Rick and Scotty ate until they could hold no more, and Chahda groaned, "Once I read words 'stuffed like Christmas goose.' This now fits me." Zircon lighted a Manila cigar and sat back in his chair, a look of pure contentment on his face. "A wonderful meal, Captain. Thank you, for all of us. I haven't dined so well in months." Captain Lim beamed his pleasure. "Then you may forgive me for failing with the Moro. He would say nothing. I have no legal grounds on which to hold him for long, either." Zircon nodded his understanding. "We expected nothing, but we had to try. Chahda, tell Captain Lim what you found out in Davao, and I'll give him Okola's message." The exchange of information completed, Zircon changed the subject. The scientist knew they were in need of something to take their minds off the search for a while, and he encouraged Captain Lim to tell them about Zamboanga and its long and sometimes bloody history. The officer turned out to be an entertaining story-teller. He kept them laughing, or on the edges of their chairs until after midnight. Then he began teaching them the famous song that goes: _The monkeys have no tails in Zamboanga! The monkeys have no tails in Zamboanga! The monkeys have no tails; They were bitten off by whales! Oh, the monkeys have no tails in Zamboanga!_ The Spindrifters had just gotten into the swing of the rollicking melody when a sergeant came in with a message for the captain. Lim tore the envelope open and read rapidly. Then he slapped his hand on the table. "Good! This is from Major Lacson. A boat answering the description of the _Sampaguita_ was seen about four days after the kidnaping, heading south of the island of Bulan. A fisherman saw it." Rick's heart leaped with sudden hope and excitement. "Where is Bulan?" "Across the Strait from here is Basilan. Bulan is a small island south of it." Scotty said with relief, "At least we know now which way they're heading." "And we know what to do next," Zircon added. "We go after it!" Chahda concluded grimly. CHAPTER VIII The "Swift Arrow" José Santos' boatyard was not large, but to Rick it seemed as though the Filipino boatman had a sample of every kind of craft from a rowboat to a Chinese junk. "We want a boat," Zircon stated. "Not a sailboat. That would be too slow. We want something reasonably fast, and with enough room for comfort. We may have to live aboard for some time." Santos nodded. "You no care how big?" "There are four of us to handle it." "Plenty," Santos said. "No more help needed for my _Swift Arrow_. See over there?" Rick's quick eyes caught the lines of the craft first. He exclaimed, "Well, I'll be a galloping grampus! It's a torpedo boat!" "Yes," Santos confirmed, beaming. "Motor torpedo boat. I convert her myself. Come see." Chahda asked, "Rick, what is torpedo boat?"