 The mutual broadcasting system presents The Mysterious Traveler, written, produced, and directed by Robert A. Arthur and David Cogan, and starring tonight two of radio's foremost actors, Mason Adams and Santas Ortega, in The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. This is The Mysterious Traveler. Invite you to join me on another journey into the realm of the strange and the terrifying. I hope you will enjoy the trip, and it will thrill you a little and chill you a little. So settle back, get a good grip on your nerves, and be comfortable, if you can. As you hear the story I call, The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. Our story begins in that part of the Caribbean Sea, known as the Great Bahama Bank, which lies north of Cuba. In the calm, sparkling sea are two ships, a British destroyer and a small schooner. The schooner is a derelict and barely afloat. There's great activity aboard the destroyer, as its longboat returns from the schooner. A few moments later, Chief Petty Officer Warren reports to the captain of the destroyer. Yes, Warren? The schooner is American, sir. The golden queen out of Key West. We found one man aboard, he was unconscious. He's in sick bay receiving medical attention. Has he regained consciousness yet? No, sir. He's in bad shape. We found him lying in the hole of the schooner. The cabinet rigging were completely gone. As evidently, the schooner received the full force of that herrick in ten days ago. Probably the other crew members were swept overboard. Yes, sir. I have a letter which might throw some light on the subject, sir. A letter? Yes, sir. I found it clenched in the unconscious man's hand. Here you are, sir. Let me see. Written in pencil. Pages are dry now, but they seem to have been soaked with seawater. Yes, sir. A bit difficult to read. Let's see. It begins... It seems impossible that with the hurricane that is now sweeping over the ship, anyone will ever read these words that I'm writing. The rigging and cavern are gone, and the ship is taking on water. As I lie here in the hole, I feel it can only be a matter of moments until the end. But if by some miracle this ship should survive, I leave this letter as a record of the crews of the Golden Queen. It all began last December 5th, when four companions and myself sailed out of Key West. All of us, Chuck Riker, Sam Morris, Pete Ross, Harry Martin, and myself, Bill Storm, had been in the Navy together during the war. We had all pooled our savings and bought the schooner Golden Queen. Our destination, Flamingo Cay, some 450 miles to the southeast of Key West. Our objective? To recover treasure from an English pirate ship reported sunk by a Spanish man of war at Flamingo Cay in 1632. As we reeled off mile after mile, the days were hot and bright, the nights a dark blue velvet with a sky full of stars and a good breeze filled a high white spread of sails. As we sailed the same waters that countless treasureships had sailed only a few centuries ago, there was a growing sense of excitement and anticipation aboard the Golden Queen. That dawn on the sixth day of our trip, our look outside at Flamingo Cay. Hey, there's here three points to stop it. Bill, that is Flamingo Cay, isn't it? That's it, all right. Steady as she goes. Steady as she goes. Now, here, hold one end of this chart down. Sure, Bill. Now, here's Flamingo Cay and here's Pirates Lagoon. Pirates Lagoon? Yeah. According to the log of the Spanish man of war, that's where the English pirate ship headed in, trying to escape the Spanish. Uh-huh. The pirate captain sailed across the entrance to the lagoon and a hidden reef ripped the ship's bottom wide open, sank with all hands and less in a minute. And with all, it's stolen treasure still aboard. Yep. If that 300-year-old log of the Spanish man of war is right, the pirate ship is on the bottom of that lagoon directly ahead. That lagoon is sort of big, isn't it? Yeah, it isn't going to be easy to locate the wreck. Steady as she goes. A few minutes later, the golden queen drove through the small opening in the jagged ring of reefs and slid into the calm, smooth water of the lagoon. The anchor chain clanked as the big hook splashed into the water and found bottom. We had arrived at our destination. That afternoon, we lowered a small boat and began the tedious job of rowing back and forth across the lagoon, peering down into the crystal clear water, looking for some indication of the wrecked pirate craft. Our eyes began to ache from the reflected sunlight as we scanned the bottom of the lagoon hour after hour. As one day of searching followed another, our spirits fell. It was on the sixth day that our luck changed. Hey, stop rowing. Bill, look. But I don't see a thing. Now keep looking at the bottom where I'm pointing. Well, it just looks like a large mass of coral covered with marine growth. Yeah, that's all it is. Yeah, but the marine growth, can't you see the muzzle of a cannon sticking through? Hey, you may be right. It does look like the muzzle of a cannon. Do you think that marine-covered mass could be the... Sure, it's the pirate wreck. Sam, I think you found a chuck dropper boy to mark the spot. Right, Bill. Now let's get back to the Golden Queen and get the diving equipment ready. This may be it. An hour later, I was in the diving suit. Sam gave the helmet the eighth turn that fastened and locked it. The faceplate was slam shut and I could feel the air coming through my lines from the pump. I stepped onto the diving platform and a moment later was descending into the clear warm water. Fish of all colors darted about me as I was slowly lowered. My weighted boots struck bottom at 130 feet. Following the beam of light over my helmet, I peered into the wall of water around me. Suddenly, my heart began pounding with excitement. For less than 200 feet away was the large marine-covered mass of coral. I began to cautiously make my way toward it, keeping a careful eye out for sharks and mores which abounded in these waters. As I made my way closer, I could clearly see that the marine growth covered an old hulk. The ship lay on its side with a huge, gaping hole in the broken hull. Scattered on the floor of the lagoon were ancient barnacle-encrusted cannon, guns, and timbers. Beyond a doubt, it was the wreck of the English pirate ship. I signal on my line and Sam sent down the explosives that would have been used to blast the hull. I wasted no time in planting the charges in the hull. It was just as I had finished that I heard his voice. So you've come for Captain Murdoch's treasure, eh? I whirled about clumsily, instinctively. But I was alone. Then I heard it again. They've all come for my treasure. Cut rods and cut parses, gulls and connies. And they've all left their skins. Again, I whirled about seeking for that voice, but there was nothing, nothing at all. I could feel a scream welling up within me. As the voice spoke again, I gave three sharp tugs on my line that was the emergency signal. You'll be back, laddie. But remember, it's Captain Murdoch you've got to deal with. Captain Murdoch! Keep the pump scoring, Pete, until I get the faceplate open. OK. Hey, Bill, I was wrong. How'd you get the emergency signal? He's as white as a sheet. Bill, what happened? Was it an octopus? An octopus. Yeah, sure, these waters are full of them. They should have taken the saddle and torches down with you. They don't like torches. Yeah, you just take it easy for a while. Bill, did you plant the explosives? Sure. Pete, detonate the explosives. OK, here goes. It didn't go off. Billy, are you sure you made the connections? I made them, all right. Well, they must have gotten loose. We'll just have to try again. What about my going down? No. Why not? Well, because Chuck's only a beginner and he's never gone down that deep. Now, you've got a point there. Well, OK. Pete, we'll have to wait until tomorrow. Yeah. Bill, go down as soon as it's daylight and plant some more explosives. Right, Bill? Right. Well, that night I lay awake in my bunk, going over and over in my mind the dive I had made and the strange voice I had heard. I kept telling myself that it had been an hallucination. That must be it. Being in pirate waters, the excitement of the search, going down to 130 feet, all had combined to create this hallucination. It was the only possible answer. What other answer could there be? Warning came and I donned the diving suit. Sam handed me an acetylene torch. And a few minutes later, I was descending into the calm, green water. I touched bottom only a few feet from the wreck and signaled Sam to send down the explosives. As I waited, I found myself constantly turning in a circle, peering through my face plate at the well of water which pressed in on me. The explosives were lowered to me and I planted them in the hull. As I finished, I heard that voice once again. I have come back, have you? As he spoke, I could feel cold shivers running through my body and I fought the impulse to give the emergency signal. Aye, that's the curse of treasure. Once a man kins it, there's no turning back. Ask me, laddie. Captain Mordak, I'll tell you. Where... where are you? There am I? Ha, ha, ha, ha! Ask the fish that stripped me of me flesh and left me bones as a warning to the likes of you. Ha, ha, ha, ha! Look at you! Quaddling about like a jack-o'-nips to see me! Hey, you fool! Did you think the spirit of a man could be kined? What do you want? The three centuries I've haunted this accursed wreck waiting for the likes of you. And now you've come. I've treasure, laddie, such as you've never seen. Robes and diamonds, puddles and sapphires, silver and gold, the wealth I tore from a dozen Spanish galleons. I'll share it with you if you agree to my terms. Terms? Aye, laddie, terms. First, I'll share with you and only you or the others a dagger or the plank. A dagger or the plank? Aye. Ha, ha, ha, ha! Many is the crew that's felt my steel when there's been treasure to share. You mean murder, Sam, shock, and the others? Aye. Your voice, what you're saying, it's all an hallucination. It must be, I'm just hearing things. I cannot words. What manner of weeping is this? What the stale do the men have done? Stop talking. Stop talking to you here. I won't do it, I won't. You don't, laddie. I'll never take my treasure. Who's to stop me, a voice, a sheer hallucination? Captain Murdoch, laddie. Captain Murdoch. You're just a voice you can't stop me, but not. You can't see me, laddie, but you can feel me right, can you not? You'll find me a reasonable captain if you follow me orders. But if you don't, laddie, you'll never see the sun again. Now these are my terms, and pay heed to my words. How is he, Sam? He's just coming too. All right, take it easy, Bill, just lie where you are. What, what happened? Well, I signaled you while you were on the bottom, but you didn't answer, so we hold you up but fast. It didn't even stop for decompression stages. It made your pants off. Maybe your airline got snarled on the rack. Maybe. Did you plant the explosives? Yeah. All right. Pete, detonate it. OK, hang on to something. I did it. Look at all those paces of wood and dead fish coming up to the surface. Yeah. That explosion must have ripped the wreck wide open. ought to be soft pickings from here on in. What do you say, Bill? Yeah, soft pickings. All right, come on, boys. Let's get the diving equipment in A1 shape. Tomorrow's the big day. All that night, I lay awake in my bunk, staring into the darkness, trying not to think of that voice. But there was no escaping it. I could hear his every word over and over, relentlessly pounding into my brain till I could no longer think for myself. As I donned the diving suit shortly after dawn, I could see Sam and the others eyeing me curiously as they helped me on with my equipment. 15 minutes later, I was on the bottom, making my way towards the wreck. The stern portion of the hull had been blown into hundreds of fragments. And the floor of the lagoon was littered with old firearms, metal armor, broken gun flints, and cannon balls. As I picked my way through the debris, he spoke. Come for the treasure, eh, laddie? Now that you and me are partners, you're welcome to it. And what a treasure it is. Where is it? You'll find four chests buried under that wreckage to your starboard. There? Aye. It took 12 ships and 1,000 lives to make up that treasure. Wait till you set eye on the precious stones I plucked from the San Cristo Domingo, worth the king's ransom. These chests are filled with treasure? Aye. And well, you might keep. Last outrope around them, laddie. This ever they are. They must each weigh at least 500 pounds. Aye. Last them snugly, because our fortune you have there, laddie, will buy the world for us. Right, hold still, will you, Bill? I'm trying to get your helmet off. There, look at it, boy. Four chests, Bill. Fill to the brim with jewels and go just look at it. Sam, what do you think it's worth? Five million, maybe 10, even 20. Who knows? Look at this diamond. Why, it's the size of an egg. There's no telling what it's worth. Some of the other diamonds are almost as big. Boy, we really hit the jackpot. Bill, what's wrong? You haven't said a thing. I guess I'm tired. Help me out of this suit. Are you sure? Give me your hand, boys. This is the guy who did it for us. You sure did. I don't mind helping you, but this is hardly the kind of work for millionaires. You're talking feet. And boy, just as soon as we get Bill out of this diving suit, we'll weigh anchor for Key West. Well, I gotta go. What do you mean, no? Let's stick around so that I can make another dive tomorrow. I may have overlooked a couple of chests. Well, that's hardly likely. Now, you've done enough diving, Bill. I don't mind telling you that you've had us all worried these past couple of days. Yeah. You've been acting kind of strange. Yeah, that wrong with him that a million bucks won't cure. The sun's already setting. We'll leave tomorrow. Okay. I guess another night here can make much difference. We'll weigh anchor at dawn. Now let's get these four chests below. That night, I lay in my bunk, waiting, watching. It was first Sam, then Pete, then Harry fell asleep. I slipped quietly out of my bunk, crossed the cabin, and stepped out on deck. A full moon shone down on the golden queen. And I could see Chuck was on watch standing near the wheel, smoking. As I approached, he turned and saw me. Hello, Bill. You couldn't sleep, huh? No. What about the others? They're sleeping. Don't see how they can do it. I'm so excited I couldn't. All I can think of is the treasure and what I'm going to do with my share. Yeah. Hey, what's the matter with you? Don't sound very enthused. I guess I'm just tired. Those dives you made must have taken a lot out of you. Yeah, they did. Is that a ship out there? Well, there are three points to starboard. I'm looking, but I don't see any. I caught him as he dropped, and I carefully eased his body over the rail and let go. He hit the water with only a small splash and was gone. When dawn came, the others had followed. I was alone on the golden queen. Alone? No, that isn't quite correct. He was aboard. I couldn't see him, but he was with me all right. With his assistance, I weighed anchor. A half hour later, using the auxiliary engine, the golden queen slipped through the opening in the lagoon and out to sea. For a day and a night, I stood at the wheel, and when I was exhausted, he took over. It was on the fourth day that the hurricane caught me. But in the first hour, it swept the rigging and cabin overboard and left me helpless. Martinous waves, one after another, are breaking over the golden queen, and only a miracle can save me. If I go down, as surely I must, at least he'll go with me. I realize now too late that... the letter ends at this point. What do you, Mike, have it, sir? Make of it. It's obviously the letter of an insane mind. Bill Storm, the unconscious man that you found aboard the dead elite, became demented when his four companions were swept overboard during the hurricane. And as a result, wrote this fantastic letter. Sir, while searching through Storm's pocket for the identification, I found these. Free coins, sir. If you scrape the brown crust off him, you'll see their gold pieces. I say, look here. These coins are hundreds of years old. Yes, sir. Then that part of the letter about recovering sunken treasure might possibly have been true. Did you find any chests aboard the dead elite? No, sir. It was swept as clean as a whistle. Perhaps it wasn't only the loss of his four companions, but the loss of the treasure as well that sent Storm out of his mind. Yes. Sir, do you... do you think there might have been anything to do with this Captain Murdock he mentions in the letter? Certainly not. Don't be ridiculous. I'm amazed at you, Warren. Next you'll be telling me that you believe in ghosts. Oh, sorry, sir. Come along to the sick bay. We'll see if Storm has regained consciousness yet. This fellow Storm, he seems to be regaining consciousness, sir. He's opening his eyes. Can't make out where he is. All right now, Storm. Just lie quietly. Don't try to speak. You're quite safe now. You're a bird of British destroyer. The doctor says you're going to be all right. He's trying to say something, sir. No, no. Don't try to speak, Storm. Just lie quietly and take it. What was that? He was asking you, sir, about the treasure. Oh, yes, the treasure. I'll get to that storm in just a moment. The main thing to remember is that it's a miracle that you survived. You know, I read that fantastic letter you wrote, and I can only attribute it to the shock and grief of losing your shipmates in the hurricane. Never read such utter claptrap. Pirate ghosts, indeed. As for the treasure, I'm sorry to say that the hurricane swept your schooner clean. All that Chief Warren found were these three gold coins. The rest, I'm afraid, is gone. Gone? Yes, my good man, swept overboard. Swept overboard? Why, you... you... You snow-wheeling, perfumed, white-bellied girl. Do you think the likes of you can keep me treasure from me? Ask the others, it tried it. Black Irish brilly bones, the Frenchman, Captain Bull. They felt my steel and left their bones to bleach in the sun. Bring me my chest till I'll rip your tongue out and hang it to the highest yard arm. This sure as my name is Captain Murdoch. You're out of your mind, Warren! You're Captain Murdoch's treasure, would you? Let's see out of the world, laddie boy, as I did the other. He'll now keep Murdoch's treasure. No use struggling, laddie. You're done for. This is the mysterious traveler again. Did you enjoy our trip? Or was the captain of the British destroyer choked to death? No, no, he was saved. But he's ever been the same since. As for poor old Bill Storm, well, he's now safely under lock and key. He still speaks in 17th century English and insists he's Captain Murdoch, and now and then he buttonholes one of his attendants and whispers of fabulous loot to be won on the high seas through piracy. But so far, he's been unable to muster up a crew. That reminds me of next week's story, The Accusing Corpse. It's about a murderer who discovered that the dead sometimes arise from the grave to... Oh, you have to get off here. I'm sorry. But I'm sure we'll meet again. I take this same train every week at this same time. You'll have just heard The Mysterious Traveler, a series of dramas of the strange and terrifying. The role of The Mysterious Traveler is played by Maurice Tarplin. Frank McCarthy speaking, this program came from New York. This is the mutual broadcasting system.