"Kenneth Robeson - Doc Savage 037 - The Metal Master" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robeson Kenneth)

Which shows how deceptive appearances can be.

"What the blarsted тАШell is goinтАЩ on тАШere?" growled TopsтАЩl Hertz, who had a Limehouse accent, except when he
desired otherwise.

The stowaway tried to straighten his shoulders, and all but collapsed. He grasped a stay to steady himself.

"IтАЩm Punning Parker," he said. "IтАЩm in bad with Scotland Yard and theyтАЩve got a man in Havana looking for
me. I heard you were a good man to go to, to get into the States."

And thus "Punning" Parker introduced himself and his puns.



HE produced a roll of bills amounting to several thousands of dollars. He peeled off a goodly number of the
bills.

"IтАЩm sort of a billing worker," he said. "Not that IтАЩm any dough-boy."

TopsтАЩl nearly shuddered. He hated puns. But he did not let his personal likes affect his business sense.

"Stick aboard," he said. "HiтАЩll take care of you."

Now this was not the snap decision it seemed. TopsтАЩl Hertz had suddenly remembered having seen Punning
Parker in Havana a number of times recently, and the word had gotten around that Punning Parker was a bad
but clever one. In other words, he was a "right guy."

"What youтАЩre doing wonтАЩt ever Hertz you," said Punning Parker.

"Come aft an тАШave a drink," invited TopsтАЩl.

They went aft and had, not one drink, but several, and TopsтАЩl Hertz listened to Punning Parker talk about
things he had done in England and elsewhere, after which TopsтАЩl Hertz became convinced that Punning was
indeed all right.

The cash which Punning paid over in advance had a mellowing influence, too. TopsтАЩl liked to think he was the
kind of a guy whom people would trust.

TopsтАЩl Hertz got around to showing his new crony a radiogram which he took from his sweaty pants pocket. It
was simple and to the point:

GO NINETY MILES SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF DRY TORTUGAS TO MEET MAN IN PLANE STOP MAN
NAMED LOUIS TESTER STOP HE WILL LAND STOP KEEP TESTER SAFE AT ALL COSTS

CX

The message had, of course, been in code, and was then decoded, and the "CX" was the cryptic signature of
a worthy for whom TopsтАЩl Hertz had done a little job or two in the past. TopsтАЩl explained this to Punning
Parker.