Part 8 (1/2)
He swung the gyro in the direction of the strange walled enclosure with its grille of copper cables. From this, great quant.i.ties of smoke still poured.
Renny circled the fire for a time. Then he returned, and hovered ”is craft in the air over Doc's head.
The big-fisted engineer had an e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n which he used at every opportunity. He employed it now.
”Holy cow!” he boomed. ”That's the dangedest-lookin' place!”
Then he climbed his plane, and followed Hill Road into the distance.
Griswold Rock had been an interested observer. He now addressed Doc.
”I believe the tales I've heard of you were to the effect that you have five a.s.sociates. Was that fellow with the enormous hands one of them?”
Doc nodded. ”He's one of the greatest of engineers, when he chooses to work at it.”
From the loud-speaker in Doc's roadster came the words which he had been awaiting.
”Here's the van, Doc,” said a shrill voice.
GRISWOLD ROCK started violent!y. Evidently the ramifications of Doc's communication system were beyond his comprehension.
”Who was that?” he gulped.
Instead of replying, Doc started the roadster engine. The giant bronze man had a habit, somewhat disconcerting to those who did not know him well, of seeming not to hear questions which he did not wish to answer.
Had he chosen, he could have taken time to explain that the voice belonged to Major Thomas J.
Roberts, an electrical wizard whose contributions to that science were among the greatest ever made.
The public knew little of ”Long Tom” Roberts' work, for the reason that his discoveries were largely beyond the understanding of the average layman. Within fifty or sixty years, textbooks would no doubt state that Major Thomas J. Roberts had done important pioneering and discovery work along many lines.
”Where is the van, Long Tom?” Doc asked.
”It's going north on Hudson Turnpike.”
”We'll see if we can overhaul it,” Doc said grimly.
Griswold Rock grimaced and became quite pale. ”Can't you -- can't you let me out somewhere?”
Doc and the others eyed Griswold Rock curiously. Most men, when frightened, put up a front of exaggerated bravado to hide their fears. Not so this fat man. He was terrified, and not backward abouta.s.serting the fact.
”I'm an awful coward!” he wailed. ”I'm especially scared of these devils.”
”Do you want them punished?” Monk demanded.
”Of course I do! But I don't care about going after them myself.”
Ham eyed his sword cane thoughtfully. Apparently he was wondering how a man with such a marked lack of physical courage had managed to become manager and major owner of a railroad. Big business men, with whom Ham had come in contact, had always been go-getters with plenty of courage.
”You go with us,” Doc told Griswold Rock. ”We'll keep you out of danger.”
Often in the past, Monk and Ham had seen the remarkable voice of the bronze man work miracles.
Never had it secured a more profound effect than now. Griswold Rock seemed to draw courage from the powerful tones.
”I feel as safe with you as anywhere,” he said, and got into the roadster.
THE CAR hurtled forward in a fas.h.i.+on which caused Griswold Rock to utter a terrified choking sound and grasp the door. However, as he observed the expertness with which Doc guided the machine, his trepidation subsided. Within a mile, he was resting easily on the cus.h.i.+ons, although seventies were dancing on the speedometer.
”Still got the man in sight?” Doc asked into the radio mike.
”I'm cruising above it,” came Long Tom's radioed reply.
”Sure it's the right machine?”
”Positive. The fluoroscopic gla.s.ses show the presence of the chemical mixture you always use, Doc.”
Griswold Rock wrinkled his plump brow at these words. ”You put something on that van to identify it?”
”Shot bullets laden with a chemical concoction at it,” Doc replied. ”They splashed the chemicals on the sides and roof of the van.”
The fat man waved his pursy hands. ”For the life of me, I cannot comprehend how that could help you.”
”To the naked eye the chemical mixture presents nothing extraordinary. In fact, it's hardly noticeable. But the stuff has the property of fluorescing, or glowing, when exposed to ultra-violet light. Ordinary vaseline, for instance, has a similar property. This stuff glows with a different color -- a hue peculiar to itself.”
”But you speak of fluoroscopic eyegla.s.ses.”
”The glowing marks are very small. Since it is now daylight, special eyepieces are needed to make the glow visible.”
There came an interruption, a sound like metal knocking rapidly on wood. It emanated from the radio loud-speaker.
”Doc!” Long Tom's voice rapped excitedly from the instrument. ”They've got a machine gun -- ”
The rapping grew louder, drowning out the electrical wizard's tones. Then, with an ominous abruptness,the racket ceased completely.
”That clatter sounded like a machine gun!” Griswold Rock wailed.
Doc Savage said nothing. He put weight on the gas accelerator. Larger and larger speedometer figures crawled past the dial marker.
For a time, Griswold Rock failed to note the new pace at which they were traveling. Then, chancing to look at the speedometer, he turned very white.
Chapter 12. THE TUNNEL.
LONG TOM Roberts had studied the red van intently through binoculars, before dropping down close to it. He had searched particularly for possible loopholes, but had seen none.
Too late, he learned they had been covered by clever covers caps disguised as the heads of rivets that held the van body together.