All aboard for the transcribed premiere production, the crews of the Paul Parrott.
This is a thrilling, exciting story of the sea, the vast, stormy sea, which will be a
place of high adventure until the end of time.
This adventurous story tells of the hardships and perils of whaling, the mystery of hunting
for buried treasure, and the dangers of storms at sea and mutiny.
Well, boys and girls, as you can see, the crews of the Paul Parrott will be packed with
thrills from start to finish.
Now, first of all, we want to introduce the principal characters you'll get to know in
this new and exciting series.
But there's Captain Roy Dalton himself, master of the ship, and he's talking to his friend
and first mate of the Paul Parrott, George Wainwright.
You can see for yourself that there's something to put on this cruise.
George Wainwright, I ask you as my friend, will you sign these first mate's papers?
Aye, it is then, Roy mate.
But if it weren't for you, Roy Dalton, I'd never sign.
Now we'll find just what is behind it all.
And here are the two characters that you boys and girls will like best of all, the little
boy and girl in our story.
And do they have exciting adventures aboard the Paul Parrott?
It's Johnny Robbins and little Sue Grange.
Gosh, Sue, what are we going to do?
That man is going to try to kill the captain.
Well, Johnny, there's only one thing we can do.
We've got to get up to the captain's cabin before he does.
Come on, run.
Doesn't that sound like excitement?
And here is the mysterious Spaniard who causes all the trouble aboard the Paul Parrott.
He's talking to Ezra Grange, the owner of the Paul Parrott, the other man of mystery
on the cruise.
Now, Senor Grange, be sensible.
I know as much about this treasure as you do.
Why not let us be partners instead of enemies?
Listen to me, you blaggard.
I won't be a partner with you in any kind of venture.
One of us is suddenly going to disappear from this ship and it isn't going to be me.
Well, that sounds like more excitement.
And last of all, here is old Dickon, the one legged sailor talking to his pet, the ship's
mascot, after whom the ship has been named, Paul Parrott himself.
I tell you, Paul, there's going to be more trouble on this cruise than the time I lost
this pig leg of mine.
Yes, sir, I just feels it in me bones.
Sailor, beware.
Sailor, take care.
There's dirty work afoot.
There you are.
You've met our principal characters.
Now let's start on our yarn.
Our story opens in the spring of 1858 in the New England town of New Bedford, the great
center of the whaling industry.
Roy Dalton, a true seaman and as brave a man as ever sailed the deep, has just received
his master's papers.
He is walking on one of the streets leading to the New Bedford waterfront when he runs
into an old acquaintance.
Oh, it's a long cruise and a hard cruise and a cruise before the ga...
Hold, I think that's...
Ahoy, he too made.
Well, blow me down, Roy Dalton.
Say, I thought you were at sea.
I thought you signed as first mate on the Minnibel out of Boston.
Vast as good to see you again, George.
You're behind schedule a bit.
The Minnibel laid up for repairs a month ago.
Will you be sailing with her again?
I will not, George.
I've got my own future to look forward to.
I've got my master's papers.
What?
A full-fledged skipper?
Great sense, Roy.
You've done well.
And next, you'll be telling me you own a trim little clipper that's set in sail tonight.
Oh, that'll all come.
That'll all come later.
Right now.
But look, this'll tell you what ship I'm sailing on.
See this one-legged sailor coming down the dock with a parrot on his shoulder?
Yes, but what is that to do with...
Hi there, Dickens.
Aye, aye, Captain Dalton.
I'm just taking our blooming mascot for an errand, you might say.
Greet the gentlemen, Paul.
Ah, a vase there.
Stand by the way anchor, you lubbers.
A fine breeze has sprung up.
Ah.
I'm afraid that ain't a very courteous manner of greeting a superior officer, sir.
You know, I never could teach the swab any manners.
That's all right, Dickens.
He's a smart bird at that.
Aye, aye, sir.
But, Roy, that parrot, that's the mascot of the ship, Paul Pallet.
That you are, George.
I'm signing on with Grange and Sons to man the pall parrot for them.
Grange and Sons?
You're a skipper on a whaler?
A vast man.
You sound like that's a crime.
What's wrong with being a skipper on a whaler?
But you've been a clean sailor all your life.
You've never had anything to do with whaling.
You know what a dirty trade it is.
Why most of the men in the crew are drawn from the worst that can be dragged up and
cheated or shanghaied into shipping on a whaler.
No man in his right mind ever sailed on a whaling ship yet if he knew plainly what he
was in for.
I'll grant you it is hard work to man a whaler.
Yet the whales must be caught to keep all New England busy with the selling of their
oil and I as captain have to have the choosing of my own crew.
What difference do you find in that?
I'll pick up no dock rats and scum of the waterfront.
I'll pick real seamen, every one a true man.
On the salaries that whalers pay?
Don't make me laugh, Roy.
But I'm paying them a fair salary.
I'm to give my men two hundred dollars in advance and an equal share in the profits
after the owners and the chief officers get theirs.
Two hundred in advance?
How much are you deducting from that for agents fees and expenses?
By the time that's all done the poor wretches will be owing you ten dollars apiece.
That two hundred is named after those fees have been deducted.
And are your hands getting two hundred in advance in truth?
The truth it is and there's a nice bunk open for you as first mate.
The day that sees me a mate on a whale ship will also see me go down to Davy Jones.
I wouldn't go whaling for a king's ransom.
George Wainwright you're making a great mistake.
This isn't another dirty whaling cruise.
As captain I'll treat my men fair and the good salaries will attract true seamen
and not the trash most whalers ship.
This doesn't sound to me like a whaling cruise at all.
Yet this grange outfit is an agency that goes in entirely for whale oil I know.
You're a mighty fine company George.
One of the younger sons Ezra is even shipping with me.
So he can learn the game from the inside as he says.
Oh one of the owners is shipping along.
Mark my words Roy this is no ordinary cruise.
And the ship is the Pall Parrot eh?
The Pall Parrot it is and a mighty trim and sea worthy three master she is.
Aye aye it's a very trim craft.
Has she been all fitted for the voyage?
She sails in three days and George the mate's bunk is still empty.
It can stay empty.
But I doubt if whaling is all there is to this cruise.
I think there's something back of it.
Because think mate.
I beg your pardon senoris.
I did not see you when I bumped into you.
I beg your pardon.
Who is that man?
I've seen him before.
And what made him run into me like that?
Why look he's got a paper in his hand.
Wait I think.
Heave to there.
Stop or I'll fire.
Pardon senor but what is the cause of this senor?
Give me that paper.
But senor.
Give me that paper.
Si senor if I must.
Hand it over.
Aha just as I thought.
My master's papers.
He picked my pocket when he rammed into me broadside.
Stop him Roy stop him.
Fire after him.
He's running off.
I have no gun.
I said I'd fire just to frighten him.
Now why did he take those papers of yours?
I told you there was something behind this whaling cruise.
George you're getting to be an old woman with that I told you so of yours.
But listen you were always a good hand at a dangerous venture.
Why not ship as my first mate and see if there's anything behind this cruise.
Roy I would if your ship weren't a whaler.
But that runs my plans aground right there.
Oh I say there Captain Dalton.
Well blow me down it's Mr. Ezra Grange.
Good morning sir.
Captain have you hired all the hands?
Not quite sir there's a few to be put on.
Well you're doing your utmost to get the best now.
Remember spare no expense to get the best seamen and whalers you can.
I think you'll be highly satisfied with the crew sir.
The ones I have signed on are able hands all.
Good good.
Well Captain the ship's just about fitted and we sail in three days sharp.
Aye Mr. Grange everything will be ready and ship shaped.
Very good very good.
My father will be pleased.
So that's the owner son who's shipping on your voyage to see the inside of the game.
Aye mate that's the man.
I know the Granges and they're all as close fisted as any New England ship owner could
be.
This young'un is no exception.
They are too anxious to spend money on this trip to make it look like an ordinary one.
Mate there's mystery in the wind.
You were always one to have a weather eye for mystery when there wasn't any.
But remember that job of mate is still.
What was that?
I've asked someone shot at me the bullet whizzed by my ear.
Where did young Ezra Grange go to?
He's disappeared just like the dark Spaniard who rammed me.
Look there's somebody lurking behind that whale all cask over there.
Hurt a port.
I think the lubber's gonna shoot again.
Did he get you mate?
Quick tuck behind these blueman casings.
He just dicked my forearm George.
Nothing serious.
Scarcely do blood.
And neither of us with a gun blow the luck.
Let's creep around these cases.
Maybe we can surprise him from behind.
Aye aye matey you lead.
Softly softly now.
Come on follow.
I'm right on your heels.
Now behind that stack of sails.
Come for it.
I don't think he saw us.
Now to those whale oil casks.
Come on George.
Made it.
Now he's right around that one.
Ah you dirty rat we've got you now.
We'll let us through that balean pin.
I'll teach him a thing or two.
Store that shoot and you'll swap.
Avast come here.
Why you stop or I'll throw this balean pin.
Missed him he got away.
Blast it all.
He's a strong monkey.
It's the same Spanish looking fellow that tried to steal my papers a while ago.
Roy you're not going to stay healthy if this sort of thing keeps up.
We've got to get to the bottom of it.
What you need is somebody to work with you.
You can see for yourself there's something afoot in this cruise George Wainwright.
I ask you as my friend will you sign these first mates papers.
Well aye it is then Roy mate.
But if it weren't for you I'd never sign to be a mate on a smelly whaler.
Yes I know I know.
If it weren't for me you wouldn't do this.
If it weren't for the mystery on this cruise you mean.
But hurry on and sign up you blasted landlubber before somebody shoots off an ear of mine.
Boys and girls this certainly does look exciting.
A whaling cruise is always one of the most adventuresome and exciting things in the world
anyway.
And with unexpected shots coming any moment or attempted stealings of valuable papers
by suspicious looking men it ought to be more than exciting.
In the next of this thrilling series of adventures in the cruise of the Paul Parrot we'll find
out just who this dark complexion stranger is.
And we'll also meet one of the characters you'll like best of all little Sue Grange
who is really going to get mixed up in this thrilling story.
Be sure not to miss even one of these exciting adventures on the cruise of the Paul Parrot.
Our Paul Parrot announcer is Dave Ward.