 Adventures by Morse. Courtney Morse presents the Cobra King Strikes Back, featuring Captain Friday. If you like high adventure, come with me. If you like the stealth of intrigue, come with me. If you like blood and thunder, come with me. There is a killer loose in the jungle of Cambodia in the north of Indochina, a killer named Fen Loh who was once the prisoner of Captain Bart Friday. Besides dealing in death, he is hand in glove with certain Cambodian priests in an attempt to bring about an uprising of the native Khmer people to throw off French rule and rediscover and re-inhabit the jungle cities of the ancient Khmer civilization, now gone to ruin these many centuries. But let Captain Friday tell it. There's a Cambodian legend that a famous emerald cobra idol disappeared with the fall of the Khmer nation, and that the nation will be restored when the precious snake statue returns. Now, there's rumor that it's been found. I'm in Cambodia for the double reason of recapturing the murderer Fen Loh and acquel the native uprising by capturing or destroying the emerald cobra should it actually reappear. Now, Professor LeBron, tell them about Dr. Carter. Dr. Carter, famed archaeologist, who was adding our expedition into the jungles, has completely disappeared. He has left his party under the care of Captain Friday and myself. Also in the party are Dr. Carter's daughter Celia, Patricia Young, who is Captain Friday's secretary, Perry Mills, assistant archaeologist, and a skip-turner. At Angkor Thom, we were kidnapped and were taken into the jungle aboard an elephant and camel caravan. We were abandoned in an ancient jungle temple and we were then picked up by a second caravan made up of wild mountain ponies under the guidance of fierce Cambodians of the back country. At the moment, we are each of us trapped onto a shaggy, vicious-looking little pony. We have been traveling through rugged, exotic jungle country all day. Our pack of dogs seem to have smelled another mouse. I never thought riding horses was like this. It's only like this when you're not used to it. We ought to be thankful that we're kept in a group so that we can talk to each other anyway. Listen to Perry Mills. I know it's tough on you girls with your feet tied to the stirrups and your hands tied behind you. It's just the same. It would be ten times worse if we had been separated. Skip-turner's gone to sleep on his pony. Look, he's all slumped over. I'm not by a jug full. I ain't... Not that I ain't been trying to. Captain Pride has been trying to get some shut-eye, too. No, I've just been thinking. We've been climbing this tortuous mountain path for a good three hours now. I don't understand where they're taking us. Practically out of the jungle country, it's getting more rugged. Yeah, rugged is right. Notice we've left the banyan and frominger trees and the bamboo grows behind. There's hardly any elephant grass this high up. Oh, that's true, Captain. We're coming to more and more places where we have to travel single-file around precipices and through gullies. Yeah, and I ain't seen any of them big monkeys at Perishotus for a couple hours. You mean the Gibbons? All the wild animal lives are spinning up. What's the matter, Patricia? I wonder if I look as funny as you do, Celia, with your hair flying and streaks of dirt all over your face like war paint. Well, I don't think either of us bring a very high price at the slave market just now. Well, no man ever saw me like this before. This horse I'm tied on doesn't stop this jogging and stumbling and lurching pretty soon. I'm going to scream. I've bitten my tongue three times. Oh, it can't last much longer. See, the sun's already throwing long shadows down into the valleys. They've got to stop for the night very soon. Did I hear someone say something about stopping? Yes, they'll have to make camp before it goes dark. You know, I think they've got some objective in view. You notice how the whole caravan has increased its pace? Look at poor Skip. He's sagging down in his saddle as though he were dead. I admire that chap more than ever before. The rest of us have at least had a little experience on horseback, but he must be in a terrible agony. Yet there hasn't been one word of complaint from him. I'm just tired. That's all that's a matter with me. Good night's sleep, and I'll be as good as ever. Oh, it's different with Skip. He'll be incapacitated for a whole week. He'll never be able to carry on tomorrow. Listen, do you folks hear that? Hmm. Sounds like a waterfall. Hear that, Patricia? Oh, it is. It is. Do you smell how fresh the air is? We're coming to wash it. Hiya! Hiya! Hiya! Hey, look, the horses up ahead are galloping. I wish they wouldn't. I can't bear galloping. Guess we'll have to do the best we can, Celia. The guards are whipping up their horses. Oh, gee! Have the love of Mike. What's going on? Come on, Skip. We must be almost there. They're going to take us off our horses. I wish they'd hurry. I wish they'd hurry. I wish they'd hurry. What are you saying? I'm going to be sick. You girls, be careful when they lift you down. You probably wouldn't be able to stand now. Here they come now. Don't let them put you on your feet. Oh, hurry, hurry. I can't stand it any longer. I can't. There, there, senior. They're unfastening your legs now. I can't stand it. I can't stand it. Oh, poor child. It's the natural reaction after holding out for so long. There, there. She's off. Good. Oh, they have the sense to lay on the grass. Well, thank heavens I'm next. Hello, hello. Something's going on over yonder. Hey, what's happened to Skip? What's the matter with Skip? He went into a paint when they took him from his horse. To be expected, he'll be all right, though. He has stamina. Are you all right, Patricia? Oh, I, I feel so absolutely dead to my waist down. The circulation has been partly cut off in your lower limbs. Now, move them about. Grab them. That will bring back this to life. Now, Celia, you would better do the same. I'm sorry. I was such a baby. I kind of lost control of myself for a minute. Oh, it was the most natural thing in the world. Oh, I guess I'm next. Get the thongs off, you men. Well, here I come. Oh, Professor, you fell. Did you hurt yourself? Oh, nothing but my dignity. That's what I get for being so cocky. I warned you to let them lift you to the gas, and then I turned right around, tried to get off by myself and landed in an heap. I thought sure that pony was going to kick you. You fell right under its feet. Yeah, let's see what we can do about getting a little circulation started around here. My, my leg is beginning to throb and tingle. The circulation is returning. Aye, Captain Friday. Yes. Having trouble making your limbs work? Oh, plenty. Well, massage them and move them with your hands. A skip coming around. Yes, he's all right. Don't wander away, Patricia. So with dark coming on, I should say not. Oh, I wish they, I wish they get a fire going. What? Well, look. Oh, the horses are gone. Gone? Why? So they have. This country seems to be the native aunts for all sorts of vanishing tricks. But they, they were here just a moment ago. They must be somewhere. Quite probably they are. Hello, hello. What do these particularly vicious looking fellas want? I've never seen them before. Go away. Go away, don't touch me. Oh, it's all right, Celia. It's all right. Don't be frightened. Now, look. One of them is carrying skip and another one has berry. They're going to carry all of us. Joe, what gigantic fellows. Look how that native handles Captain Friday. As though he was a child. You, uh, you think it's all right? I don't think we have much choice in the matter. There goes Celia. Oh, I hope he doesn't drop her. He's big enough to carry three of her. There's your man, Patricia. Well, the market street railway never was like this. Here I go. Hello. Uh-huh. So you're my back horse. All right. Let's go. Hey, look, there's the waterfall. See it around the precipice? Oh, how gorgeous. What's the matter with Celia? Can you see her? Yes. Yes, she's up ahead. She's struggling and fighting with the carrier in her arms. I wonder what it is. Celia, what's the trouble? I'm going to drown. What is she saying? She says they're going to drown us. She must have seen something up ahead. Oh, nonsense. They wouldn't bring us all this way just to drown. Look. Oh, look. They're carrying us straight into the water. But what on earth are they doing? Oh, is it being drowned? Oh, use your head, Patricia. The carrier has disappeared, too. He might possibly drown Celia, but he doesn't likely drown himself. And the same goes for Captain Friday and Barry and Skip. They've all disappeared, too. Well, then what has happened? I thought Celia disappeared on the water with my own eyes. Wait, wait and see. There is some sort of a natural phenomenon here. An optical illusion. Look. Our carriers are going down into the water, too. Oh. Looks cold and sullen, doesn't it? The roar of the falls is getting too loud. We won't be able to talk much more. Here we are, safe and sound. I'll bet you never had this experience before. Oh, and I don't ever want to again. We went right through that waterfall. Oh, I'm so glad to be on my feet again. An amazing adventure. We are in a cabin behind the waterfall. Can you walk? Yes, yes. I'm all right now, except I'm plenty scared. Come on, let's join the others. Well, hi there, Professor. How was that for a piggyback ride? Man, if I got something to tell my grandchildren, right out of nowhere, I threw a waterfall into a great big cave. Just like a page out of Persian night. I think you mean Arabian night. Yes, that's what I say. Listen, my voice echoes around like I was a giant. Hello. Well, Skip, you seem to have recovered rapidly. Yeah, I got well quick enough that I thought there was going to ask me in the river, John. Hey, what's this all about anyway? Oh, this seems to be part of somebody's idea of how to treat prisoners. Come on, let's only confer with Captain Friday while we're waiting for our guards to make the next move. Gee, when I saw you disappear, Celia, I thought you had gone down to the water. I was terribly frightened. Well, that's just the way I saw Skip disappear ahead of me. That's when I screamed. I thought they were drowning all of us. They just walked into the water up to their waists with us and then circled around the back of the falls. I didn't even get wet. Did you? Not the least bit. The native who carried me was a huge fellow. Current was awfully swift. Water was up to his armpits, and yet he lifted me up on his shoulder and carried me along as if I were a baby. Yeah, they did that with all of us. Hey, where do you suppose they brought us back into this cavern? I wonder. Oh, it's so dark. Those torches are much better than candles. Hello, Celia. You're covered from your horseback ride? Oh, Perry. I thought you men were holding a conference. Oh, no. It's dwindled into a bragging party. Everybody seems to think he had the strongest native carrying him. Well, let's go over and join him, huh? Why not? Oh, oh. What's wrong, Celia? Oh, I guess I'm kind of wobbly yet. Oh, poor kid. Here, let me carry you. No thanks. I've been carried enough today. And might get to be a habit. Good kid. Here, Perry, you walk on one side of her and I'll walk on the other. Isn't this silly? You're taking this a lot better than I am, Patricia. Oh, nonsense. It's just that I've always done a lot of horseback riding at home. Besides being Captain Friday's secretary, I'm used to being pushed around. Oh, what's this? Oh, kind of wobbly. That's all Captain Friday. Hey, you better sit down and take it easy. We've got something more ahead of us. Hey, ain't we had enough? You mean they ain't through yet? I was watching the guards. It's got something to do with this cavern. They're making some pretty elaborate arrangements. Since the leader of this expedition, Dr. Howard Carter, archaeologist and explorer, mysteriously vanished from Saigon, capital of Frenjindochina, the party has experienced one violence after another. They've been kidnapped and dragged through the Cambodian jungles until they are near exhaustion. Captain Friday and Professor Lebrun, as co-leaders of the party, have done their best to keep up the spirit of the members. But what the group need is the leadership of an old experienced hand such as Dr. Carter. At the moment, they have been taken from little wild Cambodian ponies to which they have been tied for almost 12 hours, transferred on native shoulders to a cavern behind a great waterfall. The two girls, Patricia and Celia, are lying on a thatch of grass resting. While the four men, Captain Friday, Professor Lebrun, Skip Turner and Perry Mills, assistant archaeologist, discuss the situation. Talk quietly so the girls can't hear us. Yeah. We're completely at the mercy of these Cambodians. There must be 20 of them in their savage brutes. The escape would be impossible. Escape where? We're trapping this cavern behind the waterfall. Well, there's no turning back now. What's going on? What's more, we're going to take the killer Fenlo out with us. Dead or alive? Yeah, and we don't care which. Oh, yeah. And we better watch that kind of talk. Have guards all about us. Just the same, Professor Lebrun. This crew of Cambodian cutthroats thinks it can chase us out of the jungle with all this hocus pocus. And it's got another guest coming. Tell me, Captain Friday, do you feel as antagonistic as ever thought Fenlo? Now that you know just what the country is like, could you either destroy or turn over to the French government the precious seven-headed Emerald Cobra if you should lay hands on it? I've given my word to do just that. You gave your word before. You had the faintest idea what it was all about. Would you have given your word so readily if you had known? How is anyone to know what he would have done under a given set of circumstances? Then you are still out to get Fenlo. Yeah, and I'll tell you something else. I'm going to smash up ever one of their blasted idols. I can get my fingers on just to get even with them for dragging me around the country on elephants and wild horses, see? Fair enough, Skip. Hey, boss, boss, here come our guards. Oh, more monkey business, huh? Here, take my hand, Celia. Let's stick together this time. Yes, as long as we're together it helps. They're coming with torches. Looks like we're making a trip through this cavern so it does. Hey, that big one over there's motioning to us to follow. Shall we go? How are you going to keep from it? I'll go first. Skip, you bring up the rear of our party. Okay, Chief. Hurry, you keep close to the girls. I'd like to keep with you, Captain. Well, let's move. Have you noticed the guards, Patricia? In this half-dark world you can see their teeth and the whites of their eyes. They look like something unearthly. They're so silent. What a wonderful imagination, Celia. You know, I'm getting over my nervousness. Nothing terrible seems to be happening to us. I've just got shivers of excitement. Excitement? Well, the way you've been squeezing my hand... Oh, that's just nervous excitement. Look at the shadows cast on the wall by the torches. Hey! Look at the torches ahead. They're climbing the wall. Watch your step, Einer. Coming to a tremendous cavity. Sheer drop into blackness. Hey, did you hear that? A sheer drop. And yet there they go. Up the wall with the torches. Look, look there. There's a couple of logs thrown across the pit and against the wall on the other side with crossbars like a crude ladder. You... You mean we've got to cross this deep pit on that shaky ladder? Oh, I hate high places. You'll be all right, Celia. I drop back to give Beria a hand with the girls. Like climbing a fireman's ladder. You don't mind it, Patricia? My hair is practically standing on end, but I love it. All right, Celia. All right. You come along with me. There's room for two on the ladder, side by side. Now, are you ready? Yes. Good. Peri, you and Patricia follow right at our ease. Coming. Now then, here we go. Oh, but it's shaky. Don't worry. It will hold. If you get nervous, let me know and I'll take over. I'm all right. I guess. Are you folks coming along, Peri? Fine. Patricia's in a nervous sweat, but she's climbing like a fireman. I... Do you mind hanging on to me for a minute, Professor LeBron? I... I feel kind of funny. Of course not. There, there, now. How's that? There. That's better. I... I've never been up in the air like this before. Just five or six feet now, and we'll be a cause. Yes, but look. We've still got to climb some more ladders right up the face of the wall. Oh, that won't be so bad. Now, shall we go ahead? Well, I... I guess as soon as we start, the sooner it'll be over. You don't need to hang on to me now. This is some climb. Down on your hands and knees. Great sport, huh, Patricia? Hey, Peri, not so fast. Supposing the ladder should break. Don't even think of it. Oh, I'm glad it's dark below us anyway. I couldn't possibly do this if I could see. Here, here. Keep your mind on your climbing. Oh. Here we are across. Wait until I scramble up on the ledge. There. That puts us across the chasm anyway. There's a couple of guards with torches to show us what to do next. Hey, look. There go more torches way up the side of the wall. Yes, and there's Captain Friday and Celia and Lebrun climbing along after them. Oh, I know I can't do that. Oh, it probably isn't half as steep as it looks. Yeah, well, it's steep enough. Hey, what do they think we are anyway? A bunch of steeplejacks? Oh, hello, Skip. Phew. They should give you some new ideas on how to treat prisoners. Look at that precipice. Yeah? Hey, you don't mean we got to climb that wall. Hey, look, the guards are waiting to us to hurry. We don't want to get too far behind. We can still climb side by side. See you later, Skip. Yeah, well, you ain't going to lose me. I'm right on your heels. Whoo! Talk about your nightmares. This has got them all skin to mouth. Where in the world are you supposed to taking us, Peri? Well, it looks like we're on the inside of a hollow mountain. We'd better stop talking and save our breath for climbing. And don't look down. Just keep your eyes up and climb. Yeah, and don't fall. On the counter, I'm right below you. Well, I guess this is the top. Is that you just behind me, Lebarone? Yes, Captain. We've seen you. Jolly dark up here. Where are you? I think we've climbed the last of the ladders. I'm on a sort of ledge. The guards are waiting up ahead. Reach down and get hold of Celia if you can, Captain Friday. All right. She's exhausted. I can imagine after two hours of it. This has been terrific. Hey! Now, one of you fellas bring a torch over here. Come here! They don't understand you. Yeah, I suppose not. There. Got a hold of her. She comes. There you are. Don't make me climb any more ladders. I can't. Don't worry. Looks like it's all over. I never would have believed such a place existed if I hadn't seen it for myself. How's my secretary doing? Oh, Perry's bringing Patricia. Coming, Perry? Here we are. Patricia's about all in. Oh, there they come. I see their outline. Look at the way they're coming up the ladder. Like firemen. Here, I'll give them a hand. All right. Here she comes. Hey, Patricia, you're safe enough now? Oh, boss. I'm ready to kill over. Quite a climb. How are you, Perry? Oh, OK, I guess. Hey, somebody get a hold of me, will you? You think I want to hang here on this ladder all night? Give me a hand. All right, Skip. Here's my hand on it. Oh, you scum. Oh, thanks. You have to climb in all them ladders. I reckon I'm about qualified for the steeplechase, huh? Hey, why don't we get some light around here? What you laughing at? A steeplechase is a horse brace, Skip. Oh, yeah? Well, not the kind of steeplechase I'm talking about. Well, we can't sit here on this six-foot ledge a thousand feet up in the air talking about steeplechases the rest of our lives. I feel like I could lie right here and sleep for a week. There come the last of the guards. And those up ahead are waving us to follow. Professor, have you noticed the difference in looks of things? What do you mean, Captain? Well, the rock below and alongside the ladders was rough and rugged. Just as nature left it. This rock looks as though it's been hewn and chiseled smooth by human hand. Well, it was centuries ago, if it was. I don't doubt that. Hang on to my hand, will you, somebody? The edge looks awfully near. Well, that's my job, Celia. Hey, Patricia, how'd you like me to hang on to you? Oh, I think that would be sweet of you, Skip. Yeah? Well, that's the first time a babe's ever called me that. What's that? Oh, call me sweet. Oh? You seem to be following a sort of semi-circular ledge around the inner side of a hollow mountain. Yes, and we're still climbing. Not so much, though, now. Hello. The natives up ahead with the torches have stopped. They're waiting for us, all right. Oh, I see. Look there. They're standing in an arched doorway carved out of solid rock. Looks as though we're entering some kind of an underground building. There's a bit of civilization for you. You see that iron chain stretched across the passageway? Hey, they're unfastening it. But don't they, they intend taking us through. We'll be getting near the end of our trail. Come along, they want us to follow. Well, we'd left the chasm behind anyway. Now, what kind of a rat's nest is this? Hello. Look at the passageways leading off in all directions. It looks to me like same kind of underground passageways we got trapped in at the guerrilla temple. Hey, Joe, Skip, I bet you stuck it. Huh? Struck what? I believe we're on the lower floor, another of those old Khmer temples. Of course, that's it. You think so, LeBron? I haven't the least doubt, Captain. Look, we're going up some stairs now. What's the matter, Sylvia? You're awfully quiet. I'm so tired I can hardly make my legs move. Oh, poor kid. I guess everyone's just as bad as I, but I hope they got real beds in this place, not just straw on the floor. Remember, we're prisoners here, not guests. No, it doesn't make any difference. I'm too tired to care. Look, look, what's that funny light at the top of the stairway? What? You don't recognize that? Patricia? I know. Do you? Of course, and so should you. You've seen it often enough. Oh, I don't know what you mean. Lady, that's the moon. We're outside again, out in the open night. On top of the mountain, we climbed from inside. Evidently. Yeah, looky there. Oh, on a sort of balcony. Hey, you were right, Professor LeBron. Look at those inscriptions. There's no doubt about this being an old Khmer temple. Hey, one of them guards has motion enforced to tag along again. Oh, isn't there any end to this? Apparently, they're going to take us inside the monastery. Well, it won't be long now. Dinner and bed. Gloomy-looking dungeon. Built on the same principle as the Gorilla temple and Angkor Wat. Huge, dafty, high-seating recesses. Hello? You evidently reached our destination. Look at those bronze pictures on the door. Everything bronze, even to a knocker. Hey, watch. One of the guards is going to use it. I suppose this here is another prison cell for us. I can't tell. There she opens. Look, who's in there? It's my father. Look, I'll catch her. She's fainted. Well, I'll be dog-gone. Dr. Carter. So the same thing has happened to Dr. Carter. He likewise is a prisoner. Listen next week to the seventh episode of The Cobra King Strikes Back, entitled The Face of a Beast. You're listening to Adventures by Morse.