"Doc Savage Adventure 1935-07 Quest of Qui" - читать интересную книгу автора (Doc Savage Collection)

QUEST OF QUI

A Doc Savage Adventure

by Kenneth Robeson



(Originally published in "Doc Savage" magazine July 1935. Bantam Books reprint July 1966.)



Chapter I

THE DRAGON SHIP


THERE WAS no wind, and the authorities later decided this accounted for what occurred, for had there been a wind, many things would doubtlessly have been different.

Had there been a wind, a baffling mystery might never have come to the notice of the world, and to the attention of Doc Savage. A number of men might have gone on living. And a scheme of consummate horror would probably have been executed with success.

It was, however, dead calm on the Atlantic Ocean off the outer tip of Long Island. The calm had persisted since dawn, and it was aggravating weather for sailboats, and at the same time very nice weather for power boats.

The Sea Scream was a power boat, all eighty feet of her, mahogany, teak and brass, and she bowled along at almost twenty knots. The Sea Scream was a yacht, and she had cost somewhat less than a quarter of a million, which made her owner an important man, on the principle that any one who can pay nearly a quarter of a million for a plaything is important.

But neither the Sea Scream nor her wealthy owner nor her guests were of special importance to the world that day, as far as news was concerned. Millionaires and their yachts are a dime a dozen, as concerns news, around Long Island Sound.

What happened to those on the Sea Scream was important. It was also amazing, so much so that citizens in London, Paris, and elsewhere read about it in their newspapers that afternoon.

The Sea Scream was barely out of sight of land when the sailor at the wheel shaded his eyes, squinted, then picked up a pair of binoculars and focused them.

"Something dead ahead, sir," he called.

The Sea Scream lunged on, bows knocking up spray. Owner, guests and crew glanced idly ahead, not nearly so interested as they were going to be soon.

The helmsman used the binoculars again, staring very hard this time, after which a blankness came on his face.

"I hope to swab a deck!" he grunted. "Captain, sir. Have a look."

The snappily uniformed captain took the binoculars and stared through them.

"Bless me!" he said, and hastily went to the owner.

"Want to have a glance at an unusual vessel?" he asked, and presented the glasses.

The owner looked. So did the guests, one a lady. They murmured, interested.

"Strange-looking thing," said the owner.

"Never saw one like it," offered a guest.