elago, please?"

Rick saw the twinkle in Chahda's eye and knew that their friend was
following his usual custom of teasing them. "Archy Pelago is the black
sheep of the Pelago family," he said. "Archy first fell from grace when
he got into a fight with neighbors. It was a real melee. Hence his
nickname. Melee Archy Pelago...."

A pillow caught him in the face, smothering his words. Scotty pushed him
over on the bed and sat on him.

"Come on, Chahda. I'm so curious I could spring a seam. What's going
on?"

Rick squirmed, got nowhere, and finally sank his teeth into Scotty hard
enough to get results. Scotty let out a yell that could have been heard
in Singapore.

Tony Briotti pounded on the door and called, "How do you expect the
paying guests to sleep with that racket going on?"

The boys let him in and introduced Chahda. Tony shook hands with the
Hindu boy. "I was beginning to believe you were a figment of the
well-known Spindrift imagination. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise am honored to meet brilliant young scientist," Chahda said
politely. "My worthless friends tell me they even call you by nickname,
while other scientists are called by title. This is mark of high esteem,
I think. Glad to meet you, _Sahib_ Tony."

"Chahda was just going to give us the low-down," Rick said.

"That what the yelling was about?" Tony asked.

"Scotty yelled," Rick said. "Mosquito bit him."

"That mosquito is going to get swatted when he least expects it," Scotty
promised. "Come on, Chahda. Spin us a yarn."

"Okay." Chahda sat cross-legged on Rick's bed. "You know I went to
Manila Hotel. For three days I waited. Then one day I sit next to famous
Assistant Secretary of Exterior."

"Interior," Rick corrected. "Lazada."

"Yes. Soon he is met by a friend who sits with him. This friend is not
known to me then. But I listen. I hear Lazada's friend say that soon
come Americans who will desec--What is ruin religious things, please?"

"Desecrate," Tony supplied.

"Yes. Do that to sacred Ifugao things. This friend begs Lazada not to
give permit."

The three Spindrifters were sitting on the edges of the beds now,
concentrating on every word.

"Friend says Americans will dig up rice terraces, looking for gold.
Sacred objects of gold will be carried away, and earth-cokes and drafts
will fall on Ifugao people."

"Earthquakes and droughts," Rick corrected.

"That is what I said," Chahda nodded. "Lazada objects that thes