"Kenneth Robeson - Doc Savage 177 - The Angry Canary" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robeson Kenneth)

THE ANGRY CANARY
A Doc Savage Adventure by Kenneth Robeson
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? Chapter I
? Chapter II
? Chapter III
? Chapter IV
? Chapter V
? Chapter VI
? Chapter VII
? Chapter VIII
? Chapter IX
? Chapter X
? Chapter XI
Originally published in Doc Savage Magazine August 1948

Chapter I
THE cage was there on one of the shelves in the package check-room at four o'clock when the two men
on the night shift came to work.

It did not at that time bear much resemblance to a canary cage, because it was wrapped in coarse brown
paper and tied around with string. Some expertness with knots had gone into the way the string was tied.
That is, the knots were not conventional granny knots.

The two check-room attendants were pleasant fellows. Fred Lill, fiftyish, lived in Brooklyn and had a son
studying at Columbia to become a doctor. Jim Presse, younger, unmarried, had grown up on an Iowa
farm. Actually, though, the only important part Fred and Jim took in the matter was when Fred tore a bit
of the paper loose from the cage. He did this as an act of misguided kindness.

This happened after six. The hours of four to six were peak rush for the check-room, as steel-souled
Manhattan hurriedly emptied itself of office workers, and quite a few of these picked up packages or
week-end or overnight cases. About six, the pressure eased, both men fired up cigarettes, and Fred
walked back along Tier Seven and cocked his head at the paper-wrapped cage. Fred's interest was
bird-like. Owlish, because he was a fat man.

тАЬHell of a lot of scratching around going on in there,тАЭ Fred remarked.

тАЬCanary cage, isn't it?тАЭ Jim wasn't too interested.

тАЬGuess so. Looks like it.тАЭ Fred frowned, and added, тАЬPoor birds are probably smothering in there.
Some people are sure careless.тАЭ And on impulse, he poked a finger against the paper, broke it, and
peeled a piece loose.

Jim asked, тАЬWhat'd you do that for? Now somebody'll complain about the paper being torn.тАЭ He came
over and glanced at the cage, but with no interest. тАЬThere was probably holes in the bottom for
ventilation.тАЭ He bent down and looked. тАЬSure. A couple of holes.тАЭ