e had been no
prowlers while they were at breakfast.

The boys opened the case containing the earth scanner and lifted out the
leather carrying cases which contained the electronic controls and
amplifiers and the delicate scanning tube. They carried the cases down
to the lobby and took a cab to the airport.

The ride was pleasant, since the way to the airport was along Dewey
Boulevard, which edged Manila Bay. Far across the bay they could see the
American Naval Station at Cavite. And to the north was Mariveles
Mountain on Bataan Peninsula.

Here and there the sail of a banca dotted the brown water. In the
bancas--outrigger canoes--were fishermen. A large part of the Filipino
diet was fish.

The highway branched away from the bay finally, and a short time later
they arrived at the modern airport, once the American Air Corps base of
Nichols Field.

The Sky Wagon was as they had left it, apparently undisturbed. But they
were not taking anything for granted. Rick and Scotty checked the plane
over literally inch by inch, searching for signs of tampering.

As Rick examined the landing struts, a shadow fell across the doorway.
He looked up to see an American watching him.

The American stepped forward. He was of medium height, with close
cropped sandy hair. He wore a yellow T shirt under a white linen coat.
His trousers were gray rayon, and his footgear was openwork sandals. He
looked comfortable and cool, even in the broiling Philippine sun. Rick
judged him to be about forty years old.

"Mind if I look?" the man asked.

"Not at all," Rick answered politely. He hesitated, then introduced
himself and Scotty, who had come around from the other side of the
plane.

"My name is Nast. James Nast. You must be two of the scientific party I
read about in the Manila _Bulletin_."

"I didn't know anything about us had been in the papers," Rick replied.

"This morning," Nast said. He took a tabloid-size paper from his pocket,
unfolded it to the item, and handed it to them.

The item was brief. It merely stated that a party headed by Dr. Anthony
Briotti, with Mr. Richard Brant and Mr. Donald Scott, had been
entertained by the Assistant Secretary of the Interior at dinner prior
to their departure to Mountain Province to search for primitive
artifacts. Dr. Okola, of the University of the Philippines, local
adviser to the American party, also had attended the dinner.

"Lazada must have given that to the press," Rick remarked.