 And now, stay tuned for the program that has rated tops in popularity for a longer period of time than any other West Coast program in radio history. The Signal Oil Program, The Whistler. Signal, the famous go farther gasoline, invites you to sit back and enjoy another strange story by The Whistler. For extra driving pleasure, the signal to look for is the yellow and black circle sign that identifies signal service stations from Canada to Mexico. And for Sunday evening listening pleasure, the signal to listen for is this whistle that identifies the Signal Oil Program, The Whistler. I am 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. And now for the Signal Oil Company, The Whistler's strange story. Desert Reckoning. The small cabin plane pursues its course high above the Mexican desert. It's midnight, and a full moon bathes everything beneath it with a bright veneer. The land below so starkly beautiful in the moonlight is nothing but arid barren wasteland, uninhabited, a long, endless stretch of nothing. Inside the plane, Larry Travis, the pilot, glances at his watch, then at the instrument panel. Behind him, his partner, Johnny Barron, tucks a blanket more securely around the girl, Ella Winnon. Then, their easy flight is interrupted, as the plane lurches forward, then drops suddenly, losing altitude. What is it, Larry? I'm not sure yet, Johnny. Don't worry though, I can land this crate. Oh Larry, do you know? Yes, yes I know. We're at least 150 miles from the nearest village, and we're a little over 3,000 feet above nothing but desert. Oh no. You're sure we're okay, Larry? Oh sure, sure we are, Johnny. You two just sit tight. You're glad they can't see your smile, aren't you, Larry? They might not understand that this unfortunate difficulty above the lonely desert is all part of a plan. Your plan, Larry. Remember when it all began? It wasn't so long ago, just last night, 24 hours ago, back there in San Salvador. The night club where you sat with Johnny's girlfriend, Ella. Yes, Larry, last night. You think Johnny will be long, Larry? That's when it began. Oh, he shouldn't be too long. But then he's the businessman in the setup. He'll give it whatever time the steel requires. Oh, I hope it works out for both of you. Well, thanks for including me in. Well, you and Johnny, you've been a team for quite a while, haven't you? Oh, just since the war. He had the money and I had a few beat-up transport planes, war surplus stuff, you know? And I had the savvy tool put it all together and it comes out a pretty fair air freight service. Now this outfit in the States wants to buy us out, lock, stock and barrel. Planes, contracts, everything. And for a, well, a tidy sum. Johnny said he hoped he'd get 70 or 80,000 for it. Johnny seems to tell you quite a bit, doesn't he? Well, yes, I guess he does. He seems to like you a bit too, doesn't he? I hope he does. I like Johnny a lot. You sure? Of course I'm sure, Larry. Funny I had you figured different. I figured you knew a good thing when you saw it. Thanks for the compliment. Johnny and I will be splitting a nice piece of change when we get back to the States. If he closes this deal, we'll be flying back right away. Yes, I know. Now if you were really a smart operator, you could probably talk Johnny into taking you along. Free trip home. Look, Larry, Johnny's a big boy now. Maybe you don't think I'm the right girl for him. That's up to you. But about the trip home, he's already asked me to go along and I'm going, Larry. And something else. I think more of Johnny than anyone I know. Hey, you two, brighten up. Hey, fully all bring us a bottle. The good stuff. Oh, Johnny, did you make it? Did I? Oh, baby, did I? Hey, come alive, boy. It's all set. We're rich. Well, come on. Give us the pitch. What happened? Oh, it's wonderful. Well, we talked the whole thing over and when the haggling was finished, we had ourselves a deal. A real deal. Oh, Johnny, that's wonderful. Well, wait a minute. What is this real deal, Johnny? How much? $80,000. Ha-ha! When did we get it? As soon as we show our handsome, clean cut faces in San Diego, $80,000 cashier's check payable to Johnny Barron and or Larry Travis. Well, you're the fly boy in this combo. When do we start tonight? Right now? Wait a minute. Take it easy now. Take it easy. You make the business deals. I'll fly the plane. Well, let's see. Let's see. It'll take a little doing, get the plane check, gas, everything. How about tomorrow afternoon? Tomorrow afternoon is great with me. How about you, Ella? Oh, Larry, I asked you. Yes, yes, I know. It's okay. You're sure, Larry? Sure, three isn't a crowd. Ha-ha! Not this time, Ella. This time, three's company. Yes, that's when it all started, Larry, with the three of you at the night club in San Salvador just last night. And now, hours later, under the bright midnight over the Mexican desert, your small plane drops earthward. Terror, silent terror grips Johnny and Ella in the seats behind you. You smile to yourself and say nothing. Finally, the motor sputters for the last time. And you guide the plane almost noiselessly to a landing on the desert floor. Come on, let's get out of this kite and see what we're up against. Oh, Mother Earth, you never look better to me. Okay, Johnny. Oh, I'm glad that's over. Hey, look at those big rocks you just missed. Oh, they are big. There's a whole ridge of them. Oh, thanks for dodging them, Larry. It was a pleasure. Um, have you any idea where we are, Larry? Sure, sure, like I told you, nowhere. Nowhere in the biggest stretch of desert in Mexico any objections? No, Larry, don't get sore. I just ask. Oh, I'm sorry, Skippet. I'm not sore, just a little edgy, I guess. Look, um, why don't you two get some shut-eye? Well, what about you? Oh, I'll tinker with the plane a little, just the fuel line that's fouled up, I think, and some sleep, too. Uh, think I could help? Oh, you? Yeah, I guess you're right. I don't know a thing about it. You will get some sleep, though. Oh, sure, sure, in a little while. Come on now, don't worry. This thing will fly in the morning. You help them set up camp for the night over by the big rocks to keep the wind away. And soon you're certain they're both asleep. No need for you to tinker with the plane, is there, Larry? Because there's nothing wrong with the fuel line. Nothing wrong with the plane at all. The motor sputters, the lurching, the sudden loss of altitude. A simple matter to arrange by turning the cutoff valve on the second gas tank. And it worked perfectly. You knew the terrain thoroughly. You set down in the middle of nowhere, closer to the ridge of rocks than you'd expected, but otherwise at the exact spot where you had planned to land. You're the only one who can fly the plane out. It's a comforting thought, isn't it? And it lulls you off to sleep, deep, deep sleep, until the bright glare of morning awakens you. Even the early morning desert sun is stifling, penetrating, but you tell yourself you won't have to put up with the heat long. Not you, Larry. Try to start the plane yet, Larry? No, no, not yet, Johnny. All right, though. Let's get out of here. How, Larry? I am getting out, Johnny. Alone. Johnny, he's got a gun. The girl's got a good eye, Johnny. You'll need her. What's the idea, Larry? It's simple, Johnny. 80,000. All mine. Nice of you to have that check payable to either one of us. Easy, honey. You're just going to leave us here, Larry? Oh, didn't you know? We had to make an emergency landing. You two got panicky and wandered away. After I fixed the plane, I tried to locate you, but... Well, I just couldn't. You got it all figured out, huh? Oh, we'll come back and look for you, Johnny. We'll search all over. And finally, we'll find you dead. Now, stay where you are, Johnny. I'm getting out of here. Planes don't start, do they, without spark plugs? When were you around this plane? Last night. I was concerned about you. I wondered if you were going to get any sleep. And you were asleep long before I was. You didn't do anything to that plane, so I got suspicious and figured I'd better play it safe. Give me those plugs, Johnny. Or I'll kill you. Go ahead. Kill me. Maybe you can find the spark plugs. See, I buried them in the sand. Some place. I'll make you a deal, Larry. I'll take the gun and I'll give you the plugs. No deal. Okay. Then we'll just stay here. All three of us. And see what happens. Signal is happy to send a $20 gasoline book this week to Eleanor H. Hill of Hollywood, California for this limerick. Well, you too can be thrifty. So if your old bus isn't nifty, buy Go Farther Gas for pickup and class. And she'll make like a new 1950. Signal, signal, signal gasoline. Your car will go far with Go Farther Gasoline. When tonight's limerick writer suggested that with Signal Gasoline your old car will make like a new 1950, she may have been exaggerating just a little. But this much is for sure. When you switch to Signal you will notice quick cold weather starting. You will enjoy peppy pickup and you will thrill to smooth silent power. For proud performance naturally goes hand in hand with Signal's good mileage. So if you're not trading your old car for a new 1950 do the next best thing. Drive into a signal station and fill up with the famous Go Farther Gasoline. You weren't prepared for Johnny, were you Larry? You were the one with the plan, not Johnny. It was your idea to leave Johnny and Ella to die in the desert while you flew on to San Diego and the $80,000 that's just waiting there for you. But Johnny, your business partner who knows nothing about planes who can't fly one knew enough to remove the spark plugs to keep you from flying Larry. Now you've still got the gun, a jug of water, the plane all except the spark plugs and only Johnny knows where they are. Following his refusal to give them to you you split into two camps Johnny and Ella going over behind the rocks and you staying near the plane. By noon the glare of the desert sun puts everything in a weird hazy glow it's stifling the sand is hot burning hot even through your shoes the air is dry and parched and then as you glance toward the ridge of rocks you see Ella coming toward you alone. Don't need to sleep now. Well bless his little heart. Larry, you've got to get me out of here. I can't stand this place it's so hot so terribly hot please take me with you. Sure, give me the spark plugs and I'll take you with me. Why not? They are. Oh Larry, please. So he was just a ticket back to the States, huh? That stupid jerk. I want to stay with you Larry just you. I'll bet you do. I'm not so bad. You might find you like to have me around Larry once you got used to it. Anyway, I'm worth a try. Aren't I Larry? Somehow you expected this, hadn't you Larry? You knew that sooner or later she'd be coming around but you can't be too sure you figured her out correctly, can you? And you decide to be on guard watch her closely. You walk back to the plane drop to the sand in the shade beneath the wing presently Ella joins you again. What are you going to do Larry? Nothing, just wait. Wait for what? We can't go anywhere. There's no spark plug but I still have the radio. You mean you'll call for help? Sure. And the minute the rescue plane gets here Johnny comes running out tells his story. He won't be alive to tell anybody anything. You're going to... I won't have to. The heat will he hasn't any water out there, has he? No. Another day to it the most without water and he'll be through. Then I'll radio for help. Yes, you've thought it all out, haven't you? Know exactly what's going to happen. It's only a matter of waiting isn't it Larry? Waiting for Johnny to die. As you sit there in the shade the plane wing affords your eyes wander over the broad flat sandy waist the reflected glare the intense heat is hard to bear but you know it's worse for Johnny you're among the rocks the hour is dragged by slowly silently as you stare through the shimmering heat at the rocks and Johnny you know he's somewhere in them watching you and then finally sundown but the breeze you've been hoping for doesn't come darkness settles down like a warm cloak over the desert and then suddenly you're on your feet Larry, what's the matter? A red glow, a fire It's Johnny, he's trying to signal. Come on, we're going over there. I said come on, on your feet. Half dragging pushing you across the stretch of sand that lies between the plane and the rocks where Johnny has started the fire but when you reach the fire Johnny is nowhere to be seen. Quickly you put out the blade. Larry, where could he be? He's around, he's hiding out there somewhere in the dark. Better luck next time Johnny. Do you think that's what he was doing, signaling? He didn't start this fire to keep warm. But surely he must have known you'd see the fire come up here. Sure, sure, he knew I... Wait a minute, wait a minute. Yes, he knew what I do, in fact he was counting on it. Suddenly the realization sweeps over you you turn, race back to the plane Ella following close behind it was a clever move on Johnny's part wasn't it Larry? And as you reach the plane you leap aboard gun in hand you step inside the cabin is empty you glance around quickly to make certain nothing's been touched. Larry, what's the matter? Your boyfriend tried to pull a fast one, that's all. That fire sweet heart he wanted to lure us away from the plane. But why? You can't fly? He was after something. I don't know what but it's a good thing I got back here as fast as I did. Let's get back outside. Oh Larry, can't I stay here? Inside the plane, it's so hot out there. It isn't any cooler in here, come on. Ella, what are you doing in the plane? I couldn't sleep out there Larry. Honest Larry, I... You're just after the water jug aren't you? Please Larry, one drink. No, hand it over. That's better. Now wait a minute. This jug feels funny, it's heavy. No Larry, don't turn it over, you'll lose the water. Water? Just desert sand Ella, sand not water. Johnny, he filled this spare jug with sand and took the one filled with water. So that's what he was after tonight. That fire. Sand, just sand. Yeah, sand. And he's out there now with a jug full of water. And he's the guy I thought would suffer. Why that dirty brush? Larry, listen. He's out there laughing. Do you hear all Larry? He's laughing at us. Larry, where you going? Out there to kill him, he's got the water we need. Wait! Wait, I'm sorry baby, the waiting game is over. You start across the sand towards the land marking taunting you Larry. And the murderous rage within you mounts as you run for the rocks. And Johnny, as you reach them the laughter suddenly stops. You stand there waiting, listening. Then you move slowly among the rocks, certain you know what Johnny's plan is. You stop, listen. Suddenly you turn on the flashlight. The bean cut through the inky blackness sweeps past several huge boulders and there is Johnny. Even as you fire you know you've missed him Larry. You reach the spot where Johnny was standing. But he's vanished into the darkness. Larry, look! The dog, you hit the water jug! You reach down, pick up the shattered jug. Most of the water has already soaked into the sand. But there's still a little left. Not much Larry. But enough to prolong life for a while even in the desert. You turn, hurry back to the plane, pour what's left of the water into a canteen. Ella watches your every move. Larry. No, no you can't. There isn't enough here to last another day. Here. Hold the flashlight. The radio. You're going to call me. Yes. Yes, the rescue plane ought to reach us in a couple of hours. But Johnny, what about him? It'll be dawn in a little while. That's when I start out looking for him. He can't duck me in broad daylight. He'll be dead by the time the plane gets here. What's the matter with this thing? Suddenly panic sweeps over you as you claw at the lid of the radio and hook it. Then as you look inside you find what you feared most has happened. One of the radio tubes is gone. First the spark plugs so I couldn't fly out. Now the radio so I can't call for help. Sure. Sure when he came for the water he took the tube and... Ella. Yes. Don't worry, my arm. Maybe Johnny didn't take the tube. Maybe you did. Larry, please. You'll double crossing chiseling you. All right. All right. I took it. But you'll never find it. Oh, won't I? Go ahead. Kill me. But you won't find it. Yes, you know she means it, don't you Larry? She's just like Johnny. She'll never tell you unless you give her the gun. Her life depends on it. When you got your plans back in San Salvador you took the precaution to arrange an escape route and now you're forced to make that move. You release your hold on Ella. Watch her as she slumps down to the floor sobbing quietly. And then suddenly you're aware of the wind outside. Well, it looks like wind for a storm, sweetheart. Storm? Relax, relax. This wind isn't going to bring water, only sand and lots of it. All right, better get going. Yeah, yeah, some head north. There's a spot 20 miles from here where an airline crosses the desert two flights a week. One of them's today. I can reach that spot in time to signal it down if I start now. Larry, you're going to leave me? How'd you guess? There's just enough water in this canteen for one, sweetheart. Sure, I'm leaving you. But you won't be able to tell Johnny where you've hidden that radio tube. No, Larry, wait! Ah! When you see really ancient chariots humming merrily down the highway, don't you sometimes wonder what makes some cars last so much longer than others? Well, the way a car is driven naturally plays a big part. But an equally important factor is the lubrication and service a car gets. And that's where independent signal dealers shine. Having chosen the automobile servicing business as their permanent business, signal dealers are naturally interested in cars. With them, it's not a temporary job. In fact, most signal dealers have been in the service station business for years. That means they've acquired a know-how in taking care of cars, which can make a big difference in performance. Also, since each signal dealer is in business for himself, he realizes his success depends on keeping you satisfied. Because this conscientious type of personal service can add a lot to your car's life and your driving pleasure. It's another mighty good reason why each day more and more drivers are switching to signal. The famous Go Farther Gasoline. The stinging sand drives against your hands and face, Larry, as you bend forward against the wind. You walk on and on, half-seeing, half-hearing. It seems ours since you left the plane, left Ella dead inside it, somewhere in the rocks. There's nothing to fear from either of them, is there? Only the sand storm now. But you're certain it won't last much longer. They usually blow themselves out in a matter of hours. Soon you should be near the point where the plane will fly over. But it's hard to tell, isn't it? You stop, lean into the wind, shield your eyes, and squint into the haze ahead of you. Oh, sir. You wheel around. A plane, Larry. Sounded like a plane, but where? You look up, around, ahead of you. Or was it just the wind of your imagination? You listen, straining, you listen. Then you look up ahead, see the dim outlines of the rocks. You've been walking in a circle, Larry. You're right back where you started, Bob. It was a plane. Hey, wait! Jolly! Jolly, wait for me! The plane has flown on, Larry. Your eyes search the haze, the thin strip of sky visible above it. And then you look down again and see your own plane on the ground right where it was. You hurry toward it. The radio. Jolly must have found the tube. He radioed for help. Your hands reach out for the radio control. And then you see it. The note stuck up against the wind shield. Jolly's note to you. Larry. Larry, I... I put the tube back after I saw you start out this morning. He put it back. Then Ella did... Yes, Larry. Suddenly it all becomes clear. Ella didn't take the radio tube. She lied to you. You realize now she thought she'd be safe from you like Jolly was. If you believe she had taken the tube, you lead on. I radioed for help. I told you when the plane came, bad storm couldn't see you. We're taking Ella's body with us, Larry. The radio works now. You can take your choice. Radio for help and pay for Ella's murder. Or stay where you are. It's up to you. Let that whistle be your signal for the signal oil program, The Whistler. Each Sunday night at the same time. Brought to you by the Signal Oil Company, marketers of signal gasoline and motor oil, and fine automotive accessories. Remember, if you would like the fun of having your friends hear a limerick of yours on The Whistler, the address to which descended is the Signal Oil Company, Los Angeles 55, California. All limericks become the property of the Signal Oil Company. Those selected for use on The Whistler will be chosen by our advertising representative for sustainability and originality. So, of course, they must be your own composition. Featured in tonight's story were Wally Mayer, Doris Singleton, and Hi-Avaback. The Whistler was produced and directed by George W. Allen, with story by Sid Swirsky and Dwayne Yarnel, music by Wilbur Hatch, and was transmitted to our troops overseas by the Armed Forces Radio Service. The Whistler is entirely fictional, and all characters portrayed on The Whistler are also fictional. One person's living or dead is purely coincidental. Remember, at this same time next Sunday, another strange tale by The Whistler. This is Marvin Miller speaking for The Signal Oil Company. This is CBS The Columbia Broadcasting System.