"033 (B015) - Murder Melody (1935-11) - Laurence Donovan" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robeson Kenneth)

"Don't move any of you, until I give the word. I shall loosen the jackets. Wait until all are freed before you cast them off."
Lanta's wide eyes stared at the bronze man unbelievingly. His capable hands already were loosening the automatic bindings back of her throat.
"None ever has accomplished that," she whispered. "I had begun to lose all hope. Now I am sure it was no mistake when I made contact with you."
There was much more being uttered by her expressive eyes. The bronze man ignored this. Lanta was as lovely a woman as he had ever seen. It was no conceit on his part to believe he had made a great impression upon her.
But Doc Savage was not interested in making any conquest. Women had no part in his life. He didn't even pretend that he understood them.
The bronze man had devoted his life to aiding those who were oppressed, wherever they might be. His allegiance was to all the world. He helped the distressed. Their oppressors he punished, but with the idea of correcting their mistakes.
CAULKINS and Cassalano apparently had not seen Doc was free. The mineralogist spoke. He showed the strain of their imprisonment.
"For heaven's sake, Savage!" he pleaded. "You are reputed to be ingenious beyond all others. Can we not in some way escape this trap? I can't stand much more of this. I am in terrible pain."
Caulkins added his voice. He was calmer than his colleague.
"Yes, Savage, if anything can be done, it seems to me the time has arrived," he stated. "I have a feeling this Zoro has been only playing with us. Perhaps he only wants to use us as hostages in whatever evil deed he is contemplating, to prevent the authorities from destroying the ship."
"I have no doubt that your theory is partly correct," Doc replied. "We shall all be free of the jackets quickly. But I think we should wait a good opportunity for a surprise attack."
The girl Lanta stood erect. Murmured expressions came from the men still on the iron grating.
"She's a regular knockout," remarked Ham. He had always been susceptible to the beauty of women.
Doc was loosening the contrivance holding Monk's jacket. The apelike chemist let out a shrill hoot of disgust.
"You bet she's a knockout," he proclaimed. "She'd probably knock you out with your own pig-sticker, if you hadn't lost it. I'm keeping an eye on her."
Monk kept his eye upon her. It was not as baleful as his talk. All the men could see this slender, lovely girl was something above the average. Zoro's announcement she was a princess seemed to be proved.
Lanta had calm dignity. Her head was held regally.
Caulkins briefly praised Doc's resourcefulness when his own jacket was loosened. The bronze man's hand unhooked the garment imprisoning Cassalano. The collar seemed to catch at the mineralogist's throat.
Cassalano let out a sudden shrill squawk of pain. The ship was moving in utter silence. The hissing rush of its former speed was absent. Feet scuffled on the deck above. Doc promptly clamped a firm hand over his mouth. The bronze man said nothing.
The single light bulb winked out. Cassalano gulped and sputtered. Caulkins uttered a short oath.
"What are you trying to do?" he snapped.
Cassalano's tongue was freed by Doc. His low tone was now abject.
"The contrivance pinched my neck," he mumbled. "I'm sorry."
DOC SAVAGE had come to his feet. His fingers searched. He discovered he still had some of the small gas capsules. Also he found a pair of the tiny explosive grenades in a hidden recess. These were small as large pills. Little levers were on the sides.
Yet one of these would have been sufficient to tear out the side of the ship. Doc held a grenade between thumb and fingers.
"Remain quiet, every one," he cautioned. "Perhaps the light was put out for some other reason. I don't believe the cry was heard. We are in the Columbia River. The ship is creeping along the north shore on the State of Washington side."
The bronze man had not even glanced toward the porthole.
"How could you know that?" questioned Caulkins. "Everything seems the same to me. It's like we were in a big coffin."
"The wind is from the south," advised Doc. "It brings the odors of the salmon canneries at Old Astoria. The ship had scraped muddy bottom on tide flats. These are on the north shore. We are nearing the sloughs and marshes in the vicinity of the lumber cities of Longview and Kelso."
"What are we waiting for?" growled Renny. He had arisen. His oaken arms were flexed. His enormous fists were clenched. The giant engineer had several scores he wanted to settle. Given the word, he would have swung to the upper deck alone.
"Yeah!" chimed in Monk. "I wanta find out what them heathens's made out of! Just lemme get my hands on half a dozen of 'em!"
"It would be wise to wait," advised Doc. "Perhaps it would be best for us to hide for a time in another part of the ship."
The bronze man had a clear idea. The mysterious Zoro must have a definite objective. The Columbia River region had been his goal. Doc reasoned the stealing of Captain Jarnagin's ship was connected with this. Zoro must have the intention of loading the vessel with some sort of cargo.
Perhaps his own glasslike cylinder had little cargo space. If this were true, Zoro needed the Narwhal. Doc judged his intention was to convey whatever the load might be to some more remote place. Then it could be stored and removed at Zoro's convenience.
Doc's theory later proved to be correct. And for the moment, the bronze man deliberately delayed escape or attack. He desired to know more.
"Keep all of the jackets in place," Doc suggested. "But be prepared to drop them instantly. The ship is about to land."
Caulkins and Cassalano followed this advice. Doc's own men heeded the suggestion, but reluctantly. All were aching for an opportunity to even things up with Zoro.
Again the hull of the ship scraped. It was sandy bottom. The vessel was pulled through this by invisible force.
The dim light bulb flashed on again. Zoro's men had made no movement toward the lower hold. Apparently they had not heard Cassalano's cry. In comparison with the reeking darkness, the light now seemed brilliant.
Monk was the first to exclaim. Doc had noticed the same thing. He had said nothing. His only sign had been the whirlpool of light in his flaky gold eyes.
"Dag-gonit!" Monk squealed. "I told you! I don't trust any woman, 'specially that one! Now she's doublecrossed us! We'd better be gettin' outta here, Doc!"
LANTA had disappeared. In the darkness they had heard no movement. But the girl was gone. A swift exploration of the cramped space of the after hold revealed nothing.
Doc Savage was smiling slightly. He said nothing.
With noiseless movement he was beside the open porthole. Miles away across the broad Columbia the lights of Old Astoria twinkled. The riding lamps of vessels showed where they were anchored in midstream.
The Narwhal ceased to move. The mushy docking indicated the ship was on a marshy shore. The air reeked with the rancid odors of barren tide flats. The lighthouse on the point at the mouth of the wide river winked intermittently.
Doc had a fair view of the shore line from the porthole. Something gleamed dully in the darkness a quarter of a mile below the ship. Eyes less keen than Doc's would not have noticed it.
The bronze man saw figures arriving on shore. They were coming directly from the river below the ship. In single file they moved toward the Narwhal. They numbered at least two score.
Doc retreated from the porthole. He spoke in a low voice.
"Zoro has arrived at his destination," he advised. "We are about to have visitors. Remain quiet. Every one be sure the jackets appear untouched."
The bronze man concealed his hands in the acid-rended folds of his own metallic garment. The deck hatchway had opened. Zoro's voice could be heard directing his men. He was speaking now in the obscure language.