Pirates of the Pacific: A Doc Savage Adventure by Lester Dent (pseud. Kenneth Robeson)

Author:Lester Dent (pseud. Kenneth Robeson)
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Tags: fiction, Doc Savage (Fictional character), adventure
Publisher: Distributed Proofreaders Canada
Published: 1933-12-15T05:00:00+00:00

* * *

Powerful radio-telephone equipment was a part of the installation aboard the Malay Queen. Using this, it was possible for passengers aboard to carry on a telephone conversation with any one ashore, exactly as though there was a wire connection.

Using this, Doc now proceeded to do some detective work.

He called the Hotel Kwang in San Francisco.

“Have you a guest registered under the name of John Duck?” he asked.

“John Duck checked out only a few moments ago,” the hotel clerk informed him.

Doc’s second call was to the San Francisco police chief. He cut in a loud-speaker so every one in the Malay Queen radio room could hear what the police chief had to say.

“Have you received any request to arrest Doc Savage,” Doc asked.

“Certainly not!” replied the San Francisco official. “We have a suggestion from the New York police that we offer Savage every possible coöperation.”

Doc rested his golden eyes on Captain Hickman. “You satisfied?”

Captain Hickman’s ruddy face glistened with perspiration. “I—er—yes, of course.”

Doc severed his radio connection with San Francisco.

“I wish your coöperation,” he told Captain Hickman. “Whether you give it or not is up to you. But if you refuse, you may rest assured you will lose your command of this ship within thirty minutes.”

Captain Hickman mopped at his face. He was bewildered, angry, a little scared.

Doc noted his indecision. “Call your owners. Ask them about it.”

The Malay Queen commander hurriedly complied. He secured a radio-land-line connection with the headquarters of his company in San Francisco. He gave a brief description of the situation.

“What about this man Savage?” he finished.

He was wearing earphones. The others did not hear what he was told.

But Captain Hickman turned about as pale as his ruddy face permitted. His hands shook as he placed the headset on the table. He stared at Doc as if wondering what manner of man the big bronze fellow was.

“I have been ordered to do anything you wish, even to turning my command over to you,” he said briskly.

First Mate Jong stared as if this was hard to believe. Then he made a gesture of agreement. “I will start an immediate search of the ship. And I can promise you it will be done so smoothly no one will as much as know it is going on.”

He hurried out.

Doc and Renny returned to the royal suite.

Renny eyed Doc curiously. “Just what kind of a pull have you got with the company that owns this boat, anyhow?”

“Some months ago the concern got pinched for money,” Doc said slowly, reluctantly. “Had it ceased operating, several thousand men would have been out of jobs. A loan of mine tided them over.”

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