 And now, tonight's presentation of Radio's outstanding theatre of thrills, Suspense. Tonight, we bring you a transcribed story of a convict ship and a bargain that ended in death. We call it, A Sleeping Draft. So now, starring Ben Wright with Abraham Sofaire, here is tonight's suspense play, A Sleeping Draft. That helps, but it's like I say, you can't forget. You can never forget it's at night that you think about it with the water outside rushing past the hull. That's when you think that it can never be the same. You can't trust anybody. Never. Not a soul. I can tell you, you just can't trust him. Not even yourself. What is it, Mr? Mr. Finch says he's ready to board, sir. Oh, he is, eh? All right, I'm not stopping him. Yes, sir. Hmm? He insists on bringing them aboard one at a time. What? Does he think I'm going to Mr. Tide? There's over 400 of them. It'll take hours. That's what I said, sir. Mr. Finch, come aboard if you please. I'm sorry, sir. I should have resigned stinking, filthy, poor devil cargo. High cock-a-la-lawn, Captain. No, everything is not high cock-a-lawn. What in blazes do you mean, ordering my mate about? Oh, no offence intended and untaken, I owe. I want those scurvy wretches aboard now. All of them. Put them below and we'll weigh anchor. One at a time, sir. One at a time. We've got to search them, you know. Why didn't you do that before you took them out of jail? You'll be surprised what those swine can pick up between jail and the docks. We've got to search them. One at a time. They're murdering devils every last one of them and that's a fact. The convicts came aboard one by one. I watched them. They were going from London to a land they'd never seen. A colony had bought them. Australia. 400. The sweepings and scraping sorted out from the muck of the jails with Finch in charge of them. I carried dirty cargo. I would, for instance, crawling with scorpions and spiders, not to mention snakes in this cattle. But this weeks and months at sea with a human cargo to soon cut your throat a spit. What made it worse was I felt sorry for the poor beggars. I watched them come aboard until there were two left. Name? Wilkes. Search him. Hey, ain't I taking a bleeding hand off me? Oh, you ain't got nothing? Ain't you stole me last time? Oh, shut your door. That's enough, Finch. I won't have the cat used on my ship. I've got enough of it where they're going. Oh, you are a trust and soul, you are, Captain. Ah! How'd you like that between your ebbs, Captain? A touch of the cat's a lot better than letting this swine bring a knife aboard, eh? Touch them below. I don't know how they do it. Help me, I don't know. You've got to watch them for them now. Right. Here's a tarot. Look at the size of them, eh? Dangerous swine. Three murders in Australia escaped. He's in for it when he gets back. Name? Abbey. Jonathan Abbey. Abbey. Abbey. Well, well. A gentleman in chains. I am sorry, your worship. Forgive us for daring to lay hands on your Highness. I'm sure it's how you've been wrongly, if you... That's enough, Finch. Search him, take him below. I want Mr. Jonathan Abbey shackled. He's a prize, he is. We mustn't let anything happen to him. From the day we left London docks, I'd taken a violent dislike to Finch. He seemed to be happiest when he was laying about him with his cat on the convicts, herded like sheep below decks. They kept him quiet enough, but one night I decided to have it out with him in the cabin. I made it strong, I can tell you, so that even he could understand what I meant. You all finished, Captain? All right, now you hear me out. They're a bad lot. Four hundred out. All bound for Australia. They don't want to go. You follow me? Now there's that bloke, Abbey. Soon as we touch Sydney, the game's up for him. They'll hang him, sure. That doesn't mean that you have the right to make life even worse for him here. Now, if I doubt what you think will be. What would you do if you was down there? I'll tell you, you'd get older, they'd shift. That's what you'd do, and it'd be easy. They're locked in, we've got a guard. Ha! You don't know them like I do. There's another thing. When I searched him, there was one to five sovereigns stowed away on every man, earned or stolen. That'll come to over a thousand pound, by my figures. They're entitled to that money. It's little enough to take to a wild country. It's true, but there's them down there what had slit the gullet of any man for a shillin'. And you asked me to be dainty with them. That's the way you talk to me. And I can tell you that I didn't feel easy anymore. I did something I hadn't done for a long time. I broke out two pistols from ship's stores and kept them under my pillow. It was when we got round the horn that the first convict died from scurvy. We had to put him over the side, of course, and there was a lot of grousing. I went down to the hold with finch. It was hot and stinking. Now, you let me talk, Tom Captain. I'll put it to rights. You tell him it couldn't be helped. Don't you mind, I'll tell him. Oh, bloody button! You steal the clothes of the poor beggars back before you throw them in? And, dearie, we're dogs, or have you heard? Poor old Smithy and the grand instead of tucking him in the sea. We've got another two or three weeks before we reach land, and I'll make a bargain with you. The next one, what dies now that it's getting nice and hot? I'll just leave him down here. You can take care of him and mourn him till we get to Australia. Oh, sir. Oh, for crown, you don't keep him for three days. That's all bloody pot. Always a nose for business. And if you ain't satisfied with that, I'll see that the hatch is closed down tight for the rest of the voyage. And you can boil for all of me. That seemed to settle it for a time. I began to see that in spite of Finch's hardness with him, business knew he was master and behaved themselves. That is most of them did. But there were others. And that's what began the trouble. We were two days out of the Cook Islands when it happened. Yes? Captain, there's a man on deck. We brought him up from below. It's horrible. What happened? One of the convicts, sir. Fight? Yes, sir. Mr. Darlan ain't much of a surgeon, I must say. I did what I could. He ain't been dead before we got him up here. He's been cut to pieces. Not half again. How did it happen? I heard him shout when he went down into the olden there. He was propped up like against the bars with his arms through, holding them up. Poor devil. Oh, him? No, he's dead, he is. There's others in for it, though. What do you mean? How do you think he got cut up like that, eh? Knives, Captain. Knives. But you searched them before they bought him. I did, I did. In truth, I don't know how they done it. Small knives, Captain. Small knives. We're getting close to Australia, that's what it is. Whoever's got them knives is after money. The thousand quid amore what's on this cursive ship. I don't see it. Ah, you. You are a trust and soul. You are, Captain. Maybe there's a dozen of them. Maybe 20 with knives. You follow me? I'll run the others and rob them blind. Gold sovereigns, Captain. You didn't forget, did you? If anybody abjects, cut him up into small pieces, just like this one. We've got to go down there and put a stop to it. Yes, I don't think. How many guns you've got aboard? Well, two pistols and four muskets. That's a fat one, that boy. Oh, well, must take the sweet with the sour, like they say. We can try, no harm in that. Mark my words, Captain. Before we get to Sydney, all of us will probably have our throats cut. Come on. Finch and I, with two seamen, armed ourselves and went down into the hold and stood outside the bars. The men inside were quiet. Very quiet. They just looked at us. Dark life. You man! I'll talk to them. Now listen to me. We know some of you are carrying knives. I want you to throw them out here. Nothing further will be said about it if you do as I say. Well? Captain, my porridge wasn't hot enough this morning. And please, sir, can I have sugar in it tomorrow? That's the way to talk to this scum. The captain's a gentleman. I'm not. You know me, don't you? We know you're all right. All right. You, you abby, you listen to me. I'm giving you till tomorrow morning to throw them knives out here till morning. If every blasted one ain't out of your dirty hands, I'm gonna have you flogged. Every ruddy one of you. Fifty lashes. Do you hear me, Mr. Abbey? I'll think about it. Lashes. You think about that, Mr. Abbey. Good morning, Captain, dear, and Mr. Finch. You filthy scum. Where's them knives? Where they'll do their most good. All right. I've given you a chance. I've played fair now. Mr. Finch, sir, may I have a word with you? Come to your senses, I mean. Been closer to the bars, cause what I gotta say, I gotta whisper. Well, what is it? What is it? It goes like this. Flashes, Wilkes. I'll take you first and handle the cat myself. Oh, no, sir. Why not take him first? He won't feel it like I will. The crowd of men parted suddenly, and from out of them was pushed what had once been a man. It fell against the bars, and then no longer with the support of living arms slid to the deck. We looked at him, Finch and me. His life had been worth a sovereign, maybe two. He hadn't either now. And the knives were still in the hold with them that had killed him. Our listening to a sleeping draft. Tonight's presentation on radio is outstanding. Theatre of thrills. Suspense. With omniscience as rare a faculty as it is, most listeners like to be sure that their sources of information are reliably accurate. And that in a nutshell explains why so many listeners make it a point to learn what is happening in the world from members of the CBS News staff. Keep tuned to CBS Radio throughout the day and evening, and you'll keep in the know on local, domestic and international affairs. And now we bring back to our Hollywood sound stage Mr. Ben Wright and Mr. Abraham Sofaire starring in tonight's production, A Sleeping Draft. A tale well calculated to keep you in. Suspense. As I see, is it? We've got to have a council war in a manner of speaking, Captain. I'll tell you one thing, Mr. Finch. There'll be no more plugging. Oh, I can see you are a sharper you. Now that's right. That's right. It's too dangerous. We ain't armed for it, and they're in a nasty mood. We've got to be artful, same as they. I wish we could spill the old leather them overboard. Well, then lose your contract for carry them, not bloody lightly. Listen here, I'll get them knives. Oh, it's Abbey. Abbey is behind this. He tells them what's what. You get him out, and the others will come round. You mark my words. Are you going into the hole to get him? Well, not yet. Not yet. Wouldn't be safe now, not for nobody to go in there. But in four or five days, Captain, after we cut off their water and food, seal the edge, you see what happens. They die. Well, they'll die from the knives then. Which do you want? They'll be begging you to take the ruddy knives in three days. And if they don't? We tell them to hand over Abbey to us. But he's the one to blame for their misfortune. They'll do it. All right. If that's the only way, I'll give the order. Yeah, but not just yet, Captain, not just yet. We'll let them sit down there in wonder, eh? Wonder what we're going to do about it. Some of them may get nervous. We'll let them wonder a bit. I didn't see Finch the rest of the day. The barometer had fallen suddenly, and with it came a storm. I can tell you, I had my hands full for the next 24 hours. There was no time to worry about what was going on in the hold of the ship. But I didn't think they'd have much stomach for knifeing each other and killing. Next morning at breakfast, Finch didn't turn up. He didn't turn up at all. We searched the whole ship. And then I went down into the hold. And that's where he was. And he hadn't died quickly. Someone had held in against the bars, and the others had... He hadn't died quickly. Present for you, Captain. Who did this? Who did it? I wouldn't waste sleep morning in, Captain. He was a bully, no better than us, except that he was outside. Abby, I thought you were shackled. I was, but Mr. Finch kindly supplied the key to unfarcing me. Oh, you're going to pay for this? All of you! Where are those knives? In here, Captain. What are you coming and get them? You're repeating yourself, Captain. Good morning. The blasted convict had dismissed me. Like I was a clerk in an office. And there wasn't anything I could do about it. With Finch out of the way they knew I was an easy mark. It was the nights that got on my nerves. I could hear things happening. Lots of things. And it was awful. Those devils with the knives. Then each morning we'd have to pull out six or a dozen and all cut about and bleeding. Most of them died. And those with the knives were getting money. Money they stole from the victims. I began to be afraid of my crewmen that one would take a bribe, let that murdering crowd out. I walked around with two pistols in my jacket all the time. And then late, one afternoon, something very bad happened. I was standing by the wheel. Captain! Captain! He got out, sir! The big one, Abbey. Two of us were standing guard and we heard a scream. It was Abbey. He said he'd been stabbed. He bent it out in the grill to get him and Abbey bashed him on the head and bolted. What about the others? I got my grill closed in time. They're safe enough. They must be somewhere on the ship, sir. Not that one. He's up to mischief. Take one of my pistols, Mr. Kaiser. Pass out the muskets. I want every inch of this ship searched. If he puts up a fight, shoot him. Do you hear me? Shoot him! The night comes quickly in southern parts. Did you ever try to search a ship at night with lanterns? It's not easy. Too many shadows. Too many sounds. Which could be rats or a murderer who's bigger than what you are and could choke your life out in half a minute. We couldn't find him. But he was somewhere aboard, waiting his time. And because we were shorthanded what were the crews searching, I stood a watch and I thought about Abbey. The man whom Finch said had committed three murders in Australia. Don't turn around, Captain. It's only a little knife, but don't move. But do you want? I've nothing to say to the likes of you. Let me be. But I have an offer to make you. You know what I mean for when you reach Sydney. Finch told me. I've no pity for you. I'm not asking for pity. I have an offer to make. The men below are planning to take the ship. I don't think they've got a chance, but they'll be killing. Those that have got the knives have got the money too. It's twelve hundred pounds. I'm aware of that, Mr. I can get the knives for you. All I want is a chance to get away before the ship docks. I know it isn't a trick. Turn around, Captain. Here, my knife. Will that convince you? You must have a pistol. You can shoot me if you want. What makes you think that you can get the knives away from me? I can. That's all you need to know. I couldn't help you openly, you know that. You're put aboard as a murderer. You're in my charge, and it's my job to turn you over to the police as soon as we arrive. Then? If you could get the knives, though, I might be able to give you a chance to clear out. That's all I want. A chance. All right. I must have a pistol. What? A pistol. You take me for a fool. No, it's the only way to get the knives. Yes, I'll give you this pistol and you shoot me down, not likely. If I'd wanted to do that, Captain, I'd have cut your throat two minutes ago. Yes. You're a murderer. I know. No, you can't have it. It's either them or your ship, and probably your life. Well, you talk like a gentleman, but suppose you want my pistol so that you can free them? You just have to trust me as I trust you to give me a chance to get away. Take it. Yeah. What about the guards below? They'll shoot. I'll take you down. I'll say I caught you. How do I get out again when I've got the knives? Send word that you want to see me. All right. Captain, I'm trusting you now. I want that chance to get away. We'll talk about that if you get the knives. I'll take you below now and come back tomorrow. Keep your voice low. They think I'm tricking you into making a bargain. They think I stole the pistol. I told them I had to have the knives to make you believe that we wouldn't make trouble. I said we'd take over the ship tonight. What do you want me to do? Leave me the key to the grill. I'll slip out tonight and bring you the knives. I want you to let them out, too. I won't. I'll lock it. I know you will. You don't. You'll have to trust me, won't you? Yes. Did they know about this plan? Or except for the fact that I'm going to lock them in once I'm out. Now, give me the knives now. No, they knew something was wrong. I'd never get out alive. Give me the key. All right. Here. Tonight. I waited. I cannot tell you I didn't like it. The wind came up a bit and I knew that before sunrise we'd be in Sydney. That is, if I could trust a murderer. At ten o'clock that night there was a tap on my cabin door. One of your crew nearly caught me coming down here. I've kept my sight of the bargain. Oh, you needn't worry. The knives are all there. Here's your pistol. No. You may need it. Oh, thanks. Now, how do I get away? We'll be in port in about six hours if the wind rolls. You stay out in the longboat. When you hear the anchor go, drop over the side and swim for it. Very well. I'll try to anchor as close to land as possible before I take her in. If I can land without being seen, I've got some friends who'll hide me. Yes. Well, I don't want to know about it. Just remember, when the anchor's let go, that's your signal. Thank you, Captain. I trust you. I'd like to shake hands with you. I took the hand of the murderer. And we shook hands like old friends. And then he was gone. Two hours later, the wind went down and in its place came fog, thick, mucky fog. I had me hands full of what would danger from other ships and the blasted current that knocks you about off the harbor entrance. By three o'clock, the fog had shut in properly. My blessed tide ran us all over the place. The proper dangers, I can tell you. We were about 15 miles offshore. I didn't like the look of things. There were no holes there about. And I sent the mate forward to heave the lead. I got a proper start when I heard him sing out. We got up course right enough. And at this rate, we'd shear the bottom clean off of her. I saw it was high time to bring the ship up and wait until we could see something. Let go, the anchor! Enter soon, sir. She was showering fast. The blasted current must be making five knots out to sea. Listen to her. She's a... The anchor. The anchor! I ran to the longboat. He'd heard the signal as the anchor paid out. Couldn't see in the fog and had gone overboard into a five-knot tide running straight out to sea. 15 miles from shore. He trusted me. That's why I'd tell you. You shouldn't trust anybody. Sometimes it's hard sleeping at night. When you hear the water outside, you think. That's when it's hard to sleep. Suspense. In which Mr. Ben Wright starred with Mr. Abraham Sofaire in tonight's presentation of A Sleeping Draft. Be sure to listen again next week when we bring you another presentation of Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills. Suspense. Suspense is transcribed in Hollywood by Anthony Ellis. Tonight's story was written by Weston Martyr and adapted for radio by Mr. Ellis. The music was composed by Rene Garaghan and conducted by Wilbur Hatch. Featured in the cast were Abraham Sofaire, Eric Snowton, Hans Conrad, Charlie Lung, Stan Jones, and Raymond Lawrence. Got money to burn? Well, neither has Uncle Sam. The nation cannot afford to let precious timber go up in smoke. As an American, you cannot afford to let a carelessly tossed cigarette start a forest fire that may cost millions of dollars and may even cost human life. Help keep our forest lands green and growing. Stay tuned now for five minutes of CBS News to be followed on most of these same stations by My Son Jeep.