Suspense.
And the producer of radio's outstanding theater of thrills, the master of mystery and adventure,
William M. Robeson.
Wars are fought between nations and ideologies, and often the unit of battle is forgotten, man.
Forgotten, smothered beneath the confusion of propaganda, slogans, chivalrous, and God's endorsement of the sacred cause.
Forgotten in the glorious statistics of battle, dismembered, flash-burned, bone-rotten, dying and dead, man is what fights the wars.
Only the perspective of literature brings the fighting man into focus, and so out of each war comes a handful of great stories
in which all the forces of two opposing worlds are reduced to the life and death struggle of two opposing men.
Such a story you're about to hear. Listen.
Listen then as Herbert Marshall stars in Flood on the Good Winds, which begins in exactly one minute.
American folklore is filled with legends about men who were as tough as nails, like the one about Pecos Bill, who went out for a walk one day.
Unfortunately, a big ten-foot rattler crossed his path. I say unfortunately for the rattler.
You see, Bill was a mighty fair fighter. Why, he gave that rattler the first three bites just to make things even.
Then he waded into that reptile and he everlastingly thrashed the poison out of him.
By and by, that old rattler yelled for mercy and admitted that when it come to fighting, Bill started where he left off.
Yes, that was Pecos Bill, a legendary American.
Folklore belongs to every nation's legendary past, and I guess we Americans have our share of some tall ones, like the one about...
But we'll have to save that one for the next time we travel your way. See you then.
And now...
Mr. Herbert Marshall in Flood on the Good Winds, a tale well calculated to keep you in...
Suspense.
Is that another one?
Where?
Off the starboard.
Oh, no, no. It's a mattress.
Blast it, Fowl. Couldn't see the living, let alone the dead.
I don't think we'll be finding any more.
Not the way the stuff's settling down now.
Where do you figure the patrol boat is?
She ought to be about a couple of hundred yards to port.
Take it easy now, Uncle. Don't want to ram her.
Now, don't you worry about me, Dundas. Just you start singing out.
Patrol boat, ahoy!
Patrol boat, ahoy!
Ahoy! Who are you?
Captain Macky, the Mary Dee.
They sound to be dead ahead, Mack. Better cut it back.
I see her.
We'll come about her.
We're coming around your stern.
Get any more?
Yes, three.
Rare a hand there. Three more coming aboard.
Any alive?
No, all three are drowned.
Come on, Mack. Let's get them up there.
Don't you bother, Dundas. Hey there. Can you send down a couple of men?
Right.
My mate here has only got one flipper.
Now, look, Mack, that doesn't make any difference.
Oh, what's the matter? You ashamed of it?
No, but I can swing my load like any man.
They're forward there, men.
Right, right.
Be sure I get my top back.
Right.
Now, don't let it get you, boy.
There's lots of amputees working these days.
Amputee?
Look, must you use that expression?
Amputee is what you call a man who's lost his arm.
Amputee, what's wrong with it?
Better than what you call those things they're hosting on board.
Amputee, I hate that word.
Floaters, you call them.
A man's been floating around dead in the water. He gets bloated. See? Floaters.
Very pretty.
And you know what you call a gabby old goat like you?
Never mind now, never you mind.
That's a bunch.
How many have been brought in to you so far?
Counting your three, that makes 30.
30? You don't say.
Lucky we got this fog.
Without it, we'd be sitting ducks for any stookers or messerschmitts that might be about.
Or you boats.
Or you boats. That's right.
Was it you boats sent her down?
No. The only survivor we got alive, he says it was a time bomb.
Oh, sabotage.
Yes, went off in the fur at old. Boom, boom, boom, boom.
Did you hear that, Dundas?
I heard.
Come on, have you lost his flipper in the RAF?
Taken it real hard.
Oh, you shouldn't take it hard.
No, who says I shouldn't?
Now don't get sore, laddie. I'm just trying to cheer you up, you know.
Well, cheer me up by getting your bloody feet off this boat so we can shove off.
All right, laddie, all right.
Cast in off.
Going back to diver?
Might as well. Fog's in for the night. We'll just make it by dark.
Right-o. Cheerio.
Cheerio.
He didn't have to bite his head off.
Lay off me, Mac.
He didn't mean any harm.
I said lay off, Mac, lay off.
All right, all right.
Thirty of them.
Is that what's eating you?
A saboteur. Can you imagine a man doing a thing like that?
Well, it's war, you know.
War. Fighting is war.
They didn't all drown?
No, only 29 of them. Didn't you say one was alive?
Yeah.
I must be awful to drown.
Awful way to die.
I wonder if it'll clear tomorrow.
Black Nanna beam.
I see it. Good navigating, Dundas.
War fought to be right ahead of us.
Mary!
Yes, dear?
Coming in.
Get ahead, Mac.
Right.
There. I'll jump it.
Hello, you two.
Hello, Donnie.
How was it, Uncle?
Terrible, dear. Just terrible.
Where there many?
Thirty.
Oh, dear.
Mac, how's the petrol?
Ample. We didn't use a quarter of it.
Are you going to fish tonight?
Ask Mac. It's his boat.
Fishing tonight, Uncle Mac?
In this fog? I should say not.
But Dundas can navigate for you.
Well, I don't know.
I brought a basket of food in case you're going out again.
Oh, I don't know. I think that husband of yours needs some sleep.
Are you going to start again?
What's wrong?
All day long he's complaining like an old woman.
Just because he had the bad luck to lose his fin.
Flipper.
Why can't you say arm?
See what I mean?
Well, you know you are a little rough about it, Uncle Mac.
What ought I to do? Help him feel sorry for himself?
Don't say a doubt. Both of you.
There was a man to see you, Uncle Mac.
Who?
We didn't say. He said he dropped back.
What did he look like?
Very tall, distinguished looking.
Who's that, Mac?
What, me? Tall, you say?
Yes, and carrying a little briefcase.
Oh. Come for the payments on the boat, Mac.
Hardly likely.
Oh. Oh, would this be him?
Oh, yes. You're back just in time to catch them.
Good. Very good.
You looking for me?
Yes. Your Captain Mac?
That's right.
And who is this, please?
Mr. Dundas, my nephew.
The husband of this lady?
Look, mister, who are you and what do you want?
It's very simple. You must forgive my questioning.
When one is engaged in my work, one can't be too careful.
Your work?
Intelligence.
What's that got to do with us?
I want to charter your boat for a trip.
Government work? Eh?
Yes. A secret mission.
Well, I don't know. Where is it you want to go?
To Austin. Tonight.
Belgium?
That's a fair haul. And there's the U-boats.
The fog will cover you.
Very soon.
Here. What'll you pay?
The Crown provides handsomely in these cases.
A hundred pounds.
Your arm?
Wait a minute, Mac. Mind showing us your credentials, mister?
I shouldn't mind at all, fella.
But the fact is, I'm not carrying any.
You're not, eh?
This isn't what you'd call a casual visit, you know.
Use your head, Dundas.
He's going where the Nazis are.
No credentials. Then would you mind explaining why you're sniffing around a little fishing boat like this
when you could cross on one of those big, fast torpedo boats they've got over at the yard?
I find this man insufferable, Captain.
Now, what do you say? Time is growing short.
Why don't you take a torpedo boat? Or a minesweeper?
They've got sweepers there, too, you know.
Well, you must know the answer to that.
Those are naval vessels. They might be seen by one of the enemy shore stations.
In this fog.
You are a liar, mister.
And you are a very astute fella.
Into the boat, oldie.
A gun!
Miss, my ticket to Austin.
Put that thing down.
Look out, Mac, he's serious.
Oh, indeed I am.
Now, in.
You too, miss.
Dundas!
Do what he says, Mary.
Start your motor.
Make me!
Shall I?
Start it, Mac.
Oh, but this is crazy!
You, untie the ropes. And you, miss, you sit up there.
You don't stand a chance.
We'll see.
I'll sit up in the front with the lady.
Front?
You don't know much about boats, do you?
No.
No, and I shan't pretend to.
Listen, mister, we can't get out.
They've got submarine nets across the harbor entrance.
But I happen to know they're open until eight.
Now, I'd be to warn you.
No tricks.
I'm very good with this gun.
You are, eh?
Dundas, he says he's very good with the gun.
Then we'd better do as he says.
Let's go.
So, you're a Nazi.
That's right.
You talk like an Englishman.
Oh, really?
A Nazi.
What are you, a spy?
You might say that.
What are you going back to the continent for?
A war's not over.
What time do you think we'll hit the Belgian coast?
Around midnight.
You didn't answer my question.
What was that?
Why are you leaving England?
Scared?
If you like.
But as a matter of fact, I'm returning because I've completed my mission.
Oh, what was that?
A matter of a bomb.
Sabotage, eh?
Naturally.
That ship, the one that went down off the coast, was that your work?
Yes, I planted the bomb in the hold this morning before she sailed from Dover.
You stinking, filthy, bloody...
Here, Mac, hold it.
No, no, let him curse. I find it a bit amusing, old Gaps.
30 men drowned because of you.
30? What do you mean?
There were 45 aboard, you know.
There were 29, Mac.
29, 30? What does it matter?
This big, skinny Nazi, this sneaky, that Doc, with his mission not completed.
As a matter of fact, we were only joking, mister.
Nobody was drowned.
What are you talking about? 29?
Your sense of security is a little delayed, one arm.
Don't you call me one arm.
Oh, sorry.
What's the time, Dundas?
Quarter of.
You ought to be over the Goodwin Sands.
Got enough water under you?
Oh, yes.
The Goodwins won't be exposed until low tide.
That would be at midnight.
That's right. So we get a fast ride back anyhow.
If he lets us come back.
Yes, yes, if.
How do we know you won't kill us when we let you off?
You have my word.
Oh, Dundas.
Don't take on, dear.
I can't help it. I'm frightened.
Let her come back here with us.
No.
See how tough he is? Shoes-swimming.
If necessary.
I thought to see you get that close to me.
Oh, would you?
Yes.
Now look, Nazi.
I'm walking towards you.
Matt, don't.
You're asking for it, you know.
You bloody Nazi pig.
Don't take another step, Captain.
Don't, Mary.
Uncle Matt.
He can't hear you, girl.
Don't slow down, one arm.
I want to get him aboard.
He's dead, one arm. Very dead.
He was a good man.
He deserves burial.
And burial is got.
Burial at sea.
Now push your throttle back up.
Now.
Your wife is next, one arm.
Dundas.
Well, that's better.
And now we continue our little voyage.
In just a moment, we continue with...
Suspense.
Do you know the social security benefits to which you will be entitled
when you separate from the service and take a civilian job?
Here's a tip from social security.
When you open an account at a store, a special record is usually started for you.
When you get a social security account card, a personal record is also started for you,
using both your name and the number of your card.
To be sure your social security record is correct,
it's a good idea to check your social security record every few years
to get a statement of your earnings from the social security records,
you can use postcard form 7004.
This form is yours by writing to Social Security, Department 15, Hollywood 28, California.
That's postcard form 7004.
And now...
we continue with the second act of Flood on the Good Winds,
starring Mr. Herbert Marshall,
a tale well calculated to keep you in...
Suspense.
How much longer, Dundas?
About an hour.
I notice you change course from time to time, why is that?
The channel current.
If you ride with it, you make better time.
Now I see, and you'd like to be rid of my company as quickly as possible.
That's right.
I'm glad you're being reasonable. The old man was a fool.
You think so, eh?
Of course, and so do you.
Why do you say that?
You've seen the war, you know how it is.
That's right, I know how it is.
Dundas, don't.
Why, what's wrong, Mary?
Don't talk to him. He killed Uncle Mac, it's not right to talk to him.
Oh, but we find each other very interesting, Mary, don't we?
Oh, yes, indeed.
Tell me, how did you lose your arm?
Oh, yes, as a navigator.
And a very good one, I dare say.
So they said.
Did it happen over England?
No, Bremen.
Bremen. I see you chaps did a very thorough job in Bremen.
Yes.
You ought to be complimented.
Thank you.
Dundas.
Relax, Mary, relax.
Oh, Dundas.
You must understand, Mary, may I call you Mary, you must understand that it's a very extraordinary thing for the soldiers of warring nations to get together for a chat like this.
Take a nap, Mary.
Take a nap?
Yes, why don't you?
Here, you can pull this tarpaulin over here.
No, no, not that.
Huh?
It's got blood on it, that tarpaulin.
Blood? But really the old man was over there, don't you see?
Not his blood.
Ah?
We spent the day picking up after you.
I see, and you used the tarpaulin for the body.
Yes.
Well, then, Mary, of course, we mustn't use that.
Oh, please.
Please, may I go back to where my husband is?
No, you may not.
Why, why?
And I'll tell you why you may not.
You two are desperate, despite your husband's conversational manner, and I should like to avoid the possibility of your rushing.
You see how it is, Mary?
I'm sure she understands.
Just be very quiet, my dear.
Everything will be all right.
Of course, a lot depends upon you, Dundas.
Why do you say that?
That spanner you picked up about 15 minutes ago.
It's right behind you on the ledge.
On the thwart.
Thwart, then, thank you.
Yes, it's right behind you on the thwart.
Would you mind dropping it overboard like a good fellow?
Ah, that'll be a foolish waste.
War time, you know.
Spanners are hard to come by.
I'm sure.
Why not slide it over here, then?
All right.
Oh, no, slide it.
Even if you could hit me accurately enough to disable me, the gun would go off.
But you know.
I know.
Here.
Thank you, Dundas.
Now, then, where were we?
Soldiers from warring nations.
Oh, yes, yes.
You know, it's a remarkable meeting, really.
It gives us a chance to refresh ourselves on what it is we're fighting about.
Dundas is fighting men who sabotage ships.
Was, you mean, don't you?
Was.
Now I fright nothing.
And I envy you.
I, unfortunately, am still able and so must carry on.
I find it a little difficult to...
Excuse me.
What's wrong?
Navigation. I have to check my course.
By all means.
What course are you steering?
Why did you come and look?
No, I don't think I'd better.
Why not?
You may have another spanner there.
Perhaps you'll try to take my gun, in which case I'll have to shoot to kill you.
And then where would I be?
I might steer all the way back to Dover without knowing it.
Not so.
And then I'd have to kill your wife so she wouldn't inform.
You see how it is.
How do you know I'm not tricking you?
Oh, I'm sure you're not.
If we don't arrive by three, I'm going to kill her anyway.
And then if you should continue to be stubborn, there are ways of forcing you.
You mean torture?
Now, ordinarily torture's very difficult to accomplish alone, but...
In your case, one arm, it should be comparatively simple.
Yes, in my case.
Don't worry, I'm taking you where you want to go.
And I'm counting on you to keep your word to allow a safe departure.
Of course.
I don't believe him, Dundas.
Why not?
Because you are what you are.
And because Dundas might know something. Your people want to find out.
Dundas, don't you see? They will torture you. He's lying, Dundas.
Please, Mary, please don't worry.
You have my word.
My sacred word on my honor as a gentleman.
There, you see, Mary?
We have nothing to worry about.
Your wife seems to have gone to sleep at last.
Good. Poor thing, she's very tired.
You know, you're a lucky man.
Why?
To be home with a lovely wife, to be out of the fighting.
Yeah, I suppose I am.
No, I'll be glad when it's over.
You think it'll be over soon?
No, quite. You've heard of our buzz bombs?
Yes.
Now that's only the beginning.
We're developing weapons a thousand times as terrible,
or ten thousand times as effective.
Really, tell me about them.
Well, there are rockets, the like of which the English have not dreamed.
Rockets that can travel a hundred miles, or three hundred miles.
No one knows what their range will be.
Radio control, speed about 30,000 miles an hour, altitude 60 miles.
And what they will carry, I leave to your imagination.
Why leave it to my imagination?
Huh?
You wouldn't tell me about all this highly secret business
if it were your intention to let us go, now would you?
I'm sure your agents know all this by now.
I don't know.
But something tells me you've come to a decision about us.
How much longer till we reach shore?
Not long now.
I'm bringing her into a deserted beach a few miles outside of our stand.
I see.
If you look ahead, you may see the shoreline soon.
Straight ahead?
Yes.
That's impossible, the fog is much...
I've got it, Dander!
Give me the jacks!
Here, darling.
Stand back, fellow.
That's it.
Now raise them, go done high.
Good work, Mary.
I thought he'd never drop his wrist.
I waited and waited.
Here, here, Mary, take the wheel.
Yes, darling.
Remarkable woman, your wife.
Yes, indeed.
Unfortunately, there's no cartridge in the chamber.
It's pointed at your gut.
Why don't I pull the trigger and see if you're telling the truth?
Perhaps you'd better not.
I don't see why not, if it's empty.
Dander, it's alerted.
I thought so.
You, I...
I wonder if you're the type who can kill the man he's facing.
I don't know, I've never done it.
It's very difficult, you know, really.
Just think of me as a fellow human being.
Flesh and blood, like yourself.
Think of the infinite genius that went into making this body of mine,
the skin, the muscles, the arteries, veins, organs, vessels,
and the blood, the blood.
Murder, murder's a very difficult thing when you're face to face with your victim.
I know.
I don't feel as though I could kill you right at this minute,
but suppose I try.
All I have to do is squeeze the trigger ever so little.
Wait, no, don't!
Why not?
My life is worth a lot to me.
More, believe it or not, than my pride, my honor,
my love of Germany.
Much, much more than that.
All right.
Have you a proposition?
Dander!
He's still nearly. I know what I'm doing.
Yes, you keep out of this.
What's your proposition?
Money.
You're going to need money, aren't you?
A one-armed man is a difficult timer, but in peacetime.
Jobs are hard to get.
Go on.
I have several accounts in London banks.
Big accounts.
I can write you a check.
You can cash it tomorrow.
How much?
A thousand pounds.
I can't hear you.
Dander, what are you doing?
Two thousand.
Three.
Five then.
That's all the money I have in the world.
How much do you have on you?
Oh, yes, in the briefcase.
A hundred and fifty pounds.
I'll get it.
Don't move.
But the briefcase...
I'll take care of that after you leave.
Write the check for five thousand pounds.
Oh, Dander, please don't do it.
Your wife doesn't seem to understand.
No, this is the way of the world, my dear.
Dander!
And for this consideration, I'll let you off at the beach.
Of course, I want to warn you against mentioning my name.
Of course.
Here, here's your check.
Thank you.
Aren't you going to shoot me now?
No.
The bargain's a bargain.
I'll follow through.
You are an honest man.
Deal's a deal.
Hey, yes, that's right.
I'd better take the wheel.
Give me the gun, Dander.
No.
Please, Dander, please let me hold it.
No, Mary.
Well, why in the name of heaven, me and Ty?
You can't steer and cover him at the same time, not with one hand.
If you take the gun, you'll shoot him, Mary.
I know you.
Oh, no, I wouldn't.
Yes, you would.
That would be dishonest, Mary.
We've made a deal, this man and I.
Yes, yes, yes, an honorable deal.
But how to steer and all, that does pose a problem.
Mary, bring me that big spanner.
What are you going to do?
Since I can't handle the wheel and the gun, and since Mary's not to be trusted,
I'll keep the spanner for just in case, and solve the gun problem very simply.
Dander, you fool, you idiot.
And you, sir, you'll find a fishing line with lead on the end of it,
right up there in the front locker.
I'm going to slow down.
They're almost there.
You'll do the sounding for me.
Oh, yes, yes, of course.
You deliberately threw the gun overboard.
You're selling out.
Five thousand pounds, dear, the Yanks put it.
That ain't hay.
I have the line.
Throw it ahead of you.
Then feel when it touches bottom.
Then measure the depth by your spread arms.
Here goes.
Oh, Dander, Dander, I know the wars are sharp.
You losing your arm and all, but don't do this.
You'll regret it the rest of your life.
Bottom.
How deep?
Two, three, four, five.
Five, that's all.
We're closing in on the coast.
Swing again.
Right, sir.
We'll hear the surf in a minute now.
Not be very strong, low tide, you know.
Two, three, and a half.
All right.
Get ready to jump.
Jump?
This boat hasn't got wheels.
You'll have to walk the last 10 feet in.
All right.
Get ready.
Here we are.
The minute you feel her scrape bottom,
jump out and push the bow around.
Right, sir.
Dander, Dander.
Shh.
Here goes.
Good night.
Good night.
Sucker.
Why sucker?
Get checked.
The bank is short of funds to the day, my sir.
Oh, really?
You found the beach?
Yes, yes, I'm on it.
Take a few steps.
Far.
You'll see.
It stops.
It's water, my lord.
The bank is short of funds.
That beach is short of sand.
Where am I?
You're on the Goodwin Sands.
Dover is just six miles that way.
Which way?
I didn't say.
And if you're thinking of swimming,
I can tell you you don't stand a chance.
Don't say.
You want our murder?
It's low tide now, but wait a while.
In a few hours, it'll be 10 feet over your head.
Drowning's not pleasant, Nazi.
If you had your gun, you could shoot yourself.
You could hang yourself with your belt,
but there aren't any trees.
So think about those men you drowned today.
Think about them while you wait.
I may be around to pick up your body too.
Maybe.
Wait!
Wait!
Good night!
Flota!
Suspense.
In which Herbert Marshall starred in
William and Robson's production of
Flood on the Good Winds, written by David Devine
and adapted for radio by James Poe.
Listen.
Listen again next week when we return with
America's Boyfriend, starring Mercedes McCambridge.
Another tale well calculated to keep you in...
Suspense.
Supporting Mr. Marshall in Flood on the Good Winds
were Hans Conrede, Alan Morgan, Raymond Lawrence,
and Richard Peele.
Suspense has been brought to you through the
worldwide facilities of the United States Armed Forces
Radio and Television Service.
Thank you.