"012 (B043) - The Man Who Shook The Earth (1934-02) - Lester Dent (b)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robeson Kenneth)

his mazuma."
"Since the man lied about working for a newspaper," Doc said, "we’d better look
into this, Monk. Something is up."
"So I figured," said Monk.
"I’ll meet you in the lobby of our office building in about fifteen minutes from
now."
"Quarter of an hour it is," said Monk, and hung up. He waddled out of the booth.

VELVET had been quite sincere in addressing Monk as the Janitor. The homely,
apish fellow looked the part; his garb was shabby enough. His hair needed
cutting badly, and he could have stood a shave to advantage.
No doubt the thing which had misled Velvet most of all was the fact that there
did not seem room enough for a thimbleful of brains behind Monk’s low forehead.
Monk’s looks were deceptive. He was not a janitor; he was a chemist of
world-wide repute. His most jealous colleague admitted that Monk was a magician
of the test tubes.
Monk’s short legs pumped like pistons as he headed for Doc Savage’s skyscraper
office. The grin was back on his homely face.
So Johnny would be able to use his left eye now! That was swell!
Johnny and Monk were both members of a group of six remarkable men. Just as Monk
was a great chemist, and Johnny a world-renowned geologist, so were three of the
others experts in their lines. One was a lawyer, another an electrical wizard,
and the third an engineer.
The other member of this group of six—Doc Savage—was the leader. Incredibly
enough, Doc was a greater chemist, a greater engineer, a greater lawyer, a more
learned geologist, and a more skilled electrical expert than any of the other
five.
Doc Savage’s forte was not surgery alone. His fund of learning covered almost
all things. Sometimes those associated with him were inclined to wonder if this
amazing man had not in some miraculous fashion attained that supreme goal of
students—an infinite knowledge of all things.
Fabulous as Doc Savage’s accomplishments seemed, there were actually nothing of
the supernatural about them. They were things which could be duplicated by
another, simply by going through the years of preparation to which Doc had
submitted himself. From the cradle, Doc had been trained for a definite purpose
in life.
Doc’s life work was to go here and there, to the ends of the earth if necessary,
striving to help those in need of help, and punishing those who justly deserved
it.
The love of excitement and adventure, together with an unbounded admiration for
Doc Savage, and the pleasure they got out of associating with him, held Doc’s
live aids in a group.
Monk, just before he reached the skyscraper, stepped aside to avoid a newsboy.
The lad was howling: "Earthquake! Read about the earthquake in South America!"
Monk was not at all interested in earthquakes.
Monk entered the skyscraper lobby. He walked past the phalanx of elevators. Of
each operator, he asked a question.
"Have you brought down a guy from eighty-six within the last few minutes—a bird
in evening clothes, who walked like he thought a lot of himself?"
"That gentleman just left," reported the third attendant.