"Kenneth Robeson - Doc Savage 128 - The Goblins" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robeson Kenneth)

Park had learned to telegraph, and he had been operator-manager here in Sandersonville for about a
year.

He had joined the U. S. air force nearly eight months ago. He had not been called. He was very
aggravated about this. It seemed the air force was short on training facilities, and had not yet gotten
around to him. Or at least that was the explanation he kept getting.

Now, sitting in the living room of the small apartment which he occupied alone, Park went over these
points about his past. He was also healthy, agile, unmarried and not in love, although open to possibilities
in the latter.

тАЬThis,тАЭ he remarked to himself, тАЬis the first indication that I might be crazy, too. A fine present for a man's
twenty-fifth birthday.тАЭ

He knew darned well there wasn't anything wrong with his mind.

Still, there had been a little man. Then there hadn't.

Park made coffee, fried an egg and baked a waffle. He could put together a mean waffle. He considered
himself not a bad cook.

Still without finding a trace of the little green man with the grin, and still puzzled, Park went down to the
office to go to work.



HE was late. The relay operator was calling him on the wire, and giving him hell. тАЬWe're stacked up with
99 stuff for you,тАЭ said the relay man. Telegraphers traditionally called urgent or important messages тАЬ99тАЭ
messages. Park sighed, put carbons in a bunch of blanks, and gave the relay man the GA signal.

Park was all set to copy a mess of stuff for the new defense plant south of town, the new factory that had
sprung up overnight. Because of the plant, Park's telegraph job had been ruled an essential one, and he
could have stayed out of the army on the strength of that. But he hadn't. He'd joined the air force.

But this stuff wasn't for the defense plant. Not the rush messages, anyway.

The тАЬ99тАЭ telegrams were all for someone named Clark Savage, Jr. They were from various dignitaries in
the war department, high officials. They were somewhat indignant and firm in tone.

Park gathered that this individual, Clark Savage, Jr., had been insisting that the war department assign
him to duty in the army where he would see some shooting action. The brass hats were refusing. From
the tone of the messages, Park decided that Clark Savage, Jr., had sent some pretty blistering telegrams
to the war department. The brass hats were still insisting that he continue the same work he was doing,
and they'd had their feelings hurt.

Park couldn't help grinning as he copied the wires from Washington. He sympathized thoroughly with this
Clark Savage, Jr., whoever he was. Park felt that he had a bond in common with Clark Savage, Jr. Like
Savage, he was trying to get into the war, and not having much luck.

Park gathered that Clark Savage, Jr., had told the war department about the same things that he, Park,