Johnny on the Run (1953) - full transcript

(church bells ring)

(cheerful music)

- Would you like a wee bit more Ken?

- No thanks I've had enough.

- So you're back are
you, and about time too,

where have you been?

- I only went down the road to look at--

- Oh now I suppose you want your dinner?

Well it's in the pot
you can help yourself.

- If you'd had come sooner
there might have been more.

Janet and me have had most of it.



- I've not had had so much if I'd known.

- It's all right, that's enough.

- He depend on what there is.

Finish up your pudding, now,
you two, and get out of here.

- Janet and me are going fishing.

- Can you come too, Janek?
- Can I go, auntie?

- No you cannot, you've
work here to do for me.

- We don't want him anyway,
he doesn't know about fishing.

- Yes I do, in Poland my father--

- Poland, you're always
gabbing about Poland.

- Well, it's my home.
- Well, why don't you go back?

- Leave him alone, can't you, Ken.

- It's all right, Janet.
- That's enough now.

You're always quarreling with him, Janek.



Get on out of here, you two.

- I wish you were coming with us, Janek.

- Well, I don't.

- You are horrid to him, Ken.

It's not his fault he's here.

- Well, why's he to live with us?

Plenty of other people, aren't there.

- Hurry and finish now, you have to fetch

the shopping for me, and you
can take the baby with you.

And don't go staring into
the shop windows, mind,

you're to be back here by three o'clock.

- All right, auntie.
- If you want to stay here,

you've got to work, you know.

They don't pay me enough
to have you sitting

about doing nothing all day.

Here's the list now, I
put it in the basket.

And you better take
this string bag as well.

You can put the potatoes in it.

And don't forget the matches.

Here's five shillings, and
mind you don't lose it.

And don't go trying to buy yourself

a ticket back to Poland with it.

- I couldn't, could I?

Not for five shillings.
- No, you couldn't.

But I'm sure you'd like to.
- Yes, perhaps one day.

- You ungrateful little wretch.

(melancholy music)

(children chattering)

- You leave our ball alone!

- Why don't you go back to Poland!

- You Polie, Polie!
(children shouting)

(dramatic music)

(woman gasps)

(dramatic music)

- You wicked, wicked boy!

(dramatic music)

- Poland.

(soothing orchestral music)

- Good morning, madam,
can I do anything for you?

- Yes, I want a portable
radio set for Duncan here.

He says he wants one that
has all foreign stations.

That's right, isn't it, Duncan dear?

- Yes.
- The best please.

- Well, young man, what can I do for you?

- I, I want to get to Poland.
- Poland?

Land, sea or air?

- It doesn't really matter.
- Are you traveling alone?

- Yes.
- Going home, eh?

- That's right, going home.

- Yeah, well, here's a nice trip.

By sea, it's cheapest that way.

Dundee to Danzig, 17 pounds.

- 17 pounds.
- Well madam,

find anything to your liking?
- Is this a good one?

- Oh yes, a very reliable little set, mum.

- What price is it?
- 17 pounds, mum.

- 17 pounds, I'll take it.
- Good.

Right-o, we'll send it up
tomorrow for you, will that do?

- Yes.
- Yes.

(truck engine revs)

- There they go, nicely
timed, eh, Fingers.

- You're sure there's
no one else in, Harry?

- We are positive, come
on, we've gotta work fast.

Now get this door open,
we've got just 10 minutes

before the cop's due
past here on his beat.

- Let's try around the back
alley, it's more private, like.

One of the windows.

- They're all fixed up with alarms.

I can manage this door, though.

- Okay, Harry, it's your job.

I don't like it, though.

- Oh, come on, get your tools out.

(cheerful music)

Don't you worry.

- I can't do it, Harry, won't move.

- Call yourself a cracksman.

Here, what about that?

- It's worth a try.

- Well, bend down!

(cheerful music)

- Harry!
- What's up?

- Mind my head!
- Hey?

It's no good, I can't get
through, it's too small.

- Harry, someone coming!
- What, hey, let me down!

Hey!

Fingers, Fingers, wow!

(cheerful music)

- Can you tell me the
way to the docks please?

- Yes, you go straight down
the road, first on the right--

- Shut up!

No we can't, we're busy,
go on sonny, run along.

- I'm sorry.
- Hey, just a minute!

You want to go down to the docks?

We're going that way
ourselves in a minute.

- Can I come with you?
- Of course you can!

- We're going here first, though.

We've got to pick something up.

- That's right, only we can't get in.

- Do you live here then?
- Yeah, that's right.

Only we lost the key, see?

Come out this morning, and
it rolled down a drain.

- Now we can't get in.
- But what about this?

- Well, we're too big
to get in through there.

- I can get in, if you lifted me up.

- Of course you could,
there's a clever boy!

Hear that, Fingers?

- Yeah, we'd never thought
of that, would we Harry?

- Come on, sonny, we'll help you up.

And we'll all go down
to the docks together.

Come on Fingers, lend a hand!

Ups-a-daisy.

Nice work, sonny, now you wait
here, we won't be a minute.

And we'll all go down
to the docks together.

- Why didn't you get rid of the kid

as soon as we got in, Harry?

- Because he's gonna be
useful to us, that's why.

We'll walk through the town like a couple

of respectable, law-abiding citizens.

With a kid walking beside us.

- You're a clever boy, Harry.

I take me hat off to you.

- Yeah, we ain't got time
for that, get on with it!

There she is, what a beauty!

- Okay Harry, let's go.

(music box tinkles)

- Right-o, come on, let's go.
- I like your house.

Can I have a proper look?
- Some other time, hey, Sonny.

Let's go.
- Come on, Harry!

- Take it easy, take it easy!
(doorbell chimes)

(Harry shouts)

(whistle screeching)

Whoa, that was a close one.
- What do we do now, Harry?

What do we do now?

- Calm down for a start, that's what.

- That wasn't your house, you're burglars!

- No.

- What do we do about the kid, Harry?

- I'll take care of him.
- Police are after you.

- And they're after you too,
and don't you forget it.

- But I had nothing to do with it.

You told me to get in!
- You tell that to the judge.

Not that he'll believe you.

You're in this as much as we are.

Now listen, we've better split up.

I'll take the kid, we can't
let him go, he might talk.

- Okay, well, what about me?
- You get out of town too.

I'll meet you back at the room in 10 days.

- Okay, Harry.

Well, be seeing you.

So long kid, enjoy yourself.

- Where are you going to take me?

- I told you, we're gonna get out of town.

- But you promised to
take me to the docks.

- Well, ain't that just too bad, come on.

Where you going, chum?

- About 30 miles on, towards Lougheed.

- Well, ain't that coincidence,

that's just the way we're going.

- Well, hop in.
- Come on.

So you ran away, hey?
- Yes.

- You want to get back to Poland?

- Yes, somehow or other.

- Well not for a bit you won't.

- Why?
- 'Cause my story's gonna be

that you did the job at the
house with two other men.

Then you hitched up with me.

- What makes you think I'll stay with you?

- You'll stay all right.

Otherwise I'll tell the police
about your part in the job.

And that you've run away from your auntie.

They'll be very interested in that.

(dramatic music)

Come here, you little!
(dramatic music)

You all right?
- Yes.

- That's a silly thing to do, Johnny,

you might have killed yourself.

- What's happened?
- You fell off the lorry.

- Where are we?

- About 20 miles from the nearest village.

Come on.

- Have you notified the
police that the boy's missing?

- I have not, time enough

for that when we're sure
he's not coming back.

- Meantime you still get paid of course.

- Poor Janek, I wonder where he is now.

- It's no good, I've had it.

We'll never make town tonight.

- I can go on.
- Yeah, well I can't.

My shoes are pinching something horrible.

We'll stay the night in that cottage.

- You can stay, I'm going on.
- Now listen, you young whelp.

Another word out of you,

and you'll find yourself
back with your aunt.

Or in a prison cell.

See?

Now listen, our story is
that you're my cousin.

We're on our way north to
look for work, understand?

- All right.

- You can do with a bit of tidying up.

Turn round.
(dramatic music)

There, that's better.

Come on.

(door knocks)

Now, leave the talking to me, son.

You keep your trap shut.

- Good evening.
- What do you want?

- I'm sorry to trouble
you, but I was wondering

if you could put us up for the night.

- I don't like strangers.
- Now, just a minute.

My young cousin here's
been knocked down by a car.

He can't walk much further.

- All right, bring him in.

Sit down there.

Your cousin, did you say?
- Yes.

- Not much of a family likeness.

- Well, there used to be.

When I was younger.
- There's some hot water

in the kettle, clean the lad up.

That's a bad tear you've got.

I'll stitch that for
you in the morning, son.

- That's all right.

That smells good.

What is it?
- That's my supper.

And I've had it.
- But we haven't eaten yet.

I think poor old John must be starving.

- I expect he is.

There's enough there for him.

You can make up a bed for
yourself on the floor with these.

All right?
- Sure.

- I'll get you some supper, son.

There you are.

- Well, could I have a bit of bread?

- It's all I've got for my breakfast.

(dramatic music)

(cheerful music)

Hey, hey, wake up!

- What's up, what's happened?
- The bairn, he's gone.

- Why, the little devil!

(cheerful music)

(children chattering)

- Wait for me!

- Come on!

He's asleep!

It looks as though he lives here.

- Who is he?

- Hello, sorry we woke you up.

- I thought I was dreaming,
where do you come from?

- From our village.

- What are you doing here?

- What's your name?

- Janek, that's Polish for Johnny.

- Janek, I shall call you Johnny.

- I come from Austria.

What's your last name?

- Sorry, I can't tell you.

- But where's your mother and father?

- They are dead.

- You're like us, we nearly all lost

our mothers and fathers during the war.

- And now we all live together
in a village of our own.

Why don't you come back there with us?

- I can't.

I've got to get to Poland.

- But why, you don't know
anyone there now, do you?

- There was an uncle and
auntie in the next village.

And another auntie in a town not far away.

- They won't be there now, they never are.

- I must try.

I must get to Poland.

- You can stay with us for
a few days, and then go on.

- All right.

I'll come.
(children cheer)

(children chattering)

- Look, there's our village!

(cheerful music)

Come on!

- It's where our village begins.

- Our house is the other end.

- A village of children.

- Come on, let's get going!

(children chattering)

- Children, please, now one at a time.

Now what's all this about?

Who's this?
(children chatter)

Quiet, now quiet, Nita, you tell me.

- His name's Janek, we found
him in the castle on the hill.

He's run away from his aunt,
and he wants to get to Poland.

- What?
- He's Polish.

His mother and father are dead.

- And we want him to stay with us.

- And he can share my bed!
(children chatter)

- Wait, now, wait.

Is this true?

You've run away from your home?

Where's that?

Well?

- I can't tell you.
- But Janek, your aunt.

She'll be worried about you, won't she?

- Oh no, she won't.

She'll be glad I've ran away.

She...

- I see.

- Mother, please do let him stay.

(children chatter)

- Well, I'll have to talk to your father

when he comes into supper.

He can stay till then, anyway.
(children chatter)

So you see, Janek, all the
children here are like yourself.

- The ones in this village
come from all over the world.

- And they're split up into families,

each with a father and a mother

to love them and take care of them.

- We're one family.

- How strange.

- It must be very different from the place

where you've been living, isn't it?

- Oh yes, yes.

- Why don't you tell us where that was?

- I can't.

I...

- All right, children, away to bed.

I'll do the rest.

You stay here a minute, Janek.

(children chatter)

Now no fuss, Janek will be up in a minute.

- You can have my pajamas.
- See you upstairs, Janek.

(children chatter)
- Come along, hurry up.

Now Janek, we want to
help you, but we can't

unless you tell us all about yourself.

Where you've come from, and so on.

- You'd send me back there.

And I can't go back.

Not ever.

- Is there some special
reason why you can't go back?

All right, Janek, you can stay
here in the meantime anyway.

Now off you go upstairs
and join the others.

- I'll be up to see you in a minute.

- Thank you.

- Good night, Janek.
- Good night, sir.

- Well?

- I feel we shouldn't
worry him anymore tonight.

- No, I'll go into town and see them

at the police station in the morning.

They're bound to have been notified

of any boy reported missing.

- Poor wee chap.

I'm afraid he wasn't very
happy, wherever he's come from.

- It's what he's been up
to since that bothers me.

- Do you think he's got
himself into trouble?

- He's holding something
back, that's pretty obvious.

We'll maybe find what in the morning.

- Well, I better finish clearing away.

(children chattering)

- I hope my pajamas fit you.
- Yes, they do.

- I'll take you around and
show you the rabbits tomorrow.

- You can help me with the hens.

- He can help me get the hay in.

- But what about school?
- Geography tomorrow.

- You mean maps and things?
- Yes, you know,

what the people are
like in the other lands,

and what they do.
- You talk too much, Karl!

- You all talk too much.

Come along now, tuck in.

- Well, I haven't finished my comic.

(soothing music)

- Goodnight, Karl.

(soothing music)

Goodnight, Benny!
- Goodnight.

- Goodnight, Talu.

(soothing music)

Goodnight, Janek.
- Goodnight, mother.

- Sleep.

And no talking, mind.

(soothing music)

(bright music)

- Which way are you going?

- I'm going down to the police station.

I've got to see Sergeant Foster
about that new Polish boy.

- Would you drop me at the corner?

- Surely.

(car engine revs)

- Mr. MacIntyre's gone to
the police about Janek.

I heard him say so.
- I better tell Janek!

They're telling the superintendent
of police about Janek.

Julie overheard Mr. McIntyre say so.

- No, really?
- Blimey.

- Benny, you know that Polish
boy you brought back with you?

- Janek?

- Yes, the chief constable's
got to know about him,

Mr. MacIntyre's driven down to see him.

- Nita!
- What is it?

- Mr. MacIntyre's gone to
Scotland Yard about Janek.

- Hey, what's happening?
- Mr. MacIntyre's gone

to Scotland Yard about Janek.
- Where is Scotland Yard?

- In London, it's the
houses of parliament,

surely you've heard about it.

- I must tell Susie.

Susie, Susie!
- What is it?

- Mr. MacIntyre's on his way to parliament

to see the prime minister about Janek.

- Prime minister?

- I knew father would
do something about it.

- We better not tell Janek,
we don't want to raise

his hopes before anything is fixed.

- Well, there's nothing answering

to the description of the boy here.

- No?

Oh well, if anything should
turn out, give me a ring.

Meanwhile, we'll look after the lad.

- Aye.

Oh, by the way, you might
to try to get a photo

of him for me, to make it
easier for us to trace him.

- Yes I'll do that.

- Good morning, Mr. MacIntryre.

- Good morning, Jim.
- Morning.

- Are you going off duty?
- Aye.

You going back to the village?
- Aye, I'll give you a lift.

- Good, I'll come along with you.

- This is our play room,
what do you think of it?

We made most of the things ourselves.

- I made this, it's my
own invention, look!

- What is it, a cupboard?
- It's a safe, you know,

to keep money in.
- But it's so big,

it would need a lot of money to fill it.

- We have a lot of money.
- You have?

- Every time we sell something,

like chickens and vegetables--
- We pool the money.

- One day we'll have enough
to build a village hall.

We've had a jolly good year.
- 20 pounds in hand already.

I'm treasurer for this month, see?

- Only for this month.
- Yes.

We have our own children's
parliament you see.

To run the village.

Each month we elect a new
president and treasurer.

It's voting day today.

- I'll show you how the safe works.

Give me the keys, Karl.

The lock's my own patent.

There you are.

- But what happens if you lose the key?

- I guarded against that.

(children laugh)
(bell rings)

- What a fun idea.

- There's the bell, come
on, let's go and vote!

- Shall I wait here?
- Yes, we won't be long.

(children chatter)

Quiet, boys and girls, quiet.

Today, we're voting for the
new president and treasurer.

And I want you to write the
names of the boys and girls

you want on the pieces
of paper in front of you.

(dramatic music)

(cheerful music)
(children chattering)

(dramatic music)

May I present your
president for next month.

(children cheer)

And now let's see how
your new treasurer is.

And the new treasurer for the month is.

- Look, there's Janek walking along there.

- I better go and get him.
(children chattering)

- And we wanted to tell
you, Jan, our scheme worked!

- What, what do you mean?

- We elected you treasurer for the month.

Here, pin it on, it's yours now.

(children chatter)

And here's the key to the
safe, it's your worry now.

- It was my idea, Johnny,
I thought of it all myself.

- Susie thought if we
elected you treasurer,

then they wouldn't send you away.

- And we talked everyone
into voting for you.

- Good ol' Jan, you'll be all right now!

- Come on, let's get back to school.

(children chattering)

(somber music)

(inspiring music)

- Janek, wait a minute!

- You want me?
- Yes.

I want to take your photograph.

Try not to break the camera.

- Why, what do you want it for?

- I like to have photographs
of all the children.

You're a wee bit too close,
back a bit, would you?

That's it.

Now don't look so worried, laddie.

(camera clicks)
There.

So they've made you treasurer, have they?

- Yes, they thought that I could stay.

- Do you want to stay?
- No, that's, I don't know.

(Fingers hums)

- Fingers!

Look at this!

That's him, innit?

- Read it, Harry.

- This boy, who gives his name
as Jan, was found wandering

near the international
children's village in Perthshire,

where he is now being taken care of.

- Do you think he's still
got the brooch on him?

- Well, that's what I'm gonna find out.

And I'll tell you one thing.

If he still has got the sparklers,
I'm gonna get them back,

or my name's not Harry Fisher.

Oh, come on.

- Help yourself.
- Thanks.

- Have you any news about the boy?

- No, I haven't, and I don't
care if I never have any news.

Leaving me with all the shopping to do,

it's a wicked shame, that's what it is.

- Aye, wicked, a wicked shame.

(door knocks)

- Janet, answer the door.

- I didn't like to say
it in front of the child,

but it's good riddance to
bad rubbish if you ask me.

- Aye, that's just what it is.

- Would you like to come in?
- Well, if he comes back now,

he can just go away again,
and he'll get a good hiding

before he goes too.
- Good evening, ladies.

- Oh my goodness.

- Which of you is Mrs. MacGregor?

- That's me, why?

- Maybe you know who this is.

- It's him!

- Aye, it's Jan right enough.

Have you found him then?
- He's been found.

Not by us though, we
didn't know he was missing.

You didn't report it, did you?

- No, I didn't.
- Why not?

- I thought he'd just gone off for a bit

of sun somewhere, you know how boys are.

Not that he's a bad boy, oh no.

He's as good as gold most of the time.

- You must have been terribly worried

at him being away so long.
- I was.

I should have told you,
I know, but I didn't want

to get him into trouble,
he's such a good boy.

- You're his foster mother, aren't you?

- That's right.

- [Woman] Gets paid for him
by the council, she does.

- So you'll be glad to have him back, eh?

- I will.

Dear little Jan, we're all so fond of him.

- I see.

Well, you have to go to the
international children's village

in Perthshire tomorrow and collect him.

Here's the address and
the time of your trains.

- Well, what about the money for the fare?

- You'll get paid.

(children chattering)

(gavel bangs)

- I now introduce the
new treasurer, Janek.

(children cheer)

- I would like to thank you all
very much for voting for me.

(children applaud)

- He's just adding a few
things up at the moment.

But I think we'll be able to start

on our hall very soon now.
(children applaud)

(gavel bangs)

Now we come to sports.

Where is the sports officer?

- Sports officer!
(children chatter)

- Come on, buck off, we haven't all night.

Now, what is it?

- Tomorrow we're having
a paper chase, boys only.

(children chatter)

I put all the boys' names in this box.

The first one I pull out will be the hare.

The rest will be the hounds.

Anyone like to draw?

Come on, Joe.
(children chatter)

Janek is the hare.
(children cheer)

- But I don't--
- you can run, can't you?

- Yes, of course I can.

But what I meant is I don't
know the district round here.

Which way do I have to go?

- Here, have a look at this.

Here we are on the lake.

You can run anywhere
around the hills here.

But you have to come back along the road,

here across the church.

(cheerful music)

- Come on, Fingers!

(cheerful music)

- Oi, sonny.
- Yes?

- You know a little boy called Janek?

- Is he a Polish boy?
- Yeah, that's right.

- Then, he's over there
in the schoolhouse,

changing for the paper chase.

(children chattering)

(mischievous music)

(children chattering)

(gently chiming music)

(children chattering)

- Hurry up everybody, they're
all waiting for us to start.

Do hurry up, Janek, I've got
to fix your hammer sack on.

- I'll be out in a minute.

- That's him.
- Let's get after him.

- Don't be a clot, he hasn't
got the brooch on him.

It's in his coat, somewhere in there.

Come on.

(mischievous music)

(children cheering)

- Know what to do?
- I think so.

- You'll get a good start and don't forget

to chuck up paper every
time you turn, all right?

- Yes.

- Get ready.

Get set, go!

(children cheer)

- Why don't you help me
to turn out the lockers?

- Must we?
- It'll not take long.

Come away.
- I will, you too.

- All right, so will I.
- Splendid.

You go on and get started,
I'll just finish the bedrooms.

- What about that safe?

Do you think the brooch is in there?

- How do I know?

Anyway, there might be some
cash in it, could you open it?

- What, that sardine tin?

I'll have that open in
a couple of minutes.

Look out!

(girls chattering)

- Four, three, two.

(gunshot fires)

(children shouting)

- I wish we could have gone.

- Perhaps if we hurry.

- There it is, get cracking.

This one'll do.

- Which one is this?

- That's Janek's, isn't it?

Out it comes.

(dramatic music)

Oh look, look what I found!

Isn't it beautiful?
- Where was it?

- In Johnny's locker.
- Let me see.

- No, just a minute.

There.

- I wonder where he got it from.

- Out of a cracker I expect.

- Put it back.
- No, I like it.

I'm going to ask Johnny
if I can wear it always.

- You won't be allowed to.

You know you mustn't
wear jewelry in school.

- I'm going to ask Johnny
if I can keep it anyway.

- Here, quick, look who's come.

- Police car.

I wonder what's happened.

- Let's go and see, come on.

- Quick, take the brooch off.

- Good morning, Inspector.
- Good morning Mr. MacIntyre.

- Good morning, Sergeant.
- Good morning.

- We've had news of that
little Polish lad of yours.

- Really.
- Aye.

The photo did the trick.

He ran away from his home
in Edinburgh it seems.

They found his aunt, a Mrs. MacGregor.

- Does she want him back?

- Aye.
- Aye, she does.

- He won't like that I'm afraid.

- Maybe not, but he'll
have to go, just the same.

- Is the boy here now?
- Not at the moment.

He's on a paper chase somewhere.

I don't know exactly where they'd be.

But you surely don't want to take

him back right away, do you?
- Have you any objection?

- No, but,

it seems a pity.

He's very happy here, you know.

- My instructions are to
send him back right away.

- Well look, let's go to the house

and discuss this, shall we?

- They're going to take him away.

- To Edinburgh.

- He didn't like it there.

He said so.

- He didn't like his aunt, either.

- We've got to help him.

If he got to Poland like
he said he wanted to,

they couldn't take him
away then, could they?

- He'll come back here
after the paper chase,

and they'll be waiting for him.

- We've got to stop him coming back.

- But how can we?
- If I ran fast over the hill,

then I could meet him and
tell him what's happened.

And he will get away.
- That's a good idea, Nita.

- He'll want his clothes.

- Come on, let's get them.

- Somebody's coming!

In here, quick!

- Where did I put it?

In the cupboard.

Quick, put them in here.

Look, this is where I'll go, over the hill

and then onto the church this way.

- He'll want some money.

- Quick, open the safe,
there's plenty in there,

all we saved up for the new hall.

- But it's not ours, not all of it.

- He can have my share.
- He must have it all.

It's a long way to Poland.

The others won't mind.

We'll explain to them.
- Johnny will pay it back,

I know he will.
- Of course he will.

- All right, then I'll get it out.

I must hurry.

- Do be quick, Nita.
- I'm trying to.

Thank you.

I do hope it'll be enough.

- Well, he can sell this, can't he?

- Don't be silly, that's
not worth any money.

- It might be.

- What about those lockers
you said you were going to do?

- We've done them, they're all finished.

- You've been very quick.

You sure you've done them properly?

- We've done them
beautifully, really we have.

- That's good girls.
- Can we go out now?

- Yes, of course, thank
you for helping me.

- Sardine tin.

Come on.

(cheerful music)

(dramatic music)

(cheerful music)

- What do we do now?

- Run after her.
- What about my feet?

- Bring them with you.

Come on!

- So Mrs. MacGregor is coming here today

to take the boy back to Edinburgh, hey?

- Aye, she ought to have
been here an hour ago.

- Well, when she comes,
we'll look after her.

- Thank you.

We'll return before Jan comes back.

We've got to go beyond the
church to see the minister.

- We'll see you later then, Inspector.

Is this woman coming here?

- Mr. MacIntyre?
- Yes.

- I'm Mrs. MacGregor, we've
had to walk from the station.

At least I thought somebody would meet us.

- I'm very sorry, Mrs. MacGregor,

but we didn't know you were coming.

- Where's the boy?

- Oh, he's out on a paper
chase at the moment.

- Paper chase, I'm a hard-working woman,

I haven't got the whole day to waste.

- Well, won't you come
inside until he comes back?

- I'm sure you'd like a cup of tea.

- Aye, I would, I'd like to sit down too.

My feet are hurting me something cruel.

(cheerful music)

- Come on Fingers.

Come on.

- I don't like the look of it, Harry.

- Oh, come on.

- Harry, Harry!

I'm lost!

(men shout)

- Anyway, it's given your suit a clean.

(cheerful music)

- Oh, me poor feet.

- All right, you follow me later.

(cheerful music)

(cheerful music)

- Janek, Janek wait!

Wait, Janek!

Janek, wait!

- Nita, what's wrong?

- Janek, you've got to get away at once.

- I know, if I stay here,
the hounds will catch me.

- No, no that.

It's the police, Janek,
they've come for you.

They're in the village now.

- What?
- You've got to get away,

or they'll take you back to Edinburgh.

- But where can I go?

- You must get to Poland,

you said you wanted to, didn't you?

Look.

I've brought you some clothes

and some money to buy your ticket.

And there's this.
- The brooch.

- Susie found it in your locker.

Here, take it.
- No, no.

It isn't mine, I don't want it.

- But I do.
- Harry!

- What is it, Janek, do you know him?

- He knows me all right.

Come on now, no messing about.

Hand over that brooch.

I've come a long way to collect it.

- Don't let him have it, Janek.

- Get inside, Nita, quick!

(Harry grunts)

- Come here you little devils, come here!

(Janek shouts)

(Janek shouts)

(speaks in foreign language)

- Stop it!

- Let go!

- Janek, there's a car coming!

It's the police!

(speaks in foreign language)

- Give it to me, give
it to me, you little!

- Help!

Stop, stop!

Stop!

It's no good, the police car's gone.

- Harry's locked us in, he'll get away!

I'll go down the bell rope.
- No, Janek, you'll be killed!

- I must stop him.

Keep on shouting.

(church bell rings)

- What is it?
- The bell's ringing

up at the church, sir.

- What are they ringing for this early?

- I don't know, sir.
- We'll go see.

Driver, turn round.

- Help, stop!

Guys, stop!

(children chattering)

(bell rings)

(children chattering)

- Children, children!
- Come on.

- Here, what's all this about?

Come on, what are you doing now?

Come away, come away.

Come on, come out of here.

- Here you are sir!

- What's this?

- Great Scott, that's the
brooch that was stolen

from Green's house the other day.

- Well, then who's that?
- Get up.

That's Flash Harry Fisher.

How did you get through
that fanlight, Harry?

- He didn't.

I did.

- So you were in this too, were you?

- No, no, it's unfair, cop,

he didn't know what he was doing.

He just came along at the right moment

and we made use of him.

- We?
- You usually work

with Fingers Brown, don't you, where's he?

- You find out.
- All right, take him along.

- All right sir.

(children chattering)

- Karl, Nita's still locked in the belfry.

- All right, I'll let her out.

- Well, young man, you ran away
from your home, didn't you?

- Yes sir.
- Why did you do that?

- I was unhappy.

They didn't want me there.

- But your aunt says she does want you.

So we'd want to send you back.

- But I don't.

All right, sir.
- Come on outside.

- Well, look who's here.

- Fingers, run!

- Run?

Don't be daft, my corns are killing me.

- Never mind, we'll give you a lift.

- Thank you very much.

Oh!
- Oh, no you don't.

Nice to meet you again, fingers!

- We'll take these two
specimens to the police station,

and then back to the village with the boy.

We must let the MacIntyres
know that we've got him.

Take them away.
- All right, sir.

- All right, Janek.
- I'm coming, sir.

(children chattering)

- Are you all right, son?

- Jan!

Jan!

Your clothes.
- All right take them,

you can change at the police station.

- Thank you.

- Come along, son.

You get in front with me.

(children chattering)

(somber music)

- Hello, Jan.
- Hello.

- Well, here we are, Mrs. MacIntryre.

Sorry we've been so long.

- You children wait here a minute.

- Well, here he is, Mrs. MacGregor.

You can take him.

- You wicked boy, where have you been?

You are coming back with me.

- Is that what you want, Janek?

- If it's right that I go, I go.

- He doesn't want to go, he
wants to go back to Poland.

- Hold your tongue!

- It's true you don't
want him, you said so.

You only want the money.

- Such nonsense, she doesn't know

what she's talking about,
she's only a child.

- It seems to me,
Inspector, this is a case

the Scottish Office may
want to investigate.

- Well, you can take him, Mrs. MacGregor.

But they'll be an inspector round

at your house in the morning.

He'll want to have a word or two

with the wee lassie and the neighbors.

- Mrs. Barry and Mrs. McPhee
would like to speak to him.

- Well, Mrs. MacGregor?

- You can keep him.

Our house is full anyway,
I only took him on to help.

- Now you can go back to Poland, Janek!

- Thank you Janet, thank
you for everything.

I don't want to go back to Poland.

I want to stay home with you.

Can I stay?

Can I?

- What do you say, Inspector?

(children murmuring)

(children boo)

- So all you'll need now
is the formal consent

of the Scottish Office.

- Does that mean I can stay?
- Yes.

- Don't forget, supper's in an hour.

- Run and tell the others,
Jan, they're waiting to hear!

- Is he going to stay?
- Yes, he's going to stay!

(children cheer)
(bright music)