 The signal oil program the whistler That whistle is your signal for the signal oil program The whistler and the whistler and I know many things for I walk by night I know many strange tales hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows Yes, I know the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak Yes friends, it's time for the signal oil program the whistler Rated tops in popularity for a longer period of time than any other West Coast program in radio history and Signal gasoline is tops to tops in quality It takes extra quality, you know to give you extra mileage and signal is the famous go farther gasoline So look for the signal circle sign in yellow and black that identifies friendly dealer-owned signal stations from Canada to Mexico And now the whistler strange story Undertow He had all summer in which to do nothing. That's what he was doing Driving north along the coast from New York stopping when he felt like it swimming when the beach looked inviting But above everything else John Digby loved to swim To trot down across the white beach to the blue Atlantic water Plunge through the long lazy rollers out a hundred yards a mile with tireless strokes Content with a feeling that he belonged there that the ocean was his home He'd been 10 days coming north to Cape and and as he floated out beyond the breaker line He knew that here was the most beautiful spot of all made up his mind a linger for a few days a week Perhaps before going on it was then looking back at the beach a piece with himself in the world that John saw a Tiny figure in a green bathing suit standing before a beach house hidden by an indentation in the cliff Curious we started back toward the beach toward the place where he saw her plunge into the water and start out Mermaid had to come out and join you. It's a big ocean anybody can use it national policy You know what freedom of the seas, but I hope you don't mind the intrusion. Oh, not at all You uh, it's been very well, but I never have anyone to swim with that's why I came out now I'm glad you did give me a head start. I'll race you in okay. You're on Yeah, nice going Glory oh nothing like it. I love to swim always did since I was a kid You're from New York, aren't you? Yeah, I got my first taste of water off East River docks How'd you guess where you talk and you're a denizen of the deep only what did you do with your long silver tail? Only word on Sunday Say do you live in that house around the bend during the summer? Just where I'd want a house if I had my choice sand and water and no one around for miles gets lonely sometimes doesn't have to Would you like a hot drink coffee or anything else? How about anything else? Well, if I remember correctly, we have a whole cabinet full of assorted anything else. You know how to make Uh, why don't you give me 15 minutes to get dressed? She smiles walks away from you toward the house around the shoulder of the cliff Her long slim legs swinging gracefully over the sand her hair bobbing easily from side to side like a honey colored cascade in the still air and Back at the car when you finish dressing you find yourself taking a little extra care to comb your own sparse hair over the ball Feeling your 40 years a little guiltily for the first time. It's a very long 15 minutes before you walk up to the door Come on in. I'm making sandwiches. Wonderful. And will you have bourbon stop right there bourbon straight? I See you're a man of very definite opinion. Oh, oh, I've been known to waiver. I like that wavering the definite opinion I bet it goes right down the line with you Business quality the books you read. Oh, please. I'm not pigheaded really Here you are. Thanks Well, here's looking at you Yes, so I've noticed Will you drink to it, of course why not? Well the sandwiches were wonderful and and the anything else you'll be back again tomorrow to swim I think so. Would you let me start out with you? You were right a while ago. I have pretty set ideas about politics and business. Oh Women too. My name is John Bigby. I'm stopping at the Gloucester Inn. I'm not married. I'm Sandra Meraville Mrs. Sandra Meraville. I See you you will make it tomorrow Goodbye, Mrs. Meraville. Thanks for your hospitality. You're welcome Except for weekends my husband never comes home too late. He has his business in Boston like to meet him sometime. I'll expect you about 10 Goodbye, Mrs. Meraville Hello, it's me. I thought it might be I'm calling from the drugstore in main street Yes, I'll park my car in the drive near the statue in 10 minutes Do you always do that? What give a man the exact number of minutes to meet you Suppose I'm not there in 10 minutes You'll be there You're making it difficult. I think I yeah All right, I'll see you in 10 minutes Yes, it's very nice in the daytime. You can see for miles Uh, that's the town back there the lighthouse. Yes, I see it got a cigarette. Hmm. Oh, sure sure Here you are. Thanks There I I always come up here when I want to think Strange isn't it being up high this way? Looking down on the ocean on the town Gives you a curious sense of power I do most of my philosophizing out there in the water. Mm-hmm. Do you ever swim at night? Hmm, sometimes Harrison does It's to show he's not really afraid He doesn't swim well, but he grits his teeth and swims out where it's just over his head then back again That takes courage overcoming two fears at the same time the darkness and the water. You're not afraid of the water. Are you John? No But there are other things like what? Like married women any ethical objection No strictly practical We're very much alike Uh, tell me more about yourself. John. My name is John Digby. I'm stopping at the clauser inn until tomorrow I'm not married. I'm 40 years old about twice your age. I'm 25 not quite young enough to be my daughter Harrison's fifth good for Harrison Why didn't you ever marry John? It's hard to say Why do you check John Wait a minute Luxandra, please Why are you afraid of me skip it? Will you? Come on Let's go back to the hotel Her kiss tasted salt like the ocean like tears And somehow you find yourself remembering the time you battle the undertow for two hours off the carolina capes And during the week that follows the feeling stays with you Through the morning swims off the bright beach the lunches with her the afternoons lying in the warm sand Even with the final realization that you were so in love with her that you shut the future out of your mind Something would have to be done, of course But you hoped it would take care of itself when the time came Then when you drive up the following monday, she comes out to the car in her bathing suit Don't get out. Why not? There's a bar jank at a hundred yards offshore some scientists from woods hole conducting some sort of experiment Oh, why did they have to pick on our little piece of ocean? I don't know But I don't want them to see us together We'll swim on the other side of the cape. I have lunch in the basket. We can spend the day You think of everything don't you? I try too darling Oh, it's nice here John Yes What are we gonna do? Do Bought us You know, we can't hide away from people forever All right, so we won't hide we'll face it out You can pack up some things and we'll start driving. Oh, he won't give me a divorce I've talked to him before we can make Reno in five days six weeks after that. You're free No Why not? Harrison's made everything possible for me. John's given me things. I always dreamed of having someday Everything except yes Look angel, you've got to be sensible. You can't have your cake and eat it too. I can't give all those things up John I love you, but leave me, but I can't give them up You must think of a way somewhere. You're smart. You know how to do things All right, Sandra just Just give me a little time to think he says he wants to close up the beach house and go back to the city Why I can't understand He's become more interested in swimming lately Goes all the way out to the barge 100 yards both about it to his business friends You mean he swims out at night? Alone. Yes That would be dangerous. I've told him so but he insists on showing off I see What do you see John? Little girls shouldn't ask questions With the prologue of undertow the signal oil company is bringing you another strange story by the whistler This you know is the fifth consecutive year that signal oil company has sponsored the whistler A long time for a radio program Yet short compared with the 17 years that signal has served the west And just as the whistler has grown to be the west coast's most popular mystery show Signal has grown too grown from a mere handful of stations in southern california To almost 2000 dealer-owned stations serving six western states from canada to mexico Now obviously there must be good reasons why so many drivers have switched to signal gasoline and there are One important factor of course is good mileage that has made signal famous as the go farther gasoline But equally important is the thing which makes such mileage possible I mean the superior efficiency today's signal gasoline gets from your motor Which naturally means superior performance for your car That's why signal says to be sure of the tops in gasoline quality. There are just two things to remember One it takes extra quality to go farther And two signal is the famous go farther gasoline And now back to the whistler It's something out of a fantasy john like swimming underwater with blurred shapes and shadows Your mind moving past everything except what you must do to have sandra Two weeks ago you'd have laughed at the kind of thoughts that have taken hold of you Because that was before you met her Before she'd come swimming out to you from the white beach shoreline of the cove at cape and But now the thing she said come to you over and over it's to show he's not really afraid He swims all the way out to the barge 100 yards All alone He boasts about it to his friends in the city You shiver slightly john But then you tell yourself it's the only way and you have to have her During your swim the next day neither of you talk very much And you find yourself surprised and a little alarmed that sandra has sensed your mood so quickly And it isn't until almost time to start back to the village that you can bring yourself to mention his name Asandra, yes, darling He'll be home tonight as usual Harrison, of course. No special plans. No appointments in the village. No good Sandra Make sure he goes for his swim tonight. Never mind the questions. Just be sure he goes swimming tonight It's cold out there He'll go Good. There's only one thing. Yes. Well, someone might think that I went with him Oh, I didn't think of that Could you have someone over for dinner somebody who doesn't care for night swimming? I think so betty had come What if she wants to watch all the better? There won't be anything to see There's no moon, but if he cries out he won't All right I'll arrange everything You start early john But even in the darkness you have a little trouble finding the barge It's necessary to swim out to see your ways and get the house lights behind it Then clinging to the anchor chain and cables you wait stiff with the cold But just when you're almost ready to give up Sandra's voice carries across the water to you crisp and clear. Now do be careful, Harrison. Please. I'm all right We can walk from here betty. You won't see much You're strained to get a look at him in the darkness, but it's no use. You'll have to go over the sound And then you hear him swimming towards you You'll listen to him moving closer and closer When he's almost to the barge you take a deep breath Pull yourself down on the anchor chain The water is pitch black john and it won't be easy to find him But you move under the surface to the point where you plan to meet him His thrashing feet give off a faint luminescence You glide toward it using a flutter kick hands outstretched Few seconds later you'll reach him and pull him down Mr. Digby. Good morning clerk. Hope you slept well. Oh, yes. Thank you Have you heard the terrible news? What news? Oh, of course you couldn't have there's been another drowning one of the regular summer residents He was swimming off the dunes last night and evidently was pulled on to the undertow Oh, that's too bad Who was it? Mr. Harrison Maryville. Very nice man. Only 50 years old Well accidents will happen. Mrs. Maryville and the guests were there. They saw him go in Poor man never came back couldn't have been anything else. No No, it couldn't have been anything else It's john john in three days sondra. I want to see you Get rid of them. Will you? See is it john waiting for a phone call that never comes Finally, you can't stand it anymore And you drive out for the dunes run the car out of sight off the road and walk until you're inside of the house If only you can see her talk to her for a few minutes. You'll feel better The half hour goes by and then she comes out of the house in her bathing suit starts toward the water It's perfect. Isn't it john? You can swim out too talk to her somewhere offshore Then you stop staring unbelievably as a young man comes out joining sondra As they move off to splash about on the surf you edge toward the house Still empty not a sign of a morning relative There's a large clump of height ranges growing here an open window You ease yourself in behind them crouch down to wait and to listen It isn't long Oh clark. He simply must learn to swim. It's so much fun. And so dangerous No, thanks, darling. I'll keep my feet on the ground. But nothing would ever happen to you. You can bet on that sweet Another out of sight of those nosy scientists on the barge. How about a little kiss? Oh Clark dear, let's be serious for a moment. What are we going to do? Well, we'll get married. But when? Oh, I can't get away before next week. How about monday? I'd like to go soon. There's a reason. What reason? I'd rather not say monday my pet. No, how about some lunch? The tramp a little tramp You're shaking all over as you get up and stumble back to the road You drive around to get control of yourself to think and then John you shouldn't have come here. Why not? No one's going to see me. Well, it's so soon after that's what I want to talk to you about sandra I uh, I don't want it to appear as if you were in a terrific rush to get married. Oh I thought maybe I'd go back to new york tomorrow and get some work in until you can join me Say in about a month or so. Oh, that's a splendid idea, john Then we can have a quiet wedding go on a trip or something and come back and settle down with nobody the wiser John you are thoughtful dear I thought you like it sundra Only Only since I won't see you for so long I'd like to take something back with me. Uh a memory sort of sentimental I guess I am sort of Anyway, I thought we could say goodbye in the same way we met, you know swimming swimming Let's go for a long swim sundra way out Then in the morning heading back for new york I'll remember you as you were that first time My lovely mayor made Oh, give me time to change My trunks are out in the car. I'll um, I'll meet you in the water on the other side of the bar. I'll be there in 20 minutes Over here sundra hang on to this cable Oh, it's wonderful It's wonderful. All right Just like the night you sent your husband out here for me to drown john I don't want to hear about it. This isn't about it sundra. This is about me John digby the man. You said you wanted to marry remember john. I don't know it. It's no use sundra I know all about your friend clark. You know about Get away from me john. Let go. I'm going in not in sundra. No down the way harrison went down Another accident in the undercoat. No, please john let it go. No Whistler will return in just a moment with a strange ending to tonight's story Meantime since you hear so many claims these days about various motor oils Signal has asked me to pass along to you some scientific facts so that you can draw your own logical conclusions In grueling road and laboratory tests today's finest straight motor oils were compared with signal premium The new type signal lubricant which combines pure paraffin base with five scientific compounds And what were the results? By actual test motor stayed six times cleaner and cylinder wear was reduced one third with signal premium motor oil Now consider what this means to you Less carbon means that your motor runs quieter smoother and less cylinder wear means more power So there you have it proof that signal premium motor oil is your guarantee of a sweeter running motor Good reason why more and more drivers who want to keep their cars performance young Are making their next oil change a change for the better a change to signal premium motor oil And now back to the whistler Two days later, it doesn't seem real Does it john as you drive on from cape and north to the main beaches As you fill your eyes with the beauty of the down east coastline And as more long lazy weeks pile up It recedes farther and farther into your memory and you can't believe that you committed two murders That the undertow pulls you out beyond your emotional depth for five horrible days For sandra's gone now And you're as safe as on the day you dragged yourself out of the undertow and the carolina capes It's two days after you arrive back in new york that a man drops into your apartment flashes a headquarters shield I'm lieutenant pattern mr. Diggby. Oh Well, uh, what can I do for you lieutenant? I'd like you to drive downtown with me if you will Any particular reason? Yeah a few weeks back there were a couple of drownings in massachusetts I This way, please. I look here lieutenant. I insist on you. Do you tell me the reason for all of this? I don't know anything. You'll know in a minute. Hello, dr. Alderman. Yes, sir. This is mr. Diggby Dr. Allie. How do you do? How do you do? I'm a nick theologist mr. Diggby fish, you know For the past year. I've been conducting some experiments from the woods hole base. You've heard of woods hole, of course digby Well, yes, but what go on doctor very interesting experiments. They were during the war the navy discover But its underwater detection apparatus was picking up some curious impulses Vibrations which we later discovered were made by fish the sound of fish I'd like to play you a recording we made now. Wait a minute lieutenant. I haven't got time to sit around take a moment digby Got the turntable ready doctor. Yes. Here we are Now our microphone is in about 50 feet of water right over a bed of snapping shrimp This is the way they sound That noise is made by snapping their claws together Now here is a chorus of croakers our microphone is right over this school of fish Here are some single fish there is a rock card That's a flounder The records you have just heard were official recordings made for the navy several weeks ago But a few nights later we were testing the equipment Well, listen to this record Oh, isn't it wonderful? It's wonderful. All right Just like the night you sent your husband out here for me to drown john I want to hear about this isn't about it sundar. This is about me John digby the man you said you wanted to marry remember john I don't know what about that digby I can't argue with that you don't want to hear the rest. No, no, no I know the rest Of course you do You're a wonderful swimmer digby I guess she just got in a little too deep Let that whistle be your signal for the signal oil program the whistler Each wednesday night at the same time brought to you by the signal oil company Marketers of signal gasoline and motor oil and fine quality automotive accessories Signal has asked me to remind you to get the most driving pleasure drive its sensible speeds be courteous and obey traffic regulations It may save a life Possibly your own Were doris singleton and walley mayor The sounds of fish used in tonight's script were actual undersea sounds Recorded by university of california oceanographers at the naval research laboratory san diego The whistler was produced by george w allen with story by george and gertrude fast and music by wilbur hatch And was transmitted to our troops overseas by the armed forces radio service Next wednesday for a full hour of mystery over most of these stations tune in a half hour earlier enjoy the saint As well as the whistler. This is marvin miller speaking This is cbs the columbia broadcasting system