" Do you see anything?" " Negative, sir." "Pull up on the port side." "Looks deserted." "Throw the line." "Heading back." "'l was late for my appointment with a prospective client 'but I had a terrific excuse." "'In fact, I had it with me, all 60 pounds and two horns of it.'" " Thomas Magnum?" " Marion Hammond?" "The private investigator?" "You're probably wondering about the goat." "Let me drop off my friend and then we'll talk." "Here we go." "Oh, boy." "I'll be right with you." "Come on, Horace." "Here we go." "Argh !" "Don't eat Higgins' flowers, Horace." "I'll be right back." "See, I'm taking care of Horace for a friend." "OK, Horace, you're on your own." "She's nine years old and her grandmother's visiting and she's allergic to goats." "By the way, have you seen Higgins?" "He's a little man." "He's English and hates surprises." " No." " He's probably still at the vet's." "See, his dogs have been off their feed lately..." "Listen, are you sure you're Thomas Magnum?" "Oh, yeah." "Oh..." "I'm sorry about all the distractions." "What have you heard about your father?" " Was the Coast Guard any help?" " They know he was in the Nihoa Channel." "When they found his boat there was no sign of him." "Nobody else was in the channel." "At least nobody came forward." "The locals believe that the channel's cursed to anybody but themselves." " It's sacred water." " I know all about that." " Why'd he go out there?" " I don't know." " It wasn't like my father to go diving alone." " He went diving?" "Yeah, they found his scuba gear laid out on deck." " Then he never made his dive?" " No." "The waters were calm that day." "My father was an experienced seaman." "You know, he didn't get washed overboard." "I have a feeling that this wasn't an accident." "I told you on the telephone, I want you to find my father." "Will you?" "I have $2,000 in scholarship money." "You can have it all." " Scholarship money?" " Yeah." "I was getting my doctorate in Marine Biology at the University of San Diego." "Till this happened." " I don't want your scholarship money." " But it's all I have." "Well, we'll talk about money later." "'Marion was staying on her father's boat and wanted to buy groceries." "'I went right to work but I couldn't get the time of day from the locals at the dock." "'They weren't about to discuss the Nihoa Channel with any haole investigator." "'I decided to seek comfort from a friend.'" "Hey, Rick !" " Hi, Thomas !" " How are you doing?" "What are you doing down here?" " I'm on a case and I'm getting nowhere." " I wish I could help but I'm expecting a couple of club members any minute now." " Can I have a cold beer?" " Yeah." "No." "The freezer's not freezing." "I'm waiting for the guy to come here and fix it." "A little warm wouldn't hurt." "Thomas, you can't drink warm beer." "You'll get heartburn." " Rick, I don't get heartburn !" " Maybe it was TC." "That's your freezer repair man?" "He does well for himself." "Must be a union crew." " Hey, Rick, how's it going, buddy?" " Fine." " Well, see you later, Thomas." " Rick." " What?" " That guy has a gun." " A gun?" " You know, bang bang, kills people." " That's how he fishes." " He shoots 'em?" " Don't you remember, like we did in Nam?" " No." "See you later, Thomas." "Cast off for me, will you?" "OK, Thomas, let her go." "Thanks." " Hope you land a big one, Rick." " Bye, Thomas." "You want to know what happened to Captain Hammond?" "That's right." "It's taboo for my people to talk of the channel." "The Nihoa waters are sacred." "They belong to Ta'aroa." " Ta'aroa?" " God of the sea." "No haole may enter the channel." "All who do, die." "Well, the Navy's been going out in that channel for quite a few years." "Nothing seems to have happened to them." "Everything is done in Ta'aroa's time." "You have been warned." "'Charming little club, made you wanna laugh." "'Till you remembered people disappeared in that channel.'" "Magnum." " Hi." " How you doing?" " Good." " What did you find out?" "Ta'aroa doesn't want any haoles swimming in his pool." " ls this your father's boat?" " Yeah." " Has your father always lived on a boat?" " Yes." "He loved the sea." "Our love of the ocean was the only thing my father and I had in common." "There wasn't a lot of contact between us." "You know, I don't even know why I care about what happened to him." "He never cared much about me." "I used to do everything to make him proud of me." "I learned how to sail, I learned how to dive, I learned how to fish." "It didn't matter." "Even when I was a kid, no matter what I did, it would never be enough." "You better let me check this out." "Obviously ceremonial." "Very interesting." "I think I know what this is." "I just want to make sure." "Keone, could you come here a moment, please?" "Keone is my assistant." "He's an expert on island cults." "This is Nat Hammond's daughter, Marion." " How do you do?" " And Mr Thomas Magnum." "Could you tell us what this is?" "This is Tupuna, the knife of Nihoa." "It brings with it Ta'aroa's curse." "Haoles should not possess it." "Keone." "Thank you." "Keone's a bit blunt at times but his knowledge is indisputable." "Nat Hammond must've done something to anger the Nihoa cult people." "Are they responsible for my father's disappearance?" "No, of course not." "I didn't mean to imply that at all." "Have you any idea why Captain Hammond was in the Nihoa Channel the day he disappeared?" "None whatsoever." "Did he ever talk with you about what kind of research he was doing?" "Your father was a very secretive man." "He liked to be sure of himself before making others aware of his so-called discoveries." "So-called discoveries?" "Excuse me, but my father has been credited with genuine finds." "A few." "Professor, maybe my father never sat behind a desk or taught school but he gave his life to the sea and researching these islands." "And his groundless theory on Kulturkreise..." "Hold it." "Please." "What is Kulturkreise?" "Culture circles." "The belief that an invention starts in one place and spreads outward to other countries in ever-widening circles." "Like ripples when you drop a stone into a pond." "For example..." "Let me show you evidence I use in my new book." "This Hawaiian costume, I believe, was influenced by Spanish conquistadors." "Can you see the similarities?" "There is a resemblance but I thought the Spanish came here much later." "Well, although, there's no direct documentation, their trade routes went by these islands." "So it's more than likely that at least one ship stopped here." "I guess that makes sense." "Except that it makes the Hawaiians very unimaginative people." "Contrary to the theory in your book, my father believed in the theory of simultaneous evolution." "In other words, that all around the world, in different civilisations, people came up with their own inventions." "Some of which happen to be very similar to one another." "Unfortunately, he based that on the flimsiest of evidence." " Excuse me, I have a class now." " Sure." "It was very nice to meet you both." "And if I can be of any further assistance, or Keone can, please don't hesitate to ask." " Thank you." " Bye-bye." "You don't like her very much, do you?" "How'd you guess?" "'There were people I'd rather question than Tehani." "'But who knows?" "Maybe under that muumuu there was a heart of gold.'" "What are you, the Priestess who ordered the ransacking of Hammond's boat?" "I have no interest in Captain Hammond or his boat." "He was simply another haole seeking riches." "What riches?" "Thank you !" "Hey !" "You're off your diet." "That's great." "Admiral Jenkins lift the rule about staying within 10 pounds of your enlistment weight?" "You don't understand." "I was practically engaged." "Me and Ruth." "She left me for a tuna boat captain." "So that's the reason for the two scoops of chocolate and butterscotch, nuts, that's great." " There's banana in there." " There were cherries." "What do you want from me?" " Me, want?" " Yeah, want." "Now you mention it, I do have a client with a missing father" " who was last seen in the Nihoa Channel." " So?" " He was diving for treasure." " In the Nihoa Channel?" " That's where you come in." " No, that's where I leave." "Mac, I just figured that you could use those computers of yours to put together a list of ships that went down in that channel in the last 200 years." "Magnum, what do you think those computers are?" "My toys?" "The Navy's not gonna care if you use them for extracurricular activity." " The hell they're not." "Nol" " Mac !" "Did I tell you that next Tuesday I'm having lunch with Admiral Jenkins?" "We're gonna talk about a physical fitness programme." "It'll just be great to see old iron pants." "No, you didn't tell me that." "'Mac seems to be wedded to the book of regulations 'but his heart's in the right place." "'With just a little encouragement, Mac obliged me with the computers 'and they scrolled out a list of ships as long as the Honolulu phone directory." "'The Nihoa Channel was one dangerous place and had been for a long time." "'I decided to consult an expert to check the list out." "'I only hoped he hadn't discovered my house guest.'" " Ah !" "Just the man I wanted to see." " I want to speak to you..." "Before you start, there's something I want to explain." "Please, hear me out." "Ever since I came back from the kennels," "I've been disturbed by some most peculiar sounds." "I can't locate the source." "It's very puzzling." " Sounds?" " Emanating from the grounds." " Yet, it just isn't possible." " Why not?" "Because I know what's making the sounds." "It's an animal." " Really?" " Yes." "I last heard those sounds on the Zambezi in the African plain." "It's the unmistakable cry of the kudu buck calling to its doe." "There it is again !" "You did hear it, didn't you?" "Hear what?" "Oh, Higgins, there's something I want you to look at." "What do you make of that?" "What is it?" "It's a list of ships that the computer produced that could have gone down in the Nihoa Channel." "Strange." "No native vessels." "You know, I never noticed that." "You're right." " Maybe no one reported them." " Perhaps." " There is supposed to be a curse." " Yes, I know all about it." " A group of Hawaiians..." " It's sacred." " No haoles..." " Should ever go there." "If you know so much, why are you asking me?" "I'm sorry, Higgins." " That's interesting." " What?" "What?" "The Eldora." "A Spanish galleon." "Used to carry the plunder back from Spain's numerous conquests." " But what was she doing here?" " I don't know and I don't care !" "Are you saying there could be a treasure ship there?" "No." "I'm interpreting the data from the computer." "!" "ti wenk I - .wonk t'nod uoy gnihton s'ereht smees tI " "Hammond knew about it but they killed him before he got to it." "Well, it's been a long day." "I think I'll turn in early." "Sure you won't join me in a brandy and soda?" "No." "I had a whiskey after lunch." "I think that perhaps is sufficient for today." "Bye." "'I wanted to take a look at that channel myself." "'Rick, being a friend, would loan me the King Kamehameha I." "'At first Rick wasn't crazy about the idea but I appealed to his better nature." "'Of course, it didn't hurt to drop a couple of hints about a sunken treasure.'" "I see you have diving gear." " You refuse to listen." " I listen." "Maybe sometimes I just don't take good advice." "That's the trouble with you haoles." " Hi, Rick." " Hello, Thomas." " I see you've met." " Yeah, we sure have." " Hello, Thomas." " Hi, Marion." "Marion said you'd give me the skinny on the treasure." "What's the payoff?" "Hard to tell with treasure." " Should I cast off?" " Yes, you may untie the bow." "ls that the front?" "Here." " Look out, Thomas !" " Thomas !" " I gotta find him." " Did you see him?" "You all right?" "Where's that guy?" "He hasn't come up yet." "Thank you." "That could have been me if you hadn't known how to dive." "Thank my father, he taught me." "He would've been very proud of you." "He's dead, isn't he?" "I think so." "Do you think that man, Keone, killed him?" "Well, it would make sense." "He sure didn't want us to go out in that channel." "Well, I took care of it for the time being, with the usual promises of not leaving town." "Sorry you had to go through this, honey." "Does that mean we're not going out into the channel?" "I wouldn't advise it." "Not until the police leave the dock." "Marion, if there's treasure out there, it'll still be there in 24 hours." " It's not the treasure I was thinking about." " I know." "I'm gonna go down below and change." "Hi, Higgins." "What are you doing?" "Cleaning the old rifles again?" " I'm going hunting." " Hunting what?" "The kudu buck that is roaming freely on this estate." "And don't tell me it's a figment of my imagination." "Figments don't eat rare tropical flowers." "Mine have been decimated." "Higgins, now you just listen to me." "Before you shoot anything, you ought to know this." "You can't tell me about kudus." " I've studied them at close range." " Then you know what they look like." " Little horns." " Great antlers." " This tall." "Little chin whiskers." " Much larger." "Don't be ridiculous." "That's a goat." "I'm talking about a type of antelope found only in the..." "Magnum, are you telling me the animal in question is..." " A goat." " A wild goat?" "Tame, a child's pet, called Horace." "You can't shoot it when you know its name." "How did a goat get on Robin Masters' estate?" "I...withdraw the question." "Remove the creature immediately." "Come on, Higgins, just another day." " One more." "And I'll..." " You'll what?" " I'll give up the tennis courts." " You don't have the tennis courts." "Oh." "How about a share in the buried treasure?" "The treasure?" "You don't know where it is." "The Eldora could be anywhere." "You could say that." "But certain clues tell me that I'm warm." " Very warm." " You're sure?" "You're absolutely positive?" "I'm about as positive as a person can be." "I wouldn't want the treasure for myself." "I'm only thinking of the contribution I could make to The British Museum." "Naturally." "I'll give you and the goat 24 hours." "I just can't believe it." "He was such a good student and excellent assistant." "He worked so hard." "May I borrow this?" "Thank you." "Did Keone ever mention the Eldora?" "No." "Why?" "I think it's at the bottom of the Nihoa Channel." " What?" " Yeah." "Well, that would make sense then." "Considering the Spanish influence I believe occurred on these islands." " Do you think Hammond discovered her?" " Yeah." "That would be just like him." "To discover something supporting my theories and then not reveal it." "ls that why Keone killed him?" "Do you really think Keone killed Hammond?" "Keone died trying to keep me out of that channel." "Why not Hammond?" "I have to believe what Keone did to you was just an act of religious fervour." "He only intended to frighten you." "You've seen the depth of feeling these people have." "One must respect that." "Well, you're probably right." "Maybe Keone wasn't interested in merely preserving the sanctity of the channel." "You better be right, sweetheart." " When have I ever been wrong?" " I can't count that high." "I think we're just about over it." "Can you cut your engines?" "OK." " Sure you don't wanna go diving with me?" " No, no." "I'll stay right here." "There could be emergencies." "Turn it on, will you?" "OK." "Tank's on." "All set?" "'Thinking about Hammond, Keone and the Nihoa cult," "'I began to wonder what I was doing by myself 'at the bottom of a dangerous channel." "'I consoled myself with the knowledge that firearms didn't work underwater." "'lf anyone tried to hurt me, they'd have to get close enough to use a spear gun." "'And, so far, I seemed to be alone." "'It didn't exactly look like a Spanish galleon." "In fact, it looked more like a large tablet." "'And its few engravings hardly made for treasure." "'My first question was - what did Hammond want with it?" "'My second - what was I going to tell Rick and Higgins?" "'Congratulations, guys, you're part owners of a piece of the rock'?" "'" "I got one." "I got it." "I got it." " Well, did you find it?" " You could say that." "Great !" "Where is it?" "Well, it's been down there quite a while..." " Wait." "There's nothing wrong, is there?" " No." "There's nothing wrong." "It's just there's a lot of coral and things." "It's going to be hard to get up, that's all." "God, you scared me for a minute." "There's people I'd like to talk to before we do more." " Like who?" " Technical experts." "That sort of thing." " Come on." " So it takes a little longer." "What difference does it make?" "It's not gonna be the end of the world." "'It's normal for people to behave strangely when it comes to sunken treasure." "'I left Rick feeling pretty sure he'd get his share." "'I just didn't tell him his share of what.'" "Hi." "Come on in." "You OK?" "I was just going through some of my father's things." "Trying to see if I could find anything that would help." " Marion." " I f..." "I found..." " I found..." " Found what?" "Everything." "Everything I'd ever written." "Every picture ever taken of me." "Report cards, school certificates, everything." "He kept it all." "He must've loved you very much." "Why, why didn't he tell me?" "I don't know." "Some fathers have a hard time doing that." "Yeah." "I guess I'm not as tough as I used to be." "I don't know about that." "See, I..." "I always tried to be like my father." "I thought it was better not to show your feelings." "It meant you were strong." "May I?" "Yeah." "But he wasn't any stronger." "He was just sadder, that's all." "And I don't want to be like that." "I don't think you have to worry about it." "Thanks." "Marion, remember when you told me about your father's research?" " Yeah." " What was he trying to prove?" "That people in different parts of the world could have the same idea." "Like the Spanish didn't influence Hawaiian dress?" "Yeah, right." "What would it take to prove something like that?" "Something predating the conquistadors." "Something that would show things they'd supposedly influenced." "Like a stone tablet with some costume warriors carved on it?" " You found something like that?" " Yeah." "Oh, boy." "If it proved your father's theory was right, then Professor Martinez's theory is wrong." "What if she knew what your father had found?" "I've been thinking." "We haven't decided how we're going to divide the treasure." "Treasure?" "Doesn't he know?" " Know what?" " That Marion and I have already decided." "Equal shares for everyone." "Isn't that right, Marion?" "Sure." "Equal shares." "Look." "All right, Rick." "I'm gonna pull up alongside." "Get ready to jump." "OK, go !" "Nice going, Rick." "Catch the rope." "Marion, catch it." " What'd you find?" " Bunch of stuff for making bombs." " Detonators and wires." " Marion, you're not going down." "I'll strangle her." "'Marion wasn't easy to catch." "'She also wasn't cooperative when I signalled her to go back up." "'She was displaying the same stubbornness that probably got her father killed.'" " You killed my father !" " Hey !" "Hey !" "Wait a second." "Hold on." " She killed my father." " Just take it easy, wait a second." " Where's Thomas?" " He's still down there with the bomb." "'This was a day I wished I'd listened to my mother 'and studied to be an orthodontist." "'Looking into someone's mouth has gotta be better than staring death in the face.'" "Hi, guys." "Thomas !" "Still mad at me?" "Thank you." "Tehani sure has been a lot friendlier since she found out about the tablet." "Yeah, she didn't mind our trespassing so much, once I showed her what we found." " I'll send you your fee." " I'll send it straight back to you." "Your father would've wanted you to finish your studies." " I'll tell you what I will want, though." " What?" "I want a copy of your doctoral thesis when you finish it." "You got it." " Magnum." " Hey." "I'll see you again." "Thanks." "Airport." "Rick, what's going on?" "Thomas, I'll tell you." "I find it very difficult working out my retirement on my share of the treasure." "Rick, who are those guys, anyway?" "Those guys?" "Well, it was a convention." "Come on, cast me off, I gotta go." " Rick !" " Bye, Thomas !"