gh to live under
a live one."

"You're right," Zircon agreed. He waved a hand at the island. "Does
anyone doubt that this is the right place?"

No one did.

"I not seeing scientists," Chahda observed.

"They wouldn't be in the open, anyway. But did anyone see their boat?"

"All boats were vintas," Rick replied.

"I thought so, too. However, I wouldn't expect the pirates to keep the
_Sampaguita_ in sight. Head back toward Tawi Tawi, Rick. We've plans to
make!"

Rick returned the scientist's jubilant grin, then he turned to look back
at the rapidly receding pirate island, the volcano black and forbidding
in the gathering dusk.

"We'll be back," he promised the invisible scientists. "We'll be back!"

CHAPTER XIII

The Two Datus

The _Swift Arrow_ moved slowly through the darkness toward the Tawi Tawi
Group. Chahda was at the helm, while Rick, Scotty, and Zircon held a
council of war in the cabin. The Hindu boy kept popping in and out,
letting the MTB travel with locked rudder for a few minutes at a time so
he could be in on the conference.

"It has to be Shan," Rick said flatly. "No fishing village ever had that
many vintas. And no peaceful fishermen ever fired on a stranger the way
that mob fired on us. Besides, there's a mountain."

"I agree." Zircon examined his pistol barrel carefully, then ran a
cleaning rag through it again. "Furthermore, those vintas operated in a
planned defense, in a way no fishermen would ever do. I'm convinced that
it is the right island. The problem now is, what do we do?"

Scotty paused in reassembling his rifle after a thorough cleaning. "Is
there a choice? We can't rush the village and rescue our friends, even
if we knew where they were. We'll have to get the constabulary, and the
Philippines Naval Patrol, and mount an all-out assault on the place."

"No!" Rick exclaimed. "We can't do that. If the pirates saw an armed
fleet approaching, they'd kill Tony and Shannon, and get rid of their
bodies. The fleet would find nothing at all."

Chahda asked in quick alarm, "You think they kill scientists when we
come today?"

"I doubt it," Rick explained. "After all, one boat isn't a threat to
them, even a fast one like this one. I think they'd only get rid of Tony
and Shannon if they saw they were going to be invaded."

"Then what can we do?" Scotty asked.

"I'm not sure. Anyway, the first thing is to see if our friends are
really there. When we get some more facts, may