 Stand by for crime Chuck Morgan GOP newscaster talking Well, it was June here in Los Angeles, which meant that the countryside looked Just about as it does the other 11 months of the year You know the seasons pass you by out here was seldom enough change to let you know what's going on So in June, I always get a nostalgic feeling for the sight and smell of the countryside Which would justify the immortal lines of James Russell Lowell when he wrote And what is so rare as a day in June then if ever come perfect days? Which is why when I arrived at my office on this particular June day and found Pappy Mansfield owner of KLP in my blonde secretary Carol Curtis waiting with a surprise announcement. I was ready to listen Morning kids. Good morning Chuck. Say Pappy about that wetback story. I Will what goes you two been swallowing canaries again Chuck? How would you like to take a trip back, New England? It's June back there Chuck. Well that figures it's June here. So it must be June back there What's it all about Pappy? Do you remember that spy who was arrested in San Diego three weeks ago? The one who had been handing over information on airplane construction to the Russians Dr. Alexander Gad here Naturally that story was almost as hot as the Klaus Fuchs yarn. I ought to remember Gad here I interviewed him three times. Thank you to recognize him if you saw him again. I couldn't miss Gad he has escaped Chuck No kidding when about a week ago three days later. He was captured. He's being held now in the pocket Burlington, Vermont So so you're going back to Burlington to identify Gad here. Why me? That's all part of an elaborate plan cooked up by the FBI and our own secret agents You see the man they're holding in Burlington isn't Gad here at all isn't Gad now wait a minute Glamopuzz, what are you talking? Wait a minute? You'd better let me fill him in on this girl Yeah, will you stop putting him glamopuzz? I won't Go ahead Pappy. Thanks. The FBI has information that the spy ring is a rendezvous all the way from Washington up through New England With the last one at Burlington here Burlington's population contains enough people of foreign extraction So that most any kind of an accent would go unnoticed Also, it's a big enough place catering a good deal to tourists so that any infiltration of strangers wouldn't be noticed either I see Burlington's pretty close to the Canadian border too is not about 60 miles But those are details we can go into later Gad here escaped while being taken to Washington Our agents believe he's being smuggled into Canada They also believe there were so hot on the trail once at the spy ring pick one of their members Who looked like Gad here and let him be captured now? This would take the heat off for a day or two until the mistake was brought to light Which would get Gad here time to reach the border pretty cute So I'm to fly to Vermont tell the cops that Gad here isn't Gad here and then come home again, right? Well, there's a little more to it than that. Oh quite a lot in fact One thing I'm going with you. You are well aren't you glad? Yeah, yeah, sure. Oh, I'm not convinced that you meant quiet glamopuzz What's the rest of the story Pappy? Well when you tell him Gad here isn't Gad here They'll apologize and let him go and they'll follow the man who was posing as Gad here to where Gad here is Hiding and that'll be the end of Gad here check. I think you'll find it won't be quite as easy as that Well, do you want to go? It'll be a hot story if you're in on the capture of the real Gad here I've arranged with the network for a TC broadcast of course. I want to go when do I leave in an hour your tickets hotel Reservations and instructions are in this envelope in an hour. Why that'll hardly give me time to pack. I Said that'll hardly give me time to pack. Oh Happy you wouldn't Chuck don't you want me to go with you? Don't start crying glamopuzz I wouldn't go anywhere without you. You know your tickets and hotel reservations are in the same envelope Carol So stop worrying A TWA constellation said glamopuzz and me down at LaGuardia Field, New York the next day at 3 o'clock 15 minutes later. We were aboard an Eastern Airlines plane bound for Boston Lampers was like a kid just let out of school Oh Chuck isn't it exciting with 3,000 miles away from home bound for a venture and it's June Yeah, but it's still June back in LA. Oh, but here. It's different. How is new life every way things are growing and Well, those things are growing Sometimes I think you're growing nuts and sometimes Chuck Morgan I think you haven't got a romantic bone in your whole body. Yeah, you did. Yeah. Come here. You Do it never mind. Yeah, she's probably We landed at Logan Field in East Boston 445 A taxi took us through the Sumner Tunnel down Beacon Street to Arlington and the Ritz Carton Hotel Happy to reserve rooms for us. Mine overlooked the beautiful public garden. I Stood looking down at them for a long time. I Take a deep breath and turned away just as someone knocked at the door Thinking was glamour plus eager to be out for some more adventure. I opened it and Found the most beautiful girl standing there. I'd ever seen with the exception of glamour plus, of course Hello, hello May I come in of course by all means to be sure miss I'm Beth Hammond Your mr. Mansfield probably told you about me. No as a matter of fact, he didn't but don't let that bother you Can I fix your drink? Oh, no, no, thanks. I don't drink. I'm a pilot. Well, that's a you're what a pilot If mr. Mansfield didn't mention me by name, he probably spoke of Hammond Airlines. Oh, yeah, that's right He chatted a plane from them to fly us to but now don't tell me that that's right You don't mind flying with the female pilot. I hope no No on the contrary is just that it's unusual. Is that the word you're groping for mr. Morgan? Yes, and will you call me Chuck? Okay, Chuck thanks most people have the same reaction when they learn they've hired a female pilot So I always present myself first and offer them a chance to back out if they want no no no no Don't you even think about such a thing splendid my brother, and I own the airline and I have umpteenth flying hours to my credit and Think fast jucky boy. Oh Hello miss Curtis come in won't you? This Curtis what the name of oh Miss Curtis, I'd like to have you meet miss Hammond miss Hammond. This is my secretary miss Curtis. Hello miss Curtis Hello, I don't want to seem too personal, but miss Hammond is a pilot of the plane Pappy chartered to fly us to Burlington tomorrow Oh, she is good old Pappy. I mean Pappy thinks of everything doesn't he I mean I know what you mean Well, are you ready to dictate those letters? That is what? Oh, I'm sorry. I should have known you'd be busy busy No, wait. No, I'm sorry too, but the letters really can't wait. They're terribly important. Of course I understand. I'll see you both tomorrow then eight o'clock sharp at pier 13 pier 13. Oh, I'm sorry I didn't mention it before we'll fly up in a seaplane that way I can put you down on Lake Champlain right at Burlington's front door. That's wonderful Well, we'll we'll see you tomorrow then at eight, right? Goodbye miss Curtis. See you tomorrow Right, yeah, goodbye Chuck hmm What oh, don't give me that what stuff. Why was she calling you Chuck Chuck now look glamour? I don't like that dame. She's too good-looking glamour. Puss. Can I help with it? But a wicked gleam in her eye She called you Chuck which was forward and she was rude to me. Oh, I give I don't Spiring or no spiring. I'm canceling that charter right now and hiring another Glamour Puss didn't cancel the charter. I didn't let her So the next morning at eight o'clock a cab dropped us at pier 13 on Atlantic Avenue And we found Beth Hammond waiting for us there with a speedboat She was dressed in a pilot's uniform and looked lovelier than ever. Hello there. Hi your head of time You will take your luggage. That's the plane out there. Are you sure you know how to fly it miss? What was the name Hammond death Hammond and you didn't worry miss Curtis I have umpteen flying hours to my credit. Yeah How many is umpteen a lot now look glamour puss either you're going to get some sense into your head and begin acting like a lady You're I'm sending you back to LA with your beam. I mean it. Make up your mind. Oh, all right I'm sorry miss Hammond That's better. Okay, Jim you grab hold of our luggage, huh? Glamour puss felt better and so did I when we got into the air We skimmed the custom house tower and headed northwest In no time at all we've flown over northeastern Massachusetts Cut across the southwestern corner of New Hampshire and it picked up the silvery trace of Lake George in New York State Directly ahead serving as a boundary between northern to Vermont and New York was Lake Champlain. I Was beginning to regret having blessed to glamour puss and was thinking of some kind of an apology when something happened Chuck something's wrong. Yeah, it sounds that way Any trouble miss Hammond? Oh Chuck are we going to crash? Don't get excited glamour puss. This is a sea plane. Remember right down there is Lake Champlain We can set down as light as a feather. Yeah, well, I don't like it Sure, we were all right. I knew that as far as crashing was concerned But I had to agree with glamour puss. I didn't like it either We hit the water with hardly a splash and taxing close into the shore Almost at once a motorboat put out from a tiny inlet The only unusual thing about this was that the shoreline was a veritable wilderness. What would a motorboat be doing here? There were four men in the boat three of them carried objects cradled in their arms Cradled is right. They were sub machine guns Now what all right big shots at right where you are Chuck she's got a gun. Yeah, and it's pointed right down your gullet mush mouth one move and you get it Mush mouth. Jack. Did you hear what she called me? Yeah, I heard it Well, aren't you gonna do something about it? Yeah, he's gonna do something get over and open the door big shot Yeah, of course, of course. I'm glad to accommodate you check for heaven's sakes. Are you going to? You talk too much mush mouth keep it up in the next one takes a hunk off your ear Everything swell friend take them off. Okay, you go down into the boat. Yeah, let me help you girl Jack, this is awful with being kidnapped. I think we better do as a man suggests. You're a smart cookie big shot Too bad. We didn't have time to get better acquainted. Well, maybe it isn't too late. Sorry. Good-looking Well, you're going you're not going to have time for anything sucker Now the conclusion of stand by for crying Well, the men in the motorboat hadn't been sent out as a welcoming committee by the mayor of Burlington. That's for sure The three submachine guns kept at the same focal point as we climbed down from the plane. The focal point was us The man Beth Hammond had called Fred nodded to his seat Then looked up at the female pilot with the umpteenth flying hours. Okay, best take it away I don't be waiting for you at the island. They could kill our guests Fred. I'll see you wrong The motorboat swung away and had it for sure With the three submachine guns the constant reminder. This was no practical joke We went up a path and came to a shack that was completely concealed and some heavy timber and went inside The man called Fred pulled out a chair and sat down across the rough table from where I've been ordered to sit Well, everything came all fine quite according to plan you must confess you were neatly led into our trap I'm organ. Yeah. Yeah, okay. I confess it. Now. What's this all about a fair question? Good way to the point. How about five thousand dollars? No, that's a good round figure Who do I have to murder to get it? Nobody nobody at all all you have to do is turn around and go back to California Now please bear with me if I seem a bit dense, but just why do you want me to do that? Isn't the reason obvious? No, we don't want you to reach Burlington with the information you have I look one of us is a way off the beam. Just who do you think I am your Chuck Morgan newscast on KOP in Los Angeles Young lady with you is Carol Curtis your secretary. Well, you got me pegged. All right. Now. What's this? Information I'm supposed to have come on Morgan. You're not as naive as all that Well, how about it? I tell you I haven't got any information. I see Harry I Think mr. Morgan needs to be convinced that we mean business now That's enough for now Harry Do we understand each other now Morgan? Yeah Yeah, I think I'm beginning to get an inkling of your clan, but there's still just one trouble. Oh, what's that? I haven't got any information our investigators reported. We'd likely have trouble with you Morgan So I won't wait time off in your more money Harry hold it Well Morgan just how do you figure you're going to get away with this when that plane doesn't land at Burlington? Yeah, fool the plane will land at Burlington and there'll be two people in it two people named Chuck Morgan and Carol Curtis Fantastic, can you get how long do you think you can get away with that masquerade long enough to accomplish our purpose? I think like most people you underestimate the efficiency of our organization Well now that you have the facts of the case you want to change your mind look I couldn't if I wanted to Okay, Morgan. I Had hoped you'd be reasonable. This sort of thing is distasteful to me work. I'm over Harry Harry worked me over all right. He had a special technique. I Didn't lose consciousness for at least five minutes. I Had no way of telling how long I was out But sunlight was streaming through one of the cabin windows making a pattern of moving leaves on a plank floor I lay there tied hand and foot studying the moving pattern for a long time Trying to recapture all my senses Trying to figure this thing out After a while I looked around and saw I was alone But a moment later a door squeaked Someone came cautiously into the room I lay without moving but tending to be still unconscious Oh How did you get away from that big gorilla? Do you mean that you I mean that he's lying in the other room with a lump on his head as big as a grapefruit Made with a poke. He didn't know I was holding glam up us if I ever kid you again about being scared You can hit me over the head with a poker Untie me will you? Take it easy What are the other men in a shack behind this one there's a radio transmitter there I think and there's something else to what an automobile. No kidding any chance of us getting it what they might be As soon as I get you loose you can take a man It was at times like these that I realized glamour bus was more than a beautiful blonde who played straight man for me She had what it takes We went out the front door and sneak around the cabin the car was there park beside the radio shack It was our only hope and a slim one I stood there Wondering how we could lure the man inside the shack outside and away from the car I'm thinking there wasn't much chance And suddenly it was done for us. I guess I didn't hit him hard enough. You did fine glamour bus Here come two of them Must still be inside. Yeah, but it's our only chance. Come on We took off of that automobile like a couple of jackrabbits praying the keys would be in the ignition We reached the car just as a fourth gorilla appeared in the radio Shack's doorway He didn't have his machine gun with him, which was fine with me into the car glamour bus My knuckles was sore for days after that one I heard the car motor start and I knew we got a real break because the keys were there Then things happened fast There was a yell from the direction of the cabin but Carol had the car on the way and I was in it We were a good 50 feet along the wooded road when the first burst of the team gunfire came Apparently the marksman was too excited for effective shooting because the bullets sailed merrily overhead Then Carol jerked the car out of sight around the curve and we were safe at least for the minute Keep it up glamour push. You're doing swell, honey. Jack. I'm scared. You drop nothing till we get a lot further way than this Come on. Give her the gun baby. Oh, what if they have another car? What if they have with you at the wheel? They haven't got a chance Please just because I had a man with the poke now. Now don't start bragging I'm not bragging. I'm just too scared to hold the wheel standing. All right glamour bus. All right. I guess we've got enough of a lead If we had time I'd kiss you Maybe I'd better anyhow So we changed places and a half hour later came to a gravel road. We turned north on this Apparently the gang back at the cabin only had one car and we were in it at least there were no signs of us being followed But they had the boat and they had the radio transmitter What you gave me an idea at the first farmhouse we came to I stopped What are we stopping you for you see those telephone wires running into that farmhouse? Well, I'm going to make a call. Well, who are you calling and why unless I'm greatly mistaken There's gonna be a reception committee waiting for us at Burlington and I want to be sure we're prepared for it But Chuck, I don't understand. How could you got time to explain now? I'll give you the details when I get back keep them on a running Well, I made my phone call and got through to the party. I wanted Then Carol and I headed north again. I Told her what my idea was and she told me I was smart to figure it out And I told her she was a brave good girl and we both agreed we were wonderful By that time we'd reach the outskirts of Burlington Burlington for months largest city and probably one of the most beautiful cities New England As we drove along the quiet Trisheted streets It was hard to believe that foreign intrigue of the worst sort was running a muck beneath the peaceful scene We reached the city hall and police station and pulled up near the park in front As we did so a young couple a tall distinguished looking man and a police lieutenant emerged from the police station It was perfect timing Karen I got a lot of our car and we all met on the sidewalk. Hello miss Hammond. We meet again I I beg your pardon recognize me. Well, I can't blame you for that Carol tells me your boyfriends were quite successful in changing my appearance, but how about Carol? Do you recognize her? How could she forget me mush mouth? I haven't the faintest idea what either of you people are talking about Officer, will you please just a minute miss Hammond if that's your name Is this the man that you just got through telling the police is not dr. Gad here How did you I mean? I still don't know what you're talking about. Oh, yes, you do You and your friend here just told the police and the FBI that you were Carol Curtis and your friend was me You were shown the prisoner and stated positively that he wasn't dr. Alexander Gad here Oh, it was an ingenious plan miss Hammond cooked up by you and your ring of spies to gain dr. Gad here's freedom Because the tall man standing next to you is no phony as the police thought. He's a real dr. Gad here My plan is still going to work run dr. Gad here dr. Gad here isn't going to run miss Hammond There's a policeman standing on the steps of the rifle aimed at dr. Gad here's head And there are other policemen all over the place waiting to pick up your pals who are going to try and help you affect this escape I don't believe you. You're lying. The plan couldn't fail. It was too foolproof You're lying both of you Fine, I know exactly how to treat this babe. Let me alone. Keep your hands off of me you Swine I'll take that gun sucker Burlington police did their job well Besides Beth Hammond that her friend they picked up five other agents will plant it around the station Ready to lend a hand in helping Gad here escape if it were necessary But they did better than that One of their planes scoured the east coast of Lake Champlain until they spotted a motorboat that looked like the one I described It contained Fred and his gang which added four more to the total take of enemy agents that day The glamour person I spent the night and the next day in Burlington, and I did my broadcast Two days later. We were back in LA reporting to Pappy Mansfield. Well, that was nice going kids But what I can't figure out is why those two who were posing as you Just didn't go up to Burlington and tell the police that Gad here wasn't Gad here without bothering to try buying you off Well, there are a lot of reasons Pappy in the first place They didn't know how much time they had in the second place if they could have bought me It would have been far less risky You see the fact that Chuck would recognize Gad here as Gad here and not a phony was the information that character Fred Was trying to buy from Chuck Chuck figured it all out when he was unconscious when he was unconscious She means of course after I return to consciousness. Don't you glamour? Yes, of course. Oh, I see Well, tell me what are you two so sweet to each other about all of a sudden Pappy I want to tell you that Carol is one of the bravest girls I've ever known one of the bravest I mean the bravest and I want to tell you Pappy that Chuck you boy is one of the Well, I mean the smartest man I've ever known. Well, my my Say Chuck how do you figure that spy ring knew all about our plans? Because their spies Pappy, that's a business now Don't ask me how many agents there are here in LA and who they are because I don't know you talk to the cops or the FBI or somebody But all I know is they have some beauties among them. Ah That Beth Hammond for one what a dish Chuck Morgan but glamour push. She was beautiful. She had to be What do you mean? She had to be glamour push She was supposed to be the secretary of Chuck Morgan wasn't she and isn't Chuck Morgan's secretary the most beautiful Girl in the world. Oh Chucky boy. You cute. Oh What a line your guts and I love it