Darkness has fallen on the Magic Island. Once more the weird yellow glow of
artificial daylight covers the scientific isle of Euclidia in the
South Pacific Ocean. Joan Gregory and Jerry Hall returned hours ago to the
captive Gregory yacht after a terrifying experience in one of the magnetic
elevators, only to find Captain Tex Bradford and Mrs. Gregory are missing
from the yacht. A note handed to Jerry by the skipper tells them that Mrs. Gregory
and Tex are on a secret mission and to make no move until their return. All
is silent on the island while in the radio cabin of the yacht Jerry and Joan
listen to music from the radio and try to keep themselves cheered up as they
wait anxiously for Mrs. Gregory and the captain. I wish they would hurry Jerry
I'm so worried. Oh cheer up Joan Tex can take care of your mother and himself too.
I know Captain Bradford's a wonderful man Jerry and mother thinks he can
accomplish anything but none of you realize fully the dangers on this
horrible island. Well it won't help them any for us to run around yelling for them.
Just sit still like this note said and listen to the music. It's a good thing
old G-47 didn't stop our incoming radio beam anyway. I like this music Jerry it's
coming from one of your Hollywood radio stations is it not? Yeah and those guys
are real hillbillies too. What does it mean this hillbilly? Are they all men from
the hills all with the name William? Now look there are so many things you don't
know that I don't know where to start teaching you. Do you like the music or
don't you? Oh yes Jerry I enjoy it thoroughly. Well then sit still and listen to it.
Stop it Jerry stop that music. Okay there you are now I'll hold it there and you go
ahead and talk while I listen to it. No stop it stop it please Jerry. Okay okay
hold everything. I'm sorry to be so much trouble to you Jerry but I'm so nervous
and you also are nervous. Oh nothing of the kind. I'm well I'm just as steady as a
rock. Then why are you chewing that lead pencil up? Never mind me you just sit
still and quit worrying. It'll be along in a minute. I'd better leave this radio
open on Johnson's wavelength I guess. Jerry do you know all about my mother and
Captain Bradford? I mean about all the mysterious things they do all over the
world and how they can have ships belonging to many countries helping them.
So many things. Do you know about that Jerry? No and Mrs. Gregory made me
promise I wouldn't ask her any more about it but we'll find out someday. Hey
now where are you going? I was just going to look out over the island and see it. No
you're not. Get away from that door. Now what did I tell you? Didn't it say in the
note for us to act just as if your mother and the captain were here on the
yacht with us? Oh I'm sorry Jerry but I get so worried. So do I but you'll get
over there get over there and sit down. Go on I said. Sit down. Why Jerry you're
wonderful when you speak like that. So commanding and masterful. Oh all us men
are like that. We don't expect much from you women and of course I'm 16 and
you're only 15. Makes a lot of difference. Oh I'm sure it does Jerry. I wish that
hurry though. That yellow light is all over the island and if they haven't got
any of those strict glasses they might get lost. I think they would not be
allowed to have the glasses but they should be able to find their way back to
the glare of the yacht lights. Hey quiet. Listen. Why what is it? Quiet I said.
Listen. Someone's coming along the deck. Sit still. We don't want to act too
anxious. Oh mother. Oh am I glad to see you folks. Sorry to leave you kids like
that but we had to get something done quick. And Tex thought that if you
didn't know anything about it you wouldn't be subject to any danger over
the idea. Jerry and I had a terrible experience in one of the magnetic
elevators. Yeah and Joan acted just like a girl. Started right in to cry. Well Jerry
you can't expect us women to be as brave as you men. No I guess I shouldn't. Well
Tex did you get some plan of escape figured out? I hope so. That night took a
long chance getting this thing. Is the cabin all tight? Jerry and I have
inspected the opaque cloth covering since the rain. The cabin is quite safe
captain. Good girl Joan. Well here's what we've got. What's that? Looks like a
pocket fire extinguisher. That is one of the small oxygen tanks these scientists
have in clips in nearly every room on the island. I have never been allowed to
touch one of those captain. Did G-47 give it to you? Not exactly. Gee you swiped it.
I'm afraid we did Jerry. I don't approve of taking anyone else's property but
this means our chance to escape from the island. Possibly our lives. So we took it.
But when the loss is discovered G-47 will be very angry. That's why we've got to
work fast. I knew they couldn't see me carrying this thing. I had it inside this
coat of opaque cloth but they'll soon discover it's gone. I'll help you Tex. What
do you want to do? Tell you in a minute kid. First I want to get Joan and Pat
started on my celluloid diving suit. You three wait here while I go to my cabin
and get it. I'll spring the lock on this door. Don't open for anyone but me. You
look so excited mother. Has the captain a good plan? Yes dear. Tex has a very fine
plan. Not for our immediate escape but for getting a message to Johnson so that
he may arrange our rescue. I know what it is. He's going to use that celluloid
diving suit with this little oxygen tank inside of it to get through the ring of
gas and the fog. Yes Jerry. The captain is going to try to swim out through that
fog ring tonight and he's going to put one of those homing pigeons inside the
suit with him. Then he'll release it when he's safely outside the ring. That is
wonderful mother and it may work if there's nothing metallic on the captain's
clothing. Yeah say that oxygen tank might set off the alarm. That's taken care of.
While you and Joan were gone I helped the captain cement a lining of the opaque
cloth into his celluloid diving suit and his swimming suit. The magnetism won't
affect anything inside that cloth. I think mother that you and Captain Bedford
are almost as clever as G-47 and his scientists. What do you mean almost? Tex
has got those euclideans, B. Okay Jerry. I'll let him in.
Now we'll have to work fast. I put my swimming suit under this robe so it
won't take long to get ready. Good. Jerry go up in front and get the other pigeon.
Hide him under your coat as you did before and take your time. Okay Tex I'll
be careful not to be seen.
Now Pat if you and Joan will help me get into this thing. What a peculiar garment
captain. It's airtight and opaque that's all we need. J-12C to J-24Y. Johnson to
Bradford. Message for you. Quiet for this. I've had no word for you for hours.
Transmission conditions perfect here in Los Angeles. Cannot understand why storm
north of you should prevent reception by station staff.
Latest report picked up from oil tanker at 24 degrees south. Says electrical
disturbances south of them. Can you hear me J-24Y? If no answer we'll repeat
every quarter hour. That is all. Johnson. Then there's no hope for the pigeon to
reach him. He's gone back to Los Angeles. Don't worry Joan that was all in code.
Johnson is really standing by at latitude 24 south right now. Yes dear and when he
said he'd received a message from an oil tanker it meant he had contacted an oil
tanker and was refueled. So now he's ready for anything necessary to help us.
You have some clever and loyal friends mother. Will you tell me someday just how...
Yes Joan. Someday I'll tell you all about Tex and myself and how we're able to do
so many things. I'll tell you all about the
things I've done myself and how we're able to do so many things. But now...
It's me. I'll let him in.
I got him all right and nobody saw me. Good boy. Now I'll tie this message to his
leg and you can help Patton Jones cement me up in this thing with the oxygen tank
and the pigeon inside on my back. Then when I get well beyond the fog and gas
tank I'll rip his celluloid shirt off and turn the pigeon loose. But how are you
going to get back through the gas ring? You're going to ruin that suit taking the
pigeon out of it. That worries me Jerry. Tex thinks he can hold his breath long
enough to swim through the gas ring coming back. But I'm...I'm afraid. Oh Tex
if anything should happen to you... Oh forget it Pat I'll make it. Now the pigeon
is ready. Open the tank so it barely releases the oxygen Jerry. Joan you help
Patton cement this thing around my waist. Then you can slip the tank and the
back and cement the helmet on. That's about as little as I can let out of the
tank and be sure it'll be continuous Tex. Thanks Jerry. Now stick the tank down my
back so it lays flat along the bulge where this thing is cemented to my swimming
belt. Coming up. Say that's just going to fit in there. Here's the pigeon Tex.
You're sure it won't get crushed? No. No there's play space inside this stiff
celluloid thing to give the pigeon room. Now let him down and they're easy now.
Little bird isn't a bit frightened is it mother? We've always been kind to it.
It trusts us to continue being kind. Here's your helmet Tex. Just a second. Now
last minute instructions. I can't talk when that is on. Now when you cement it
all around my shoulders you Jerry walk out on deck with me. Walk between me and
the island. I'll have this robe of the island cloth over my head and shoulders.
We'll both go to the engineer's quarters. You'll have to stay there till I get back.
But Tex how will we know if you get... If I get into the water and start swimming
out without being seen? It's all over with the shouting. So I'll have Jerry get the
engineer to make eight bells for you as soon as I disappear in the water. Okay
put it on. Let's hold this edge here Jerry and you hold that down Joan. Now hold it
tight. Yes mother. Very tight and smooth while I put the cement around it.
Hurry now. The cement will dry as you walk the deck and I'm afraid something
will happen any minute. Goodbye dear and good luck. Bye dear. All clear Mrs.
Quaker. Throw that robe over his head. All right wait a minute. I'll take his arm.
Now we're all set. See you later.
Oh mother it's so wonderful of the captain to think of that. Yes dear and it's so
brave of him to attempt it. Oh I hope we fixed everything all right. It seemed all
right and the oxygen tank will last a long time at the rate it was discharging.
I wonder how long it will take him. He said the engineer would make eight bells for
us when he's safely in the water. It's only a few seconds until eight o'clock now
mother so no one will notice anything out of the ordinary in the bells. Yes Tex figured
on that or he wouldn't have used it for a signal. Isn't it about time now mother?
It shouldn't be long. The engineer was expecting him. Had the hatch open he could
get in the water noisily from there. And if the pigeon gets away successfully
will it be sure of reaching Johnson's boat? Easily John. According to the position
Johnson gave he's only five degrees north of us or about three hundred and
forty five miles.
Mother the signal. Yes dear Tex is gone. He's out in the water swimming through
that gas. Oh Tex.