"I'm not sure. I think it means we had better search the seas to the eastward of the main Tawi Tawi chain. The pirates would certainly have come from a westerly direction if their headquarters were anywhere near Tawi Tawi." The big scientist rose. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm for bed. Who has the first watch?" "I'm on the eight-to-midnight," Rick replied. "It's after eight now, so I'll stand by. Chahda relieves me at twelve, you come on at four, and Scotty finishes the night." They had arranged the anchor watches that way because a single guard would be enough while at anchor, and it would allow each of them a good night's sleep. Zircon and Chahda retired at once, but Scotty lingered. The two sat on the afterdeck and watched the stars for a few moments. "How are we doing?" Scotty asked quietly. Rick knew what he meant. "I'm scared," he said. "It's a big ocean, and we could miss easily. Also, I'm thinking about what Chahda said. Even if we find Shan, we won't get Tony and Shannon back without a fight. There must be hundreds of pirates, if the fleets we've seen are a sample." He was sure that the northern attack had been made by a different group than the one that attacked earlier in the day. "Do you think they're still alive?" Scotty asked. "We have to assume they are. What else can we do?" "Nothing," Scotty replied sensibly. "Except say our prayers faithfully." "Amen," Rick said. "Go on to bed. You must be tired." "I am. See you in the morning." After Scotty had gone below, Rick sat quietly, depending more on ears than eyes to keep watch. Again and again he reviewed every bit of information they had obtained, re-examining it to see if any nugget of value might have been overlooked. At last he decided they had done everything possible. The rest would be persistence, and luck. His thoughts turned to home, and he wondered what his folks were doing. It was nine o'clock, Manila time. At Spindrift it was eight this morning. The family would be gathering for breakfast, and Barby would be slipping Dismal, the family pup, scraps of bacon under the table. Rick resolved to send a cable from Tawi Tawi, if they should stop there. He knew the family would be anxious to know how things were going. The watch ticked away without incident. A few minutes before midnight Rick woke Chahda and joined the Hindu boy in a glass of cold coke. Then he went to bed and drifted off to sleep immediately. Some inner instinct awakened him. For a moment he lay quietly, his heart pounding, eyes blinking in the darkness. Then he heard the pad of bare feet as Scotty got to his feet. "What's up?" Rick whispered. "Just restless, I guess," Scotty whispered back. Rick was wide awake now. He slipped into shoes and trousers while Scotty did the same. A few minutes in the cool air on deck would make him sleepy again, he thought. "On deck!" Chahda gave a wild yell. "Come quick!" The words were punctuated by gunfire.