Lunch with Dr. Okola was pleasant, even though it did nothing to advance the search. Rick and Scotty reminisced about _The Golden Skull_ expedition with the Filipino archaeologist and enjoyed the hour. They parted with Dr. Okola's assurances that he was ready to help in any way he could. As Rick unlocked the door of their room after lunch, he said, "I guess it's up to us to..." He stopped with a yell of delight as the door swung open. Seated by the window, waiting for them, was a slim, brown-skinned boy in a turban. Chahda! The Hindu boy pounded them in glee, then shook hands with Zircon. "It is good for old friends to meet," Chahda declared, "even in such unhappying soaking-stances." "Circumstances," Rick corrected automatically. "Why didn't you wire? We thought JANIG hadn't been able to get our message to you." "I was in Singapore with my boss, Carl Bradley," Chahda explained. "When your message comes, he says go now, Chahda. By the time a message back catches them, so will you. You know, he right? I get here before you, already two days now." "Two days!" Scotty exclaimed. "What have you been doing?" Chahda bowed. "Scotty, please to be speckfull. You now speak to Raman Sunda, salesman of cloths." "I'll show proper speck," Scotty said with a grin. "Do you mean clothes?" "Not clothes. Cloths. Tax-tills." "Textiles," Zircon boomed. "Chahda, what on earth does a Hindu textile salesman have to do with finding Briotti and Shannon?" "Plenty do with, Professor. In this country is plenty Hindus like me. Many sell tax-tills. So I travel, and listen. Yes?" Rick still didn't get it. "But why, Chahda?" "We face fact you like so much, Rick. Okay? This is country of brown-skinned people, like me. People talk to me when they not talk to you. So I go alone to Davao, on island of Mindanao. Is big city, says in 'Alm-in-ack.' Has 111,263 peoples. Some maybe know something, so my friends here, they send me to friend in Davao. He helps me meet people who can maybe help some more. Okay?" "I should have known," Rick said with admiration. "Leave it to you to dig up an angle." Chahda winked. "Among Hindus is always ideas. Now, I go Davao tonight. You coming too? Okay. You stay at Apo View Hotel. Is very good. I stay there, too. We not knowing each other for little while, I think. That is why I come into your room with special key my boss gives me to open many doors. Better I work alone for now." Scotty asked, "How much do you know about our friends' disappearance, Chahda?" The Hindu boy launched into a concise and rapid summary. Rick wasn't surprised to find that Chahda knew everything they had found out. "You never fail to amaze me," Zircon boomed. Rick went to his suitcase and drew out the unit of the Megabuck network he had made for Barby. He explained its operation to Chahda, who promptly slid it under his turban where no one could see it.