"Kenneth Robeson - Doc Savage 104 - Birds of Death" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robeson Kenneth)

"Doc Savage?" said the starter. "Go around that corner there, and take the private elevator."

"I have heard his headquarters are on the eighty-sixth floor?" said Boot. "Is that correct?"

"Take the elevator around the corner," said the starter.

Benjamin Boot took an elevator operated by push buttons. On the control there was only one button,
and that one was labeled, Doc Savage. He punched the button. The cage rose only a few floors—no
more than five—and stopped, the door opening.

Boot found himself in a brightly lighted room, undergoing an inspection from two men.

Boot took a look at the two men, and wondered if he could have accidentally gotten into an office which
booked animal acts for side shows.

One of the men examining him had a pet pig with enormous ears and long legs. The other man had a pet
baboon—some kind of an outside member of the monkey family, at least—which had a marked
resemblance to the fellow who owned the pig.

Boot warmed toward the homely man. The latter was one of the few individuals Boot had ever met who
was as homely as himself.

"Ah, good afternoon," said Boot.

The homely man stood up. "I’m Monk Mayfair." He nodded at his companion, who was already in
evening dress, tails. "This fashion plate is Ham Brooks. What can we do for you?"

"My name is Benjamin Boot," said Boot.
"The owner of the Boot Mines?" asked Ham Brooks, the dapper man.

Benjamin Boot nodded. "And some railroads, ships and ranches and things," he said. "I came here in the
hopes of seeing Doc Savage."

"You’re in the right place," Monk informed him. "This is the going-over station. We look you over, and
find out if your business is important enough to interrupt some experiments in electrochemistry that Doc is
conducting."

Boot frowned. "Just what position do you gentlemen occupy in relation to Mr. Savage?"

"We’re his right and left hands," Monk said.

Ham Brooks said, "That’s exaggerating, Mr. Boot. Mr. Savage has five assistants, of whom we happen
to be two."

"Brooks . . . Brooks," said Boot thoughtfully. "I have heard of a noted lawyer by that name. A Harvard
man. Quite famous. Any relation?"

"No relation," Ham said, smiling, "but I happen to be the lawyer of whom you are thinking, I imagine."