"Buenas tardes," he said cordially.
Terry grunted at him.
"I hear," said Horta, "that you leave Manila."
Terry asked evenly, "Is that a way of asking me to hurry up and do it?"
"Pero no! Por supuesto no!" protested Horta. "But it is said that you have new and definite plans."
"What do you know about them?" demanded Terry.
Police Captain Horta said pleasantly, "Officially, nothing. Privately, that you will aid some ricos americanos to do experiments in—oceanografía? Some study of oceanic things. That you regret having agreed to do so. That you consider changing your mind. That you are angry."
The girl, of course, could have inferred all this from his angry charge out of the shop with the money in his hand, too late to stop her taxicab. But Terry snapped, "Now, who the devil told you that?"
Police Captain Horta shrugged.
"One hears. I hope it is not true."