave it to the fat little jeweler.
“I just bought this,” he said. “I wish to know what it is made of. I will gladly pay your usual fee.”
The jeweler looked at the ship closely.
“Are you interested in the figurine as an object of art, sir, or in the gold it might contain?”
Mr. Curtin looked at Vicki inquiringly.
“In the gold, sir,” Vicki said.
“Very well. The exterior obviously is gold. The weight seems right. Whether, under the surface, it is made of lead or some other base metal we can tell only by boring into it. It will take only a few minutes.”