textile
salesman have to do with finding Briotti and Shannon?"

"Plenty do with, Professor. In this country is plenty Hindus like me.
Many sell tax-tills. So I travel, and listen. Yes?"

Rick still didn't get it. "But why, Chahda?"

"We face fact you like so much, Rick. Okay? This is country of
brown-skinned people, like me. People talk to me when they not talk to
you. So I go alone to Davao, on island of Mindanao. Is big city, says in
'Alm-in-ack.' Has 111,263 peoples. Some maybe know something, so my
friends here, they send me to friend in Davao. He helps me meet people
who can maybe help some more. Okay?"

"I should have known," Rick said with admiration. "Leave it to you to
dig up an angle."

Chahda winked. "Among Hindus is always ideas. Now, I go Davao tonight.
You coming too? Okay. You stay at Apo View Hotel. Is very good. I stay
there, too. We not knowing each other for little while, I think. That is
why I come into your room with special key my boss gives me to open many
doors. Better I work alone for now."

Scotty asked, "How much do you know about our friends' disappearance,
Chahda?"

The Hindu boy launched into a concise and rapid summary. Rick wasn't
surprised to find that Chahda knew everything they had found out.

"You never fail to amaze me," Zircon boomed.

Rick went to his suitcase and drew out the unit of the Megabuck network
he had made for Barby. He explained its operation to Chahda, who
promptly slid it under his turban where no one could see it.

"Sahib Brant plenty smart to make this," Chahda intoned. "Poor native
boy salutes mighty scientist!" He ducked Rick's return swing.

Dr. Zircon had gone to his own suitcase. He returned with his
pocket-size wire recorder and handed it to Chahda. "I brought this to
record conversations in other languages. I think you might stimulate
more interesting talk than we could, Chahda. It will record for an hour
on a single spool."

Chahda took the gadget and checked its operation. Rick was amused to see
that the "poor native boy" figured it out in something less than a
minute, and put it casually in his coat pocket.

"We meet in Davao," Chahda said. He shook hands all around, then paused
at the door. "Please, you good friends. I see you worry plenty. We find
Tony and Dr. Shannon. You see." He opened the door and was gone.

Rick breathed a sigh of relief. "I feel better," he stated. "Just seeing
him again makes me feel good."

"I agree," Zircon s