 Conway, not a sign of another boat, another human. I can't believe yet that 1934, nine days ago, I thought I'd get a scoop Winston Eberle in the going with me. Using his private yacht out into the Atlantic where things were happening. Together we defied precautions, offered ourselves as bait for some unseen devil. Beneath the waters of the eastern sea, that was nine days ago. I've been on deck an hour. There's nothing. I told you it was useless, didn't I? I'm still not convinced that it is. Something has happened to those three missing ships. Certainly something has happened to them. I simply sank, that's all. It's plain nonsense, making those three boats went down with all hands on board with not a clue to their disappearance. Besides, what about their radios? Not a distress signal was picked up. All three cases. I know, but that's still not a sign something. Well, something unusual has happened. Well, just use your head, man. This is 1934. Boats just don't go down in the Atlantic without someone somewhere knowing about it. These three certainly did. Just disappeared into nothingness without leaving a trace. And I still say something went wrong in each case that can be explained in a natural, normal manner. And I say that you don't know what you're talking about. Well, don't be so violent in what you have to say. After all, I've gone this far with you. I might as well see it through. I'm sorry. Just anxious, that's all. Yes. So am I. There's no sense biting each other's heads off. We may need them before we're through with this. I've set the automatic pilot. All is clear. Good. I'll go up on deck and have a turn of the wheel after a bit. Game of rummy? No, I don't think so. Thanks. Poker? No thanks. Got a cigarette? Yes, somewhere. That last ship, the SS Clara Anna, went down just about where we are now. The other two somewhere in this vicinity. Here's a smoke. Thanks. Why do you say the ships went down in this vicinity, Adams? No one knows where they went down. What I mean is they were last heard from within a vicinity of, well, 50 mile radius of here, all of them. I admit it would be a strange coincidence for all three of them to disappear in such a small area, but... Well, stranger things than that have happened at sea. It's not a coincidence. Something has happened to those boats which none of us can explain. Something that is not ordinary. Brown in the radio room on the talk-back system. Hand me that microphone, will you, Adams? Sure, sure. Yes, Brown? Just got a report that all passengers on those three remaining ships have been reported safe. You mean the boats have been found? No, sir. The passengers from all three ships were said adrift in the light boats. Well, what's happened to them? None of them seem to know. They're all in perfect health, though. But they're all in a stupified condition, as though they've been struck. That's strange. Any further news? No, sir. I just picked it up from the news broadcast for the sakes. Thanks, Brown. No, what do you think, Debra Lee? Strange. All hands from all three ships set adrift in the light boats. And none of them knowing what happened to them. And all of them in a drug condition. That doesn't make sense. No one could drug three boatloads of passengers. Through the drinking water? Half of them don't drink water when they're aboard. Still, they were drugged. But how, man? How? That's another mystery I'd like to clear up. Then perhaps you can. What? I say. Where did you come from? Who are you? My name is Siegfried. How did you get on board? What did you come from? One question at a time, if you please. I came on board in the same manner I've boarded the other boats lately. The others? The three others. You're responsible for what happened to those boats? Yes, I am. But how? Why? I needed them for my own purposes. You destroyed them? I sent them to the bottom of the Atlantic. I repeat, you destroyed them? Quite the contrary. I used them to a very good advantage. What do you mean? Would you like to know? I certainly would. Then I shall be glad to show you if you wish. It will entail a trip to the bottom of the sea. You're talking like a madman. Am I? I regret you think so. Because I assure you I am by no means demented in the slightest degree. Those people set adrift on the lifeboats. Apparently drugged. What happened to them? It's naturally best that they do not know what happened to them. They were not harmed. They were carefully guarded against danger. And no harm shall come to them. But the boats? The cost of the boats and the inconveniences which naturally arise through their loss have all been taken care of. And each passenger has been repaid ten times for everything he was forced to leave behind when placed in the lifeboat. I don't understand all this. Who are you anyway? I shall tell you soon. But now we must make haste. Time is most valuable. What are you going to do? You told me you wished to see what I did with the three boats. I'm ready to grant your wishes. And to take you to the depths of the Atlantic. But, darling... You see, I need your boat. My boat? Yes. I've come to take it. I welcome you to go along with me, if you wish. But where? What are you going to do with the boat? I've already told you. I need it. Together with the others I have use for it. At the bottom of the sea. Ah, that's perfectly ridiculous. No one has need for a boat down there. I have. How do you propose to take us there? I cannot tell you that. You will merely do as I say. I will take you down beneath the surface safely. And I will return you safely. How can we be certain of that? I have given my word. You will find that the word of secret always has been kept. Down through the ages. The centuries. Centuries? Hundreds of thousands of centuries. Do you mean that you're actually a creature from the bottom of the sea? I'm a man like you. I'm not a creature. Here, drink this. What's that? Nearly what I gave the others. It's quite harmless. I don't want it. Take it away. I assure you that if you don't consume the potion of your own will, I have the means of seeing to it that you do. Better do what he says, everybody. Here. I'll take the first draft. You're a wise man, Mr. Adams. Oh, you know my name. I know everything. Now the potion. As agreed. Now, Mr. Eberle, or your radio man and mechanic have already been set adrift, they will arrive safely ashore within a few days. None the worse for their experience. Mr. Eberle. No. No, no, I won't take it. Take it away. Get away from me. Too late to change your mind now. You will drink all of this. Oh, no, no, I don't want it. I give you one more opportunity. No, I refuse. I'm no fool. I won't take it. All right, Mr. Eberle. What have you done to her? I told you I had the means of compelling you to take the mixture. Now it's well with both of you, Mr. Adams. I shall take your boat and the two of you alone with it. Are you quite all right now, Mr. Adams? Yes. I guess so. Where are we? I promise to take you to the bottom of the Atlantic. So strange here. Light. Like the light above. This is almost like the place up there. I'm sure you're adjusting. This is no spot beneath the sea. Oh, but I assure you it is, definitely. Oh. Your stubborn companion is about to... to rejoin us. And what... what's happened? Adams, are you all right? Yes, he's quite all right. And you, sir, I... What in the world did you do to us? I gave both of you an ancient formula, one which induces your spirit to leave your body momentarily. Then I brought you here and permitted your spirits to return again. But where are we? You are 50,000 leagues beneath the sea. Why? Well, it can't be. So your companion thought, Mr. Eberle, that you're both mistaken. There's no water. No seaweed, no sign of underwater creature. No, indeed. That's because you've been brought not to just an ordinary place. What do you mean? What place is this? This is the ancient continent of Atlantis. Atlantis, you say? I've never heard of a place. That's because you're not a student. Your friend, Mr. Adams, seems to know quite a bit about it. An ancient continent, once located in the Atlantic Ocean. Thousands upon thousands of years ago. And which disappeared beneath the surface of the Atlantic. But that sinking of the continent began more than a million years ago according to our scientists. And so it did. Slowly over thousands of years, Atlantis began to decline, to be claimed by the waters. A new land began to rise. South America, your continent, they had no existence in the days of Atlantis. And far to the west lay the mighty land of Moor. But what about you? Well, finally, after hundreds of thousands of years, all of Atlantis had been consumed by the hungry waters, except the island of Posadonis, so named after the god of the sea. Yes, I know that. Posadonis was destroyed by volcanic eruption, not destroyed entirely. But the volcano's disturbance sent our land far beneath the sea. And that was 9,000 years before the death of Plato. 11,000 years ago. Yes, roughly speaking. But you say this land of yours wasn't actually destroyed? No. They were in our land wise men from Greece. And together with our wise ones, they foresaw the volcanic disturbance and the seeking of Posadonis. Yes. This is the ancient island of Posadonis. The last home of mighty Atlantis. Yes. And you have existed here all this time. There is no time here. No death. Only life. Amazing. Now we're fighting to preserve our life, our civilization. After these 11,000 years, our existence is threatened by the vicious waters. What do you mean? I mean, we suddenly found ourselves without sufficient materials to keep our underwater fortress safe against the water's destruction. Wait a minute. Now I'm beginning to understand. We needed metal and lots of it to use for reinforcing the portions of our continent which was threatened by the water. And that's where the three ships went. And Ableja. That's correct, Mr. Adams. In our desperation, I saw no other solution. I chose the boats containing the most metal, went aboard and sought to the complete safety of the passengers. And then our men brought the ships down here to be dismantled and to salvage the metal. Here I will show you. Oh, sliding panel there. Half of the room is sliding away. You see out there? The men of Atlantis fitting the final touches upon the patchwork to make our fortress secure for hundreds of years to come, thanks to the metal from your continent. Wait, this place is just as modern and advanced as our civilization. You will find in many instances that it's more advanced. Now I will show you that we are as honest and as upright as any other people possibly were. The treasure room of Atlantis. Harbour, work, bureaus, gold and silver. Treasures of every sort here. The room is completely filled with valuable treasures. Each passenger on those boats become disquitted, received a portion from our treasure room, enough to more than repay him for whatever loss he suffered. And the boat owners were paid double the value of their vessels. When you return to the surface above, you will be given a portion likewise in payment for your yacht, Mr. Eberle. I've never seen quite so many valuables together in one place in all my life. Oh, come now. I've shown you the explanation of what has been happening. It's time we refresh ourselves and time you were preparing for your return journey. I knew I could find my way back to this vault. Get the treasure inst upon the chest of beautiful jewels, necklaces of pearl, heaths of precious jade, loose gems and some set in the finest gold, bar upon bar of gold and silver, and some strange metal here I've never seen before. A hundred thousand fortunes hidden here where no one will ever use them. And what are you doing there, Adams? Yeah, I've been looking for you. There's already light in here. Yes, just a second. What's that door? What are you doing in this treasure room? That fellow who calls himself Sigford says we'll leave here soon and I'm taking some of this treasure with me. But he said you would have a portion of it. Yes, in pay. Listen up with you. I'm taking some he won't know about. But you can't. It's not right. What difference does it make? No one can use this stuff. Might as well take some of its worth of gems as I can. But no, I have 11,000 years. He's about an 11,000th child for what I'd say. Here, hold these diamonds. But I don't want any part of this. I'll take care of getting them away from here. Heavenly, I advise you not to do this. Listen, you came here. You could not conquer the worldly desire to steal our treasures. You'll never use them. Nonetheless, they still belong to us. Why not let us take them when they'll do us some good? They're a useless lame here. I had intended to give each of you enough of the treasure to make you wealthy me from doing so. Look here, Sigford. Those our loves to Adam's have known better than 10,000 years ago in vice. Till the same greed and sin and iniquities included all evil. And so I gladly send you back out to pay for it. You'll get nothing. Or you'll reach the safer torture. Who will it be? Big Sun lifting his head. Heavenly, Heavenly man. Steady man. Easy, man. Take it easy. In nine days. Save your strength, man. Going back against the bottom of the boat. The chest of treasure and payment. For my art, Emily. Emily. What good will it do? Steady. But nobody else will get it. What are you going to do? It won't be a leave to you for anybody else. I'll see to it that no one else gets his hands on it. Emily. Emily, don't jump. Bird convoy for Atlantis. Tonight's original tale of Dark Fantasy by Scott Bishop. Originating in the studios of WKY and based upon an idea suggested by Ken Wright. Ben Morris was Harvey Adams. Murillo Scofield took the part of Winston-Eberle and Garland Moss was Siegfried, ruler of Atlantis. Next Friday, Dark Fantasy will be heard over most of these stations 25 minutes earlier. Listen for the Thing from the Darkness from Oklahoma City.