"Richard Wilson - Transitory Island" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wilson Richard)

have here," he commented. "Have you laid claim to it?"
"Absolutely. It's called Pelton's Folly. I chose it in preference to a
seventy
foot copra boat that wouldn't stay afloat." He held out his hand. "Doug
Pelton,"
he grinned.
"Charlie Hayes," returned the older man. "You know, this place interests me.
What is it--stone?"
"I guess so."
Hayes noticed Doug's bare feet. "No, it isn't," he said. "Not if you can
prance
around at noon on the equator with no shoes on." He bent down to touch it
with
his hand. "Why, it's cool!" he exclaimed. "This warrants investigation."
CHARLIE HAYES was an American with a comfortable fortune who had bought
himself
a plane and was determined to see the world as he chose, unassisted by
steamship
lines or travel agencies. With his plane and pilot, Art Murray--a young man
of
doubtful background but excellent qualifications--he had set out from San
Francisco early in July and, after a brief stop in Honolulu, headed southwest
in
the general direction of Fiji. Halfway there he had found Doug and his island.
But the island seemed to defy him. It was certainly not rock. Hayes tried to
take a sample of it to test in the miniature laboratory aboard the plane, but
succeeded only in breaking a drill without marring the island's surface.
"Looks like it's no use, boss," said Murray, as he coiled the wire that was
attached to the drill.
"Nevertheless, I'm not giving up just yet. There must be an answer." Charlie
Hayes turned to Doug. "If you don't mind deferring your rescue for a day or
so."
"Not a bit," replied Doug. "Now that someone's started me thinking about it,
I'm
as interested as you are."
"Fine," said Hayes. He squinted at the horizon. They had spent the entire
afternoon in their attempts at analysis. "It's getting too dark to do
anything
more tonight. We'll get an early start tomorrow."
But the next day Charlie Hayes had something else to worry about. Art Murray,
the pilot, had disappeared. He wasn't in the plane, or on the island. Nor had
he
gone swimming. There was only one place left . . . Doug and Hayes looked at
each
other. Under the island?
Charlie Hayes took a diving helmet and pumping apparatus out of the plane.
"Know how to work this gadget?" he asked.
"Sure," replied Doug. "I used to run a concession in Florida. 'See the fish
and
flora on the ocean's floor. Ten cents'."