Poison Island by Kenneth Robeson;Lester Dent

Author:Kenneth Robeson;Lester Dent
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Blackmask Online
Published: 2001-10-05T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter XIII. EUROPE’S ANGRY MAN

DOC SAVAGE whipped to the commercial-wave-band radio and adjusted the dials. The operator of the Karl Maximus was speaking a foreign language.

"Seven lifeboats have been lowered," the operator was saying, "and the crew have been removed, including those injured by the torpedo blast."

He paused, while someone in the radio shack of the Karl Maximus spoke to him.

"I have been informed that the United States submarine is now out of sight, having taken a course westward toward its homeland. I am also asked to repeat that there is absolutely no doubt about the submarine being an American craft. They hailed us, announcing their United States identity. They ordered us to turn back. The submarine officers said the government of the United States had decided that our ship would no longer be allowed to trade with South America, and that all of them would be torpedoed if they persisted. It was ridiculous and high-handed behavior, and our captain told them so, asserting his intention of proceeding on his course. Then we were torpedoed. I will repeat our S O S."

The foreign operator went on, giving latitude and longitude location, until suddenly he broke in, "I have to go now. We are sinking."

It could not have been over two or three minutes later when they distinctly heard dull explosions, and a rushing of water into the radio shack, after which the carrier wave died.

"This is impossible!" Monk exploded.

Dara gasped, "But the United States government wouldn’t—"

"Exactly," Doc Savage said. "The United States wouldn’t do such a thing. But that may not keep it from being serious."

"The European nation that owns the Karl Maximus wouldn’t believe we would do such a thing."

Doc shook his head dubiously. "With undeclared wars getting to be the fashion, no telling what they will think."

The newspapers which hit the stands that afternoon showed what the European nation—or, rather, its ruler, for the government over there was strictly a one-man thing—thought about it.

There was a blazing speech in black type on the front pages. The one man who stood at the head of his nation—stood on the neck of his nation, some of the papers put it—had stood on a balcony and beat his chest and demanded to know just who the Hades the United States thought it was.

All naval leaves in the European nation had been canceled. The navy had been ordered tuned up.

"They had better keep their shirts on over there," Monk said sourly. "They put on them mobilizing shows and bluff each other, but when they pull that stuff on the U. S. A., they’re growling at a different kind of a dog."

"Just the same," Larry Forge said in a grim voice, "this may turn out serious. Why don’t they do something down in Washington?"

Down in Washington, they were going around pulling their hair. Every rank of naval officer from admiral down was running into the White House and out again.

The question was: Should the United States navy go into action in a big

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