It's adventure time for North of Ernie. It's adventure time for North of Ernie. I wonder what Annie hopes to find out by following Angelina Carmanetti. It certainly is thrilling. And say, wasn't that exciting news we heard last time about Orphan Annie's new identification bureau? Yes, sir! Every one of you boys and girls can get in on it and get a keen-looking identification tag and chain for your very own. And so, if you miss hearing about it, listen hard now because boy oh boy you certainly want this keen-looking oval-shaped identification tag and automatic fitting chain for your wrist like soldiers and aviators wear. It's shining gold-colored Victory Medal. Solid Victory Medal, so rich and valuable-looking, nobody can miss seeing it when you wear it. There's a beautiful American flag on the front, and best of all, right above the flag, we're going to put your initial to show it's your property, the letter that stands for your own name. From the way you see the other side, it has your official identification number stamped right into the medal. And remember, nobody else will have a number like yours because the big idea is that everybody gets a different number that's going to be registered with your name and address at the headquarters of Annie's Identification Bureau in Chicago. And then, if there's an emergency or any boy or girl gets lost, people can send in to the headquarters and find out the name and address that matches up with the number on any orphan Annie identification tag. And so it's useful, as well as so wonderful-looking, you'll have everybody crowding around to see it. You can't buy these identification tags in the stores. They're made up just for Annie's friends because she wants you to try the new 1940 chocolate-flavored Oval Tea. It's even better than last year's chocolate-flavored Oval Tea, with the new creamy, chocolatey flavor. And it's better for you, besides, it has more of those valuable vitamins and minerals in it. And so you certainly want to try this new treat and send for your personal identification tag as fast as you can. Now, all you do is this. Print the initial you want on your tag and your name and address plainly off a piece of paper. Then send it to Annie with a dime wrapped in all of a metal foil seal from under the lid of a can of the new 1940 chocolate-flavored Oval Tea, or plain Oval Tea. But remember, Annie especially wants you to try new, improved chocolate-flavored Oval Tea. You send your letter to Little Orphan Annie, Chicago, Illinois. All straight, you send the initial you want, your printed name and address, and the dime wrapped in a seal from new chocolate-flavored Oval Tea, or plain Oval Tea, to Little Orphan Annie, Chicago, Illinois. And then Annie sends you your keen-looking automatic fitting, identification tag and chain as fast as she can. Boy, don't waste a minute sending for yours. And now, today's adventure with Annie. A bomb has destroyed part of the town hall in Sunfield, and that mysterious gang of boys, known as the Blackjackets, is suspected of having set off the bomb. However, Annie doesn't believe they did it, and last time, she and Joe set off to trail a woman who Annie felt sure would lead them to the persons who are really guilty. Now, we find Annie and Joe still cautiously following the woman along one of the back suits at the town. Look out, Joe. Uh-huh. She's turning around to look back again. Let's stop and pretend we're interested in this doorway. Yeah, right. But this is about the fifth time we've had a stop and look in witness. Do you think she's suspectful, Ballinger? No, I think she's just being careful. We wouldn't have to be so particular about keeping out of her sight if we were complete strangers to her. But if she caught sight of us now, she'd know we were the two kids she met back there in the Rainer's office. Oh, sure, she'd recognize us all right. You bet she would. We'd better be moving along again. She's getting pretty far ahead of us. All right, well, let's go. I think we're safer from attracting her attention as long as we stay on this side of the street and she stays on that side. And we keep about a half a block behind her. Oh, you're a bigger skull. Look, she's turning into that place right there on the corner of Pepper Street. So she is. God, that's great. That's just what I was hoping for. You see, I mean, you were hoping that she'd turn into that particular place. Oh, no. I don't know where that's gonna find the place, but it's suspicious. It's in the cafe or some kind. That means nine shares is out of ten if she's gonna meet somebody in there. Sure she's gonna meet somebody. Then what? Well, that woman tried to make us think it's them doing it. Knitted in a black jacket, did that by her. That makes me think she was trying to prove suspicion away from the people who really did it. That makes me think that she's connected with the people who really did it. If I don't miss my hit, she's meeting with one or more of them in that cafe right now. I see. Hey, but we better slow down or something. We're right across the street from the place. Oh, no. Let's cross the street. There's nothing to do now but walk right in there and see what we can see. I hope you're noticing that this is a mighty tough-looking cafe. Yeah, from the outside it's about as bad a place as you'll find them somewhere. But we can't let that scare us. Take a look at the name of the tool. The Black Cat Cafe. Rocco Roberto, proprietor. I don't much like that. Black cats stand for bad luck. Oh, that's nonsense, Joe, and you know it. Well, I don't like the proprietor's name either. Rocco Roberto. Sounds like an international spy or a member of the Black Hands. Wait a minute, Joe. There's somebody coming out. Just wait behind this white car and we can go ahead. Okay. We can peek through the real window of the car without being noticed or anything. Yeah. Hey, it's the woman, all right? Yes, you're getting it. There's a man with her. This is going to save us some trouble or go in that place. Yes, we can. Why don't they come past here and see this crowd behind this car? They're not coming past here. Come on, we're still going to get into that car. Let's go ahead and follow this one. Well, that's a break for us. What do you mean, that's a break for us? It's a break that they're not getting into the one where I'm behind. It's a bad break, right, but they're getting into any car. We can't encounter them, right? Does that upset your plan? Of course it does, Joe. How are we going to follow them now? I wouldn't know, but now that the subject's come up, I'm surprised she didn't get into a car run before this. Well, I thought it was a possibility that she must. After she walked four or five blocks, I figured we didn't have to worry anymore about that. Well, where are they going? In a big black sedan and a mighty fancy looking one, too. Poor golly thing, Joe. I think there's something to do. We can't let them get away from us like this. I don't see how we can prevent it. We can't chase them on foot. Of course not. Maybe we shouldn't have tackled this job of trailing that woman all by ourselves. I still don't see why we couldn't have it. She said one of his men was her. The chief believed her story, Joe. He thought she was on the level. We waited to convince him that she wasn't. She'd have been gone before we could have gone on a trolley. Well, I guess there's something in that. But if we had a policeman with us, he could come and do any car along the street here, and we could follow that sedan. Well, we haven't any policemen with us. We'll walk by ourselves, and we're going to swell lead on that gun and get away from it. Don't bet your head on this. We can have that car impractically stopped. Oh, it's nothing, son. We even forgot to notice a rising number of the sedans. Hey, look what's coming here. A taxi. Oh, come on, do it in. And empty, too. But this is luck. There aren't more than half a dozen taxis in the whole town. I say it's luck. Hey there. Do you want a cab? You bet we do. Come on, Joe, pile in. It's lucky the mayor gave us some expense money. I'll say. Turn right here at the corner, driver. You're on that separate street. There's a black sedan someplace up there ahead of us, and we want you to follow it. Mr. Gordon has a big start on it, so you'll have to go out to wind if we're to catch him. And we've got to catch him. It's terribly important. OK. I'll do my best. There he is, driver. See him? About three blocks down the street. I got my eye on him. You want me to catch up with him, is that it? No, don't catch up with him. Get with him about a possible, and then just follow him. OK. Hey, Joe. Did you notice where we're going? The campus beat turns up under the old north note up there. If we keep going this way, we'll be heading out of town right past that old house. Yeah, right past the black deadman's headquarters. Black cat. Black cat cafe. Huh. I'm trying to explain. Uh, say, what do you know about that cafe back there, Mr. Cab Driver? That black cat cafe. Well, I can't say as I know anything about it. I've never been in there. But you must be pretty well acquainted in this town, aren't you? Oh, yeah. I know most parts of this town as well as I know my own family. But that black cat place is always being kind of mysterious. Hardly ever see anybody going in or out of the place. And when you do, they're strangers. Oh, do you know Rocko or Berto that runs it? Uh, wouldn't know them if I saw them. He's right after that today, driver. We're seeing him on it. Yeah, it won't take as long to get to him at this rate. This is likely to be a long-chasing. They might be on their way to another town. Well, that's possible. How far are we going to follow them? Well, we can't follow them in New York City or anything like that. We'll keep after them long enough to get their license number anyhow. Yeah, that's a good idea. Well, should we go past the town limit or what? The old house up the hill on the hill. No. The black deadman is passing it right now. What? We're close enough to him now, driver. Hey, just jump in, Jenny, if they're not passing the old house. They're slowing down. It's as late as they are. So stop them there. No, we're trying to decide, though, driver. Quick, clean around the corner, young Scott. Yes, ma'am. Boy, that sure took us by surprise. Yeah, if you knew our father and we wouldn't have had any place to turn off the main road. They are made of steel for sure. Oh, we're all right now, though. This headband runs along here. It'll shield the cab from being seen. Yeah, but it keeps us from seeing, too. Come on, let's get out. Just let them lead a run, driver. We'll want you to take us back to town. Okay. Let's climb up here to the top of the band where we can peek over the hedge. Yeah, we'll get a good view of the old house from there. This chase is getting more mysterious by the minute. That woman tries to sew this vision on the black jacket. That man is driving right up to what we believe is the black jacket's headquarters. It sure doesn't make sense. Hey, look, the woman and the man are walking up the path toward the house. Sure, that's just what they're doing. They're walking right up to the door of the old house and they're going right in. Great sculliver, walking right in without knocking on anything. Just as though they lived there. Well, it sure beats me. Maybe that old house isn't the black jacket's headquarters after all. But who are the boys that Tim and Bushman saw going in there? And who's for the locks that are when we try to go into the place? I don't know any of the answers, Joe. There's certainly something awfully strange going on. Well, I think we've done as much as we can by ourselves, but what are we doing next? Call up Chief Bailey. He's finishing the rate at old house. Well, the time has come to do it, and the sooner the better. Hey, Annie and Joe have figured that woman to be an enemy of the black jacket. Yet she and that man have gone into what we all thought was the black jacket's headquarters. What in the world does it mean? And don't forget, here's the way to get your beautiful personal identification tag and chain. Just print the initial you want on your tag and your name and address on a piece of paper. Then send it with a dime wrapped in a metal foil seal from under the lid of a can of the new chocolate-flavored aubergine, or plain aubergine. And send it to Little Orphan Annie, Chicago, Illinois. All straight? Get busy right away. Now, this offer is good in the United States only. Well, Annie is going to call Chief Bailey and tell him to go ahead with his raid on that old house. Tomorrow's adventure is sure to be an exciting one. Now, don't miss it. Until tomorrow, this is Pierre Andre saying goodbye. This is the New York Bureau of Broadcasting Systems. The New York Bureau of Broadcasting Systems.
