Panic in the Streets Page #5

I'll get him. I'll find him.

- Thank you, Fitch.

- I swear I will.

Come on, Angie.

Let's go.

What am I gonna do

with them suitcases I packed?

- Unpack 'em.

- Come on, Angie. Hurry up.

Fitch...

I hope you're not plannin'

on leaving town anyway.

I wouldn't do that.

Where would you go?

Yeah. That's right.

Where would I go?

- Is this the seaman's hiring hall?

- Yeah, this is it.

- They're trolling the ships now.

- Thanks a lot.

On the Joseph Martin,

Fitzgerald Steamship Company...

...a Liberty Ship, going to Rio,

sailing at 7:
00 in the morning.

Two A.B. 's.

We have 11:
25 and 11:27.

They're going, they're going,

they're gone.

- Do this guy a favor.

- Thank you.

On the Steamship Pelican,

Louisiana Steamship Company...

...a C2 going to Yokohama,

sailing at noon.

Say, fellow, do you mind if I make

an announcement? Just take a second.

I have 11:
28 and 11:29.

They're going, they're going,

they're gone.

Grab the mike a minute, Leo?

Oh that's swell.

Thanks very much.

Could I have

your attention, please?

Could I have your attention?

This is very important.

I have some pictures of a man here.

I'll pass them out right away.

Would you take care of those, please?

Would you mind, sir?

Thank you.

Now, please take a good look at him.

I'll pay 50 dollars to anyone

who can tell me anything at all about him.

Anything. I'm not from the police,

so you can't get into any trouble.

I just want the information,

and I'm willing to pay for it.

Thank you very much.

Thanks an awful lot.

- Thank you, sir.

- Okay, buddy.

Okay. Anybody that's ever seen this man,

speak right up, will you?

I never saw him before.

I never saw him either.

Anybody that can tell me anything at all?

How about it?

I've never seen him before.

- I've never seen him, Mac.

- You got the dough on you, Johnny?

- Can you tell me anything?

- I can tell you you're taking a terrific chance...

...flashing that kind

of dough around this mob.

- Shipping is tough.

- You can say that again.

I'm serious about this.

Any information at all.

Even if you just think

you've ever seen him.

What's this fellow done, lad?

Nothing.

There's no trouble.

Let me give you

a bit of advice.

- These fellows are not liable to talk around here.

- What do you mean?

- He's liable to be a seaman too.

- That's right, bud.

Oh, I got you.

- Thanks.

- No trouble at all.

Look, uh, if anybody

knows anything about him...

I'll be at Frank's Place

right next door here...

...until, uh, 7:
00.

You can ask any questions

you want to.

You can give me the information

if you want to do that. Okay?

- You buy the coffee, mate?

- I'll buy your breakfast...

...your lunch and your dinner if you can

find me anybody who knows this man.

We have three Liberties coming out of

the boneyard. We'll need three full crews.

One boatswain

and two ordinaries.

On the boatswain

we have 11:
25.

It's going...

Throw that sugar down,

will you?

Come on along with those eggs, Frank.

I got to make the 7:00 bus, you hear?

I'm comin'. I'm comin'.

That's the one. That's the one.

Can I speak to you?

Sure. Go right ahead.

Are you the man

who's looking for someone?

Yeah, as a matter of fact, I was.

Someone looking

for 50 dollars?

That's right.

Well, he said for you to come with me.

Will you?

"He" said?

Who's "he"?

Well, are you coming?

Yeah.

- It's cold down here by the water.

- Yeah.

Now, uh, what was it

you wanted to know?

I want to know if your friend

has ever seen this man.

- Why?

- Because obviously, I want to find out about him.

- Did he do something wrong?

- No, he did nothing wrong.

Nobody's gonna get into any trouble.

Have you ever seen him?

- No. No, I never seen him.

- Come on. Come on.

Then where is

this friend of yours?

Uh, he, uh, wanted to know

why you were looking.

He did, huh?

Well, if he wants to know so badly,

let him him come and ask me.

- I'm t...

- What are you doing here?

- Where'd you come from?

- Cut it out.

- Who are you, a cop?

- I'm with the Public Health Service. I'm a doctor.

- A doctor?

- That's right. I'm a doctor. I want to know who this man is.

How he got into the country.

What ship he was smuggled off.

That's a lot of wanting

for 50 bucks.

- That's all you're gonna get. Take it or leave it.

- I told you not to drink anymore.

I told you yesterday

to keep away from me.

- Did you bring this man into the country?

- No.

Because if you did, there's a good chance

you're gonna die in about four days.

- Who are you tryin' to kid?

- Nobody. I'm trying to save you.

You're a sailor.

Did you ever hear of plague?

- Plague?

- This man died of it yesterday morning.

- He's making it up.

- I'm not making it up.

- No, I don't think he...

- Trying to frame me!

I ain't never seen this guy.

I ain't been out of port in 10 days,

and I can prove it.

Okay.

If you didn't bring him in

or have any contact with him...

...then you've got

nothing to worry about.

- No, wait!

- Let him go!

- No, I won't!

- Get out of here!

You told me yourself, Charlie, that the man

was sick when you brought him here.

- Why, you stupid little fool.

- Take it easy.

Charlie, please. He's a doctor.

He ought to know what he's doing.

This is 50 dollars.

This is anti-plague serum.

Charlie?

Now, roll up your sleeve and start talking.

Hold this, will you?

I got him off a tramp

out in the gulf.

I don't know his name,

and I know nothing about him.

- I swung the whole deal with one of the mates.

- What ship?

- I don't know.

- You know!

- It was night. I couldn't see.

- What ship?

- Give him the shot, Doc, please.

- What's the name of that ship?

- I said I don't know.

- This is the only hypodermic I've got, and it breaks very easily.

Now, start talking,

or you're gonna get into trouble.

- Charlie...

- All right.

- It was the Nile Queen.

- Are you sure?

- Yeah, I'm sure.

- All right. Hold still. Roll up your sleeve.

Now, hold still.

Bring 'em aboard.

I'm going to finish my breakfast.

Aye, aye, sir.

Couldn't he have been aboard

without your knowledge, Captain?

No, he couldn't.

This is a waste of your time and mine.

The sooner you go over the side,

the sooner I can get underway again.

- Pass the word to the engine room to stand by to get underway.

- Have any luck?

- Nothing. He told me nothing.

- Did he tell you anything?

Let's go, You've cost me two hours' delay

already with this heaving-to.

The man I spoke to was positive

the ship was the Nile Queen.

For the last time, I'm telling you...

I never saw the man in my life.

Anyone who says he was smuggled in

off my ship is a liar.

A man exposed to

pneumonic plague doesn't lie.

- I say he did.

- All right, Captain.

- Is he gonna call me a liar too?

- I'm calling you a fool!

Okay, I'll get off your ship...

...but if that man

was aboard, you...

...and most of your crew will be dead

before you're halfway to Santiago!

- I'll worry about that!

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