Tired of the everyday grind? Ever dream of a life of romantic adventure? Want to get away from it all? We offer you... Escape! Escape! Designed to free you from the four walls of today for a half hour of high adventure! You are standing on the bridge of a tramp steamer, a ship captain, sailing through the vast emptiness of the ocean. While on the deck below you, the crew, a desperate gang of cut-throats and murderers, are waiting for a signal that will give them your ship and bring you your death. Listen now as Escape brings you Antony Ellis' exciting story, The Tramp. What a stinker! You can smell a rotten cocks from here. What a stinker! Feels sail like a ruddy ace tack, you know that art. Trees with what we've been looking for, Gowdy. Eight knots with the wind behind her. If she don't blow up, I don't like it. There were six thousand tons of the ugliest tramp I'd ever seen. The paint was scaling off her plates and you could see the patches of rust. In the fog and mist she loomed over as dark in the night. We stood on the Liverpool dock. Gowdy, Winkle Jones and me. And we sized her up. Yes. That's what we've been looking for, all right. Where's she bound? Baranquilla. Wind, eh... Wind you find out. At the pub a bit ago she shorthanded on crew too. What's her cargo? What we've been waiting for. Scrap. Gawd! Skip his name is Blee. He should be easy. He drinks too much all the time. You know the kind. He was in the pub too. I still say she's too bloody slow. Scrap mine in her old and old. Oh, Winkle, Winkle, you're a worry of it, sweat you on. Why don't you leave the thinking to art and me? I think. Do you think she'll do art? She'll have to do. We might not find another for months and then we'll lose the deal. That's all. I'm with you. Well, I'm with you too, but... But I don't like the looks of her in that straight. Bloody black hippopotamus. It'd be safer doing the black than this, I hope to choke. You're getting milky, Winky Jones. No, I ain't milky. You's milky. Why don't you go calling me milky, Bert Gowdy, or I'll stroke you shivvy. Eh? God, you little maggot. Maggot, is it? Come on, be both of you. All right, all right. Eh, what's the layoff? Well, I'm going back to the pub. You boys wait at the hotel. I'll get things lined up with a skipper. Think you'll take us on? I told you he's short-handed. He'll take us on. You get your stuff packed. I'll see you later. Right, chum. I walked up the road to a walloper called a jug. Inside were semen mostly and the rest, a lot of dirty muck from narcs to dodos. I spotted the captain, Blee, sitting in a corner, dipping his yellow moustache in a mug. Then after I got me own pint, I walked over to him. He was well canned, I could see that. Dinky-dum-doo, dinky-dinky-day, finest little ram, sure the devil did. Captain. What? Captain Blee, aren't you skipper of the lace wing over at the docks? Eh, eh, I'm Blee. Ah, mind if I sit down? Don't mind. Who are you? Ah, the jenny, Captain. I want to talk to you about shipping on. On the lace wing? What for? I need a berth. I heard you were short-handed. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. That's a dirty lie. Full compliment. Oh, I must have made a mistake. What's your game? Me? I don't follow you. You trying to hop the twig? Oh, no, I'm clean with the police, Captain, if that's what you mean. No, they're not after me. And why do you want to sign up on a blister-bladron's cow like the lace wing, eh? Just like I said, I need a berth. I've got me papers. Second off isn't my last ship. Let's see. Cough, cough, cough. That's... Hmm, not the jennings. Hmm, eh? Here, take them. Well? Well? Well, am I hired? Ah! How old are you? Thirty-four. How old I am? Now. I'm sixty. I'm sixty and I'm all-around a billed, stinking slush of rubbish like the lace wing. Now, what that means... I might have had a Cunardia, but I ain't. I'm a failure. And I'm drunk. Cough, cough, cough. You sign up somewhere else, you fella. Well, a job's a job. I'm telling you. Ah, I... I need a man like you. I need a first officer, a second and a third. I need a chief in-ship bloody near and I'm gonna settle for scrapings. That's what I always get, scrapings. Go on, clear out! I still want to sign on. Oh, you're bound for Barranquilla. No bonus, no bonus on my ship. Owner doesn't believe in this. Ha, ha, ha, you dirty dog. Oh, that's all right. You'll have lascos and mugs under you. I'm used to it. I've been around. On the sea, one man's the same as another. Yeah, you're a fool. But I need a mate. Yeah. You wanna hire them in? We're short eighteen and the pay's not worth a bunion. I'll get them. We're sailing at six in the morning. All right. Ah, you're a fool. Don't turn up! I gotta have another pint. Right you are, Skipper. You stay and enjoy yourself. I'll take care of things topside. What's your name? Jennings, Arthur Jennings. Jennings? All right. Jennings, tell that steward of mine who you are. He's aboard the Lacewing. Name's Seddon. Sneaking little pig. I don't trust him. Yes, sir. All right, Jennings. Tell me something else. I don't trust you neither, see. You're too smooth. But you're not scuffering me, see. Don't forget. It was as easy as pie. Of course, it had taken her time to find the right ship and the right skipper. Yes, better than four months. We had to be sure. The most tramps these days belong to a big company, they're part of a fleet. We couldn't use anything like that. It had to be what it was, the Lacewing. Thanomar Registry, a general trader that nobody else would touch with a skipper to go with her. A ship that wouldn't be missed for a while. We found her. I picked up Jones and Gowdy and we went back to the ship. The steward, Seddon, was the only man aboard. He was a nervous little rat who looked all the time like he'd been caught doing something nasty. This'll be your cabin, Mr. Jennings. What are you talking me for? You call this a cabin? It's not fit for a pig. Get it cleaned out. Oh, yes, sir. Sorry, sir. Now look here, Seddon. Mr. Gowdy is the new second officer and Mr. Jones is chief engineer. That's Captain Blea's orders. See? Yes, sir. I'll see their quarters is put to rights immediately, sir. You'd better. Okay, that's all. Shall I clean up in here first, sir? No, I'll be. Yes, sir. Wait. I must say, nice work, oh, nice work. Oh, it's a starter. All very nice for you blokes, but me. I've got to go down in the bowels of this bucket of boggy. Chief engineer, you think I want to blow meself up? I know what their mentions is like without even looking. You've got engineer paper and we need you down there. If you don't like it, you know what you can do. Take no notice of Winkle. He's hungry. Now then, what next? Well, as soon as the old man comes aboard, we'll see that he's all tucked in bed nice and comfy, and he doesn't wake up until we're out of here. What about the rest of the crew? Well, what there is, we can manage. The ones I'm supposed to hire wouldn't sign up, see? That'll be the story. Don't forget it. Right. Well, you'd better get on the job now. I'll go ashore and send a cable if we've found it. We're shoving off at six. A skipper was carried aboard by a couple of crewmen at three o'clock that morning. He was no trouble without to the world. By five, the rest of the men had straggled up the gangway, and at six, we eased away from the dock. Then, after a bit, the lacewing was burying a dirty nose in the cross chop of the Irish sea. We were three days out of Liverpool. I got off the regular ship lanes as soon as I could, and there was no questions asked. But Captain Blee didn't budge from his cabin. I hadn't even seen him since putting out, and I made sure that the steward kept him well supplied with whiskey. Garrity, Jones, and me were having grab in my cabin on that third night, and the ship was pitching and heaving like a donkey with the itch. Sure. Oh, what a ship. Smooth as glass out there and look at her. Oh, she'll never make it. The engines won't stand it neither. We're pushing her too hard. Never mind that. What about the crew? Push over. Usual bunch. Yeah. Any troublemakers? In this lot, don't make me laugh. Lot of mugs. Yeah. We ought to be able to make it then. The important thing is to keep the radio man quiet. That'll be your job, Bert. Right. What about them engines? Hey, I tell you, I've got to slow down. They won't hang together. Mr. Mates! Evening, Captain. Who are these bleeders here? Oh, you were a bit under the weather, Captain. I took them on in Liverpool as you requested. Your second officer, Mr. Gowdy, and chief engineer, Mr. Jones. What do you think you're doing with my ship, mister? Any complaints, sir? I knew I didn't trust you, you blister blathering... Good thing Seddon told me we're ten degrees off course. Know that? That's right, Captain. Not anymore. It's not. I've set her back. You'd have her sailing to the Indies. That's right, sir. That's where we're going. Not on my ship. Marankeira's my port. You want to blow us up? She's running too fast. Close the door, will you, Bert? Right, Joe. You're relieved, you are, mister. The ruddy lorry of fire, do you hear that? I put it to you, Captain, either way you like. You go along with us and you won't get hurt. You make any trouble, then we'll throw you overboard. You what? Me? I have you in irons! This is mutiny! I'll go and punch and hang for this! Sorry, Captain. You want to take seconds now? You come in with us and we give you a share or overboard. Now! No arguments this minute. Now! I'll give you a share of my foot! Knock him out! Aggravating old boy. Have a look outside. See, it's clear, Jonesy. Okay. Better this way, or I was afraid he might come in and we left him to divvy up. I didn't think he would. All clear. All right. Now come on, Bert, give me a hand. All right, Joe. Heavy. You lorry of puff guts. Get over to the right, Jonesy. Okay. Hurry up, Luke. Have a nice swim, Captain dear. Well, that's that. In the morning we'll break the sad news to the crew. Now let's get this hulk back off course. We will return to Escape in just a moment, but first, tomorrow night, Frank Lovejoy stars in Suspense's production of The Storm on most of the same CBS radio stations. It's a strange story about a man on a dance team who sets out to prove himself greater than a hurricane. And needless to say, it's a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. Don't miss it tomorrow night at the Star's Address presented by CBS Radio. Suspense starring Frank Lovejoy. Now back to Escape. The next morning I called the crew together in the upper deck. I had a slip of paper ready in my hand and when they quieted down I gave them the speech. Men, I've got a sad duty to perform. Last night, Captain Bleed did away with himself. Yes, he jumped overboard. He committed suicide. He left a note for me which I'll turn over to the proper parties when we reach Port. Also, he did his instructions that we proceed to Dominica instead of Baranquilla. Now I'm carrying out that order and until we get to Port I shall be acting captain. That's all. Get back to your work. So what an actor you would have made, half lovely, absolutely lovely. Did they swirled it? I think so. I'm not too sure about a couple of them though. That's Stuart Seddon and the bloke with the mouth full of teeth, the donkey man. Donkey? Often. Him, looking this way. Yeah. Well I'll keep an eye on them both. You better get a message off to our boy in Dominica. Think the radio man will get nosy? There's no reason he should. Don't you give him any call to be, Bert. Don't worry. It looked good, but all going our way. The shipment of cargo of scrap was going to be worth fifteen thousand dollars to us when we took her into Port. That's the way we fixed it six months before. A couple of blokes I met in Liverpool. We were to find them a ship, hijack her and sail her into Dominica with her cargo. Scrap if possible. Then they were going to sail her out again to China and Gaudi, Jones and me, well we'd flow down to Argentina with our fifteen thousand and have some fun. That's the way it was. It looked like it was going to be stone ginger from then on. That's the way it looked until we were two days out of Port. Come in. What do you want, Sidney? Might I have a word with you, Captain? I'm busy. It's important, sir. What? It's about Captain Blea, sir. What about him? Well, sir, I hate to say this, but I don't think he met with no accident. You don't? No, sir. And seeing as how I know what really happened to him, I was thinking maybe it'd be worth a knicker or so if I kept my face shut. Captain Blea jumped over the sign. I've got his note that says so. Could I see the note, sir? I know the captain's writing lot me own. What makes you think it wasn't an accident, Sidney? Seeing as how I saw what happened, sir. Oh. And seeing as how we'll be in Port in a couple of days, I wouldn't want to make any trouble for you or any of the other gentlemen, sir. Did you figure maybe something might happen to you? Oh, yes, sir, I did. That's why a friend of mine, Mr. Austin, he knows about it too, just in case. Now, what you do, sir, is your own business, I'm sure. But don't you think it might be worth a little bit of fat to us? You're a ruddy fool, Sidney. You should have waited. You should have waited. Hey, uh, sale, ain't it? You did murder, you don't want to. Now, don't forget, Austin knows too. He'll take care of Austin. Now, look here. No need to get nasty. I'll keep me tension. Mr. Jennings, I'll give you my word. Don't hit me. Please, I'll... The explosion threw us both off our feet. Seddon was first up. We got out of the cabin like a whippet. The engines had stopped, and I knew that whatever had happened was in the engine room. I got up to the bridge, gawd, he was already there. Can't raise anyone down there, Art. Don't see below. I think so. Give it here. Here. Come on, come on. I'd better get down there. Look at the crew go, we're in for it, Art. The worse off if they get off in the boats. I'll send an horse to know what happened to the captain. Game's up then. Hey, Gowdy. It's me, Art. What happened, Dunsey? Boiler's busted. Fire? No, but she's sipping water like a bloody sieve. Are you all right? Smashed me arm. Stoke this quarter. They're all done in. I'll send some men. How many do you need to stop the leak? You can't stop it. There's an old six feet or more, another behind the boiler. I'm coming up. Good, we're done, we are. Get over to the radio cabin. Don't let that man send an SOS quick. He's got you, Art. We might not get victory. You heard what I said. We've still got a chance after we take care of setting an Austin. If they spit it all up, it's a go on. Hello. Moran Hall's flooding. Shall I give the order to abandon ship? No, get the pumps going. Yes, sir, but the cargo ship could explode and she's going past, sir. Get on the pumps. Bert, get down there with them. I'll take care of the others. Will you listen to me? It's too late. Move it! I ran down to the radio room. We had to stop the call from going out because if there was a ship in the vicinity and it got to us before we'd put the quiet on setting the North in, the three of us would hang. The ever sinking ship was a sightless worry. I heard the message before I even opened that door. Stop it! I've been sending it, sir. I've already got an answer. I said stop it! We're sinking, sir. It's my duty. I have to... We are not under yet. You think I want us all in for salvage rights? You send out the word, okay, see? Now, you do it now. Need no assistance. Send. There's a ship about 20 miles off, sir. She could stand by just in case. She's on her way and... You do as you're told! Need no assistance! Better get them boats over the side. We're done for. Five minutes, not even that. Come on out here. Now, listen to me, Jonesy. We've got to get the steward and one of the crewmen, Austin. They have tweaked. We've got to do it before we leave the ship. Now, what are you going to do? Shoot them in front of the crew? We wouldn't stand a chance. They'd carve us up. Let's get off this here tub. There's sharks out there and I want a boat around me. Not until we've taken care of those two. Now, listen. You do what you want. See, I'm clearing out now. I told you them engines wouldn't stand it. Well, they haven't. Now, I'll take me chances with the law, but not here. She's breaking up. I'm feeling the boat over the side. Come on, let's get out. I'm in your bed. Abandon ship. Abandon ship. Abandon ship. There was still a chance. I could do it myself. Find Austin. Find that dirty little rat Seddon. Do them both in and there was still a chance that nobody would know. I went looking for them. The tramp was listing and settling lower in the sea and I ran from one side to the other. Here it. Then I spotted them. The lifeboat was already in the water. I saw Seddon looking up at me, pointing. Then Austin saw me. I jumped for the boat. I missed. She pulled away from the side. Wait. Wait. Hold on. What's this? Give me a hand. Where? How's it feeling there? Now I don't bleed a lot now. I feel as hard when you. I'm going to let you drown, you dirty murderer. He's going to kill me. He's not even there. No. Get me out. You make a confession, see. All these other blokes is witnesses. You confess. You confess now or you can swim for it. Who are you? What did you do? What did you do? I killed the captain. You and your mother too. Not some major. Yes. All right. Come on now. I'm sick of having to say. The very first time I saw it. The very first time. I knew that tramp was a stinker. Knew them men were no bloody good. Now shut it or shut it off we go. Oi. Art. What? Lovely grub, wasn't it? All right. If you like, jail grub. Wish I had some vile beans. My stomach's sour. Won't have to worry about that for long. It's all right for you Bert Gardy. Ain't your stomach? I should have known better than to screw up to a couple of half-widened mugs like you. $15,000. First time I saw that ruddy scow I knew. Come off it Jonesy. I want to get some sleep. Always complaining. Art, ain't it wicked. When you think we're all going down to the same place. And he'll be there along with us. I'll tell you Bert. It's hopeless. He'll complain the rope's too tight around his neck when they hang us in the morning. What do you bet? Escape has brought you The Tramp. Written and directed by Anthony Ellis. Starring Ben Wright as Jennings. With Jane Avello as Gowdy. And Charlie Long as Winkle Jones. Featured in the cast were Tudor Owen. Alec Harford. Lou Krugman and Charles Davis. Editorial supervision is by John Meston. And the special music for Escape is composed and conducted by Leith Stevens. Next week. You are standing in a darkened room in the heart of Russia's dread Lubeyanka prison. Your mind tortured into blankness. And across the desk from you, happily smiling at you, is the chief of Russia's secret police. Who intends to drive you to insanity or to death. So listen next week when Escape brings you John Boehner's exciting story, The Man with the Steel Teeth. What's new with Our Gal Sunday? Following the latest case of Perry Mason, are things more complicated for young Dr. Malone? Confidentially Aunt Jenny is in the midst of a mighty unusual story. There's a world of entertainment awaiting you every weekday in the daytime. With CBS Radio's roster of wonderful dramatic serials. Tomorrow listen in again and follow the latest in the lives of these familiar people. This is Roy Rowan speaking. And remember daytime is a gay time with Arthur Godfrey time. Every day on the CBS Radio Network. The Man with the Steel Teeth.
