"023 (B009) - The Mystic Mullah (1935-01) - Lester Dent" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robeson Kenneth)

"This dock you have selected - it is secluded?" asked the Khan.



The skipper rolled his tobacco quid in his jaws. The man made him nervous.



"It's an out-of-the-way dock," he said.



"Excellent!" said the Khan, and left the tugboat bridge, or more properly, the pilot house.



The tugboat captain rolled his eyes and directed tobacco juice at the feet of One of Ills two deckhands, who had come in out of the foggy night. "Damned if I like this," he said in a tone which showed he wanted to talk to relieve his mind.



The deckhand, who knew that tone, let his boss talk without interruption.



"Damned if I like it,"' repeated the skipper. "I get a radio to go out to the Atlantic Queen, that new liner that's fog bound, and take off a passenger. I get out there, and, by golly, if it ain't three passengers, and two of 'em the queerest lookin' ducks you ever saw! Take that one who was just in here."



"I'd rather take him than the other man," said the deckhand in a queer tone.



The skipper scowled. "Whatcha mean?"



"I mean that the other duck has a knife as long as your arm up his sleeve," said the deckhand. "I just saw it - he's standin' outside the door of your cabin. Looks like he's guardin' the girl."



"The girl!" The skipper sighed. "Now she's what I call a nifty number. She's white, too. Wonder what she's doin' with these two funny lookin' buzzards?"



The skipper was not a had judge of femininity. The girl was a "nifty number." In fact, she would have put a movie casting director up on his toes.