 The Mutual Broadcasting System presents The Mysterious Travellers, written, produced, and directed by Robert A. Arthur and David Cogan, and starring tonight three of radio's foremost personalities, Ralph Bell, Louis Van Roten, and Roger DeCoven in S. O. S. This is a mysterious travel inviting you to join me on another journey into the realm of the strange and the terrifying. I hope you will enjoy the tip that it will free you a little and cheer you a little. So settle back, get a good grip on your nerves and be comfortable, if you can, as we join three enterprising men who are in a very dire predicament. It's a story I call S. O. S. My story tonight is about a group of unsavory individuals at the moment discussing a little unhappily their recent past. Yes, sir. Here we are, the three of us. A drift out here. How long is it now? How long, Mike? Let me alone. Ah, Steve, he knows everything. He sure does. Couldn't miss, he said. Couldn't miss. Still opportunities. You just had to recognize them. Isn't that what you said, Steve? Isn't that what you say? Shut up, Doc. Shut up. I've had enough of you. Look at him. Now he's going to turn on that automatic radio sender. Isn't that right, Steve? Shut up! Shut up! Do you really think someone's going to hear those signals? No, sir. But for good. You're wasting your time with that radio sender. No one's going to pick us up. Forget everything that happened. There's no escaping it. I can see everything that happened as clear as if it were only yesterday. Yeah. I remember the way I walked into the office. Mike and Doc were sitting there, waiting. Waiting for the bad news. Well, Farson got a life sentence. The rest got 10 to 20 years. Great. Just great. I just can't get over it. Just can't. Things were running so smoothly. The syndicate was cleaning up, and then this happens. The three of us were pretty lucky. Not being indicted with the others. Yeah. We hadn't been in South America. And on that end, we'd have gotten it in the neck, too. I still do not understand. How could they smash the syndicate overnight? There were no records. Farson took every precaution. Let's face it, the day for guys like us is over. The cops have science on this side. They're using every trick in a book. Yeah, you're right. Television radar, infrared cameras, electro detectors, light beam alarms, and 101 other scientific gimmicks. Yes, you are right. They have learned to move so fast that they have taken all the profit out of the rackets. They sure have. They just wish I had a small pot of all that dough I once made. Where did it go? Lawyers, bail, prediction. They haven't got a cent left. Neither have I. What about you, Steve? I've still got a few grand left. Well, the way science is turning the heat on, it looks like we'll have to turn on us. What do we want to or not? Look, I've been working on an angle. What about sticking around for a couple more days? Get wise, Steve. The cops are ready for everything these days. There aren't any more angles. I tell you, I've got one. I just need a little more time to work it out. What do you say? Well, it cannot do any harm to listen. How much time do you need? Two days. Meet me here the day after tomorrow. I'll lay out the whole plan for you. Well, Steve, you still got an angle or did it blow up in your face? For the past 48 hours I've been going over it. Detail by detail. It still looks good. Well, what is the job? Let's have it. The lifting of $5 million worth of uncut Martino diamonds from the SS Europe. What? You must be out of your head. It would require an army to take over that boat. It has a crew of over 300. This plan of mine can be worked with three men. Us. This I've got here. Just how would you go about it, mastermind? All right. Two weeks from tonight the SS Europe will be docking in London with $5 million in uncut diamonds and the shipment of 3,000 pounds of uranium under pressure. 3,000 pounds of uranium under pressure. What are you getting at? A half hour before the Europe lands. I go to the captain's quarters. You, Mike, you go to the radio communication office. And you, Doc, you go to the special room where the uranium is stored under pressure. Then what? I tell the captain that I have one man in control of radio communication and another in the uranium storage room. And unless he turns over the diamond shipment to me, a bullet will be fired into the uranium compressor blowing up the ship. You really expect the captain to fall for that? Well, he'll call your bluff. Dare you to blow up the ship with us, aren't you? Of course he will if it like that would never work. You're wrong. You're wrong there. Psychologically, we've got the edge of the captain. Maybe we're willing to die, too. With a crew of 300 and twice as many passengers, he just would risk it. Perhaps you'll hide. After all, his first duty is to his passengers and ship. He would probably figure that we wouldn't get far with those diamonds, that the police would get us in no time at all. Of course. That's exactly the way to see it. Um, suppose you two force him to turn over the diamonds. How would we make our getaway? We'd use one of the ship's emergency launches. Sure. Meanwhile, the captain of the SS Europe is radioed the police. And we walk right into their arms. We captain walk radio the police. No, and why won't they? There are two reasons. First is Radio Rome will be put out of commission. And second, ten minutes after we leave the Europe. It's going to blow up. Blow up? The uranium? That's right. There won't be a piece of the ship left or any one to identify it. Uh-huh. Five million in uncut diamonds, you say, huh? At least five million. The first plan of yours, Steve, is just wild enough to succeed. Yes, through sheer audacity it might be carried off. A job like that is all or nothing. That's right. Well, what do you say, Doug? Finding the thought of honest labor abhorrent, I'm inclined to go along with you, Steve. What about you, Mike? The odds are against us. But for that kind of dough, I'll risk it. You won't regret it, Mike. All right, now here's a setup. The day after tomorrow, the SS America is out with bound. We'll be on her when it leaves. You mean so that we can study the same layout that we'll find on the York? Yes, that's right. By the time we board the Europe for the return trip, we'll know every inch of the ship. Now we'll have to work fast. I'll take care of getting us passports under assumed names. Doug, I want you to book passage for the three of us on the America. Two days later, Doc, Mike, and myself boarded the SS America using false passports. We pushed our way through the other passengers, mostly vacationists, to our cabin on the deck. While we were unpacking, the ship's whistle blew for all visitors to leave. A few minutes later, we were on our way. During the next three days, we covered the ship from one end to the other, taking pictures of the layout, learning the schedules of the crew. When we walked off after the 10-day trip, we knew everything there was to know about both liners. Boss and judge, we will kindly step this way on shore their passports. Come on, that's us. I hope we don't have any trouble with these passports. Don't stop worrying, will you? May I see your passport, please? Here you are. Thank you. Richard Werby, born in Boston, the United States. How long do you intend to stay here, Mr. Werby? About a week. Have you ever been here before? No, this is my first visit. Our laws are quite different than those of your country. You will do well to study this booklet, which is issued by my government. Thank you, I will. Your passport is, um, you may pass. Thank you. I trust you enjoy your stay with us. Next, passenger, why don't we go back to the hotel? We might as well see the local sites while we're here. So this is what all our fellow passengers came all this way to see. This place gives me the creeps. The natives, too. Everything looks so different. Oh, come on now. My gut's no way for a traveler to speak. Sure, this place is different from what you've known, but you'll find plenty to interest you here. Yeah. Just as soon as we'll be back in New York, it's all the same to you. Relax, Mike, another week and you'll be back in New York. Relax, he says. I don't like places that are different. I like what I'm used to. These crazy birds, what do they call them anyway? I don't know. Do you see? They're the national bird called martinos. Look at them, like vultures. Thousands of them. Oh, you'll get used to them. All these canals. Never seen nothing like it. That's one of the great attractions here. People come from all over the earth to see these canals. Yeah, well, they can happen. Look at those ruins over there. The war's been over all these years, and yet they've never cleaned them up. Yeah, our rocket fighters sure level the countryside. No wonder the natives aren't any two friends there. You say that again. I'll be glad when we board the Europe. Leave this place forever. Check all our luggage. Yes, I went through the motions of looking like an anxious tourist. It'll be in our cabin when we go up off. What cabin did we get, Steve? Cabin 32B. 32B. That's just a few feet away from the radio communications office. That's right. Attention, please. All passengers bound for London. We'll now board the SS Europe. Departure time is 0900. All passengers for London. Will please board the SS Europe. Come on. That's us. We followed the returning vacationists aboard, had our passports checked, and were shown to our cabin. It would be 10 days before we'd go into action, but already the three of us felt that sense of excitement that comes before a big job. And this would be a big job. The biggest ever. The minutes and the hours seemed to drag on that homeward trip. We checked the craft from Stem to Stern, and the layout was exactly like that of the SS America. And the final night out, all the passengers were celebrated, none of them expecting that they'd never seen London. At 4AM, with a liner just one hour from London, three of us went over our plans for the last time. The impermeable roar of the motors in our ears. Okay, this is it. You both have your guns here? Of course. I'm Ike. He'll take over radio communications. There'll be just one radio operator on duty. Remember now, take him quietly. He won't let out a beat, Grud. It shouldn't take you more than a few minutes to put the radio and radar equipment out of commission. Now, make sure you don't damage the ships and the communication system. Just leave it to me. Doc, there's one crew member guarding the storage room where the uranium ship is being kept. Once you've taken care of him, lock yourself in the storage room. Now, you don't come out until I give the signal. I end up dead. Now, have you got the demolition stick? I've got it. I've explained how it works. When I wrap on the storage room door, you plant the demolition stick under the uranium compressor, where they won't be able to see it. Right. We'll have to move fast now. That explosive will go off ten minutes after it's set. Will we be able to get far enough away before the explosion? Oh, yes. The launch is on B-deck, right outside the storage room. We'll be in the launch in a way in a matter of seconds. Doc, you've already checked the launch engine. Yes, I just came for me. It's all set to go. All right. I'll take care of everything. Now, let's set our watches. I've got 426, 45 seconds. 50 seconds. 55 seconds. 427. Right, chick. OK. Let's go. The three of us left the cabin and separated on the deserted and dimly lit deck. I walked to the nearest staircase and went up to A-deck. There wasn't a soul in sight as I walked to the captain's quarters. It was exactly 4.29 a.m. I left a cigarette waiting. On the horizon, far ahead, I could see the lights of London. I could feel the liner losing speed. In exactly 4.30, I knocked on the captain's door. Kevin, come in. Oh, come in, Phillips. Are we ready? I thought it was Phillips, my first officer. Oh, no, Captain. I'm merely one of your passengers. I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me. I'm doing the control room. We'd be landing shortly. You'll have to hear me out first. Yes, but I've just told you... A gun! What's the meaning of this? Sit down, Captain. I see here. Sit down. That's better. Then what is it? You're carrying $5 million in uncut martino diamonds. I want them. You must be out of your mind. I'm not alone in this, Captain. At the moment, the ship is at my mercy. It's your mercy? Yes. My men have taken over key positions on this ship. Right. I don't believe you. That isn't possible. No. Well, just as a test, pick up the phone and dial the radio communications office. Go ahead. Communications office? Who is this? It ain't one of your crew members, Captain. Let me have the phone. Hello, Mike. Yeah? Everything under control? It wouldn't be better. Good. I'll be talking to you. Maybe now you're beginning to realize that I'm not out of my head, Captain. You must be. You believe you can commit piracy and get away with it? I'll get away with it, Captain, because you see you're going to help me. I help you? Yes, that's right. One of my men has taken over the storage room where the uranium is stored under pressure. You can't do that while that pressure machine calls for constant care of an engineer. If the pressure falls below a certain point, the uranium will explode. Take it easy, take it easy. That pressure machine is being looked after by one of my men. Nothing will happen to it. That is, if you do exactly as I say. You think I'm bluffing? You think I'm bluffing about the storage room? Storage room? Everything under control, Doug? Yes. The Captain's here for the phone. Tell him what your orders are. I am to put a bullet in the pressure machine if I don't hear from you in 15 minutes. You heard what he said. Well? He's bluffing. If he put a bullet in the pressure machine, uranium would blow us all up. You and your men included. That's right. But you see, Captain, my men and I have nothing to lose. And you and the rest don't. What do you mean? The authorities in London are waiting to arrest us. To murder her. So as I said, we have nothing to lose if we're forced to blow up the ship. Even if I turned the diamonds over to you, how would you get away? We'd take the lawn, John B. Dagg. I see. You've got 13 minutes left, Captain, before my man fires that bullet. And believe me, he will. Seems I haven't any choice. None. The authorities will get you for this. Well, let me worry about that. You've got 12 minutes left. Now you're being sensible. First Officer Phillips speaking. Phillips, this is Captain Andrews. Yes, sir. I want you to go to the purse, sir. Have him turn over to you the consignment of uncut diamonds we're carrying. Bring them to my cabin. Sir, we'll be lending in less than... That's in order, Phillips. Yes, sir. You should be here with the diamonds in a matter of minutes. For your sake, I hope so, Captain. I hope so. That must be Phillips now. Have him come in. Come in. I have the diamonds here, sir. Turn them over to this man. But, sir... As I say, the safety of the ship and our passengers are at stake. Yes, sir. Thank you. You don't mind if I look them over? What's this all about, sir? Seems that after many centuries, piracy has returned. Piracy, sir. All right. I've checked them. Now, Captain, if you and your first officer will escort me to B-Dagg. They will. So along, Phillips. Yes, sir. After you, gentlemen. Our first stop will be the radio communications office. Right. Yes. Stuff's in this box. All right, Captain. The next stop is the special storage room. Very well. Did you take care of the communications office, Mike? Yeah. They won't be sending out any messages. Good. Ah. Here we are, Captain. Back. Quite many ants. Now, the door slots. Open up, Doc. It's us. Something's wrong. Yeah. Look, let's take the launch and blow out of here. It isn't our fault. Something happened to Doc. If we're getting one thing, we need Doc. He's the only one of us who knows how to navigate that launch. Yeah. Come on. Let's break down the door. To get it out? Sir, shall I try to slip away inside the alarm? It won't be necessary, Phillips. There's Doc. Climb on the floor in there. It's not cold. Let's get him out. Now, these two men have the third one on our guard taken out of the storage room when the guest disperses. Very good, sir. You've revived the third man, eh? Yes, sir. The three of them are all conscious again. And the guard? All right, too, sir. Oh, uh, we found this, sir, in the third man's pocket. A demolition stick. Uh, as I see it, they were going to set it before they left the ship, sir. Blow up my ships and passengers, would they? Shall I put them in the brig, sir? Brig? No, Phillips. I'm not taking them into London. I'm dealing with them here. Now? Well, I... I don't understand, sir. This launch they were going to take have it filled with concentrated food and water. Enough to last them for years. Very good, sir. Then I want the launchers' motor completely demolished. Is that clear? Yes, sir. What? What do you want to do with us? You've attempted a crime unheard of for centuries. Piracy. I'm going to meet out the old punishment for it. I'm setting the three of you adrift. Adrift out here? No. No, you can't. You've got to take us into London. You've got to... They're right, sir. Your duty to turn them over to the police. You haven't the authority to... It's Phillips. Out here, I'm the law. You carry out my orders to the letter. Yes, sir. Captain, give us a break, will you? Don't set us adrift. It will be murder. That's what it will be. Murder? Can't set us adrift out there. You can't. I can and I will. You and it. If we've been adrift out here... two months, I guess I lost track. A long way back. Out here, with nothing but the sky to look at. Black, empty sky, blazing with stars. Time loses all meaning. The automatic radio senders keep transmitting signals. But no one listens. Yes, sir, Steve. Couldn't miss, could it? It couldn't miss, huh? You had everything covered, all right. All you missed was that automatic gas alarm they had in the storage room. Shut up, doc. Shut up. Yes, doc. When that guy failed to check in, I got a good dose of that gas. Just a small detail you overlooked. It's such a... You think because you're sending out those signals, someone is going to pick us up, huh? They've got to pick us up. They've got to. You fool. We are drifting further from the Earth all the time. But they can't leave us drifting in space in this rocket launch. They can't. No, why not? We are a hundred million miles out and going further. And has anyone come after us yet? The space patrol. They'll rescue us. I'll tell you they will. Never. They're letting us be examples to anyone else who tries to hijack a space liner. We're drifting out here in the air. We're drifting out here in empty space, Roman. We'll drift onward till the day we die. No. No. No. We won't. We'll be picked up, I tell you. Yes. Why don't you get wise for yourself? This is the year 2185. Miracles don't happen anymore. It seems that criminals of the future aren't going to have any future. Not what science did it against them. Poor Steve, Mike and doc. Imagine being adrift in space in a disabled rocket launch and being completely ignored. Yes, it seems that not only doesn't crime pay today, but it's going to pay even less in the year 2185. Oh, but that reminds me of my story of the next week, the big die. It's about a young man who figured out a perfect alibi for murder and forgot to take into account that it... 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 the same time. You have just heard The Mysterious Traveler, which is played by Maurice Tartland. In the cast were Ralph Bell, Louis van Ruden and Roger DeCoven. Original music is composed and played by Al Finnelli. All characters and tonight's toy were fictitious, and any resemblance to the names of actual persons was purely coincidental. Frank Waldekker speaking. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System. The Mutual Broadcasting System.