of them would admit, and Rick was feeling a little ill at ease
because they hadn't notified the police. He had talked it over with
Angel, but the Filipino guide had said, "We'll have to notify them
sooner or later, but it will do no good."

"Perhaps we should notify the American ambassador at Manila," Rick said
aloud.

"We should have notified him long before this," Scotty agreed. "But we
always try to do everything ourselves. I guess we'll never learn."

Angel Manotok appeared in the dining room, eyes searching for the boys.
Rick saw him and waved. Angel came over and slid into a seat. Apparently
he had seen a doctor, because the bandage around his head was a new one.

"Friend of yours coming this way," he said. "Probably will have dinner
here. Lazada."

Scotty's lips tightened. "I'll be glad to see him," he assured Angel. "I
want to ask him about his pal Nast."

Rick's eyes opened wide. "No need," he said. "Look at the door."

There, just entering were Lazada and Nast, arm in arm!

The boys waited until they were seated, then walked over to join them.

"Good evening," Rick said. "I hope you gentlemen are well."

Lazada and Nast smiled. The Assistant Secretary nodded. "Both quite
well, thank you. And how are you?"

"Oh, I'm fine," Rick said. "But my friend is giving me a little
trouble." He pulled a chair out from Lazada's table and sat down. Scotty
followed suit. Rick was close to Lazada, while Scotty's chair was nearer
to Nast.

"Your friend is giving you trouble?" Lazada asked. "Which friend?"

"This one," Rick said, motioning to Scotty. "He wants to kill Mr. Nast.
I don't think we should kill Mr. Nast, do you?"

Lazada smiled. "Ask him."

Rick turned to Nast. "Do you have an opinion, Mr. Nast?"

Nast was a little pale, but his voice was steady enough. "I certainly
do. I agree with you, Mr. Brant."

Rick grinned mirthlessly. "You do? I'm glad. Instead of killing you, I
suggested to Scotty that we cripple you. Perhaps a few compound
fractures of the arms and legs."

Rick could see that neither Lazada nor Nast were as composed as they
seemed. The calm, unearthly discussion was too bizarre. Threats were
something they understood, but not threats like this.

Scotty spoke for the first time. He addressed Nast. "Because you're a
fellow American I thought the decent thing to do would be just to kill
you outright."

Nast shuddered visibly. "You're both joking, of course. But it isn't a
very funny j