Chapter XI

63

STRANGE FISH

“Be the Butcher of Hell himself. Erodus Helv.”

Johnny Toms made a loud scoffing noise. “Of all the bull−slinging lies,” he said.

“Johnny,” said Bill Hazel mildly, “you have a peasant mind. Localized. You can't conceive of things happening in the outer world and spilling over into Oklahoma.”

Paris said disapprovingly, “Johnny, let's not call people liars so freely.”

“Ugh!” said Toms, becoming an Indian again.

They spent probably forty−five minutes talking about the affair. Monk and Ham, being sensible for a change, did a good job of questioning Bill Hazel so that he filled in details. The sort of details they fished for were those which would draw a picture of the man as a liar, if he was lying. Doc, listening, nowhere heard anything that would prove Hazel was lying.

There is no denying, Doc thought soberly, that it is a wild improbable yarn. But then for several years the world had been full of wild improbabilities. Something like this could be true. Wilder things had happened.

Still, the fish part was pretty hard to take. There must be something more sensible to it than that.

One of the cowboys came in. He reported that the other cowhands had located no trace of the fat man, or any other suspicious strangers. But they were still hunting. They had enlisted the aid of various Indian families in the Osage hills, and these were helping comb the country.

One of the cowboys had gone to town to find out about the man who had joined the Sheriff shortly after Doc's plane landed, and told the story accusing Doc Savage of murder.

Johnny Toms announced grimly that there seemed to be nothing they could do but wait. “We're doing all we can,” Johnny said.

Uncle Bill Hazel laughed derisively. Doc thought for a moment that Johnny Toms was going to walk over and hit the old fellow.

They decided the sensible thing was to get some sleep. Doc Savage went to the bedroom he was to occupy. He was untying his shoes when someone scratched on the window screen.

It was Johnny Toms outside.

“Mr. Savage, can you come with me a minute?” Johnny whispered. “I've got something important.”

DOC found the window screen was stuck. He left by a side door, and met Johnny Toms under a cottonwood tree. Johnny whispered, “This way.” He walked toward his cabin.

Outside the cabin, Johnny halted. He seemed uncomfortable. “I've done something wrong, I'm afraid,” he said finally. He sounded ashamed. “I didn't realize it was bad. But this talk about that Helv, that murderer, scared me. I wouldn't want to help a guy like that.”

He turned and went into the cabin. He turned on the light.