"Doc Savage Adventure 1945-03 The Ten Ton Snakes" - читать интересную книгу автора (Doc Savage Collection)

Renwick grinned and roared, "Borrowing money from me is getting blood from a turnip. But not for a man from Yung-shun. How much do you need?"

"I don't need money."

"No? You've come to the wrong man, then. I don't know anything about women."

"This isn't a girl."

Renwick examined the soldier intently.

"What's your name?" he asked. "I never did know it, I don't think."

"Bob French."

"All right, Bob French, sit down and see if you can't talk that scared look off your face."

Bob French sat down. "It's a story that has its goofy aspects."

"Shoot."



II


RENNY Renwick's voice was a great tumbling thing developed by bawling at steeljacks on towering skyscraper frameworks and bawling above the clatter of riveting guns. The voice had been rattling the windows, almost. Now that he was silent, listening for the soldier's story, there seemed almost too much stillness in the office.

"It's a shame to drag this in on you," Bob French said. "But you're the only man I could think of that I knew in New York. And I'm scared."

"What are you scared of?"

"Here's the story. I got a brother, see. His name is Tucker. He is younger than me, and he's in South America. Colombia, back in the jungles. He's in the mining business in a small way."

"American citizen?"

Bob French took his eyes off Renwick and put them on the floor and didn't say anything for a moment. "Yes. I don't know why the draft missed him."

"Okay."

Bob French shoved his jaw out and said, "Okay or not, I don't give a damn. I've done enough fighting for all of our family, and I'm glad Tucker kept out of it and I hope to God he continues keeping out of it."

He sounded violent, as if he were taking something out of his heart.

Renny laughed. "Was I picking a fight with you?"

The soldier licked his lips. He looked at the floor some more.

"I got a cable from my brother. That was two days ago. I had cabled Tucker I was back in the States and had a twenty-one-day furlough that was just starting, so that's how he knew I was back and where to find me.