"077 (B041) - Merchants of Disaster (1939-07) - Harold Davis" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robeson Kenneth)

A burly, red-faced cop pushed his way through the giggling crowd.



"Come on! Get out of here," he roared. "Yuh can't block traffic this way!"



The gorilla-man looked up pleadingly, "Butta, officer," he whined in a child-like voice, "we gotta makka da mon - "



The cop put big hands on his hips and glared. "You oughta be dancin' on the end of a chain yurself," he said with heavy humor. "Yuh look more like a monk than the poor ape yuh're usin'. Get along now, before I get mad and run yuh in.





MORE choking sounds came from the slender man with the hand organ, but the music stopped. As the crowd's chuckles grew to full-throated laughter, the two men and the ape got back in their car and drove off.



"Daggonit, Ham, this was your idea!" the gorilla-man piped. His small eyes, almost buried in gristle, glared indignantly at his companion.



The other gave up trying to suppress his mirth. He almost doubled up with laughter.



Shortly afterward, the ancient car drew up at the rear of one of Washington's best hotels. The two men and the ape vanished through a rear entrance. They seemed to have been expected. At least an overdressed flunky, while eyeing them with disapproval, led the way to a suite of rooms.



The slender man dived toward a pile of suitcases already there, gave a sigh of pleasure as he extracted a suit that was the latest in fashion, and chose shirt, tie, socks and shoes to go with it.



Brigadier General Theodore Marley Brooks, known as Х Ham to his friends, enjoyed the reputation of being one of the nation's best-dressed men.



"If I'd only thought to get a picture of you in those rags!" his companion moaned.



Ham scowled, then smiled. "Yuh oughta be dancin' on the end of a chain yourself," he mimicked - then ducked a flying shoe.