The Pirates of Shan: A Rick Brant Science-Adventure Story

  CHAPTER VII

  News at Zamboanga

  A crowd of Filipinos, including several Moros, was attracted by thebrief fight. A few departed in a hurry after one look at the captive'sbared back. The rest remained at a distance, talking in the localdialect. Rick and Scotty kept alert, ready to act if anyone tried tofree the captive. Scotty had tied him up with his own sash. He wasseated against the warehouse wall, sullen and silent.

  Zircon emerged from the warehouse. "I got the captain on the phone. He'son his way."

  Apparently the captain wasted no time. In less than two minutes hissedan skidded to a stop and he jumped out. "What is going on?"

  "He was trailing us," Zircon said, indicating the Moro. "He also trailedus in Manila. We thought it best to try to find out why. Incidentally,an old Chinese is hiding in the warehouse. He ran when he saw the symbolon the Moro's back. It may be a Chinese character of some sort."

  Captain Lim inspected the design and nodded. "It is. I know Chinese.Those lines form the word for 'shan,' which in English is mountain. ButI have no idea why it should frighten the old man. I will ask."

  The three Spindrifters looked at each other, excitement on all of theirfaces. "Now we know the word the headman at the Bagobo village used,"Zircon commented. "Shan, or mountain."

  They waited, keeping close watch on the crowd until Captain Lim emerged.The officer shook his head. "I could get little from him. He fears the'Pirates of Shan,' of which he says this Moro is a member. He would notelaborate."

  "Who are the Pirates of Shan?" Rick demanded.

  "I don't know. The phrase is new to me."

  "Silly," Scotty muttered. "Piracy has been dead for a century."

  "Not so," Lim corrected. "Excuse me, but piracy is not uncommon,especially along the China coast and in the islands south of Borneo.Only a short time ago Chinese pirates captured an ocean-going cargoship."

  "He's right," Zircon confirmed. "I've read of piracy quite recently. Anddon't forget, the Moros of Sulu were a pirate nation until Spanishgunboats and troops cut down the activity, and the Americans finallystopped it. Piracy is not new to this part of the world."

  Scotty helped Captain Lim put the Moro in the sedan. "I will besurprised if we get much from this man," Lim said, "but we can try atthe Fort. I will see you at dinner tonight."

  The crowd dispersed and the three walked back to the hotel. Zircon leftthem in the lobby. "Be back shortly. I'm going to wire Okola aboutpirates."

  In their room the boys took off their outer clothes and sprawled ontheir beds in shorts. "This is shaping up to something big," Rick saidthoughtfully.

  "I know what you mean. Robbery at Cotabato, kidnaping at Davao, and nowthis. It must tie together. Apparently some people have heard of thePirates of Shan, but most haven't."

  "Strange the constabulary doesn't know about them. But I suppose it'snatural enough in an area like this, with only a few troops and millionsof square miles. But why would pirates take our friends?"

  Scotty didn't even try to guess. "Isn't Chahda due pretty soon?" heasked.

  "Not until eight." Rick had given Chahda details of the findings at theBagobo village and the Hindu boy had decided to spend another day inDavao. He would join them at Bayot's.

  "At least we're collecting some pieces that add up," Rick said with moresatisfaction than he had felt in a long time. He closed his eyes andbegan to review the information they had obtained. Presently he driftedoff to sleep.

  Scotty woke Rick some time later. "Wake up! Chahda's here."

  Rick sat up, blinking. "What time is it?"

  "After nine. We're due at dinner shortly."

  "Where's Chahda?"

  "Getting cleaned up. He'll be back."

  "Where's Zircon?"

  "Gone out. He had a call from the hotel desk."

  Rick got into the shower for a quick wake-up bath. By the time he wasdressed Zircon had returned, a yellow sheet of paper in his hands.Chahda arrived a moment later.

  "All here," Chahda said. "Good. Now I tell. You know who got ourfriends? Pirates!"

  Rick stared at him in awe. "How did you find that out?"

  "Word you said, one that scared Bagobos. I said it too, in few places atDavao. I try different ways to say, and I must have said it good onetime. Filipino snapped at me to shut up, because word no good. But didChahda shut up?"

  "Never," Scotty said emphatically.

  "Is true. Anyway, Filipino whispers to me about Pirates of Shan. Heknows little. Only that they kill quick, and no one knows who is apirate and who is not. Not many have heard of them."

  "Some have," Zircon interjected. He waved the paper. "Okola replied byreturn wire. Listen."

  The big physicist read: "'Pirates of Shan date back to seventeenthcentury. Originally Chinese Moslems, later joined by Filipino Moslemsand some Malays. Most active around 1800. Shan is from Chinese word formountain, but no one knows what mountain. Some believe Shan located nearBorneo coast. Some mention pirates in action against Japanese duringWorld War Two. No record since. Regret no more available.'"

  "Okola certainly knows his history," Scotty stated. "Well, at least wehave a tag to hang on the enemy. The kidnapers were pirates."

  Zircon agreed. "Being trailed by one certainly seems to tie up with Tonyand Howard's disappearance. And speaking of kidnapers, that Filipinoboy, Elpidio Torres was kidnaped. His folks now have a ransom demand."He held out a recent newspaper.

  Rick scanned the front-page story. "Think there might be a connection?"

  "Possible, I suppose, but consider the distance. According to the story,a ransom of one million pesos is to be left on the Batangas coast, southof Manila."

  Scotty whistled. "Half a million bucks! That would make piracy worthwhile!"

  "Yes, but Manila isn't the Sulu Sea," Zircon pointed out. "Also, therehas been no ransom demand for Tony and Howard. They weren't taken untilsome time after the Torres boy vanished."

  "What we do now?" Chahda asked.

  "We eat, with the local constabulary chief," Rick replied. "Think it'ssafe to join us?"

  Chahda grinned. "Safe or no, I go. I hungry."

  Rick and Scotty were hungry, too. The Spanish-Filipino custom of dininglate did not appeal to them. But as it developed, dinner was worthwaiting for. Captain Lim was apparently a gourmet. He had ordered soupmade of smoked oysters from Palawan Island, a second course of delicatebutterfly fish fillets in a marvelous sauce of fresh coconut, a maincourse of breasts of chicken boiled in coconut milk, a salad of heartsof palm, a Spanish dessert called _lecheflan_, which was a kind ofcustard swimming in caramel sauce, and thick, aromatic Batangas coffee.

  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 purecontentment on his face. "A wonderful meal, Captain. Thank you, for allof us. I haven't dined so well in months."

  Captain Lim beamed his pleasure. "Then you may forgive me for failingwith the Moro. He would say nothing. I have no legal grounds on which tohold him for long, either."

  Zircon nodded his understanding. "We expected nothing, but we had totry. Chahda, tell Captain Lim what you found out in Davao, and I'll givehim Okola's message."

  The exchange of information completed, Zircon changed the subject. Thescientist knew they were in need of something to take their minds offthe search for a while, and he encouraged Captain Lim to tell them aboutZamboanga and its long and sometimes bloody history.

  The officer turned out to be an entertaining story-teller. He kept themlaughing, or on the edges of their chairs until after midnight. Then hebegan 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 melodywhen a s
ergeant came in with a message for the captain. Lim tore theenvelope open and read rapidly. Then he slapped his hand on the table."Good! This is from Major Lacson. A boat answering the description ofthe _Sampaguita_ was seen about four days after the kidnaping, headingsouth 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 southof it."

  Scotty said with relief, "At least we know now which way they'reheading."

  "And we know what to do next," Zircon added.

  "We go after it!" Chahda concluded grimly.