Panic in the Streets Page #6

- Take it easy! Take it easy!

We're in international waters.

This man is master of this vessel.

We have no authority here.

Come on. Let's go.

- What did you find out?

- Well, from the tracings on those beams, Clint...

I can guarantee 150 to 170

rats on this ship.

What did I tell you?

You men hear that?

Rats!

And they might be

carrying plague!

Hey, what's going on

down there?

Boatswain, get those men out of there!

All of'em! Get back to work!

All right, boys.

Let's start moving.

- No, we want to hear what he's saying.

- Yeah, we want to hear.

Never mind what he's saying.

Get moving.

Don't shove me!

Mr. Anson, break out the weapons,

mister, and stand by.

Stop bluffing, Captain!

You've got plague on this ship.

You're inciting

my men to mutiny.

- Now, get off of here before I take action against you!

- Your men know it's true!

Wasn't there another man on board

who died just last week?

- I'm the master here,

and for the last time I'm telling you...

One of your cooks

is down with fever.

That's just the first one, Captain.

Now, what are you gonna do about it?

- What do you want me to do?

- Right now, I want to inoculate every man on board.

After that, you'll put about

and quarantine your ship under my men.

What about the stowaways?

I didn't have anything to do with them.

- It wouldn't make much difference if you were dead.

- Get the equipment, Paul.

All right.

Let's get started.

- Sailmaker.

- Sailmaker, yes.

You're sure these

two men got on at Oran?

- They must have.

- It's the only place they could've.

What about the other man?

Did anybody see his body after he died?

Well, he's the sailmaker.

He sewed him up. He might have.

- No, I just dumped him over the side.

- Mmm. Great.

- Secondary infection from the man who died.

- It's the only possible way.

Okay. You can move along.

Think we have enough on this fellow?

- Yes, sir.

- Okay. That'll be all for you.

- Aah!

- Now you come on and sit down here.

Did you ever see these two men

who were in the chain locker?

- He see them every day.

- You see them every day? How come?

He cabin boy.

He bring them food.

Okay, let him talk for himself now.

You brought them their food every day?

- Yes, sir.

- Did they ever say anything?

Uh... Uh, sure.

"Food stinks. Good-bye. "

This boy just kills you, doesn't he?

Are you the cook?

- Yes, sir.

- Go away. Did they ever talk about anything else?

No, sir. Only one time they tell me...

...to tell cook

to make shish kebab.

- Shish kebab. They want shish kebab.

- Shut up.

- They like shish kebab.

- Yes, I'm sure. And if I knew what shish kebab was...

- Maybe we'd be on the trail of something.

- It's lamb on a skewer.

Some of the Greek and Armenian restaurants

around town serve it.

To tell you the truth,

I'm rather fond of it myself.

That's it.

They call me dirty names.

- They say when they go ashore...

- They go ashore?

- They know a place...

- What's the name of the place?

Did they say

the name of the place?

- He doesn't know. Just a restaurant.

- Okay. Run along.

Well, I thought maybe we had something there.

It might be a little something at that.

Now you ask me the questions?

I suppose we're apt to wind up

at a policeman's benefit, but I'll have to.

Where's the owner

of this joint?

Over here.

- What is it?

- You the proprietor?

- Yes.

- John Mefaris?

- Yes, sir.

- You serve Greek food?

Anything you like, gentlemen.

We're from the Public Health Service.

I run clean place.

I passed inspection last month.

No, we're just trying to identify a man.

That's all.

You know this man?

Has he ever come in your place?

What you want him for,

if you don't mind my asking you?

I'm asking you,

do you recognize him?

He's not across the street.

You won't get into any trouble.

- We just want some information.

- I ain't worried.

He had an infection.

A contagious disease.

We want to find out who he was,

where he went, the people he saw.

Sure, sure.

Uh, I don't know.

So many people

come here all the time.

Maybe my wife.

I'll ask her.

Yeah.

I got a feeling this is

gonna be very helpful.

You know this is hopeless,

don't you, Doc?

This is about the 15th

joint we've been in.

It's 11 by actual count.

What can you suggest?

Look, we run the whole story

in tonight's paper.

His picture, everything. I'll block every road

leaving town, cover the bus stations and...

- No, huh?

- You're getting it.

Slowly.

- They sure make 'em stubborn up where you come from.

- That's right.

It's the man that fellow Poldi

brought in the other night.

- Yes. Kochak.

- Hmm.

The one that ate

like a field hand.

- What about him?

- They asked me if I know him.

For pity sakes,

go and tell them and stop fussing at me.

It's the Board of Health.

They say he's sick.

Oh, that Board of Health

was here just last month.

We've paid for our license,

though I don't know how we did it.

But they say he's sick...

bad sick.

- So am I sick.

- But this is contagious.

Contagious? Hmph. Then you tell them

to go and mind their own business.

We don't know nothing about it.

Don't stand there. Go and tell 'em.

But the law...

We've got to obey the law.

- We've never seen him.

- I don't know. I don't like it.

Aw, John, I got a headache

that's fit to kill me.

If you don't go out there and tell them

that we don't know nothing about this...

...and get 'em out of this place,

I'm gonna do it myself.

Stop all this nonsense.

Go on and tell 'em!

Okay, Rita, okay.

I'll tell 'em. I'll tell 'em.

She doesn't know anything either.

Why don't you leave the picture.

- He may come sometime.

- I don't think he'll be around for awhile.

They're there now, Blackie.

In the back.

- They found Poldi, huh?

- Yes. I tipped him off where to go.

Did you take care

of that other matter, Pat?

- I stayed all night. Watched the house.

- What happened?

She came home early.

Not a peep out of her.

- Good. Here you are, Pat.

- No. No, thanks.

No, Blackie.

No, no.

God bless you, Blackie.

God bless you.

Hey! You get away from there.

This is my beat. Get away.

Paper, sir?

Blackie, I found him.

See? I found him.

Pat told me how you found him.

What's that smell in here?

Have you been trying something

on your hair again?

No, Blackie.

I ain't put nothing on it.

- Touched that yet?

- No, Blackie.

- Hiya, Blackie.

- Hello, Poldi. What's the matter?

I'm sick.

Don't feel so good.

You felt good enough to stay out last night

and run me all over town.

You gave him a little bit of trouble,

huh, Poldi?

- Who's this?

- My kid brother, Vincent.

- Let's lose him.

- I told you, I don't feel good. I need somebody with me.

- We're with you, Poldi. Blow out of here, kid.

- Who asked you, Curly?

- Hit the road before I...

- Don't be objectionable, Fitch.

- Nice to know you, Vince.

- Thanks, Blackie.

- You want to do Blackie a favor, kid?

- Yeah, I guess so.

Get me a scratch sheet. Maybe I got something

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