"008 (B018) - The Sargasso Ogre (1933-10) - Lester Dent" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robeson Kenneth)

Before him was another man, also taking exercises. The fellow was unaware of Doc's presence.



Doc watched, greatly interested.



The stranger was balancing expertly on his hands and raising and lowering himself. This was no mean feat, but he was doing it easily. And he did it innumerable times.



He had a regulation exerciser of spring cables. Five such cables were all an ordinary man could handle. Yet there were more than fifteen strands on this apparatus. After working out with that a while, the man turned a score or more of handsprings, flinging himself high into the air.



The stranger was big, and undoubtedly strong.



He had a great, flowing white beard! This was what made his performance so remarkable. He looked like an acrobatic Santa Claus.



Doc Savage's strange golden eyes showed no expression. But he knew this must be the personage who had acted suspiciously in the vicinity of the ship's strong room, the night before.



"Good morning," he said suddenly.



Had a cannon exploded, the effect would not have been more remarkable. The white-whiskered man whirled like a startled rabbit. One look at Doc, and he shot in a flying leap for the rail. He plummeted over the edge.



No little taken with surprise, Doc ran to the rail. He expected to see the gentleman of the Santa Claus beard sprawled, perhaps with a broken leg, on the deck below.



But only the snowy beard lay on the deck!



The whiskers were false, and had jarred off, the adhesive used to hold them in place probably having been softened by perspiration.



The stranger himself had vanished into the ship.