 Adventures by Morse, Carlton E. Morse presents The Land of the Living Dead, featuring Captain Friday. If you like high adventure, come with me. If you like the stealth of entry, come with me. If you like blood and thunder, come with me. The original party of Doctor Julian English has dwindled suddenly and appallingly to two people, Dr. English and Captain Friday. Skip Turner has been kidnapped by the Chakota Indians and has been dragged off into the jungles toward the Zambala Mountains and the sacred city of the Brotherhood of the Living Dead. Then suddenly, the secret side of Mrs. Santos' character came to view. Captain Friday overheard a dying agent of the Living Dead whisper to the woman, you must strike at once if you would save Tula. And Tula is the girl who held the smoking gun at the death of Dr. English's son, Robert. Tula was the green-eyed emissary of the deadly Mayanaheem, high priest of the Living Dead. But go on, Captain Friday. Yes, it suddenly dawned on me that Mrs. Santos was not a friend but rather a very clever agent of our enemies and closely linked with the girl Tula, their agent. You must strike at once, declared the dying priest. And that very hour, Mrs. Santos vanished and with her went Judith, daughter of Dr. English. With Skip and Judith lost to us, Dr. English and I turned our whole attention to reaching the safety of the monastery at the foot of the Zambala Mountains, where there were friends who would know how to go about rescuing them. Carlos, a fugitive from justice, offered to guide us through the jungle, pretending that he knew the secret passage to the monastery. And now we're deep in the jungles at the mercy of our guide Carlos. Carlos, you fool, we're lost. You're taking us away from the secret passage. The trail is just ahead beyond the river. Carlos does not lie. Carlos knows. See, senor? Either you don't know the secret passage or you're deliberately misleading us. Now which is it? Oh, Captain Friday, that could not be. The honor of Carlos is a byword in the marketplace of... Five days now you've led us on deeper into the jungles. Now you've run us up against a blank wall. Fever-infested jungles on our right hand, on our left, a wide rushing river that we can't possibly cross. And our path is dwindled to nothing. Haven't I told you that the lives of my daughter and Skip Turner are at stake? But, senor, across the river we should again pick up the trail. Across the river. Across that vicious stream foaming and frothing like a mad beast. Ah, but, senor, beneath the river there is a passage. A passage under the river? Look here, is this another of your lies? What did I not promise you to bring you to the river of broken water? Is that not where they were carrying your friends in your toilet? River of broken wa... Is this the river of... Look here! Aren't we near the sacrificial stone of the Chakota Indians? I know not. I have not heard, senor. Strange you haven't heard if you're familiar with the jungle. Mrs. Santos told me that somewhere on this river there's a great ancient stone upon which young men and girls were stretched in sacrifice to the Chakota gods. Oh, see, senor, these jungles know the horror of human sacrifice. I have heard it often in the marketplace of La Jolla. I think you picked up most of your jungle experience in the marketplace. Senor, you wanna join us? It's high time you learned about Justice Carlos. Do you see this gun? Are you going to kill me? Two hours after dawn tomorrow morning, if you haven't led us to this passage under the river, I'll kill you. It's only my generosity that let you live through the night. No, no, no, senor. Tomorrow you will see. Tomorrow I will show you. The passage is both an hour's journey along the bank. One hour after dawn, senor. I ask for one hour. And I give you two. Now go to your tent. Stay there until I call you tomorrow. It's getting dark, Captain Friday, and I'll share the watch alone tonight. Gracias, senor. Muchas gracias. Until tomorrow, senor. Muchas gracias. Hasta mañana. Captain. Captain Friday. Where are you? Over here, Dr. English. There's something out there in the jungle watching us. Watching us? Yes. I stepped off the path to look at a curious flower, a vicious-looking flower. It looked like a bloated orchid. It had a deep throat, deep in red. Red as blood. There are a good many curious flowers in these jungles, Captain. No, but that isn't all. As I stood there, something touched the back of my neck. What's that? It was like nothing I've ever felt. My body turned icy cold for a moment. I was frozen on my feet. Then I whirled. Was it human? I saw a face, Doctor. A human face hanging in a tree, staring at me. A horrible human face. Are you sure? My nerves are all right. I saw it, staring eyes, the eyes of a hanged man, but with life still burning in them. Hopeless, terrified life. I stood there, my skin burning with fever and my fresh creeping. Jungle fever, Captain. I was afraid of this. No, no, I'm not ill. I saw it, I tell you. And then it vanished. Vanished as though it had been suddenly swallowed. Swallowed? Yes, swallowed. As though the tree had swallowed it. Good heavens, man. I tell you, there's something devilish out there in that jungle. Something inhuman. Maybe Carlos can explain it. Carlos? Yes. Once the lips of the face moved and I'll swear, they said Carlos. Besides, I felt there was something wrong, something very wrong ever since Carlos joined us. I had a showdown with him just now. I gave him until two hours after dawn tomorrow morning to find the passage under the river. That or death? What did he say to that? Seemed entirely too satisfied. He'll never lead us to the jungle, through the jungle and the skip in Judith. Something's wrong. You say he's in his tent? Yes, of course. You know, Doctor, I was by the fire smoking last night after you turned in. I looked up and caught Carlos' face in the firelight. He was alert, staring into the jungle. Then he saw me watching him and he grabbed up some wood and began fixing the fire. Hmm. Look here, Doctor. We're doing the best we can. Now, don't worry too much about Judith. Don't worry? How can I help but worry? I know, I know. But look here. We've got to know Mr. Sanders pretty well. She wouldn't let him hurt Judith. She wasn't a vicious woman. Anyone in the employ of the brotherhood of the living dead is vicious. Well, come on. Let's turn it and catch some sleep. Listen. What was that? Come on. It came from down the trail. Captain, keep your gun ready. I have it. And the flash. It's maybe a trap. That agony was real enough. Here, let me lead. I think I know where it came from. You were thinking of that face in the tree. Yes, I am. Here, try to head. There. Right ahead. There's the tree. Look. Use your flashlight. Come to Friday. Stand back. Don't go near. It's the tree of death. Tree of death? Look. It's limbs are clutching at his body. Look at them ride like snakes. Doctor, what on earth are we seeing? One of the little pleasantries of the La Jolla jungle, Captain. The tree that eats flesh. What are you saying? They threw me to the tree of death. Hang on. I have done my work and they no longer need me. They? They? Carlos, can you speak quickly? Who are they? My masters. The brothers to the living dead. But why kill you? Why, Carlos? No. He's killing me. He's killing me. I can't stand this, doctor. I'm going into that tree. Keep away, Captain. That's suicide. Look how the branches are writhing and reaching for you. That tree alive? It's sensitive to the presence of flesh. The limbs reach for flesh to eat exactly as the ordinary tree lists its limbs skyward to feed on sunshine and fresh air. Carlos, can you still talk? He's squeezing my brain. Carlos, answer me. Why were you thrown to the tree of death? Because I revealed the secret of the passage under the river. And it's all over. He's gone. Disappeared just as though he'd been swallowed by that tree. I know, Captain. You're thinking of the other face you saw on that tree. Yes. I wonder who it was. Why do you say it like that? I was thinking of Skip. Skip? Skip! Wouldn't you have known if it had been Skip? How could I? It wasn't a human face when I saw it. Captain, this is terrible. You... You don't think it might have been... No, no, not Judith. I know it wasn't. It was a man. Come on, back to camp, Captain. We're alone now. Alone in the... the Hoya jungle. Oh, no, you are not, gentlemen. If either of you move a step, you will be run through with a poison spear. Who said that? I don't see anyone. Of course you see no one. But I am here. Here in the jungle. Your hands over your heads, both of you. Who was your toll, Captain? We're trapped. Good advice, Dr. English. Remember, you die the instant you move. Come on. You and he can't take their weapons. It looks like the end of the trail, Doctor. The end, Captain Fryday. The end... unless... Unless what? Why don't you come out of those shadows and show yourself? It does not suit my purpose to come out. As to the order, you may still save yourselves and send your Skip Turner if a certain piece of dry human skin is turned over to me. Is that true? Give me them up, and I promise you safe escort the spaceship at La Jolla. And my daughter too? Your daughter? Yes, yes, my daughter. I refuse to agree to anything unless you return my daughter. Ikan, take them to the Jakota sacrificial stone. There are ways of making men tell their innermost secrets, Dr. English. And Ikan, when they are stretched upon the ancient sacrificial stone, many things may be done to the anatomy. Many unpleasant things. See... Just a minute. Throw them into the dungeon and they foot to the sacrificial stone. Skip. Is it really you? You and Dr. English? Well, they've got you in the dungeon too, Skip. Are you all right? Oh, sure, I'm okay. But, man, I never expected to see you two again. Hey, grab Dr. English. He's gonna pass out. No, I'm all right, but all hope of saving Judith is gone. Judith? Captain, what's happened to Judith? Kidnapped by Mrs. Sanders the day you were captured. Kidnapped by Mrs. Sadows? Well, then she's... Yes, a traitor in our camp. And you ain't heard a word? Not a word. She's gone. Skip, have you been in this little stone cell ever since they captured you? Yeah. But where are we? We were pushed in here with you without any chance to look around. What is this place? Look through that chink in the wall. You mean here? Yeah. It doesn't look like much. Just another stone chamber. The deal bigger than this? It's pretty gloomy. Well, use your eyes, boss. What are you driving at, Skip? You see that big rock at the end of the chamber? Oh, you mean the one covered with red paint? Red paint. Paint is good. Look here, Skip, what's the mystery? You're looking at the Jakota sacrificial rock. Eh? What's that? Here, Captain, let me have a look. You mean that red is the blood of the poor critters sacrificed to the Jakota gods during the last thousand years? Then we must be in the death chamber. I reckon so. Looks like we're going to be next. Skip, is this a gag? Do you know what you're talking about? Listen, if you think civilized people know anything about torture, just wait until you see these Jakota Indian priests at work. So that's what we're in for, eh? What's that after English? What do you see through the chink in the wall? It's the drum ceremony. The Jakota invocation to the sun god. They look through the crack, Captain. Into the amphitheater. You see, the sun's coming over the eastern wall. The sun shows over there in the morning. It ain't got no roof on it. It's a beautiful sight. You're right, Captain. Beauty and viciousness are very close relatives in the Jakota soul. Civilized man's incapable of understanding these ancient people. Skip, how are we locked in here? This room we're in must be thousands of years old. Is there a modern lock on the door? Oh, they're fastening. It's as old as the building itself. Some sort of a system of bars and interlock. It holds a stone door closed all right, though. Eh, might as well be a dozen year locks as far as we're concerned. But supposing we had a friend on the outside. But we ain't. But supposing we did have. Well, if we did have a friend outside, I don't suppose we'd have much trouble getting this free. But what the heck are you getting at? We ain't got a friend. I was just supposing. Supposing we've got a friend. Listen, Skip, that where we'll follow looks like death approaches the English expedition. Why do you say that? Every time we've heard that howl, hasn't someone either died or come very near to death? Yeah, that's right. It gives me kind of a... Hey, listen. Somebody stop just outside our door. So death is going to pay us another visit. They're coming for us. There's no two ways about that. They're coming for us. Captain Friday, Skip and Dr. English are in the death dungeon of the Chakota Sacrificial Temple. Through a chink in the wall, they can look in upon the execution chamber and the sacrificial stone. And just outside the dungeon, the werewolf and the Chakota priests are standing. One of the three, or perhaps all, are to go to the execution room. They're taking down the bars. One of us is going to pay a little visit to that red rack-out chanda. Sure, sure. Before that happens, we'll introduce them to a good old-fashioned knockdown, drag-out straight brawl. It isn't you boys they want, Captain. It's me. They want the map. The map of the secret passage between the La Jolla Monastery and the Sacred City. That is true. Hey, I didn't see the door open. You have a high sense of intuition, Dr. English. Good morning, Senorys. No, it ain't a good morning. Easy, Skip. Doctor, once again I make you a proposition. You give me the map, and I promise you and your two friends safe conduct back to the United States. But Judith, my daughter. What are my daughter? Oh, yes. The Senorita. Look, fella, I'm going to take you apartment. Be quiet, you fool. I'll tend to you later. Come, Dr. English. Which do you choose? To give up the map or a trip to the sacrificial stone? Oh, great guy, when you're in a driver's seat, ain't you? Skip, there's no use antagonizing him. The sacrificial stone is not a comfortable bed. Come. Which do you choose? You can't bargain with me so long as my daughter's in danger. Ikan, um, remove the doctor to the sacrificial chamber. Wait a minute, doctor. Let's have this thing out. Do not move, Captain Friday. Each of my men is armed with a poisoned spear, a mere scratch from which would cause you instant death. Stand where you are. They've been out there out. It's no use, Captain. Look at the tips of those spears covered with deadly venom. Yeah, but, doctor, we can... No, Skip, no. But this isn't the end yet. Some of us are bound to reach the sacred city. Oh, what wonderful faith. Are you going to walk or do you prefer to be dead? I'll walk. I ain't gonna stand here and see that guy... Hospital! I stood by and let him carry Dr. English off to be executed. That's what we did. Yeah, great. Well, why didn't we pitch into him? If we'd moved, we'd been dead now, and the doctor'd still be in the same fix. Dead were a total loss. Alive, we might still work an angle. Yeah, you know what we are? We're just a pair of lambs waiting our turn at the slaughter. Snap out of it. I'll be thinking of some way to fight our way out of here. Okay, what you want me to do? One of us is going to watch the sacrificial chamber through this chink in the wall. The other's gonna try to find a way of opening that door. Which job do you want? I never want to see that sacrificial chamber again. Not after what I seen yesterday. Then see what you can do with the door. I'll watch. You'll be sorry if you do. It'll haunt you the rest of your days. I wouldn't do it if it wasn't necessary. But it may give us a clue as to our own future actions. The only clue it'll give you will be how you're gonna die. Nevertheless, I... Uh-oh. They stripped Dr. English to the waist. Yeah, nobody ever dies on a sacrificial stone with his clothes on. They've grabbed him. Three. No, four men have thrown him on the rock. On his back, huh? Yeah. Yeah. That's the way the girl died, too. Skip. Skip, what are they doing? Well, you wanted a watch. Well, there ain't nothing I can do with this door, and you know it. They've got him on his back. One man holding each foot, the man hanging on each arm. Do you have to tell me, haven't I seen it? Don't I know that each priest will brace his foot against a stone and pull in four directions until his body's as taught as the head of a drum? Now, that's exactly what they're doing. Yeah, and then that werewolf beast will step forward with his knife and run his hand over the body until he finds the taughtest spot of all. Don't I know? Didn't I see it with my own eyes? Animals, animals, all of them. Yeah, find a place where the tension is greatest. And there's where he'll plunge the knife. The werewolf's stepping forward. He's bending over. Skip, there's Tula. There's Tula. Who? Tula, the green-eyed girl who killed Robert. She's standing right behind the werewolf, right behind him. Sure, she's part of the ceremony. Look how beautiful she is. How can anything so beautiful be so ungodly? Like a snake. So Tula's companion of the werewolf. Skip, he's running his hand over the doctor's body. Look, he's found the spot. I know, it's always the same on the left side, right under the heart. Mrs. Santas! Mrs. Santas is there, too. She just crept inside the doorway. Hey, is she a prisoner? No. No, she's standing in a shadow. They haven't seen her yet. And she's one of the sacred priests. Made suckers out of us. She fooled me, all right. Skip, werewolf's raised his knife. He's asking Dr. English a question. Yeah, must be about to map. You know, the doctor won't give in. He shook his head. And it's all over. No, no, no! Hey, what happened? Has Dr. English dead? Quiet, listen. Look at the sun! The healer monster is riding with the sun! Skip, come here and look. There's the shadow of the healer monster on the face of the sun. The prophecy's fulfilled. The healer monster is riding with the sun. And that means some awful catastrophe for the world. The jacotas are struck dumb. They're scared stiff. Hey, they've let Dr. English go. He's off the stone. Yeah, they've forgotten all about him. He's got a way. He's free. Priests are just standing there staring at the sun. Oh, I hope he makes it. I hope he makes it. He's out of the chamber. Mrs. Sanders has disappeared. Oh, if we were on there out of here, Cappy, Dr. English would have a chance alone. But the three of us might put up a fight. Hey, someone's open in the door. Who is it? Who's out there? It's Dr. English. It's Dr. English. He didn't run away. He's free in us, Captain. Hurry, Doctor. The jacotas have come to their senses. They've discovered you've gone. Hurry, Doctor. Hurry. Hurry. Come, come quickly. Into the jungle. It's our only chance. Into the jungle. How much further to the river, do you think, Doctor? Phew. I'm about all in. Well, if Carlos didn't lie to us and men don't lie when they're dying, then the Passy John of the River should be very near this place. Now, let's get a breath for a moment. Yeah. Phew. Well, he'll never find us in this tangle of jungle. Good thing you grabbed up your clothes as you left, Doctor. This is no place for a man in a loincloth. I wonder if you realize how true your words are. Look, Captain, see that plant? The one with the leaves splashed with red? Yes. Only those red splashes happen to be vicious red ants. Red ants? A few hundred of them could eat a man alive in 24 hours. You mean these ants eat flesh? That's right. Everything seems to eat human flesh down here, even the trees. Skip, look out. What? The snake? That was a close one for your skip. Man, look at the size of that. The poison is brute. Called a swamp snake. Oh, thanks, Captain. But where in heck did it come from? Wrap down from that limb above your head and roll like a tape measure. Must be 12 feet if he's an inch. Come on, let's get out of this jungle. This is the offless hole I ever was in. Here, let me go ahead. I'm familiar with the jungle. Follow close on my heels. Whatever you do, don't touch so much as a leaf without first knocking it with your crub. Never can tell where a poisonous bug or reptile may be hidden. Pleasant thought. Yeah, remember this. Every step you take is as much as your life is worth. Hey, what sort of entrance do you think this passage under the river will have, Doc? I haven't the slainest idea, Skip. Maybe a dark tunnel mouth overgrown by vines. Oh, that's gonna make it hard to find. Doesn't sound very encouraging. Maybe a week's finding it. Remember, we got no folder weapons. Listen, there's the roar of the river. Come on. We're about an hour's traveler up the river from our camp. The passage under the river can't be far off. Look. Look. Well, burn my bridges, a building. A concrete building in the middle of the jungle. Nothing of the kind, Skip. Ancient ruins. Look at the jagged broken walls. The caved-in roof. Chacota ruins. Hey, Doc, the English word discoverers. Well, that a good Chacota ruins out of us. What I want to find is that secret passage under the river. Hey, Doc, do you suppose we can explore that building? Oh, that's great. With Chacota savages on our trail and the death of the La Jolla jungle all around us, you want to explore. Captain Friday's right, Skip. We can't stop now. But what a wealth of archeological material that old place must hold. Yeah, but it's right on the edge of the river. What's that got to do with it? Well, but don't you suppose... Look here. Maybe the entrance to the river passage is in that building. Yeah, what do you say, Doctor? Is that reasonable? Why not, Doctor? Don't you remember? Carlos said the tunnel was right around here. That's a wise thought, my boy. Well, let's get at it. It's gonna be dark pretty soon. We've got to search through old ruins. I want daylight. Come on, let's go. Look at that magnificent structure. Thousands and thousands of years ago, perhaps this building was the place of worship for a great race of people whose civilizations lost to the world. Nothing but a heap of decaying rock and vegetation now. Hey, except for the walls. Look. Look at the mosaic floors. Did you ever see more beautiful carving? The pattern almost wiped off that solid stone by time and the elements. Think how many centuries the wind and rain must have swept floors in... Doctor English. Doctor English. Listen. Doctor English. The passage on your right leads to the cavern beneath the river. Hey, who said that? Where is she? Keep still. The passage to the right. The passage to the right. Mrs. Sando's voice. I don't see nobody. Just a voice. Quickly. Quickly. You must not hesitate if you would be saved. Take the passage to the right. Here. This is the way. Come on. Doctor, you're not gonna follow those instructions. Remember it was she who took Judith. Then what do we do, Captain? Anything but fall into another of her traps? You have little time left. Act quickly. I am your friend. Then where is Judith? The path to the right. I'm going. I'm gonna take a chance. Skip, don't be a fool. I'm going, Captain. Maybe at least I can see Judith once again before I get stretched on that sacrificial rock. Doctor, stop him. He's walking in a certain death. I'm going with him, Captain. No, you fools. You unadulterated fools. You're walking into a trap. Don't come if you feel that way, Captain Friday. Of course I'm going with you. To the left now, Senior Turner. To the left. Now down the three steps. Trust me, Senior. Down the three steps. Again to the left. Now around the big boulder. We're all a pack of lunatics to do this. You are now at the mouth of the cavern, Senior Turner. There are torches set up along the route for you. Hey, looky. Ain't that a sight? Torches along the walls of the cave. I'm going in. Wait, Skip. At least let's go in together. Keep close, Doctor. All right, let's go. Hey, them torches throw funny shadows on the wall. Look. Hieroglyphics on the wall. Watch your step. I still think this is a trap. Hey. And you arrive, Captain Friday. The werewolf. It is a trap. The werewolf says it's a trap. Mrs. Santos says she is still to be trusted. In the tunnel beneath the river of broken waters, Captain Friday, Skip Turner and Doctor English face the new menace of the brotherhood of the living dead. And what of Judah? Further developments of the land of the living dead will be unfolded next week at the same time. You are listening to Adventures by Morse.