watch. "We'll wait here."

The minutes ticked by in silence until the headlights of a truck
appeared. The truck pulled up and a young captain got out of the front
seat. He saluted. Rojas gave his crisp orders in Tagolog, which the
captain relayed to the men on the truck. They climbed down with a
minimum of noise and went to surround the house.

"Now," Rojas said, "let us visit Mr. Lazada."

He pushed open the door and marched up the front stairs, the Spindrift
group close behind. At the top of the stairs the constabulary colonel
brushed aside a houseboy and strode into the living room where Lazada
sat with Nast. The two leaped to their feet.

Lazada turned red. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded.

Colonel Rojas bowed. "I regret to inform you that you are under arrest
on charges of grand larceny, attempting to sell gold illegally, and
conspiracy to smuggle gold out of the country."

Lazada snarled. "I'll have you broken for this, you fool! I don't know
what you're talking about."

"I think you do. These American gentlemen have told me quite a story."

"I'm sure of it. And whose word do you take? That of your countryman and
senior official, or the word of these foreign adventurers?"

"Theirs," Rojas said. "I will accept from you the custody of a certain
golden skull, stolen by you from the Ifugaos."

Lazada had recovered his composure. He chuckled. "I have no golden
skull. You are free to search, even without a warrant, Colonel."

"Thank you. Please lead the way to your garage."

"Certainly, but you will find nothing there but my car."

Lazada led the way to the back of the house and down a flight of stairs
to a garage. If the sight of constabulary troopers with ready carbines
bothered him, he didn't show it. But Nast, obviously, was worried. He
kept casting glances at the boys.

"Better give the colonel that shoulder gun you missed me with earlier
tonight," Rick told him. "You might hurt yourself with it."

Colonel Rojas held out his hand. "Give."

Nast did.

In the garage was the limousine. Lazada waved at it. "As I told you,
nothing here but my car."

"And a golden skull," Rick said. He opened the trunk and reached in for
the box!

Lazada screamed with sudden fear and rage. He leaped for Rick. He met
Scotty's fist and sat down, hard.

Colonel Rojas had been sweating profusely. Now, at the sight of the
golden skull, he took out his handkerchief, wiped his face, and smiled
contentedly. "W