"Doc Savage Adventure 1934-07 The Thousand Headed Man" - читать интересную книгу автора (Doc Savage Collection)

Then he left the hangar and mingled with the crowd, passing unnoticed among a score or so of mechanics garbed like himself. Anyway, all eyes were watching the southern sky expectantly.


THE BONY man drifted about and finally stopped beside a journalist.

"I say, why all the bloomin' watchful waitin'?" he queried.

The scribe looked shocked. "Jove! Don't you read the sheets?"

"The newspapers? Naw."

The scribbler eyed the other as if observing a freak. The reporter failed to realize that he was being cleverly pumped for information.

"Did you ever hear of the Yankee they call the Man of Mystery?"

"Nope."

"No? He is a giant of a chap, a tremendous fellow. They say no living man has greater muscular strength."

"Never heard of 'im."

"They call him the Man of Bronze! That help your memory?"

"Nope."

The journalist took a full breath and began to spread enlightenment.

"Listen, old chap, this bronze man is known as one of the greatest surgeons. As a chemist, he has made discoveries that your children will some day read about. The bronze man is rated a wizard in the field of electricity. Furthermore, he - "

The thin man in the coveralls put a bony finger against the scribe's chest. "How many blokes are you tellin' me about?"

"One."

"You know what?"

"What?"

"I think you're joshin'."

Disgustedly, the scribe stuffed hands in the pockets of his Landon wrap.

"A few weeks ago," be said, "there was a revolution in the Balkan kingdom of Calbia. This Yankee put a stop to it. He's now on his way back to America. We expect his plane any minute."

The pseudo mechanic's eyes roved over the surrounding crowd. The fellow was a good actor. No twitch of his features betrayed that he had been shot at a few moments before, or that he was now in fear of another bullet.

"What's this bronze man's business?" he asked.

The journalist shrugged. "He's a remarkable character. Goes about the world aiding chaps who need help."

"Charges plenty for that, eh?"