 Long the Mohawk, starring Henry Fonda on the Cavalcade of America sponsored by Dupont, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, this is Clayton Collier. Tonight, the Cavalcade of America brings you one of Hollywood's distinguished young players, Henry Fonda, in his famous starring role, Gil Martin, from the thrilling saga of the American Frontier, Drums Along the Mohawk, based on at best selling novel of the same name written by Walter D. Edmonds. This stirring pioneer theme with its powerful present-day meaning was adapted for radio by special arrangement with 20th Century Fox Studios. Dupont stars Henry Fonda in his celebrated screen role, Gil Martin, as the Cavalcade of America presents Drums Along the Mohawk in the year 1776. To the rough frontier of the Mohawk Valley, Gil Martin is bringing his bride, Lana Borst, a young girl who has been reared in the comforts of the city. Their new home is a tiny log cabin set down in a clearing in the wilderness. Just a minute now, I'll help you down. Easy now. Careful of that muddle. There. Now let's get inside quick. You'll be able to see it just as soon as I get this fire lit. It's just a cabin. Well, I've always thought it would be nice living in a cabin. It's so handy to look after when it's small. It seems so fine to me because I'd build it. I didn't realize it might look different to a girl who'd been raised in a big house like your father's. Oh, it's all right, Gil. Beginning this way, we'll like our things even better when we get them. Lana. I'd better go out and put up the mirror, Lana. You take off your wet things. Yes, Gil. Yes. Love yourself. Stop it. I'm sorry, Lana. I had to slap you. Good thing. Howdy, Blueback. Howdy. This is my wife, Blueback. She's kind of nervous and tired out. We had a long hard trip and then the rain and everything. Sure. Much rain. I guess she didn't expect anybody to drop in at a time like this. Me, go hunt. Bring you half-deer. Well, that's mighty fine of you, Blueback. Thanks. Sit down. I've got some room outside. No. Go now. Come back again. Maybe. Sure. Anytime. You're a good friend, Blueback. Sure. Fine friend. Good Christian, too. He's really a fine fellow. Come a little closer to the fire, Lana. I'm... I'm going home. Home? Mother was right. I'm no frontier woman. I had no idea it was like this. I... I hate it. I'm going home. Lana. Lana, look at me. I love you, Lana. I need you. I couldn't live without you now. You know that, don't you? Well, here's Blueback again, see? You? You got a fine woman. You young man. You use this willow switch on her. Here. Take. Thank you, Blueback. You beat her. Beat her good. She fine woman. Alleluia. Lana, I guess... Oh, I guess I won't be needing this stick yet a while. Oh, Gil. I hope not. Look, Gil. Isn't it beautiful? That field of wheat and the corn. I think we did it all ourselves with our own hands. You're glad you didn't go home now, Lana? Oh, darling. Next summer we can start building a barn. After that, I guess we can think about building a decent house. I suppose the place will look so beautiful. You won't care what your wife looks like. I can always hide you out when company comes. That's right. I can get blisters over my hands and my nose peeled and my hair bleached in this sun. That'll be all the thanks I'll get for it. Here. Let me see those blisters you're talking so big about. Never mind. Just go on and leave me alone. Give me those hands. No. Don't go on, Lana. You have got a blister. Maybe you want to come out here like this. Oh, now there you go again. I'm strong. You yourself said you didn't know what you'd have done without me. Man, I sure married me some good-hired help, didn't I? You sure you're like me as much as you do your old farm? I love you, Lana. That's Blueback. You know, a wagon, he's driving like he's drunk. Yes, you don't suppose he's found that juggler's home. We brought him a cellar. I don't know, Lana. I hope not. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Blueback, what are you doing out here? You tech woman. Go to Fort. Quick. Indians. On your path. They come. Indians? How'd you find out? I was at your house. See them come. They'll look. They're here soon. Go. I'm not going to leave my crops. I can't. I worked for them hard. I won't go. I won't. Yeah, you've got to come. You've got to. All right. Get in the wagon, Lana, and be quick about it. Come on, Blueback. Oh, me stay. Get in, Lana. Hurry up. Hurry up. My skirt is caught. Rip it. Get up, Daisy. Don't look at it. Everything we had, there's nothing left of you. Nothing. It won't help to watch it burn. Oh, Gil. Don't look back, Lana. Don't. Gil, it won't be for long. Just until we've made enough to go back to our own place. But you, you can't hire out like a servant, a girl like you. Oh, you were right that first night that you should have gone on then. I was a fool not to see it. Gil, now we won't give up this easily. Ring the bell, Gil. Please. All right. Morning, ma'am. Are you Mrs. MacLennar? I am. Well, I'm Gil Martin. Yes. This here's my wife, Lana. We come to see about that job you have open. Hmm. Hmm. Hmm. Well, don't stand there with your mouths open. Come on in. Yes, ma'am. Thank you, Mrs. MacLennar. Yes, ma'am. You too. Sit down, sit down. Yes, ma'am. Well, you're here on business, so let's get down to it. Know how to farm. I had my own place. Yes, I heard it was burned. Well, that's too bad. But, uh, Martin, I don't do much farming here. Just keep up the meadows and feed my stock. But you can do what you like. I'm a widow. My husband was Captain Barnabas MacLennar. I was brought up on army life, so when I give an order, I expect to get a debate. You understand that? If I take your pay, I'll do the best I can. Hmm. How much do you want? I've never worked for anybody else. And I wouldn't be now if it weren't for those conson Indians. Well, that wasn't the first raid, and it won't be the last. That's just the trouble with this valley. It's our valley, and we'll fight for it, Martin. Yes, ma'am. Martin, I'll give you 15 pounds a year at the house, your wood, and food. It's not a big wage, but you'll have a good home. And, uh, if your wife can sew, I'll pay her too. Can you sew? You, uh, what's your name? Lana. Well, can you sew? Yes. Speak up! Speak up! Do you want to sew for me? I'd like to. Then that's settled. You can consider the job yours, Martin. You got any questions to ask? Yes. I'm in the militia. If we get called out, do I still get my wages? Martin's a war. You'll get him. And, uh, I'd like to know if you belong to the right party. Martin, a woman hasn't got political opinions. I run this farm to suit myself, and I'll shoot the daylights out of anybody, British, Tory, Indian, or American, who thinks he can come here and monkey with my business. Does that satisfy you? Yes, ma'am. I guess that just about covers everything. Thank you, ma'am. You are listening to Henry Fonda in Drums Along the Mohawk, sponsored on the Cavalcade of America by DuPont, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. As our play continues, one day through the Peaceful Valley echoes the martial sound of drums. From the headquarters of General Washington, urgent, an enemy army under Tory officers composed of hundreds of Indians is on its way to the Mohawk Valley. Every man capable of bearing arms between the ages of 16 and 60 is ordered to report for militia duty at Fort Dayton tomorrow morning. When Gil and the militia marched away to fight the Indians, it was sunny and bright. Two weeks later, it returned. It was night, and rain and cold lashed the militia as it made its way home. The wounded and their numbers were many poured into Mrs. McClenners. To Lana Martin, it was a nightmare of blood and wounded men. For three hours, she stood in the rain, searching the ranks for Gil. Gil, Gil Martin? No, ma'am. But the militia? They were right up front in the thick of it. Gil Martin? I'm Captain Morgan of the Continental. No one behind me that's alive. Sorry, ladies. Oh. I see. Gil. It's all right, dear. It's all right. Oh, Gil and... No, dear. They just brought him in. He's lying in the kitchen. Yes, yes. Now go on into it. Oh, thank you, Mrs. McClenners. Thank you. Not bad. They fixed it for me already. I'm just tired, that's all. Rest, darling. Rest. You're home. Home? I remember thinking how hot it was. Wondering how long we'd be away when it happened. I heard a crack, like a stick breaking. All of a sudden, a fellow next to me stopped talking and fell over on his side. Don't... Don't talk about it. I got down behind a log and aimed at a fellow. He leaped straight up in the air, fell face forward. After that, we just kept shooting as fast as we could right on how long. Darling, you mustn't... I had my hatchet. We were just going for one of them. When a musket went off. Right in front of me. I thought my whole arm had been torn off. I couldn't think of anything except how I was going to die. How bad it was to die out there. All by myself. Gil, please. That's the thing I knew. Someone had me in his arms. He said the fight was over. And we'd won the battle. Out of 600 of us, about 240 were still alive. Gil, they... the Indians, they won't come this way again. Will they? I don't reckon they'll have the nerve after the lick and we gave them. Why? Gil, we're going to have a baby. I found out just before you went away. A baby? Are you glad, Lana? Oh, I feel as if... as if I'd just begun living again. Then I'm not sorry for them Indians I killed. Neither shot in my arm, nor anything. I'm glad I went to that battle because now this valley is going to be peaceful and quiet. It's going to be a better place, a better world for our son to live in. Lana, we are going to have a son, aren't we? Of course, darling. Of course we'll have a son. They had a son. They named him Gil. And for a time there was peace and quiet in the Mohawk Valley. But after a while, the settlers realized the peace they had bought with their blood wasn't secure. The quiet which reigned over the valley was an ominous, fearful quiet. Many inhabitants would have preferred to have the Indians strike rather than continue the suspense. And then, after two years, it came into the confines of Fort Dayton, poured family after family. When they were certain that all were present, the massive log gates were closed, the stockade man, and the settlers awaited another onslaught at the Seneca's. A few hours later, the army of savages struck and the settlers were besieged. They fought for two days. On the third night, a crisis arose. The firing had ceased temporarily and an ominous quiet surrounded the fort. That's no use. There are Tory officers behind them, Indians. I say we go out there and give up. No, no. This valley belongs to us. We fought for it. We live here and work here. We planned on passing on to our children. We can't hand it over to them now. How are we going to stay here? Yeah. Ain't enough powder if they attack again. All right. If we had more powder in the shot, I'd say let's hang on. As it is. Listen. There's some continental soldier stationed in the next fort. If one of us could get through... That's impossible, Gil. That's 18 miles from here. You think those Indians that let a man get through? They haven't scaled for it, gone a mile. Yeah, too big a risk. Still, it would be worth it if one of us could get through. All right. Who? I'll try. Gil? I'm the only one who knows the way, Lana. He's right, ma'am. No. No. If I make ocean woods, I cannot run any Indian alive. It's our only chance, Lana. Gil, you can't go. I won't let you. Lana, look at me. They'll kill you. They'll kill you. Don't say that. Don't even think it. Look at me and tell me you want me to go. Tell me you aren't afraid anymore, that you're a frontier woman that no matter what happens, you aren't afraid. Tell me that, Lana. All right, Gil. I'm not afraid. I... I want you to go. Give me a hand down the wall here. There you go, Gil. Goodbye. You can make it. Gil. Gil. How he goes? Gil's a runner, all right. Look at him go. Some Indians don't see a thing. Into the woods, Gil, quick. They've seen him. There they go. Watch out, Gil. Watch out. They're after him. He's leaving, losing ground. Shoot him. Look out, hurry up, Gil. They're dealing on you. No. No. Run. Run. Run for ten hours. We couldn't have made it. Eight o'clock already. Pretty soon it'll be too late. Yeah. You know, I don't like this waiting. It's too quiet. Them Indians up to something. Here she comes again. Any sign of Gil? No, not yet, Mrs. Martin. Won't be long before he's here with them soldiers, though. We could only do something. If only there was some way to find out if you... No, don't, don't you fret, ma'am. Gil got through all right. Thank you. Better gotten through. There ain't enough powder here for three rounds each. We don't stand a chance. Listen to them drums. Beating faster. Yeah. Looks like them greasy heathens are getting ready. Oh, where are those soldiers? What's happened to Gil? There they come, Indians. Get your shots ready. Look at them. More of them must have come during the night. But we'll never be able to hold it. We only had powder. But we haven't. Come on down there. Get ready to re-roll deep. There you go. We gotta work fast. Come on up on the other side. Yes, we're finished. Listen. It's the soldiers to hear. They're coming. Them Indians didn't do as much damage as I thought. You know, Lana, if we really work, we'll be able to get the house fixed up for harvest. Listen. It's up ahead there on the bench. Soldiers. Gil, you don't suppose something's happened again? I don't know. Let's get up there and see. What's wrong? Where are you going? Home. Home? That's right, ma'am. The war is over. Cornwallis is surrendered to Washington at Yorktown. Did you hear that, Lana? It's so far we won. Yep. This here's our country now. Hey, what's that? The flag. Yeah, I never seen that one before. Well, that's what you folks have been fighting for. Those 13 stripes are for the colonies. And so are the 13 stars. That Washington must be a pretty big fella. Lick and Cornwallis. Yep. Well, see you again, folks. Company on! United States of America. It's a pretty flag, isn't it, Gil? It sure is. Well, I reckon we better be getting back to work, Lana. There's going to be a heat to do in this valley from now on. Get up, Daisy. Thank you, Henry Fonda. Ladies and gentlemen, in a few moments, our star will return to the microphone. But first, we'd like to bring you some important news. In every field of human endeavor, there are awards for achievement. In the chemical industry, scientific progress is annually distinguished by the award of the Chemical Industry Medal. Last Friday at a joint meeting of the American Section of the Society of Chemical Industry, including the New York Sections of the American Chemical Society and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the Medal Award for 1941 was presented to Dr. Elmer K. Bolton, Chemical Director of the DuPont Company for outstanding service in the direction of scientific research with particular emphasis on neoprene and nylon. Chemical achievement is recognized in this award. So, too, is the theme of scientific progress and growth. Yes, science grows within itself, self-generating, self-replenishing. In the past few weeks, for example, a number of products from the laboratories of DuPont have grown. That is to say, they've found new uses. Take pyriline cellulose nitrate plastic. You know pyriline. You may have a comb or a hairbrush with a pyriline back. Well, today, metal workers are using pyriline hammers. They keep the metal from chipping, and they outlast hammers made of rubber, wood, or fiber. Lucite methyl methacrylate resin in a new adaptation is used today in electrode cups for diathermy machines because it has good electrical properties and because the doctor can look through it and see how near the electrodes are to the patient's skin. DuPont lucite is also being used a great deal nowadays as hardware for doors, door pulls, push bars, handles, and so on. Even though the supply of lucite cannot be increased rapidly, it is freeing a certain amount of brass and bronze for vital defense industries. But the point is that this new use for lucite will not come to an end with the present emergency. The DuPont plastic is so practical, so sturdy, and handsome in its own right that the future is bound to see more and more of it used for hardware. At present, with American industry all out for defense, it's an encouraging fact that in the defense effort itself we're making many discoveries that will be of increasing value and utility afterward. To name one, the ship builders who are rushing so many new vessels down the ways are finding that such a small thing as a gasket tape made of neoprene, DuPont's chemical rubber, speeds the job of riveting watertight seams. So DuPont's neoprene tape is helping to get new ships into the water. But its usefulness isn't going to end when the emergency is over. It'll be valuable in the future on all sorts of metal fabricating jobs. In other words, there's no telling how far a chemical compound developed in a laboratory will go. Continued research develops one new use after another. This is the way chemical science grows. Its growth is compounded in the words of the DuPont pledge of better things for better living through chemistry. And now we'd like you to meet our star, Henry Fonda. Now Henry, all of us on Cavalcade want you to know we appreciate having you with us on the show tonight. Thanks. It's a personal satisfaction for me to work on the Cavalcade of America. And I'd like to pay my respects to the Cavalcade players with a particular thank you to Jeanette Nolan who played opposite me this evening. I've always admired DuPont for the inspiration this program brings each week, and naturally I'm happy to have been part of it. It's mighty nice of you to say that, Henry. Oh, and by the way, if you're still in New York next Monday night, drop around the studio here and see our show. We're doing a radio preview of the new Warner Brothers picture they died with their boots on, and Arrow Flynn's going to be with us to play his original screen role. Well, I won't forget that offer. As a matter of fact, before I left Hollywood, I saw a preview of that picture, and I happened to be on the water a lot today. They were shooting the final scenes. I'd like to put a word in and urge the radio audience to be sure and not miss this show on next Monday night's Cavalcade. Thank you, Henry. And again, our thanks for your part on tonight's broadcast. Don't forget, next week, the Cavalcade of America presents Arrow Flynn in a radio preview of the Warner Brothers' new and exciting motion picture they died with their boots on. On tonight's program, the orchestra and the original musical score were under the direction of Don Burry. On the Cavalcade of America, your announcer is Clayton Collier sending best wishes from DuPont. Bed Network of the National Broadcasting Company.