Paul Parrott's shoes speak for themselves! Shibahoy, you lovers! All aboard for the transcribed premiere production, The Cruise of the Paul Parrott. Here is the second adventure in this thrilling, exciting story of the sea, which tells of the adventurous days of whaling, when mutiny and storms at sea and buried treasure were very real adventures that might have a place in the life of any seaman. Boys and girls, we know you'll enjoy this thrilling series from start to finish. It is in the spring of 1858 in New Bedford, the center of the whaling industry, that our story opened. Captain Roy Dalton and his good friend, first mate George Wainwright, are to command the good ship Paul Parrott on a whaling cruise. But there is a good deal of mystery about the whole business. First, one of the owners goes along. Second, a mysterious Spaniard attacked Dalton on the docks in our first adventure. He tried to pick the captain's pocket of his papers. When that failed, he shot at the two men, and after a short but furious fight, managed to escape. As our story opens, it is the next day, and Captain Dalton and first mate Wainwright are on their way to the shipkeeper's office at the docks of the company which owns their ship, Grange and Company. We've got to find out who that Spaniard is, Roy. Aye, aye, George. There's plenty of mystery connected with this cruise already. And we may as well find out how the wind blows as soon as we can. Well, if any man knows who that Spaniard swab is, it'll be old man Breckenridge, the shipkeeper for Grange and Sons. He's worked on the docks here for almost 40 years. And he knows every seaman and land lover who's ever been in New Bedford. That swab was after something important, George. You can lay to that. When he failed to pick my pocket, he tried to shoot me. There's some information he wants from me, or from my papers, but I'll be blowed if I know what it is. Here's the shipkeeper's office right ahead of us. While we're aboard here, I'm going to try to see if I can get any information from the old man about what's behind this cruise. The owner doesn't go along on every whale and voyage, and there's seldom a whaler that ships as fine a crew as this one. Ahoy there, Mr. Breckenridge. Well, a vast, you old sea dogs. Come in, Captain Dalton. Glad to see you, Mr. Wainwright. Oh, is this Captain Dalton? Well, there's a lady present. Did I hear you mention my name, Miss? Oh, yes. Sue, this is the captain. Captain Dalton, this is Miss Suzanne Grains, the sister of Ezra Grains, the young owner who's going to sail with you on your cruise. Not Suzanne. I want to be called Suzanne Grains. Sue, it shall be then, ma'am. And Sue, this is Captain Dalton, who's to command your brother's ship, the Pal Parrot, and his first mate, Mr. Wainwright. Hello, Miss Sue. How do you do, Miss? Ah! Ah! Ship behind! There's breakers ahead! Hard apart. Where'd that come from? Look, it's our ship's mascot, Pal Parrot himself, over there on the corner. And there's old Dickon himself, a vast-air Dickon. I didn't see you and your blooming bird when we sailed in here. I didn't see you either. I just brought Pal Parrot in to amuse little Miss Grange and tell her some stories about whaling. She seems to be interested in whaling, sir. Oh, I am. I've always wanted to go along on a whaling cruise someday. I suppose that's natural, Miss Sue. After all, your father and your brothers have been in the whale oil business so long, you must be anxious to see how it's done. Old Dickon has been telling her some of his tall yarns about his days of whaling, Captain. But, Miss Sue, a whaler's no place for a young lady or for any young person for that matter. It's a long, hard grind carrying a cargo of heavy work and many dangers. And there's little money waiting at port in the end. Oh, but I just want all that excitement. I wouldn't mind the work or the danger. Sue is what you might call a tomboy, I'm afraid. But the dangers are very great ones, if I may put in me or Miss Sue. It wasn't whaling, you know. I lost my leg. Tell me about it, Dickon. Maybe it best not, Dickon. A fight with a whale is a fearful thing to hear tell of. Oh, but I want to hear about it. Well, with the captain's permission, I'll say it in just a few words. I was first harpooner on a ship over 30 years ago come next month. We sighted a whale. And at the call from the mast head, there she blows, we lowered two boats. Well, the second mate's boat landed a harpooner in the critter. And then he turned right on us. He was a big humpback whale, one of the biggest I ever seen. And to see him raising up right over our heads was like seeing the end of the world. Well, he died right next to our boats and the sea foamed around like a whirlpool with our boats bobbing around like little tops. And then he came up on the other side and he brought his big flukes down right on top of us. Gee, what happened? Well, Miss Sue, the boat was just kindling wood after that. Most of the men were hurt or knocked out. But since the whale didn't come up any more, the second mate's boat managed to pick all of us up. But me leg was lost in that smash. And you know, I got a feeling that some day I'll meet that whale again. I'd know him if I seen him. I knew I would. And the next time, it'll be either him or me. Oh, that was terrible, Dickon. Oh, I feel so sorry for you. I'll blow me down, Miss Sue. It ain't nothing. I get along with me big leg as well as many a swab who calls themselves able-bodied seamen. There she blows! There she blows off the starboard bow! You can tell that part, son old whaler. But Sue, do you see how much danger would be tied up in a cruise of that sort? I don't care. I like thrills and adventure. I want to go on a voyage like that some day. I don't see why Brother Ezra can't take me along. Miss Sue, you've got the Grange whaling spirit. I can see that. But take it from a seamen. A whaler is no place for so charming a young lady as yourself. Oh, Captain Dalton, there's always some excuse. Ezra says I could never go on a whaler because I'm too young. Mr. Breckinridge says that no woman could go whaling. And now you too. Oh, I wish I were a boy. Begging your pardon, Captain, but I must be always to nanker. Oh, I got a few ports of call to make today. Old shipmates will say goodbye to you and the like. You'll excuse me, sir? Go ahead, Dickon. Remember, we sail tomorrow morning. Be sure to bring our ship's mascot aboard in good trim. Aye, aye, sir. I will. You may lay to that, sir. Good day to you then, gentlemen. And Miss Sue. Good day. Good day, Dickon. I hope you catch your whale on this cruise. Good day. Good day. Good bye, Dickon. He's an odd character, Dickon. One of the best hands. I'll lay you to that. Aye, Captain, that's granted. You know, I wish she wouldn't have told so many of those wild stories to Sue here. She gets too excited about something she can never do. You all know as well as I that no Grange ever let any of his women go on a whaling cruise. Oh, but his stories don't make me any more excited than I was before. I've always wanted to go on a whaler. And someday, no matter what father or brother Ezra say, I'm going. I'm not trying to change the subject, Mr. Breckenridge. But there's something we'd like to ask you, knowing that you know everybody who's ever been around these docks. Aye, what is it, Mr. Whaler? Maybe you'd better explain, Captain. Well, Mr. Breckenridge, yesterday on the docks, a dock Spanish-looking swab rammed into me broadside while we were just gaffing away. Then I found he'd stolen my master's papers. We came down on him and got them back. But he scuttled off under full sail. And not many minutes later, he shot at us from behind a stack of oil casts. He shot at you? Aye, but his aim was poor, and we crept up on him and finally grappled with him. But the love was a strong monkey, and he managed to break away again. And a few minutes later, there was another shot at us. Whoever he is, he's dead set on getting something from us. What? I don't know. How exciting. I suppose you want to know if I know it. Is that it? That's it, Mr. Breckenridge. We judged that you knew more secrets than I knew. And that you knew more semen than any other landsman in New Bedford. Well, now let me be sure of this. You say he was a Spaniard? Aye, very dark and short and wiry, strong and speedy. And his eyes were small and black and sharp as two dirks. And his hair long in the back, small mustachio. That's the man. That's the man. You know him? I do. That's Al Testy, one of the shipping agents for De Silva & Company. De Silva & Company? Blow me down. That's the wailing outfit right down the docks, isn't it? That's right. What could De Silva & Company have to do with this business? They've always been very friendly to Grange and Sons. From the looks of this man, Al Testy, I'd say this was some plot of his own. I never did like his looks. Well, now that I know who he is, I'm going to track him down. There's a reason behind all this, and I'm going to find out what it is. Can you tell us where we can find him in New Bedford, Mr. Breckenridge? Where's his anchorage here? Yes, I think I can. He's putting up on Gloucester Street, two squares up from the docks. Just what house it is, I don't know. But you'll find him out if you go up there and inquire. There's another thing I don't like the looks of. After that last shot yesterday, we heard old Dixon's wooden leg stomping along the docks in the direction of the shot. I wonder if he could have anything to do with this business. I hardly think so. Dickens a funny old swab, but I never had any reason to believe that he's anything but loyal to his masters. Well, that'll all straighten itself out if we get the cell, Testy. We'll find out everything if we get him under our thumb and make him talk. Why, this is all just like a storybook. Oh, I wish I could go with you. Just think of all the mystery you've had already, and your cruise hasn't even started. Did you ever hear of such a tomboy? Instead of being frightened by all these things, it only makes Sue want to go along all the more. Of course it does. All my life I've wanted excitement, and all I've been able to do is go to school and hear yarns of wailing and never do anything about it. Why, Miss Sue, you talk as if you've lived a long, long time and always been disappointed. You're just a little girl. When you get older, you'll be even prettier than you are now, and you'll find plenty of things in life to make it worth living without having to go sailing on a dirty, smelly old whaler. Well, no matter what you say, Captain, and whether Brother Ezra likes it or not, I'm going to sail on a whaler sooner or later. Now you just see if I don't. This looks bad, gentlemen. You know, when a woman makes up her mind about anything, she usually gets it. Well, let's get back to what we were talking about. This Al Testy, do you have any idea, Mr. Breckenridge, of what he might be wanting that he's given us all this rough sailing? No, I don't know the man at all, except by sight. Now, wait a minute. You know, Al Testy has just been employed by the Silvering Company as a dock agent for a month or so. The first time I saw him, I couldn't help thinking that I'd seen him somewhere before. You've seen him before? Where? That's the trouble. I can't remember. It seems like several years ago. There's something about him I ought to remember, but I'm bloated if I can think of what it is. You're sure you can't remember? It was in New Bedford. I know that, but just what he was doing, I can't think. Oh, never mind. It'll come to me. I'll let you know when I think of it. Well, Mr. Waderight, it's going late. Let's be off on our way up Gloucester Street to look for the lover. Then you'll be able to find out from the Spaniard himself what Mr. Breckenridge is trying to remember. Well, gentlemen, I wish you luck. Look! Look in the window! Where? Blow me down! It's him! I wish you luck too, señores. It's Al Testy himself, and he's heard everything we said. Alas, don't stand there as if you're anchored. After him! This time we'll not let him get away! Now I know I must go along on that cruise! And now what? Will Captain Dalton and Mr. Waderight catch the Spaniard? If they don't, he'll know all their plans, and then what will they do? And how about Little Sue? Will she really make good her promise to go along on the whaling cruise? Be sure to listen into the next in this thrilling series of adventures of the cruise of the Pal Parrot. In the next adventure, you will meet another interesting character, the little boy in our story, Johnny Robbins. And we know you'll like him. Your Pal Parrot announcer is Dave Ward.
