ends on how fast we can get more."

"Maybe Rick has something there," David Riddle said. "But who gains from
a delay in the project?"

"No one," Brad Connel said testily. "I think we're looking for a motive
that doesn't exist. The tracings probably were stolen by someone on the
hotel staff, because they looked important. Maybe the thief thought they
could be sold. Certainly the dynamite can be sold. What motive do we
need other than the usual profit a thief expects?"

"Perhaps none," Hartson Brant admitted. "The question is, what now? We
can proceed no further without explosives."

"I will go to the governor and see if he can obtain more for us,"
Esteben Balgos announced. "If he has none here on San Luz, there are
other islands close by. A few telephone calls will locate a supply."

"Fine. And while you're doing that, there is little the rest of us can
do except relax. Will you let us know by telephone what the governor
says?"

"Yes, at once. Any of you care to go with me?"

Williams and Riddle volunteered to go along. Weiss announced that he
wanted to make some calculations and asked Hartson Brant and Zircon to
help him.

Rick and Scotty, left on their own, considered the possibilities for
amusement and found none except the ocean itself--which was plenty.
They decided on a swim and hurried back to their room to put on trunks
under their slacks. Zircon readily gave permission to use the jeep.

As they changed clothes, a jeep motor roared into life. Scotty walked to
the window and opened the draperies. "Balgos and the others," he
announced.

A few minutes later another jeep motor started up. Rick went to the
window and was just in time to see Brad Connel start across the parking
lot in his jeep. He was alone.

The boy turned away from the window, very thoughtful. "That was Connel.
Wonder where he's going?"

"Maybe to Calor, for shopping or sightseeing," Scotty replied. "What's
on your mind?"

"He worries me," Rick said bluntly. "I don't really know why. Only he's
certainly determined to keep us away from his firing stations, isn't
he?"

"Go on. Something's biting you, and I want to know what it is."

Rick stared at his dark-haired pal without really seeing him. He
struggled to put into words the vague thoughts in the back of his mind.

"Well, he acted worried about Ruiz, but I don't really think he was. It
was kind of overdone, you know? His face didn't match his words."

Scotty shook his head. "Yo