The Avengers (1961–1969): Season 1, Episode 20 - Tunnel of Fear - full transcript

(Horn blares)

All aboard for the Ghost Train.
Step this way, ladies and gentlemen.

All aboard!
This way for the Ghost Train!

Don't miss this ride.

I say, I say, I say!

Anyone with a weak heart
I advise not to take this train!

Hold tight there
for the Tunnel of a Million Thrills!

(Whistles and horns blow)

(Manic laughter)

Who's next for the Ghost Train?
Step this way, ladies and gentlemen!

Take your seats now
for the Tunnel of Fear!



(Carol) Goodnight, Miss Verne.

Well, that's the lot for this evening.

Good. You'd better get off
if you want to catch that picture.

I was to remind you
about the Penfold twins...

- I saw them this morning.
- And Mrs Gantry phoned.

And Mrs Gantry will be attended to
by Dr Treading first thing in the morning.

- Right, then.
- Good.

Off you go,
don't keep the lucky man waiting.

(Knocking)

- Sounds like someone at the backdoor.
- Yeah. I'll attend to it.

- I think I can spend three seconds.
- Thank you very much.

(Man) Is the doctor in?
(Carol) Yes.

I want to see him.
I want to see him now!

You the doctor? Fix me up, can you?
I just had an accident.



- No, we don't need you! Please, Doctor...
- Let's get your coat off.

Careful... it's my shoulder.

Sit down over there.
It's all right, Carol, I'll manage.

You'll do nothing of the sort.

Let's have your coat.

You've, er... ruined your suit.

What happened?

I'm walking down the street
and this car...

How do these people ever pass the test?

- Hit you?
- Drove right through me is more like it.

- Didn't they stop?
- Didn't even slow down.

- I see what you mean.
- Look, hurry up, Doctor, will you?

- You've still got some glass in your back.
- Just get it out.

Give me some probes and forceps.

- Where did this happen?
- Oh, somewhere... round the corner.

- What corner?
- I don't know! Some corner!

- Just get on with it, will you?
- You tell the police?

- Hey, what's that for?
- Just something to ease the pain.

Oh, no, you don't.
I'm not having that.

Look, Doctor, I don't want it.
No one's putting me to sleep.

This won't put you to sleep.
It's to ease the pain.

And I've told you I don't want it!
I can't go to sleep...

I've gotta know what's going on.

I do things when they put me to sleep...
I do things.

All right.

- It's going to be very painful, you know?
- We can't force him to have it.

I'll be as gentle as I can.

You, er... "do things"
when they put you to sleep?

That's right. They make me...

Who are "they"?

Who are "they"?

(Groans)

Right, go and get the pillow...

Just under here.

All right. It'll make it easier
to get this stuff out, anyway.

- Prison clothes.
- What?

By the look of it, he dived head first
through a window.

I think we'd better call the police.

- He seemed awfully frightened.
- For good reason, I should think.

Got a nice face, too.

When he was talking just now
about people making him do things...

- Whatever do you think he meant?
- Could be anything.

Delirium, mental blockage of some kind.

See if he's got any form
of identification on him.

- Can you manage?
- Yes.

- There's a letter.
- Give us a lead?

"Mrs Mary Black.
32, Parade Street, Southend."

- His wife, I suppose.
- Well, read it. Go on.

"Dear Mum.
I'm writing this in the library,

"but by the time you get it,
I will have escaped.

"| can't rest easy till I find out
who framed me and why.

"I've thought and thought
but can't think of anybody

"who would hate my guts enough
to hang this on me.

“I'll be near you
but don't try and contact me

"as they'll be watching you.

"Keep your fingers crossed for me.
All my love. And don't worry. Harry."

- We certainly pick 'em, don't we?
- They seem to pick us.

Yeah. Well, you'd better call the police.

Wait! Give me a break, will you?

I was framed.

Yeah, I know,
they all say that, don't they?

Only with me, it's true. You don't
believe it till it happens to you.

They do make mistakes, you know?
They made one with me.

Go on.

A woman's intuition, Doctor.

Men can have it, too, you know?

Look, it's none of my business
to judge you one way or the other.

You came into my surgery
and I'm helping you,

but first you've got to help yourself.

Now, breaking out of jail doesn't seem
a very good way of doing that.

We'll call the police, and then I promise
to do whatever I possibly can.

Yeah, back inside and they'll throw
the keys away, that's what'|| happen!

Oh, what's the use?
What are you waiting for?

(Doorbell rings)

I'll answer it.

- (Dog barking)
- Oh, no.

We started out for the kennels,
but the puppy's stronger than I am.

I see the doctor's busy.
Come on, puppy!

I don't want to interrupt.
What hit him, eh?

Take a look at them, will you?

- His?
- Yeah.

- Look at puppy!
- Oh, she likes him.

She never makes a mistake on character.
She's very unpopular around Westminster!

- More feminine intuition.
- Yeah, just do the dressing, please.

Southend, that's very interesting.
I thought I knew his tailor.

- Framed?
- Hmm...

That's all right, she's just trying
to know more about you.

I think she's got the right idea.

- One-Ten.
- (Steed) 'Delta.'

- I'm in a hurry. What is it?
- 'Any information on prison breaks?'

There's no such thing theoretically.

'Yeah, well, in practice,
who got out today?'

I'm on my way to a dinner party.
Hold on.

Ah, look at her.

She'd be very useful to you to keep
the children in the waiting room quiet.

- Hello?
- Two of them. Harris and Black.

Harris was picked up
in a couple of hours.

- 'What about the other one?'
- Harry Black...

'He was on a working party in a market
garden attached to a greenhouse.

'Last seen in the South-West district
of London.'

- A witness said his face was cut.
- 'What was he in for?'

Theft. He stole the weekend takings
of a funfair where he worked.

It wouldn't be Southend by any chance?

As a matter of fact it would.
Any connection with our job?

- What was the name of the funfair?
- 'The Bel-Air.'

A-ha. Did he work there?

Yes. He ran a concession with
another man, a ghost train or something.

- Anything else?
- No, sir, thank you...

Oh, enjoy your dinner.

- Definitely.
- Definitely what?

Definitely the perfect prisoner's friend.

What is all this? Who is he?
I'm getting out of here!

You just relax, will you?
We're trying to help you.

- What's this about a prisoner's friend?
- They go and visit prisoners.

They go and see their families.
Well, you could be Black's little friend.

You could be in Southend
in a couple of hours.

I could be in a number or places.

Seriously, do you have a reasonable doubt
about our friend here?

Hmm...

Look, your philanthropy's just
a little unexpected. What's behind this?

As it happens,
I've been in Southend, too.

If you really want to help Black,
nip down there and ferret around a bit...

- You could start with his mum!
- Yes, it might be an idea.

But first of all, he's got to hand himself
over to the police.

I'll be personally responsible for
getting him to the nearest police station.

If you want to get anything done tonight,
why not start right away? Goodnight.

Just a minute...

I'm not going anywhere
till I know what I'm likely to run into.

All right, then. Top-secret defence
information is leaking out of the country.

- What's it got to do with Southend?
- Oh, look...

Answer me that and you'll be
on next year's honours list!

- There's a big flap on?
- Yeah. That's putting it very mildly.

It's the top security panic.

We just know how the stuff
is leaving the country.

Is this diplomatic bag or
has that been overworked lately?

No, it's still very popular.

We've got a second secretary
of a certain legation,

he's been under microscope for weeks.

This secretary has been taking Saturday
picnics at Southend

with a fellow called Wickram.

Now, Wickram's an estate agent
down there,

and we think he may be the end link
in an espionage chain.

Think I might find something out
while I'm enquiring about him?

- Exactly.
- Yeah...

Right, well, there's Carol, and make sure
that bloke gets to a police station...

Look, don't worry. I'll take charge now.

- (Keel) Carol, have you finished?
- Yes, I have.

Well, I'm off now.
Mr Steed's going to take charge.

- So you better get off to your date.
- I see, thank you.

- Have you got enough, old boy?
- Yes...

Yes, well, I'll see you
in Southend, then, I suppose.

Why don't you go on a nice long holiday
and let us get on with our work, huh?

What?

All right, then...

Here we are. Take it easy.

Look, we'll go in my car.

Now, don't worry about things.
I'll take care of it, OK?

Why don't you give me a break?

That's exactly what we are doing.
Now come on!

How do I know I can trust you?
How do I know this isn't a trick?

You don't. Shall we?
Come on, puppy. Come on, girl!

(Tyres screech)

(Shouting and laughing)

(indistinct shouting)

There you are. Thank you
very much indeed. Thank you.

- And you, Mister?
- I'll have the same, thank you.

That's the idea.

Put you in the holiday spirit, like,
don't it?

Thank you. Excuse me,
are you Mrs Black, Mrs Mary Black?

Course, yes.
Who wants to know?

Er... my name's Keel. I wondered
if I could have a word with you.

- Well, of course, why not?
- It's about Harry.

- Harry?
- Your son.

I haven't got no son.

You're the Mrs Mary Black
of 32 Parade Street?

I'm sorry, I don't have no son,

never did, and barring a miracle,
I never will have.

I see. Well, I'm sorry,
I must've made a mistake.

- Hmm, you must've.
- Yep.

Excuse me, I don't think
these are quite fresh.

I beg your pardon!

Oh, well... perhaps you're right.
I'll give you another lot.

- Who give you this letter?
- Harry.

- Who are you?
- I'm a prison visitor.

- I used to visit Harry...
- Watch it.

- Warm for the time of year, isn't it?
- Warm?

I'd say it was too ruddy hot! Ha-ha!

I've got to talk to you.

Go over to Madame Zenobia,
the fortune teller,

and I'll meet you in the tent
in a few minutes.

All right, thank you very much indeed.

Now, come on...

Keep your thieving hands off my shrimps!
I won't half paste you when I catch you!

(Woman) I haven't seen you. I don't
even know if you're male or female.

Sit down.

- Give us your hand, pet.
- Mrs Black said to come in here and wait.

Mary? You mean
you don't want your fortune told?

Not today, thanks, no.

Pity. I could've told you
he was innocent.

- Innocent?
- You've come about Harry.

Cold hand. In your type,
that means you're tensed up inside.

You've come to see Mary?

- Two and two make four.
- Yes.

- How did you know he was innocent?
- I know people.

- And do you know who framed him?
- Sorry, I only talk to clients.

Well, I've just changed my mind.

I'm a client.

I only tell 'em their future.

Well, would you like
to tell me mine, then?

I can tell you just one thing.

Your future isn't worth this much.

Oh, here we are.

I hope you don't mind,
but I just had to talk to this gentleman.

It's all right.
I was going for a cuppa anyway.

- Just a minute!
- What's up?

- Well, I was...
- Oh, she don't know nothing.

She's been
in the fortune-telling lark so long,

she can't even order a pint
without making a riddle of it.

She managed to tuck a pound note away
pretty quickly.

Tell me, how's my Harry?

Well, he was pretty cut up,
but he's all right now.

- I take it you believe he was framed.
- Set him up like a clay duck, they did.

- Any idea who?
- If I did know, would I be sitting here?

Of course you wouldn't, sorry.

Would you like to tell me
what happened?

- Well, hasn't he told you?
- I'd like your version.

Well, it's like this:
the night of the crime,

him and his girlfriend Claire,
they went off to a party.

They had a set-to about something
and she went off to sleep at her mother's.

Now, Harry just sat there
brooding about it.

He don't remember
going home or nothing.

When he wakes up in the morning,
he's in his own bed,

and there's someone knocking
at the door, it's the police.

They comes in
and finds the money in his clothes.

You know, they give him something
at that party, I'm sure of it.

One of them knock-out drops.

- This money...?
- Well, you know...

It was the whole weekend's taking
from the fair, 5,000 quid.

George Milner said he saw Harry
hanging about after closing time.

- George is the night-watchman.
- Do you think he did?

Well, what's the difference?
They found the money on him, didn't they?

- Then there was other things besides.
- What?

But I must be getting back to my stall.

I'll tell you what,
Maxie'll give you the rest of the picture.

- Maxie?
- Maxie Lardner, Harry's partner.

He's still on the Ghost Train. Bought
Harry's share to help pay for his defence.

He's Harry's best pal.
Come on, I'll take you to him.

I want to see you again. If I'm going
to help Harry, I'll want to know more.

Well, after all,
you've come to the right person.

I'm his mum, and who knows
more about him than I do?

I do hope you're going to be
able to help him.

Look, that's Maxie over there,
the one with the beard.

Now tell him I sent you.
And good luck.

- And I'll see you back in the tent later.
- Thank you very much.

...taking hold of one mind by another,
but with the consent of my subject.

For this, ladies and gentlemen,
is the power of hypnotism.

When I count three, this young lady
will wake up, see what she is doing,

and will lose her balance
when she sees what she is holding.

But have no fear,
I shall be here to catch her.

Girlies! Girlies! Girlies!

Girlies! Girlies! Girlies!

Step up and see the beautiful girls!

Watch 'em dance! Hear 'em sing!

The Beauties of the Mystic East!

Jungles of Africa, sands of Arabia!

The trails of Samarkand!

- The Hanging Gardens of Babylon!
- Oh!

See the beautiful Moroccan slave girl
perform the Dance of the Bronze Chain!

Each girl signifies a link
in the Sheik’s past harem!

All right, Fatima, give them a sample
of what they're about to see, then.

He, er... got away.
Look over there.

Where do you think you're going?
You've got a lot of explaining to do.

- Not to you, I haven't.
- (Keel) Use your head...

(Steed) Folks, get your tickets!
The show is about to begin!

Positively the last performance
of the day!

Give that gentleman a ticket.
With each show there is a lucky ticket.

Ah, I'm not going to tell you
what the prize is...

Go and get a cop. Tell him Harry Black's
just gone in the girlie-girlie tent.

Room for plenty more inside, sir!
Give the gentleman a ticket.

I work here, Mister.
And keep your maulers off my girl.

- All right, little Rosie, inside.
- (Rosie) Ooh!

Right, then, folks!
Easy does it, easy does it.

File inside then!

The show, ladies and gentlemen,
is about to begin.

Is about to begin!

(I Fanfare plays)

(I Sultry jazz music)

I know it looks bad,
but you've got to believe me.

- You're making it very difficult for me.
- I had to get down here to clear myself.

I'd sooner do myself in
than give up now.

Don't you understand
I can't take anymore?

All right.
But no more tearing about.

I wouldn't stay for the encore.
The law is about to pay us a call.

Make that-a-way!

But, Officer, trust me,
this is a clean show.

I can prove it, you know that.

- Stand aside, sir, please.
- Oh, but Officer...

I've got it registered and insured.

The whole show's been passed
by the council.

I've got the sealed, signed
and witnessed permit to prove it.

All right, then, keep you seats,
ladies and gentlemen!

It's only a handful of coppers!

(Screaming and shouting)

Here, come back!
There's no need for this!

(Screaming)

(Clamour of voices)

Sarge, they got out round the back.
I saw them.

What's going on?

(Blows whistle)

- What's up, Maxie?
- Maxie, what's going on?

- They're after Harry.
- Who?

- It can't be!
- I've see him.

- You mean Harry Black?
- Yeah.

- But Mr Keel said he was in London.
- Keel?

Yes, that's the bloke
what's trying to help him.

Are you sure it was Harry?

- Who's this other chap?
- Keel. What's his angle?

- We'd better get Wickram.
- Come on.

(Officer) Smither, you two take
the west entrance. You come with me.

Under here!

Harry boy!

Hello, Mum.

Quick, through here.
It's your only chance.

- Thanks, Mum.
- And hurry!

- I'll see you.
- Oh, I hope so, son.

All aboard the Ghost Train!
Step this way, ladies and gentlemen!

All aboard!

- Been trying to get hold of you.
- What is it?

- It's Harry, he's got out.
- Yes, I know.

- Yeah? Huh?
- It's in the paper.

Yeah, but he's here.
I spotted him and called the coppers.

- And they haven't caught him yet?
- Not yet.

But there's another bloke with him,
a bloke called Keel.

A-ha.

He just might've rumbled something
and sent this chap to nose round.

(Screaming and shouting)

All right, girls!
We've got a full house inside!

The audience is sitting there.
Now back inside!

Let the show start again!
Rosie...

Ooh, you aren't half asking for it,
aren't you? Maxie's watching.

Yeah, I know.

Come back here!

- Is Maxie your boyfriend, then?
- Yeah.

All right, then, Madam, after you.

- Ooh, not on your life.
- Oh, go on, go on!

(Rosie) OW!

Here, what is this?
Do you mind?

Harry!

Harry, you're hurt.
What have they done to you?

It's nothing. Bit of an accident.

- Who's he?
- He's the doctor who patched me up.

Don't ask me to explain now,
but he's trying to help me.

- (Voices outside)
- The cops were here before. Better hide!

No, in there.

(Footsteps above)

" Ooh!
- Oh!

Sorry, Miss. Er...

- We're looking for two men.
- Two men?

- Well, I haven't seen anyone.
- Right, suppose not.

Beg your pardon, Miss.
You haven't seen anyone?

Well, I'd hardly be standing here
like this now, would I?

No. Sorry, Miss.

Just a minute. I heard someone
running a few minutes ago.

- Which way?
- Towards the pier, I think.

Thank you very much, Miss.

(Sarge) Towards the pier!

It's all right, you can come out now.

Thanks.

- Sorry, Doctor Keel, this is Claire.
- How do you do?

- Oh, yeah?
- She used to be my girlfriend.

"Used to be", Harry?

Yeah, that's right.

Before I got put inside.

But, Harry, I haven't changed.

I never thought you were guilty,
not for one second.

I told you, love, I haven't changed.

Come on,
I'll make you a cup of tea.

Come on, Rosie, it's the finale!

All right, then, Rosie?
Skip it tonight, you don't need to bother.

- I can't, it's the finale.
- Don't be so silly. Out of those clothes.

- I'm seeing Maxie tonight.
- Is Maxie your steady, eh?

- Well...
- What's he like? Is he sweet to you?

Well, he buys me
lots of clothes and things.

Oh, does he give you any excitement,
apart from the Ghost Train?

I thought I told you
to keep your maulers off my girl!

Don't you hurt my Maxie!

- Oh, Maxie, are you all right?
- Yeah.

- Are you sure?
- Yeah, I'm all right.

Come on, get out of here, you!

That man in the Mackintosh
has been in every show today.

- Yeah?
- Disgusting!

(Screams)

- It's the new barker!
- Is he drunk?

- He's out cold. Get Ma Black!
- Get Ma Black!

Are these what you want?

I think so, yeah.

They described them as paint scrapers
at the trial, didn't they?

- Yeah.
- (Keel) Right.

You really think it's a good idea
to reconstruct the crime?

It's just possible
we may find something out.

It's strange that
Harry can't remember anything.

Well, I still don't understand.
Who'd want to frame you?

I dunno.

I don't even know why. It's been
driving me crazy all these months.

Let's go back. You were at the party,
that's the last thing you remember.

- Yeah, that's right.
- Your mother thinks you were drugged.

Well, what else? I don't drink.

Perhaps you were drugged, then.

Taken back to the fair,
then into the office...

- And you didn't know anything about it.
- Look, Doctor...

My handkerchief was stuffed
in the alarm bell,

my fingerprints were all over the safe,
I mean...

- Where do we start?
- Back where it happened, I think.

We shouldn't waste any more time.
Have you got everything you want?

- Yeah.
- Thanks. Right, let's go.

- I'm coming with you.
- You'll help us best by staying here.

I couldn't stand it, worrying about him.
I'm coming.

- I don't want you mixed up in this.
- I am mixed up in it!

Please, Claire!

- Well, be careful, love.
- Yeah.

You're a friend of Dr Keel's, you say?

Well, I'm not the world heavyweight
champion, that's for sure.

Excuse me.

(Sighs heavily)

Here, what's been going on here tonight?

(Groans)
It was a title fight, I told you.

I know. But apart from all that,
there's more in this than meets the eye.

- And yours are rather lovely.
- Oh, come off it!

- Goodnight, Ma Black.
- Goodnight, ducks.

- So you're Harry's mum, eh?
- That's right.

- Have the police caught up with him yet?
- Not that I've heard.

Hmm...

(Groans)

- Ooh...
- Now steady, boy, steady.

No, it's all right, thanks.
I better go and phone...

- Will you come with me?
- Okey-doke. Mind how you go.

(Steed) Right. Ooh!

Here, I wonder who could've
knocked him out.

- Yeah, and he's such a nice fella.
- Are you kidding? Come on, let's go.

- Bert, I'll turn them off out front.
- Righto, guvnor.

- OK.
- Goodnight, Bert.

Goodnight, love!

- (Ma Black) Goodnight, girl.
- Goodnight!

(Steed) Goodnight.
(Ma Black) Goodnight, ducks.

- Oh, my feet!
- Your feet? What about my head?

That'|| teach you to keep
your hands to yourself in future.

(Phone rings)

- One-Ten.
- (Steed) 'Delta.'

- Ah, I was hoping to hear from you.
- Any news on Maxie Lardner?

'Criminal record?'

I don't know about that, but he's got
very strong anti-social tendencies.

This is my snapshot album. I brought it
along to show to your doctor friend.

Look, there's my Harry on a rug.

I think that's the best one of him,
though.

- (Steed) Who's that with him?
- Jack Wickram.

- Wickram?
- Yes, he was a pal of Harry's.

- Oh... What do you know about him?
- Well, not much.

They met in the army. But Wickram
was a regular. That was in Korea.

- Harry went to Korea?
- Yes, he was in the Engineers.

Had a terrible time.

I think Wickram had it worst, though,
cos he was took prisoner,

and that somehow
seemed to change him.

When he come back,
he was very strange.

- Like as if he'd been brainwashed.
- Really?

Hmm. Him and Harry
haven't been pals since then.

- Hmm... Hello?
- Nothing on Max Lardner.

Look, I'm onto something. Wickram.

As soon as I get the details on him,
I'll ring you back if it's not too late.

- It's never too late. And Steed?
- 'Yes, sir?'

When you came round here
and spoke to my man,

did he tell you it was his night off?

'Oh? No.'

Well, what kind of food
do you give this beast?

'Oh, er...'

What do you mean,
you're onto something about Wickram?

You said you were onto something.
What?

What do you know
about the law of probabilities?

- Can you be nabbed for breaking it?
- Ha!

No, but you can a few corners
by studying it. I'll have a look around.

Righto. And listen, me ducks.

If you want a drop of
the real stuff later on,

you'll find me in
Madame Zenobia's tent.

That's a charming thought.
I'll take you up on it.

- Goodnight, George.
- Goodnight, Ma. Time you was in bed.

- Anything unusual?
- No, sir. But I'm ready if there is.

All right, keep your eyes open.

If Black is loose,
he may come nosing around here.

Tonight we don't want any interference.
Do you understand?

- Something big on?
- Your job's out here. Don't forget it!

- Sorry, sir.
- All right, get on with it.

Right.

- Come on, Flowers, get to work.
- Yes, sir.

- Who was that?
- George Milner. Night-watchman.

Does he always carry that thing?

- Which way now?
- Round here.

Come on, then.

Just a sec. You really think there's
a chance of remembering something?

- It's worth a try. Nothing else to go on.
- Yeah, but how?

In the office something may come
back to you.

- But I was out cold!
- Your subconscious always functions.

Now, listen, they told you at the trial
how you did it. Let's try it again.

Yeah. The office over there,
under the Big Dipper.

Come on, then.

- Claire! What are you doing here?
- I couldn't stay behind!

Quiet. Shh!

Might as well make yourself useful.

We're going up there.
You keep an eye open.

If anything goes wrong at all, don't wait,
go back to the boat, understand?

- Yeah.
- Right. Come on.

How did they say you got in?

- They said I picked the lock.
- Well, do it, then.

Hold it!

Don't forget the alarm circuit.

(Keel) How did you know
the contacts were up there?

I dunno. Open it.

Slowly.

The bell's over the door.

Well, that proves one thing:
it took two men to get in here.

What did they say happened next?

The torch.

Why am I doing this?

I don't want this, Billy.

I don't want it, Billy.

Billy, I don't want it!
I told you, I don't want it!

Listen to me! I am not Billy.

All right, take it easy.

Come on.

Five, four,

three, two,

one, zero.

You are now under my control.

Open your eyes.

Right.

Who do you work for?
Who do you work for?

It's quite easy. It requires no effort.

Think carefully.
Who do you work for?

I don't know. Nobody knows.
Nobody knows.

Ask him what he's doing here.

Why have you come here?
Why have you come?

Harry Black. Harry Black.

Are you sure he's under?
He may be fooling us.

I haven't been doing this
for 20 years for nothing.

I know when a subject is receptive.

All right, you know best,
but get on with the job.

Ask him about this Keel fellow.
Where does he come in?

The name Keel, Keel...
Tell us about Keel.

(Wickram) Ask him again.

The subject under the influence invariably
answers truthfully if given time!

Spare me the jargon!
Just get on with it.

Tell us about Keel, about Keel.

Dog-sitter.

Doctor. Unmarried. Pimlico.

Will go to heaven?
Yes, will go to heaven.

What the devil is he prattling about?
You call this hypnotism?

Size 15 and a half collar,
5 foot 11 and a half.

Wing three-quarter rugger.

Golfing, handicap four.

- Shut him up, Flowers, shut him up!
- Well-read.

Pedestrian appetite. Fond of children.

That's enough. No more questions!

- Fond of children, fond of children...
- (Wickram) Shut him up!

(Flowers) Don't answer any more!

Fond of children...

(Milner) Head for the gatehouse,
both of you.

You're really in it this time, Harry boy.

Don't try anything
or I'll blast your heads off!

You know, I think he means it.

Good for you, gal!

Ooh! Haven't done a thing like that
since the old man died!

- Have you seen Claire?
- No.

- Where is she, then?
- I expect she went back.

She should've stayed on the boat
in the first place. Come on.

- George, what's up with you?
- Oh, I've been poleaxed!

What happened?

Black and another geezer, I caught 'em
in the office snooping around.

They're not the only ones.
We caught a chap in the tunnel.

- Did he get away?
- No, I put the 'fluence on him.

Sound asleep in the flash of an eyelid.
But they're onto us, I'm afraid.

Oh, my head!

It'll be worse than your head
if we don't sort this lot out.

Here, look who they had with them.

Maxie Lardner, Harry's best friend!
No wonder he went to jail.

- Shut yer mouth!
- It'll work overtime when I see Harry.

- Ow!
- (Flowers) Easy, Maxie, easy.

Come on, into the tunnel.

- Hello, Mavis.
- Thank goodness you've come at last.

My Jim'|| murder me.
Claire said she wouldn't be long.

But you can tell her that
the baby's been as good as gold.

- Goodnight.
- Goodnight, dear.

- Baby?
- Listen, son...

It ain't like you think it is.
Honest it ain't like that.

And you knew all about this?
You knew?

- Now, listen, son, I can explain...
- What is there to explain?

Shh, you'll wake the baby.

The little tramp...

And all this time her letters and visits...
and I believed her.

What could I do?
What could I tell him?

She's a good girl, is Claire, a good girl.

Just this one charmer came along
with all his smooth talk and everything...

- Believe me, it could happen to anyone.
- Yeah.

Well, you're a doctor, tell him how it is.
Try to make him understand.

She does love you, son.
Honest she does.

Poor kid, she worked herself up
into a nervous breakdown.

I should know
cos I nursed her and the kid, too.

What she's been through!

Now I'll tell you straight.
Whatever happens, I'm gonna stick by her.

I'm sorry, son, but that's the way it is.

I know it's none of my business,
but I wouldn't be too hasty about this.

Incidentally, don't you think
Claire should be back by now?

She's a smart girl,
she can look after herself.

- Where is she, then?
- Probably dodging the coppers.

I expect Milner's called 'em by now.

Come to think of it,

Milner wasn't the only one
hanging about the fairground this time.

This time of night?
It all seems very peculiar.

- Who else did you see?
- Billy Flowers, for one.

And he never hangs
about once the bar closes.

- Billy Flowers?
- Hmm, the hypnotist.

- His pitch is next to the Ghost Train.
- Hypnotist... Billy...

- That's what you said in the office.
- Yeah.

- Was this Billy Flowers at the party?
- Yeah, he was there?

Was he playing around,
hypnotising people for fun?

- Yes, he was.
- Did he work on you?

Yes!

Well, that could explain a lot,
couldn't it?

(Baby cries)

Come on, we'd better look for Claire.

Harry, Claire's a good girl.

- What did she call the nipper?
- Maureen.

Well...

A girl...

All right,
start from the beginning, Milner.

Harry and another bloke was here,
doing a sort of repeat on the job.

Look, here's the handkerchief
still in the bell,

and here's the flex,
just the same set-up.

Perhaps someone in authority
might believe his story, but I doubt it.

- The man who was with him?
- Keel?

- I'll lay odds he's a cop.
- Perhaps.

Well, she's not there.

- Who else was at the party that night?
- Who else?

Name some names.
- Er... Marty Winters and his girl.

- Er... Jack Wickram was there, too.
- Wickram?

He's an old pal, runs an estate agency.

Yes, I've heard of him.
That's very interesting.

- Where's she got to?
- Wickram...

- And the girl?
- Caught her nosing round down below.

- Where is she now?
- In the tunnel with the other geezer.

What about the bloke who slugged me?
He's still loose somewhere.

Let's get to work.

But there'|| be stuff coming through.
Can't we hold on for a while?

How long do you want?

Ten, fifteen minutes.

All right, I'll take a chance. Come on.

- Keep your eyes skinned this time.
- Yeah, OK.

(Clattering)

(Muffled moaning)

- You all right?
- Yeah, I think so.

- What happened?
- Maxie caught me. Oh, my wrists!

- Where's Harry?
- He's outside, keeping watch.

I think we're going to be able to help him.

Hello, Harry boy.

- Maxie!
- What are you doing here?

Something I should've done
a long time ago.

Here, Maxie, you've got to help me.
I think I can prove I was framed.

I'm sure Billy Flowers hypnotised me
into doing that job.

- Only I still don't know why.
- Well, you might be right, Harry.

- Why don't you ask him?
- Eh?

- Hello, Harry.
- What is this? Jack?

It's a pity you chose to break out.
You would've been much safer inside.

(Harry) What do you mean?

- Into the tunnel.
- Here, Maxie...

(Muffled electronic whirring)

- Do you hear that?
- What is it?

I don't know. We'll find out.
Come on.

(Electronic typing and whirring)

- What is it?
- It's an electronic computer.

This is it, this is how
they get their messages through.

This records, decodes and receives

top-secret information
I think on the London-to-Paris line.

Yes, this ghost train is situated above
the Post Office cross-Channel cable.

- How do you know that?
- I know a fellow in the Post Office.

It's a fascinating piece of bric-a-brac.

I should think two and half thousand
words a minute,

eight cipher messages simultaneously.

- What's all this about?
- Interesting.

Well, it has an ear which listens
and kind of eavesdrops.

- (Thud)
- (Claire) Harry!

(Keel) Oh, no, not again?

(Wickram) Backs to the wall,
all of you, if you please.

As you've undoubtedly discovered,

the fairground is an excellent place
in which to dodge about.

Flowers, telephone the Captain.
Tell him we want the boat now.

- The Skylark, eh?
- A one-way passage.

Ah, someone's been playing
with the machine, hmm?

Whitehall very busy tonight.

- (Milner) Watch it, Mister!
- Well, do you mind if we smoke?

(Flowers) We're ready now. We've got
two more special passengers for you.

(Wickram) Be my guest.

Uh-huh!

The boat's ready, Chief.

Terribly sorry, I must decline.
I've got another engagement.

The doctor's terribly busy, too.
By the way, you weren't a Desert Rat?

- Tobruk, '42?
- (Wickram) I was one who got away.

Oh, good for you.
You may remember this sort of thing.

It hasn't got very far to go.

As soon as it reaches that mark,
it'll blow this place to smithereens.

Er, on the other hand,
a jab against the wall...same thing.

You're bluffing.

Er, well, you've got about
30 seconds to find out.

- Hand me that cigarette.
- Take it.

There are bombs like that. I've seen
one blow the side of a house out.

I always thought
you were pretty bright, Billy.

We've got, er...ten seconds now.

Let me out of here!

Hold it!

Now back against that wall,
if you please.

Careful...

(Steed flaps his lips)

(Keel) What are we going to do
with this lot?

- We'll think of something.
- Hmm...

(Steed dials phone number)

Is it going to be all right now?

Yeah, you bet it is.

That was quite a bluff.
You had me believing it.

Oh, not heard about these things?
We used them a lot during the war.

You mean you weren't bluffing?

I must confess,
I really frightened myself for a moment.

Quite frightened now.
They cost a fortune.

Oh, hello? I want the police.

Oh, no thanks.
Thinking of giving it up.