What's the excitement about?
- They say that Matt killed Henry Clark. - You don't say?
- Do you suppose Matt did kill him? - Wouldn't be surprised.
- Sheriff's giving him the third degree. - Barney will make him own up.
Might as well talk. What'd you do with the body?
I didn't do nothing with his body. I never saw him.
You can't bluff me, Matt Brandon.
The day he disappeared, you were threatening to kill him.
- I heard him. - Lt was in front of Miller's store.
Can't a man have a private feud...
...without some pig... headed sheriff sticking his nose in?
- There, he admits it. - I admit nothing.
The last I saw of Henry he was headed towards your place.
And you killed him, Matt Brandon.
Don't yell at me, Barney Riggs. And take your finger out of my face.
That tin star of yours don't scare me a bit.
Evidence is all against you, Matt.
I'm not saying another word.
From now on, you can do your talking to my lawyer.
- Who is he? - None of your business.
But he's the best goldarn lawyer in this state.
And when he gets here, he'll make you two buzzards jump sideways.
Oh, Matt, what do you wanna talk like that for?
Why don't you confess and save the county a lot of money?
See my lawyer.
Effie.
Effie, come here.
- Did you call me, Mr. Drew? - Effie, pack your things.
Oh, but Mr. Drew, what have I done now? What are you firing me for?
I'm not firing you, you idiot. You, Nancy and I are going to the country.
But Mr. Drew, I don't like the country.
There's bugs and snakes. I won't go to the country. I'll quit.
You'll do nothing of the sort. You've got to go along, keep house for us.
But Mr. Drew, where are we going?
A friend, Matt Brandon, got himself in jail for murder at Sylvan Lake.
- I have to go and get him out. - Murder?
Yes, murder. But he didn't do it. Matt wouldn't do such things.
- Come on, come on. Hurry up. - But Mr. Drew...
Oh, yes, and another thing.
If Nancy knows I'm on a murder case, she'll get in it and end up in trouble.
So I don t want her to know the reason for our trip. You understand?
Yes, sir. I won't say a word.
Oh, dear. Murder.
Dad, I'm home.
- So I hear, Nancy. Where have you been? - The flower exhibit.
You should have been there. It was appalling.
I almost won with my phlox drummondii, but I didn't. I was second.
Helen Aigner's calendulas were first. If you ask me, it was all political pull...
Dad, what in the world...?
Get your things together. We're going on a vacation.
- A vacation? - That's right, Nancy.
Gee, I didn't know that thing was loaded.
Don't stand there, Effie. Go and find my fishing rod.
- I think it's in the basement. - Yes, Mr. Drew.
You remember old Matt Brandon, don't you?
Matt Bran... Uncle Matt? Gee, yes.
Well, he's invited us up to his farm near Sylvan Lake.
- Will we be gone long? - Maybe all summer.
Simple life, back to nature. That's us, Nancy.
Up with the lark, to bed with the chickens. Think of it.
I'll wear old clothes, grow a beard a foot long...
...and do nothing but fish and hunt.
Dad, what's come over you? You haven't gone fishing in years.
You've never been an outdoor man.
Young woman, I'll have you know the outdoors is in my blood.
My ancestors were pioneer... Oh, I'll have to have that out a little bit.
You wanna go to Sylvan Lake? Ted Nickerson's there with his folks.
I thought the idea would appeal to you.
He'll probably think I deliberately followed him.
- Lt will be very embarrassing. - Oh, nonsense.
Besides, there's something funny about all this.
What's so funny about taking a vacation?
- Am I supposed to work all my life? - No, Dad.
I couldn't find your fishing rod, Mr. Pole... Mr. Drew.
No, I didn't think you could. Never mind, I'll find it myself.
You two get packed.
Remember, now.
Effie, are you sure we're going on just a vacation?
Why, certainly, Miss Nancy.
Well, then, we won't be needing this.
But your father wants to take it.
He doesn't if we're going on a vacation. Lock it up somewhere.
- Oh, Miss Nancy. I couldn't do that. - Then I'll do it.
I'll hide it where he can't find it.
But I think your father wants to work just a little.
That's silly. Uncle Matt wouldn't give him time.
Oh, but it was Mr. Brandon... I mean...
- Uncle Matt's in trouble? - Yes. No. No, he isn't.
- Effie, you're fibbing. - No, honest, Miss Nancy.
If dad's taking his briefcase, it's business. What did Uncle Matt do?
- He didn't do anything. He's innocent. - Of what?
- Nothing. - Lf he's innocent, he's guilty of something.
Honest, your father said he wasn't the type to hurt anybody.
- He's being sued for assault and battery. - No, no.
- Why not? - Because the man's dead.
- Then it's murder. - Yes.
- Effie. - Mr. Drew...
...she wormed it out of me. You know I can't match wits with her.
Effie get my bags. Well, don't stand there, Dad.
- Uncle Matt's in a jam, I've got to save him. - You've got to save him?
Certainly. Oh, of course, I may need your help.
Come on, Effie.
Oh, Mr. Drew, I'm so sorry.
I just feel as if you ought to kick me.
Mr. Drew.
Well, here we are.
Effie, hand me some of that stuff. Nancy, look out for that gun, now.
Hello, there.
- You work here? - Yes.
My name's Carson Drew.
How do you do, sir? My name's Apollo Johnson.
A very pretty name, Apollo.
Yes, I think so.
- Apollo. What a character. - Yeah, he'll be a great help.
Look at this place. It's a mess.
No window curtains. People can peek in.
Maybe Uncle Matt's having them cleaned.
What're you laughing at? Give me a hand.
All right, Dad. Why, here.
- There. I don't think we'll stay here. - Oh, Dad, let's. It's very picturesque.
Picturesque my foot. Besides, it's too far from the lake.
Oh, but, Dad, please. It's so homelike and rustic and things.
It'll take a week to make the place livable.
- There isn't even any linen. - That settles it.
We'll drive over to the village and get some rooms in the lodge.
Apollo, haven't you hung those curtains up yet?
Yes, ma'am.
I'll do it right now.
Why are you acting so peculiar?
I guess I just got that old peculiar feeling, that's all.
Oh, you're Carson Drew, I presume?
Yes.
Yeah.
- Yes, I'm Carson Drew. - I'm Edna Gregory. I live next door.
Mr. Brandon asked me to meet you. I didn't expect you so soon.
- That's all right. - Oh, Dad.
Do be careful.
Oh, Apollo, you can start hanging the curtains now.
I'll help you in a minute.
Oh, I wouldn't bother. You see, we're not going to stay.
- What made you say that? - Dad, you said...
Miss Gregory, this is my girl, Nancy.
- How do you do, Nancy? - Ho do you do?
The house can be put in order right away.
Oh, well, we don't think that it's quite suited to our needs.
Nonsense. I think it's a lovely little cottage.
I was just remarking before you came in how rustic and homelike the place is.
And how picturesque.
I think we're gonna be very happy here.
All right, Effie, you can start unpacking.
- Oh, I'll get that for you. - Oh, thank you.
But Dad, it's... The house is so far from the lake.
No, it's not far at all. Children like to be where they can play in the water.
Children? Play in the water? Dad.
Well, I guess I'd better go down and have a talk with Matt and get the details.
He was so mad his letter was rather incoherent.
It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Murder.
Who is this neighbor that Matt's supposedly done away with?
Henry Clark. He and Clint Griffith have a farm just back of Mr. Brandon's.
Why are they certain that Matt killed him?
Henry and Matt have been quarreling over their places' boundaries...
...for as long as anyone can remember.
And then one day, about a month ago, Henry disappeared.
- Disappeared? - I think the ha'nts done took him away.
- Oh, Apollo. - What's all this about ha'nts?
I saw two ghosts one night.
One was a tall ghost and one was a short ghost...
...and one of them exploded.
There's no such thing as ghosts, Apollo.
Never mind the curtains. Go burn that rubbish you piled up on the front porch.
Yes, ma'am.
And then they found out...
...that Matt had been threatening Clark on that very same day.
- Can't hold him for that. - They're doing it.
That sheriff, Barney Riggs, is nothing but a stubborn old fool.
I can promise you that I'll be back in an hour and have Matt Brandon with me.
I hope you're right.
- Oh, will you still be here? - Probably.
Well, I'll hurry, then.
Oh, Nancy, dear, do you wanna come along?
I'd rather go than stay here.
- Goodbye. - Goodbye.
- Howdy, folks. - How are you, Joe?
Fine.
Well!
- Hello, Barney. - Hello, Clint.
Well, I've just come from the county seat.
The prosecutor is coming in a day or two and he'll take charge of the case.
And I'll be willing to bet it'll be the swiftest conviction that he ever had.
Guess we ought to tell that to Matt. Maybe it'll cool him down.
I take it you're sheriff?
- Yeah, what's on your mind? - I wanna see Matt Brandon.
- Come back during visiting hours. - I'm his attorney, Carson Drew.
And sheriff, you have no right to deny a prisoner the privilege of seeing his lawyer.
Well, I guess you're within your rights.
- You stay out here. - I'm his secretary.
- Drew. And Nancy. - Hello, Matt.
Hello, Uncle Matt.
Well, Matt, they finally caught up with you.
Caught up with me?
Drew, will you see if you can talk some sense into this flatheaded limb of the law?
Get up a citizen committee. Have him thrown out of office.
- Take it easy. I'll get you out. - Nobody's gonna get nobody out of here.
Don't let them bluff you.
Everything shows that Matt Brandon killed my partner. He'll pay for it.
Shut up, Clint. My attorney's got the floor.
- You're Clint Griffith? - Yes.
- The complainant. - Yes.
Well, sheriff, I suppose you've found the body of Henry Clark, haven't you?
- No. - No?
Then you have no right to hold him.
You can't even make an accusation until you've proved corpus delicti.
You know what corpus delicti is, don't you?
Sure. Sure I do, it's...
My gracious. Every sheriff should know that.
You're so fresh, what is it?
Well, corpus delicti is the body of the crime.
Proof that the crime's been committed. Isn't it, Dad?
That's right, Nancy. In this case, the body of Henry Clark.
You have heard of a writ of habeas corpus, haven't you, sheriff?
Yeah, but no smart lawyer is gonna pull one of them things on me.
That's showing them, Drew.
How do you like it now, Barney?
- You ain't going to let him go, sheriff? - I gotta do it now, Clint.
I still think you've got my partner.
And we ain't gonna stop till we prove it.
I'll bet Hank Clark will turn up more alive than you've ever been, Barney.
I wouldn't be a bit surprised if that old cutthroat...
...didn't let himself be seen crossing my land...
...and then disappear, just to get me into trouble.
He'd figure as how you'd be fool enough to fall for it. Come on, folks.
We ought to have a dinner party to celebrate your being home.
Now, there's an idea that appeals to me.
And can Effie cook. Wait'll you taste that food.
Why don't you drive my truck back to the house for me, Nancy?
- I want to have a little talk with your dad. - Truck?
A station wagon. Swell. Will you get the groceries? I wanna ask Ted to come.
He won't think you're following him?
If it's embarrassing, you tell him I invited him.
Oh, Dad.
Would Miss Gregory have dinner with us?
- Why not? - Good.
Hi, Ted.
I might have known it.
What are you doing up here?
Dad and I came up to get Mr. Brandon out of jail. We did it, too.
I heard about him.
How long you gonna stay?
Until we're sure there won't be any more trouble.
- I bet you're surprised to see me. - Yeah.
Yeah, I am.
Well, I'll drop over and see you sometime.
- What are you building? - A boat.
- What for? - What for?
What do you usually do with a boat, put it in the parlor?
Why the roller skates?
So I can slide it into the water.
Oh, why, Ted, I think that's very clever of you.
Yeah.
Well, so long, Nancy. Nice seeing you.
Oh, I almost forgot. Here.
- What's this? - Open it and see.
Okay.
Gosh. Gee, that's swell, Nancy.
Well, it doesn't run.
It stops once in a while. All you have to do is tap it like this.
Hey, listen, if that's tapping, I'd hate to have you sock me on the jaw.
Well, it's running now. But, gosh, you shouldn't have done it.
Oh, it only cost a nickel.
- A nickel? - I won it on a punchboard.
And being a man's watch, I thought maybe you'd like it.
Gosh, thanks.
Oh, by the way, Ted...
...I have a very important favor to ask of you, if you don't mind.
I get it. I've been bribed.
All right, if you're not interested in my terrible problem...
- Hey, wait a minute. - Yes, Ted?
What do you mean terrible problem?
Oh, it's just a family matter. You wouldn't be interested.
- Okay, out with it. - Lt's my father.
What about him?
- He's a fine, good man. And brilliant, too. - Who said he wasn't?
Nobody. But there's a terrible woman.
A scheming adventuress, who has designs on him.
Why, she's positively a siren.
- No fooling. Who? - She lives down the road from us.
The way she made eyes at Dad.
Why, she had him grinning like a Cheshire cat before they'd hardly met.
Gosh, that is sort of serious.
- What are you gonna do about it? - I'm not sure yet.
But she'll be there for dinner tonight. I want you to come and see for yourself.
I only hope you figure out some way to bring Dad to his senses.
Well, now, I don't know as...
Okay, but I got a premonition, Nancy. I got a premonition.
Well!
Effie, what are you made... up for?
Effie was picking wildflowers and stopped to admire some poison ivy.
Oh, Effie, I'm sorry.
I knew this would happen if I came to the country.
As far as I'm concerned, they can give it back to the Indians. If they'll take it.
There, there, now. In a day or two, you'll be all right again.
Thank you, Mr. Brandon.
Well, it looks like we'll have to call off our little dinner party.
Edna Gregory is a good cook. Maybe she'd help out.
- You suppose we should ask her? - I should say not.
I can cook as well as she can. I'll fix the dinner.
And it'll be a banquet like you've never seen before.
I didn't study domestic science for nothing.
Hello.
What are you doing with the potatoes on the floor?
I put them there. We always cook our potatoes on the floor.
- Where's Effie? - She's in bed with poison ivy.
Oh, my gosh.
And I have to cook the dinner. Only everything's gone wrong.
The stove gets too hot and things burn and...
And then it gets too cold and things won't cook at all, and...
- Here. You'll have to help. - What'll I do with them?
Wash them off and set them on the stove.
Nobody but you'll ever know they've been on the floor.
All right.
- That Gregory woman isn't here yet, is she? - Nope.
- What's Dad doing? - Talking to Mr. Brandon.
- Ls he all dressed up? - Yeah, he is. He looks pretty doggy, too.
- And he's watching the door, I'll bet. - Yeah. Come to think of it, he is.
- There. Now see what I mean? - Yeah.
Ted, stop eating those strawberries. There won't be enough for dinner.
Okay. Okay.
Now, look what you've done. You've ruined my biscuits.
I've ruined your biscuits? Well, holy cats, I didn't even touch them.
Oh, and if you hadn't gone and...
- Good evening, Nancy. - Oh, Miss Gregory.
This cake's meant to be a surprise.
I didn't expect to find any of the family in the kitchen.
- Effie has poison ivy. - So you're the cook.
I didn't know young girls could cook these days.
- I'm Ted Nickerson, Miss Gregory. - I'm glad to know you, Ted.
Same here.
Well, I have to finish the dinner.
Tell you what let's do, let's cook it together.
I'm really getting along fine.
Certainly you are, but it's a lot of work for one person, cooking for so many people.
Especially on a wood stove when you're used to a gas range.
Oh, the damper's open too far. All the heat goes up the chimney.
For gosh sakes, what are the salads doing on the stove?
Oh, I forgot.
Never mind, Nancy. We can make some more.
Oh, here you are, Nancy.
- Ted, I won't need you anymore. - Oh, I don't mind.
I believe these string beans could stand a little more salt.
Do you know where it is?
- Nothing like having things handy. - Yes, indeed.
Ted, you'd better go in with the others and tell dad I wanna see him.
Okay.
But you got to give Clint Griffith credit for being smart, though.
It was his idea about buying an airplane and going into the crop... dusting business.
He's made a lot of money out of it.
Well, he doesn't fly the plane himself, does he?
No, he's got a pilot. Fella named Chuck Marley.
Mr. Drew, Nancy wants to see you.
Oh, I'm... I'm busy just now, Ted.
Miss Gregory's out there too.
She is? Excuse me, Matt, please.
You mean, you made that with your own hands?
- Why, certainly. - I was gonna have strawberry shortcake.
This is better. We'll have the strawberries plain.
I like them that way too. Is there anything I can do, Miss Gregory?
- Well, I need the salad dressing. - I'll find it.
- Lt's on the stove. - Thank you, Nancy.
- Here you are, Miss Gregory. - Oh, thank you, Ted. Now, for a big spoon.
Excuse me.
- Here it is. - Thank you, Ted.
Miss Gregory and I can finish the dinner. You children run out and play.
Play?
Perhaps you could find some watercress. It would help the salad.
Yes, yes, of course it would. Go ahead, go ahead.
Walk will do you good. Improve your appetites.
- Oh, raisins? - Come on, Ted.
Hey, we haven't any time to pick posies.
We gotta hurry with this watercress before it wilts.
I hope the whole salad wilts.
Are you gonna start that again?
And I was depending upon you to stand up with me against that Gregory person.
Why, you acted as silly as you did the first time you met me.
Forget it, will you?
Ted, look.
- Oh, isn't it beautiful? - Who cares? The woods are full of them.
- Not like this one. Do you know what it is? - Yeah, it's a flower.
Oh, Ted, don't be so materialistic It's an arbensis. A rare, tropical plant.
I learned about it in botany class. It has no business growing here.
- Then pull it up. - I should say not.
- I'm gonna take it home and put it in a pot. - Oh, for gosh sakes.
I wonder how it get here. I'll find something to carry it in a while you dig it up.
What with?
Oh, I never thought of that. Well, never mind.
I'll put a marker on it and send Apollo over for it later.
- Give me your handkerchief. - Oh, it's somewhere. Here it is.
Make it snappy, will you? We gotta get back.
I don't care if we never get back.
Apollo!
Apollo?
Oh, Apollo.
Will you do me a favor? I found a strange... looking flower in the field.
Will you take a spade and dig it? I marked it with a handkerchief. It'll be easy to find.
- Yes. - What's the matter with you, Apollo?
I guess I was just born jitterbugging, Miss Drew.
Oh, well, be careful of its roots. It's a very rare plant.
Yes, ma'am. You want it right away?
Well, I'd get it pretty soon. A cow might eat it.
No rush. I'd eat the chicken first.
Now, I wonder how'd he know about that?
It's the best meal I've had in 40 years.
Allow me, Miss Gregory, to say it's the best meal I ever had.
Me too.
Thank you, but the credit really belongs to Nancy.
Oh, she only fixed the strawberries.
- Oh, Nancy, aren't you eating your cake? - I don't like white cake.
- More coffee, Miss Gregory? - Yes, please.
- How about some cream, Miss Gregory? - Thank you.
- Sugar? - Yes, please.
Nancy, pass the sugar.
- Sugar, Nancy. This is the salt. - Oh, excuse me.
Work. Nothing but work. Everybody wants me to work.
Some of these days, I'm gonna get a million dollars. Maybe 2 million.
Maybe 3 million.
Then I ain't gonna never have to work. Maybe.
Oh, Lordy.
Oh, Mr. Sheriff, Mr. Sheriff. Mr. Sheriff, it was awful.
I was digging peacefully, and there it was.
Take it easy, Apollo, and talk sense.
Mr. Sheriff, it was there, a body buried in the ground.
- I'm telling you. - Where?
Down around on the back end of Mr. Brandon's farm.
- Are you kidding me? - Oh, no, sir. I wouldn't kid you about it.
I saw it with my own eyes.
Apollo, you're so excited, you don't know what you're talking about.
- Was it a corpse? - A dead corpse.
- Who? - I don't know. I took one peep and flew.
We'd better check on this.
- Shall I call a doctor? - Yes.
- You come with me and show us the place. - Oh, no.
Oh, come on, get going, now.
I'll get it, Uncle Matt.
Matt Brandon here?
You murderer. I knew all along you killed Henry.
- Stop. - What's the matter?
- He'll get what's coming to him. - Keep back. I'll handle this.
You're under arrest for the murder of Henry Clark.
We just found his body buried over on that south 40 of yours.
- You're crazy. - Am I? How about it, Milt?
- Lt was Henry, all right. - Apollo here found him.
Mr. Brandon, I didn't mean to get you into no trouble.
I was digging up a flower for Miss Drew, and there he was.
- Shot to death. - You did it, Matt Brandon.
- That still has to be proved. - You're being silly, all of you.
- Uncle Matt wouldn't hurt a fly. - Nancy.
We've got your corpus delicti now, Mr. Drew.
And right on his own land.
- Don't put those on me. - Take it easy.
There's no use resisting, Matt. I'll start work on this right away.
Barney, if you're still sheriff after next election, it won't be on my vote.
Matt, the way I figure, you won't have any vote next election.
Poor Mr. Brandon.
Here, here. Where do you think you're going?
I don't know, but something has to be done right away.
Well, we can't do anything tonight. It's too late.
Dad, it's all my fault.
Uncle Matt would never been arrested if I hadn't found that plant.
Now, Nancy, you mustn't blame yourself for that.
Besides, clearing Uncle Matt is my job.
A murder case is nothing for a little girl to get mixed up in.
And I want you to promise that you'll keep out of it.
All right, Dad.
I promise.
Dad says that in every crime, the criminal always makes at least one mistake.
Ted, you haven't heard one word I said.
- Good morning, Nancy. Hello, Ted. - Hello.
Hello, Miss Gregory.
Will you please tell my father Miss Gregory is here?
Sure.
I'll tell him.
The Ladies Aid's giving an ice cream social tonight.
We'd like you to come.
I don't know. I'll see if it can be arranged.
Why don't you bring your boyfriend? Your father's going with me.
Oh, well, l...
Oh, hello, Carson.
Good morning, Edna. Lovely, lovely morning isn't it?
Yes, it is.
Nancy, we're going down to see Uncle Matt.
I thought you were going to wear old clothes while you were here...
...and let your beard grow.
Whatever made you think of that?
How would I have dignity as an attorney if I went around dressed like a tramp?
Children get the funniest ideas.
- Are you looking forward to the party? - Am I?
I'm rather short of clothes for social functions.
Come with me, pick out an outfit?
Oh, I'd love to, Carson.
Well, did you hear that?
Now she's even buying his clothes.
And they're calling each other by their first names.
- What about it? - What about it?
Dad's falling for her. That's what about it.
I don't blame him. She's a darn good cook.
All right, Ted, if you're going to be a traitor...
For gosh sakes, What's the matter with her?
I'll bet you 23.80 she's after Dad.
- And I don't like it. - Don't be a goop.
I'm not a goop.
If it wasn't for this case, I'd make Dad pack up and go hone.
And believe me, as soon as Uncle Matt's free, we will go home.
Well, I hope so.
Why, Ted.
Now, look, Nancy, gee...
...I’ve been loafing around here all morning. And for what?
I gotta get going if I expect to get that boat launched.
There's a clue somewhere.
I'm gonna sit till I figure out what it is.
You better get a good supply of pillows.
- Well, so long. - Bye.
Ted. Come back here.
Ted, I got it. I got it.
- Got what? - Apollo? Apollo?
Do you know anyone who has a greenhouse?
No, I don't, Miss Drew.
Most folks I know prefers white houses.
I mean a nursery. A hothouse where they raise plants.
Oh, that?
- There is one in town. - Thanks, Apollo. Did you hear that?
- Come on, we're going places. - Hey, wait.
Seeing as I'm invited along, you might at least let me in on it.
I've figured out a way to trace Mr. Clark's murderer.
You have?
Ted, that plant's the clue.
- What plant? - That flower I sent Apollo to get.
It just didn't grow without a seed.
Being so rare, it couldn't get there without being planted.
Look, will you cut the bubble... gum talk and give?
Well, it's very simple.
That arbensis wasn't more than four weeks old.
And Mr. Clark was killed about a month ago.
So that flower had to have been planted about the same time.
- Yeah. - The only person...
...who could have possibly carried that seed there was the murderer.
It must have accidentally dropped from his clothes while he was digging.
Yeah, I see what you mean.
So our job is to find someone around here who raises arbensis.
Say, for a crackpot idea, you may have hit something.
I certainly have.
- Who's a crackpot? - Look out.
You're asking me who's a crackpot?
Are you sure you don't sell arbensis seeds?
Of course I'm sure.
Well, maybe you know somebody who raises them.
No. The fact is, I've never heard of arbensis.
Well, its a sort of a rare tropical flower that...
And it's very important that we find out.
Clint Griffith raises a lot of rare plants. Maybe he could help you out, huh?
There he is now.
Well, thanks a lot. Come on, Ted.
- We'll, aren't you going to wait? - No, we're in a hurry.
- Hello, Mr. Griffith. - Hello.
There doesn't seem to be anybody here.
Well, that's fine. It gives us a much better chance to look around.
- Boy. - What's he doing?
- Bugs. - What?
Spraying with chemicals to kill bugs.
That must be Mr. Griffith's plane.
- Say, he's coming in. - Wait a minute. Now, let me do the talking.
- Hello. - Hello.
- You're Chuck Marley, aren't you? - Yeah.
- Neat job. - We're looking for Mr. Griffith.
- He's not here. - Care if I look her over?
Are you a flyer?
No, but I've read all about how to do it.
I understand that Mr. Griffith raises rare plants.
- What'll she rev up to? - I'm a student of horticulture.
I've been specializing in tropical flora. I'd love to see Mr. Griffith's flowers.
- Suppose he'd mind? - Not as far as I'm concerned.
- Greenhouse is there. - Thanks a lot. Come on.
Sure like to go up with you sometime, Mr. Marley.
- Oh, Ted, aren't they beautiful? - Stick to the point.
- All right, look for an arbensis. - What if we find one?
Mr. Griffith will have a lot of explaining to do.
- Marley. - Yeah?
- Where are those kids? - In the greenhouse.
You sap. They're trying to find an arbensis.
What are you kids doing here?
Oh, nothing.
We were just looking at your flowers.
Stall him, Ted.
- Why do you wanna see the flowers? - Well, I'll tell you, Mr. Griffith.
We're looking for a thorn... a... scrappa, the size of flumegay...
...growing in a gilded scratch... pot that had been rue... pruned. You had any?
- What? - Lf the humus and the gable...
...are thicker on the prontil, it'll be better on the portfalia.
That's the only way to do it.
Hey, girl...
...come here.
Yes, sir?
If there's a plant you're interested in, I'll tell you if I have it.
Oh, now, let's see. Do you have any arbensis plants?
No, I haven't. Why?
Well, the truth is, Mr. Griffith, I have an aunt...
...who used to live in the South Seas, and she gets so seasick...
I mean, homesick... . For tropical flowers.
And she's just crazy to find an arbensis.
I don't raise arbensis. I don't know about them.
- I thought... - I haven't time to talk about them.
Now you kids get out.
If you find a schnozzle pop with a flugle sloop and a wilden flim...
...tell me, will you, please? - Goodbye.
Bye... bye, Mr. Griffith. Thanks a lot. Charming. Come on, Ted.
Say, what's it all about, Clint?
An arbensis plant happened to be the cause of Henry Clark being found.
I saw it lying in the field there last night.
I didn't think anybody would connect it with anything.
- Mistakes could hang a couple of guys. - How'd I know I was dropping a seed?
Here. Get rid of this stuff.
Burn it.
Wait a minute.
What happened to that seed catalog?
- Lt was here a minute ago. - Well, I didn't see it.
That Drew girl must have it. I'll take care of this.
You take after those kids. Find out what they're up to.
You go there, get yourself in a jam...
...and what have you got to show for it?
This.
Look in that catalog, see if there's an arbensis listed.
You bet.
Here it is.
- Let's see. - Look out.
Can't you ever keep your hands on that wheel?
That's it, Ted. That's exactly like the one I found.
I'll wire that company, find out...
...if they sold arbensis seeds to someone around Sylvan Lake.
Hours, we've been waiting here. Hours.
I could have had my boat built.
I could have had it launched.
I could have been sailing and by this time, caught a mess of fish.
I could even have eaten them.
- Here's your answer, Miss Drew. - Oh, thank you.
- Sixty... three cents, collect. - Pay the man, Ted.
- Pay the man? - I'll pay you back.
Now, listen. You owe me a $ 1.89 already.
So it's 2.50... something.
- What's 2.50 in a case of emergency? - Well, it's still 2.50.
I'm gonna give you some advice, mister.
If you wanna get rich, stay away from women.
I know from experience. Hey.
Look at this, Ted.
If they sent arbensis seeds to this place, I wouldn't know it.
- The company says in the telegram... - I understand.
The man who owned this place sold out weeks ago.
- Went to California. - He keep a record of sales?
Of course he must have.
That box is full of sales slips and old records.
You got a hammer?
Hey, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Hey, leave that alone.
Leave it alone?
Aren't you gonna let us open it?
- Not without the boss. - Where is your boss?
He's out of town. He'll be back in the morning.
It's important that we find out about those seeds.
I know, but nothing I can do about it.
If you're back tomorrow, Mr. Timmons will help you.
- I see. - Dad, can't you make him open it?
I can't make him open it without a court order.
I think it'll be quicker to wait for Mr. Timmons.
We'll be sitting on the doorstep of this nursery at dawn.
- Thanks, sir. - Lt's all right.
He ought to close up any minute now.
Yeah. Thanks to Mrs. Ring and her ice... cream party...
...it ought to be a cinch.
My, it's a beautiful night.
Just look at the stars. They're like bright nails...
...sticking through heaven's floor.
A scientist once fried an egg by the heat of a star.
How can you associate a lovely thing like a star with a fried egg?
Ted...
...look at that old couple over there.
Isn't that sweet? Still holding hands in the eve of life.
I'll bet they have a lot of wonderful memories.
I expect they have.
It's Dad and her.
Of all the ridiculous things, holding hands at their age.
I need some punch.
I'm not a lawyer and you are.
I don't think I should argue the case, do you?
Gosh, now I don't know what to say.
Really, Carson, it would be marvelous.
But there are certain things to be considered.
- For instance? - Nancy.
- Oh, yes. - She doesn't like me.
Nonsense.
I'll have a talk with her. Excuse me.
I wouldn't.
You don't know the old Drew spirit.
It's just like the spider and the fly, and Dad's caught in her web.
Well, if it was my father, I'd want him to marry her.
Marry her?
Ted, how can you suggest such a thing?
If he marries her, I won't stay in the same house.
I'll run away. That's what I'll do.
On second thought, Edna, I think you're right.
Hey, the nursery's on fire! The nursery's on fire!
Ted.
Dad, the nursery. Those records, they'll burn. Come on.
It isn't too late yet if we can still get in there.
Nancy!
Let us in, please.
You kids, stay back.
But somebody has to get that box of sales records.
Keep back.
- There's evidence that will save Matt. - It’ll burn.
Are you folks going to stay back or aren't you?
- I'm afraid it's too late, Nancy. - Lt can't be too late.
- Ted, can't you think of something? - Well, I... Unless...
- Excuse me. - They won't put out that fire...
...with buckets in 100 years.
Always did say to have a fire department.
Look at that blaze.
Hey, cut it out.
- Who you shoving, Barney? - I'm shoving you. You stay back.
Oh, don't be so officious. I'm a taxpayer.
You can't shove me around.
I'm not sure whether you paid your taxes or not.
You can't shove me.
- Hey, stop that crazy kid. - Stay back.
All of you, stay back.
- No, you don't. - That boy.
- You can't do anything. - You can't let that boy go in.
- We can't let him get out with that box. - I'll get him.
Hey, Marley, come back here.
- Help me. - You gotta get out of here.
No, I gotta save this box.
There isn't time. Do you wanna burn?
- Nice work, Marley. - You're a hero.
How are you, Ted?
Ted. Ted, are you all right?
Yeah. Yeah, I'm all right.
I almost had that box out.
- Then Mr. Marley came in and... - Sorry, kid. Had to do it.
Well, it's a lucky thing you did.
Dad.
Dad, our records. All our work for nothing.
- There, there, Nancy, we'll get him out. - I'm sorry, Nancy.
Nancy, there's still a chance, though it's kind of a slim one.
What is it?
I sent the bullet that killed Henry Clark to a ballistics expert.
He tells me it was fired from a.22 Hartley pistol.
If I could find that gun, I could trace the owner.
Well, Dad, maybe we can find it. What do you think, Ted?
Those are swell coals to roast a hot dog on.
- I'll try and find it, Dad. - No, no, Nancy, you've done enough.
I'm gonna send to the city for detectives.
If anyone can find it, they can.
Ted, you take Nancy home. Edna and I will walk by and pick up my car.
- And be sure you take her straight home. - Sure, Mr. Drew.
Well, come on, Ted, get in. If you can wake up enough.
Now maybe I can take it easy. I'll get a good night's sleep.
Tomorrow, I'll start to work on my boat again.
Boy, am I glad this case is out of you hands.
What do you mean, out of my hands?
Ted, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if someone set that fire...
...just to destroy those records.
Say, maybe Marley wasn't trying to save me.
Maybe he just wanted to make sure that box would burn.
He works for Clint Griffith.
You know, Ted, everything keeps pointing to them.
Yeah.
- This isn't the road to the lake. - I know it.
Nancy, your dad said that...
Ted, there are times when parents must be disobeyed...
...much as it hurts.
You certainly got a mania for dragging people out of bed.
Is that you, Apollo?
Yes, ma'am, it's me.
Want do y'all want, Miss Drew?
Apollo, the other day, you were telling about some ghost you once saw.
Remember? You said one of them disappeared.
He certainly did. That was the short ghost.
He vanished. Just vanished in the ground.
- Gosh, what happened then? - Then I vanished.
Well, where did all this happen?
Up by Mr. Griffith's place.
In fact, right in the doorway of Mr. Griffith's barn.
- Apollo, get dressed. - Yes, ma'am.
- You're not going there tonight? - We certainly are.
Putty, that's what I am. Just putty.
- Anybody can talk me into anything. - Do you wanna wake up everybody?
- What's that? - Nothing. It's only a dog.
Is everybody scared but me?
Now, Apollo, show me just what you saw.
Looks awful black in there. Maybe one of them is still around.
Oh, Apollo, everybody knows there aren't any ghosts.
Not everybody.
- Ted, you go in and show him it's all right. - Who, me?
Or do you believe in ghosts too?
- Why, no, certainly not. - Go ahead, then.
Now, go ahead, Apollo.
Well, I was taking a shortcut home through the field...
...and I looked over there, and there was a tall ghost...
...and he was floating toward the barn.
And then there was an explosion.
Then there was another explosion, and the short ghost disappeared.
Apollo...
...could those explosions have been gunshots?
I don't know, maybe.
What you saw was the murder of Mr. Clark.
He didn't explode and disappear. He was shot and fell to the ground.
Where was the short ghost standing, Apollo?
Well, over here, was the tall ghost standing here.
And through that door come...
There he is again.
Oh, Ted!
Hey. Hey.
Hello, Mr. Griffith?
This is Barney Riggs' deputy.
The sheriff wants you and Mr. Marley to come down and see him this morning.
Yeah. Yeah, you better come right away. It's very important.
Chuck Marley's out on a crop... dusting job. What will I do?
Tell him to come anyway.
Okay.
Mr. Griffith?
The sheriff says he wants you to come down anyway.
Yeah.
- He'll be there. - Swell.
Boy, that was timing it.
I hope you know what you're doing. I don't.
There's no danger. It'll take him at least 20 minutes to get to town and back.
- Go on, open the gate. - Okay.
- Well, turn her around. - What for?
A wise general always leaves the road open for retreat, don't you know that?
You know, we're probably barking up the wrong tree again, don't you?
Not if that tall ghost Apollo saw is Clint Griffith.
You don't expect to find that gun in here, do you?
I'm not sure, but there's something I do expect to find.
- That bullet. - What bullet?
Well, Apollo said that there were two shots fired.
So the first one must have missed.
If he was telling the truth about that ghost standing in the doorway...
...the bullet should be about... Well, about here.
No, I didn't wanna see you.
You boys call Griffith?
Clint, if today was April the first, I'd say some of the boys was playing jokes on you.
Maybe they are anyway.
Gosh.
I mean, gosh.
- Did you find it? - Yeah.
Oh, leave it alone. It's much better evidence in there.
Ted, this proves it.
Mr. Clark was shot here, then carried over to Uncle Matt's place and buried.
So it'd look like he did it if the body was found.
Well, let's, get out of here. I'm getting nervous.
Might as well look for the gun while we're at it.
- They wouldn't leave it in the barn. - Why not?
They'd be smart enough to get rid of it and this is a swell place to hide it.
Yeah, but Griffith might come back.
- What time is it? - Eleven o'clock.
Well, we've still got ten minutes.
If we don't waste our time talking about it, we can do a lot in ten minutes.
Ted, stop playing around with those ropes.
Playing?
For gosh sakes, get me out of this.
- My head. - Serves you right for fooling around.
Ted, look what you kicked up.
- I see something under there. - Where?
Way back under there.
That's it.
A.22 Hartley, all right. There's the serial number.
That's all the evidence we need.
Hide it, quick.
Throw it in the loft.
What are you kids up to?
Give me that gun.
What gun?
- The one you dug out of there. - We haven't got it.
Where is it?
Tell me.
We don't know where it is, honest.
All right. If you won't tell me, maybe I can fix it so you won't tell anyone.
- I was sure that was gonna fall any minute. - So was I.
So get that plane back here as fast as you can.
And Marley, be sure that it looks like an accident.
Oh, Nancy, we couldn't break out of this place in a year.
There's only one chance left.
I told Apollo, if we didn't get back soon, to tell Miss Gregory where we'd gone.
Oh, Ted. Ted, you didn't.
Yeah, but he probably forgot it. Or they'd have been here by this time.
Ted. Ted, that gun.
- Yeah. - Lf it's loaded, we could...
Oh, no such luck.
Well, hang on to it, anyway. It's important evidence.
Okay.
Ted, there must be some way of getting out of here.
Say, I've got it.
Why couldn't we send a smoke signal?
- Of course we could. - Sure.
Nancy, get me that tray.
- You got a match? - No. Haven't you?
No. Now there's another good idea shot.
Nancy, you ought to carry those things.
- Ted, I know. - What are you doing that for?
Well, maybe I can attract attention with my scarf.
It's red, and red can be seen a long ways off.
Oh, that's silly.
Nobody would pay any attention to that even if they saw it.
You can waggle that until you're green for all the good it'll do.
Well, here. You waggle it awhile. You're stronger than I am.
Make it sort of frantic.
Wasting our time on a sluggy idea like this.
We have to do something.
Ted, look out!
Ted! Oh, Ted!
Hold it!
Come out of that car.
Now get over to that plane. Go on.
Get in there.
Since they ain't got back yet, y'all supposed to go and fetch them.
Hey, mister, come back here!
- Oh, Ted, do something. - For gosh sakes, what?
- Well, fly it, can't you? - All I know is what I read in a book.
Ted, you're going to hit the ground!
Which way is the ground?
That way! Back up!
- You're doing it again! - I can't be.
I haven't moved a thing.
Then move something!
Well, there's your accident. Can't fly in a forest.
We better go in town, report it right away.
Ted, you're not gonna land here, are you?
Not if I can help it.
Gosh, I just missed that chimney.
You weren't trying to hit it, were you?
We've got to get over there.
- Come on, sheriff. - Mister Drew...
...there's no need of getting all... - Don't argue with me.
All right. Guess we've gotta keep the public happy.
Mr. Drew, it's a good thing you're here.
I'm sorry, but we've brought bad news.
Your daughter and that boyfriend of hers stole my plane.
They crashed in the woods.
- Nancy and Ted wouldn't steal your plane. - But I saw them.
- What have you done with them? - I haven't done anything.
- They crashed, I said. - They went into a dive.
From the way they were going, they didn't have a chance.
- That was the jail! - I wish I was in it.
- That's your plane. - They stole it.
They can't fly a plane. They'll be killed.
Hold it, Clint.
I insist you hold these men until we find out what this is about.
What do you think I'm doing? Lock them up, boys.
- Look here, Barney... - Come on, Clint. Might as well be peaceful.
What are you flying so low for?
We can't stay up here forever. We gotta land sometime.
Nancy!
Nancy! Nancy! Nancy, where are you?
Where are you? Nancy? Nancy? Nancy.
Are you all right, kid?
Fine, Mr. Riggs, just fine.
Nancy, my poor baby.
Ted.
- Ted, she isn't... - Daddy.
Daddy. Daddy.
Nancy, oh, Nancy.
- Oh, Daddy. - Oh, Nancy, dear. Nancy.
Nancy, are you all right?
- Oh, Miss Gregory. - Oh, Nancy, darling.
Oh, Miss Gregory.
What's the meaning of all this? Scaring the wits out of me...
...flying around the country in strange airplanes?
Airplanes.
- Ted, give me a hand, will you? - Sure, Mr. Drew.
And about that time, Henry found out that Clint and Marley...
...were systematically robbing him. And he was gonna turn them in.
So Marley talked Clint into shooting him.
I guess I made a fool of myself, Matt.
You were born that way, Barney.
But I'll vote for you.
Here's Dad.
Hiya, folks. She's all set for the launching.
Hello. My, you look nice, Miss Gregory.
Thank you, Nancy. You're a picture yourself.
Isn't it the most beautiful boat you've ever seen?
Ted could enter it in a race and win the Davis Cup.
The America's Cup, Nancy. You should know that.
The Davis Cup is for golf. Or is it tennis?
Hi, skipper.
I guess we're all set to shove off.
Here you are, Nancy. Do your stuff.
What will I christen it?
Oh, Ted. How sweet.
Bust her on the nose.
- I christen thee, Nancy. - Come on, Nancy.
Make way for a sailor.
- Here we go. - Don't go too far away.
She floats. She floats.
All right.
Now I know why men join the Navy.
Ted, look out.
Ted!
I might have known I'd get into grief naming it after you.
{{{ the end }}}