 As soon as they take you in hand, your days of the circus will be all over. What are you going to tell them, Jason? Jerry, you leave that to me. Right. There's your prisoners. Them two standing there. All right, Riley. Put the handcuffs on them. Right. What's the charge, Mr. Platt? The report that came in said something about robbery. That's right. Those two were going through that trunk there. You see how that stuff is spread all over the floor? Then I guess you won't be up to any monkey business with those bracelets, then. Hmm. You're pretty young to be starting in the business of trying to beat the law, son. I didn't do anything. Of course not. You just broke into this barn to keep out of the call. Leave the boy go, officer. He really didn't have anything to do with this. You'll both come down to the station and talk this over with the captain. Come on. Let's get going. You want to ride along with us, Mr. Platt? We've got room for you. No, I'm sorry, ma'am. But I've got to get on back to the railroad station. But you have to come down to headquarters with us, sir. You'll have to swear out a complaint against these two. A complaint? What for? Well, you can see the thing. It's just a complaint. But it's got to be done. I don't like the idea. But I'll go along with you. Officer. Where do you want? Can you wait just a second, please? Jerry, what's your friend's name? That boy over there. You mean Tom? Yeah, that's it. Oh, Tom. Yes, sir? Will you do Jerry and me a favor? Yes, sir. What is it? Phone Mr. Randall at the Continental Hotel and tell him to come right down here to the police headquarters. Will you do that? Sure, I will. Well, come on. What are we waiting for? Hey, what did you tell him? To call Mr. Randall for? Well, I thought it might be a good idea, Jerry. They have him there to vouch for us. They're saying, well, his folks have to be bothered with a lot of crooks this way. Do you want me to go with you, Mr. Platts? No, you go back to bed, Tom. Yes, sir. There, up in the backseat there. Come on, get a move on you. All right. You can ride up on the front with me, Mr. Platts. You know, I was just by accident. We caught these thieves. I sent the kid that works for me out to the barn to fetch my tools for me. And he saw a light out there. That was lucky. Lucky? I should say it was. If we didn't catch him, they might have taken everything in the barn left it empty. Did you first go to Raleigh? If they'd got nothing on him. Yeah, we got them just in time. Driving too fast for you, Mr. Platts? Yeah, I'm anxious to get this over with. And as soon as they get tried and sent us to jail, the better I'll like it. I never did trust circus people. They're a poxie lot. Are they with a circus? By sure. That kid was out to my place yesterday. He bought an old vest off of me, a fancy one. What on earth would he be wanting? I don't know. What on earth would he be wanting with a fancy vest? He said one of the clowns wanted it for his get up. But I can see it all now. There was just an excuse to get a lay out of my place so that he'd get his partner here and come out and do some stealing. I wouldn't be talking like that if I were you, Mr. Platts. Oh, you wouldn't, huh? Well, you're not me, young fella. If you were, you wouldn't be in trouble. Honest folks don't have to run in with police. Come on, Mr. Platts. Calm down, kid. I never said anything. Well, how long do you figure it'll take me to sign that complaint and get back to work? I don't like to stay away from the baggage room long at this time of night. It's a train to you in an hour. It won't take but a few minutes, Mr. Platts. You'll be back on your job in just a little while now. There's headquarters right ahead of us now. You fellas sure go flying in these cars. Have to, Mr. Platts. Sometimes the difference between a catch and a getaway is only a few seconds. Well, here we are. All right, all right. Come on, pad out. This is Mr. Platts. Howdy, Captain. Platts. Platts? Ah, yes. Why, sure. I remember you, Mr. Platts, from down the railroad station. You and I had some dealings some four or four and a half years ago, and one of your men down at the station held up a mail gun. Yes, right, Captain. And tonight I got a couple more tough customers. This fella and the kid here were prowling around at Mr. Platts' barn. Find anything on them? Oh, sure. They didn't get away with anything. Well, then I guess we'll put a vagrancy charge on them. Vagrancy? Why, they're thieves. They didn't steal anything. Only because they were caught in time. They were going through my trunk when I broke in on them. And so? Well, then we'll put a suspicion of robbery on the ticket, too. Um, what's your name? Jason. I'm with Randall Circus. Jason, the wild animal trainer? Yes, sir. That's a good one. The best I ever heard, Captain. If you're an animal trainer, I'm King of the Highway and Island. Riley. Yes, sir. Here you are, Mr. Platts. Just sign this. Here at the bottom. Yeah, I'll be glad to. There you are, Captain. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll get back to work. May I have a word, Captain, before Mr. Platts goes? Go ahead. Captain Thomas, I want you to arrest Stephen Platts. What? What for? In connection with an old case holding up and robbing the United States mail. Say, what is this? What are you talking about? I think that Stephen Platts is responsible for a robbery that took place over four years ago. Another man has gone to the penitentiary for that crime, but... This guy is crazy, Captain. Look here, Jason. You can't get out of a scrape by falsely accusing a man who... Who's proved himself to be a good citizen. Why the whole thing is ridiculous. Am I free to get back to my work now, Captain? You'll just give me a chance, Captain. I'll bet I can prove what I've said. And I'll bet he can, too. Adaloo. Yes, go ahead, Mr. Platts. I've heard enough of this nonsense. If I need you further, I'll get in touch with you at the station. Yeah, thank you, Captain. Good night. You're making a mistake, Captain. Adaloo. Good night, Mr. Platts. But honest, we're just... Quiet. But we're just sure we can prove he's back of that robbery if you'll just give us a chance. Leave quiet, kid. The Captain doesn't want to hear from you. Shall we lock him up, Captain? Yeah, take him away. Come on, let's go. Jason. Jerry. Mr. Randall. Gee, you got here just in time. What kind of a scrape have you two gotten into? Wait a minute. Who are you? My name is Sam Randall. I'm the owner of Randall Brothers Circus. Oh, well, I'm Captain Thomas, Mr. Randall. How do you do? What do you know about these two? Well, these are my people, Captain. They work for me. Now, what's the charge or what are you holding them for? The suspicion of robbery, for one thing. They were caught crawling around in a barn at Mr. Platts' barn. By what? Oh, I can explain the whole thing, Mr. Randall, if they'd just let me talk. Well, go ahead and talk. Jerry and I were out there digging up some evidence. We, well, that is Jerry, got some evidence yesterday and we went back out there tonight to get more. Oh, evidence about what? Well, I got the red sweater yesterday. The one that disappeared when Spike was on trial. What on earth are you two talking about? What's that about a red sweater? I found it in Mr. Platts' trunk. Say, come to think of it, that male robbery case hung on a red sweater. I wonder if there can be something to your story after all. Believe me, Captain Thomas, you're making a mistake letting Platts get away. I located a false bottom to that trunk of his. I was just about to open it when he came in. Captain, I wouldn't be surprised if those missing bonds were in that trunk. Missing bonds? Miss... Say, that's right. They never were accounted for. You say there's a false bottom to the trunk. Yes, sir. We're sure of it. Well, let's get out to Platts' house right away and see what we can find. This looks like a case. If we're not too late. Come on, Terry, you come with us. You stay here. Yes, sir. Captain, I guess I'd better come along too. Yes, Mr. Randall, you will. I sure hope we're not too late. Do you think we should go to see if Platts over at the railroad station first? No, no, I don't think so. Well, we'll go right up his place first and check on that trunk story. Where is he? Right out elsewhere, Captain. You remember Spike, Mr. Randall? Spike? Yeah, the fellow Johnny Bradley turned in. Oh, yes. Well, this is where the robbery was. You're in Hansburg. And I promised Spike I'd see what I could do about finding out something for him. Spike told Jerry he was framed and gave him some of the particulars. I remember the case very well now. The man that was sent up for the job didn't have any defense, but still there was some doubt as to his guilt. He didn't hold up that train, Captain. I just know he didn't do it. What makes you so sure, Jerry? Well, he just isn't that kind of a person, Mr. Randall. You can't always tell a man by the way he looks and acts, Jerry. But if we find those missing bonds in that trunk, it'll prove Spike didn't take them. If we find them. What do you mean, Jason? I'm afraid Platt is on to us. You mean you think he might have come out here and taken the bonds in the trunk? Yes, Captain, that's exactly what I think. He was in an awful hurry to get out when I asked that you arrest him. There's the place right up at the end of this street. We'll soon find out. I guess Tom went back to sleep. There's no light on in the house. Tom? Oh, is that the boy that called me? Uh-huh. Well, thanks for Mr. Platt. Come on, let's get into that barn and see what we can find. I sure hope we find those bonds. You're pretty much set in curing this up, aren't you, Jerry? You bet I am. Help me with this door, Jerry. Yes, sir. That's it. Come on. Got it. That's got it. Flash the light of yours around, will you? Yes, sir. Look. What? Put your light over there in that trunk, officer. Yeah. The false bottom has been opened. Did you leave that trunk the way it is now? Well, no, sir. We couldn't open the false bottom. We thought we'd just found the way to open when Mr. Platt came in. Well, let's have a look here. There's nothing in it. Hey, hey, wait a second. Put the light down here on the side. You know, inside of the bottom. Right here in the corner. See that piece of paper? Yeah. Let me have a look. You've got caught on that little nail there. See? What is it, Captain? This may be a piece of one of those missing bonds. It has the last part of a serial number printed on it. See? Say, this is luck. I was right. Platt's been out here and taking those bonds. It looks that way, all right. Captain. Yes, Terry? Here's a cigar I found over by the door. It's still warm. And it's still got the band on it. Platt was smoking a cigar headquarters. I took special notice of it because he was smoking my brand, a Carlo Ray. This is a Carlo Ray? Well, then that cinches it. Platt's been here and taking those bonds. Let's get to a phone quick. I'll have every highway watched. He won't get far. There's a phone in the house, Captain. Good. Come on. We've no time to lose. Well, I guess I owe you to an apology. But I hear so many stories by people that are picked up. I can't take much stock in them. Oh, that's all right, Captain. I guess we did look guilty. After all, we were caught going through that trunk. Oh, say, have you got that red sweater you were talking about, son? Yes, sir. It's in our dressing wagon back at the circus. Good. Good. And that, for evidence, along with this torn piece of paper. Oh, guess he's asleep. Good. But the door's open. Oh. Well, where's the phone now? We've got no time to lose. Right over there. Oh, yes, yes. Hello. Police headquarters operator in hurry. Hello. Hello. Captain Thomas speaking. Now get this. Have the highway patrol notified throughout the state to pick up a Stephen Platt, P-L-A-T-T. American, dark, thin, 135 pounds, 5 feet 7. Yeah, that's right. Notify all cars and motorcycles to be on the lookout. We've got to get this man.