Boy's Cinema (1939-40)

12 BOY'S CINEMA THE SECRET AGENT THl] tramp steaiiier Falcon was sliding through the night mist towards the chief (.oit of a Emopoan country governed by an iioa diftatoiship. Her radio operator, Steve Kendall, a tall, light-hearted yoiinc; American, w^as sprawling O'-i his liunk, reading, when Wilson, the second-mate, came in. Wilsoif was a hard- faced man -vith a queer, clipped accent. Steve could never make anything of him—except that he was in some way dangerous. "Cai)tain wants you to radio the harbour- master for a pilot," he said brusquely. "He won't send anyone out in this fog," Steve grunted. " He will for us !'' "\A'hy us?" Steve sat up. "Say, Wilson, what's all this about, anvway? It's the cargo in tmrnber ^hree hold, isn't it?" "You'd better move, Kendall," the second ofFicer said coldly. "Wait a minute," Steve snapped, "I've been the janitor's child on this ship long enough. I've got a right to know what's in that hold." "You have no right, Kendall," said Wilson angrily. "You're paid to be a radio operator. If you have a squav.k, why not try the captain ?" He went out, and Stme, shrugging, went to the radio cabin. But he stopped short in the doorway. A fair-haired young man from the engine-room was sitting at the table with the earphones on. "What are you doing here, Carlson?" Steve barked. Carlson swung round, removing the ear- phones. "Well—well, Mr. Kendall, I—T know I trot no right here, but, you see. it's like this " "You're not doing so good, feller," Steve snapped. "Talk faster." "'This is my old country, Mr. Kendall," Carlson muttered nervously, "T got a family jiere—well, when T saw the fog 1 think maybe v/e won't get in to-night, so 1 think I'll send a litlle message— that's all." Steve grinned coldly, "Get up out of there. You're the darndest liar it's ever been my misfortune to listen to." He sat down as Carlson rose from his chair. Thou he stiffened as something round and hard jabbed in his back, and Carlson said in a vastiv different tone: "You're quite rijht, Kendall, I have always February lOtI), 1940. been a very bad liar. And I am also exceed- ingly sorry you happened to come in just now. I liked you." "I wish I could say the same about you," Steve retorted, sitting motionless. "You will either send the message I was about to send myself," said Carlson evenly, "or I will have to use this." The gun increased its pressure. "All right, old man," sighed Steve Kendall, "don't make an issue of it. I'll send your message for you, if it's that important. Just put that cannon away, will you? I'm the nervous type." "I have already set the wave-length," Carl- son told him. "I will dictate to you. Re- member—I know the international code as well as you do." A very surprising and mysterious young man. Steve thoug-ht. After a little hesitation, the radio operator tappctl out a stilng of code words. Carlson snatched the earphones to hear the answer. Then he handed them back. "Take this, quick! Quick, I said!" In the act of starting the new message, Steve glanced up, and in a mirror above his head he spotted a hand holding a gun just appearing round the edge of the door. Recklessly he flung himself aside, sprawling on the floor as the jjun barked twice. With an exclamation, Carlson sv.utig round and snapped ofi' a couple of shots. Then Steve was leaping at him. Carlson struggled free, boiuided towards the door, and, with two strides, was across the deck outside. Steve saw him leap on to the rail, then he was gone. Steve rushed out. with the sound of the splash in his ears, and leaned on the rail Wilson joined him, fury written on his face. Carlson could be^heard swimming. Splashes of foam showed faintly. Wilson's giwi came up. He fired several times, then shouted: "Pick him up with the light!" The beam roved over the water, then picked up Carlson, still swimming strongly, Steve stared in amazement at Wilson's face, distoited with fury, as he fired again. There was a thrashing in the dark water, then silence. Steve was shocked at this ruthlessness. He swung angrily on the second-mate as the captain hurried along the deck, shouting: " r.ower a boat!" "That won't be necesstarv, captain," said Wilson silkily. "What d'you mean, Wilson?" barked the bluff skipper "Did you fire those shots?" Every Tuesday A secret radiogram! A mid- night phone call vv^ith plot and counter-plot against military terror! A terrific drama adapted from the RKO Radio picture which stars Allan Lane, Linda Hayes and Robert Barrat "I did," said Wilson calmly. "Y'ou see. you're in my country now, captain. Carlson was a traitor. He was attempting to sabotage your cargo. This man is a confederate. I am ]jlacin<>f him imder arrest. Your ship will be placed in custody while an investigatioi^is made." ^Br Both Steve Kendall and the skipper PlKd at him in amazement. Wilson was lowering the mask with a vengeance. "I don't know who you are in your own country," the captain roared. "But on this ship I'm captain and I don't take orders from you or anybody else!" The sound of a siren cut into his speech. Thoy sau- a searchlight flashing, and a big Government cutter tearing out towards them. "You see, captain," sneered ^\ilson, "you have no alternative." The skipper struggled for words, then turned away. Steve knew in that monuuit that he was in gi'eat danger. He had fallen into the grip of a dictatorship which shot first and asked questions afterwards. Unwirtingly, he had fallen into some deep plot, connected with that mvsterious c;ii'go in n\unber three hold. As Wilson, smiling, turned on him, he acted. He placed a hand on the rail and vaulted clean over into the daikness, down towards the black, oily sea, THE GIRL ON THE QUAY IT was a long, cold swim. Several times Steve had to dive and swim imder water until he felt his lungs wei'e bursting—once because a munber of bullets from Wilson's automatic came impleasantly near, and the other times, because the searchlight of the harbour cutter was sweeping- in wide arcs. He knew the boat was after him. Wilson wanted him, dead or alive. He swam on doogedly, and at last, with a feeling of intense relief, his hand touched some shme-covered steps. He had reached laud. For some time he sat there, gasping for breath, and shivering in the cold. Then he glanced up, and got a further shock, A girl was standing on the qiuiy above him. He was struck by the look of misery on her face as she stared out over the water. He climbed the steps, and she swung- round, startled. "Who are .vou ? Where are you from?" "Out there," Steve said, his teeth chattering. "Take my word for it—it's no night for a moonlight swim—or anything else." Then he hea'd the siren and saw the search- light sweeping along the waterfront towards them. He grabbed the giil and hustled her behind some ban-els. The bliiuhng light rested on their hiding-place, then passed on. "I'm sorry," said Steve, rising. "I know that's no wav to treat a lady, but I have to stay out of the spotli.ght temporarily." "Why are they looking for you?" the girl said softly. "I'm :til! trying to figure that out for my- self." "Are vou from the Falcon?" she asked un- expectedly. "The ship that came in to-night?" Steve's eyes flickered. "Yes. Why?" "Nothing—I heard the shots before. Is some- thing wrong ?" "Are you under that impression, too?" he demanded "Say, what kind of a country is this, anyway? They shoot people first and then forget to ask the questions.'" "Yes" she said bitterly "we're famous for that." • She started as thev heard the throb bing of a launch along the harbour. They could see her nosing into a nearby quay atui uniformed nu'ii leaning from her. "Come with inc." she said, "Iluriv!" They slipped through the silent streets, Steve content to be led. He didn't know why, but he trusted this girl. Several times they hid to