(25) Magic Island - Battleship Approach

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode 25: Magic Island – Battleship Approach

Date: June 7, 2026
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio

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Episode Overview

This episode features a dramatic installment from the Golden Age radio serial "Magic Island." The story picks up with the Gregory family and their companions caught in the midst of a storm on the mysterious Euclidea—an advanced, secretive island. As Captain Tex Bradford braves dangerous waters to deliver a crucial homing pigeon, Mrs. Gregory, her daughter Joan, and Jerry anxiously monitor his fate. Tensions rise as the island prepares for submergence to evade detection, placing the entire group—and the captain—in peril.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Setting and Stakes

• Location: The Magic Island of Euclidea, shrouded in fog and defensive technology.
• Situation: The Gregory yacht is docked, a storm is raging, and Captain Bradford is on a risky mission to send out a homing pigeon, their only hope for rescue.
• Threat: The Euclideans’ science allows them to measure time in seconds and manipulate their island to submerge underwater to avoid enemy detection—including dragging the yacht under with it.

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2. Character Dynamics & Motivations

Joan’s Curiosity and Naïveté

• Joan struggles with American idioms (“stuck on me” vs. “stuck up”), prompting moments of comic relief and cultural exchange with Jerry.
• Quote [02:01, Joan]: “Hear that Mrs. Gregory? Joan’s getting kind of stuck on me.”

Mrs. Gregory’s Concern for Tex

• Mrs. Gregory worries desperately about Tex’s safety as he battles natural and man-made dangers outside the island.
• Quote [05:01, Mrs. Gregory]: “But that storm, the lightning flashing… What if lightning strikes the island while the captain’s swimming through the magnetic fog?”

Jerry’s Loyalty and Quick Thinking

• Acts as both morale officer and enforcer, determined to keep Mrs. Gregory from jeopardizing the group by searching for Tex.
• Quote [08:28, Jerry]: “Now, look here, Mrs. Gregory. Captain Bradford is in command of this boat. He gave me my orders and I’m going to carry them out.”

Joan’s Calm Under Pressure

• Explains Euclidean technology and reassures her mother about the dangers, providing critical information on how the storm affects the island’s defenses.
• Quote [03:13, Joan]: “Yes, Mother. Euclidea has been struck by lightning during many storms. But G47 and his assistants have developed some means of carrying the lightning off without harm…”

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3. Science and Technology on Euclidea

• Magnetic & Gas Rings: Used as protection; the storm dilutes the gas ring, reducing its threat, while lightning is safely grounded by Euclidean inventions.
• Submergence Mechanism: The entire island can be hidden underwater, along with any boats docked at its piers.
  • Quote [07:14, Joan]: “Yes, floated within a lock under the island floor and then submerged with the island.”

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4. Rising Tension: The Submergence Signal

• Timestamps:
  • [06:06] - Signal to submerge is sounded.
  • [07:32] - The operation to lower the yacht begins, threatening Tex who is swimming outside the boat.
• Characters’ Dilemma: Realize Tex may be stranded, unable to return if the island submerges.

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5. The Appearance of G47

• The mysterious Euclidean leader reassures the yacht’s occupants of their immediate safety, but issues a veiled threat regarding anyone left outside during submergence (i.e., Tex).
• Quote [12:12, G47]: “The unlucky person would soon drown swimming around where this island once was.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [03:42, Joan]: “Not the magnetic ring, but the gas ring. The rain will so dilute the gas, which is very soluble in water, that there will be little or no danger from the gas.”
• [08:50, Jerry]: “Then you’ll have to lick me to do it, Mrs. Gregory… orders are orders, and the last thing the captain told me was to keep you on board if I had to tie you in a chair.”
• [12:33, G47]: “Not a thing. Nothing for a man to hold onto or walk upon, for example. But of course, as you are all on board, you have nothing to fear.”

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Timestamps of Important Segments

• 00:33 – Narrator recap: Setting the scene on Magic Island.
• 01:25 – Conversation begins: Storm, fears, and Tex’s mission.
• 03:13 – Joan explains the island’s technological defenses.
• 06:06 – Submerge signal sounds: danger escalates.
• 07:14 – The plan: yacht to be taken below.
• 11:07 – G47 enters, ominous explanation of the island’s fate.
• 12:33 – G47 left a chilling warning about anyone left outside.

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Conclusion

This suspenseful episode of "Magic Island" uses clever dialogue and high-stakes drama to highlight the ingenuity and danger of the mysterious Euclidea. The family’s loyalty to each other is tested by circumstances beyond their control, and the emerging threat of complete submersion drives the episode to a tense cliffhanger. With Tex’s fate uncertain, listeners are left eager to find out if he can survive Euclidea’s latest defense mechanism.

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Transcript

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[Narrator]

On the magic island of the South Seas, time is very precious. The mad scientists who call themselves Euclideans measure time in seconds because they are too busy to use minutes. When Mrs. Gregory, Captain Bradford and Jerry hall landed the Gregory yacht at the island and found Mrs. Gregory's long lost little daughter Joan, they thought the idea of putting such value on time was ridiculous. Now time has become very precious to those on board the captive Gregory yacht. It is just after 8 o' clock at night. Captain Tex Bradford has been gone 15 minutes trying to swim out through the ring of fog and gas surrounding the island and release one of the little homing pigeons on which so much depends. A sudden electrical storm sweeps over the weird island as Mrs. Gregory, Jerry and Joan huddle in the radio cabin on the.

[Joan]

This is a terrible storm, Mother. Are you not glad your boat is safely moored to the pier here now?

[Jerry]

Oh, this storm wouldn't hurt the boat, Joan. We came through a couple of them on the way down here.

[Joan]

On Euclidea we hardly noticed such a storm as all the quarters are soundproof. But on this boat it seems very terrifying.

[Mrs. Gregory]

You will learn to love the natural things, Joan, dear. Things that are merely terrible in a natural way if we ever get off this horrible island.

[Jerry]

Well, I'm going back to the engineers quarters and wait for Tex there. I'll let you know the minute there's any news.

[Joan]

You will be careful, will you not Jerry? I would not like anything to happen to you.

[Jerry]

Hear that Mrs. Gregory? Joan's getting kind of stuck on me.

[Joan]

I am not stuck at all. You see, I am quite free to move at will.

[Mrs. Gregory]

You mustn't mind Jerry, my dear. His expressions are a little puzzling at times.

[Joan]

But Jerry, one time you say I am stuck up when I am not sticking up on anything. And now you say I am stuck on you when I am not even near you.

[Jerry]

Oh, I ain't got time to teach you any better now I gotta get back on duty where I belong.

[Joan]

Oh Jerry, the storm is bad, isn't it?

[Jerry]

Yeah, I can make it all right. See you as soon as Tex gets up.

[Joan]

Will Jerry be quite safe, Mother?

[Mrs. Gregory]

Yes, Joan. He has only a few feet to go along the deck to the engine room. There's not enough wind to make the footing dangerous.

[Joan]

I am glad of that. Jerry is a foolish boy, but he's also a nice boy, and I should not like anything to happen to him.

[Mrs. Gregory]

Joan, this storm, all that lightning flashing around the island. What effect does that have on all the electrical devices the Euclideans maintain?

[Joan]

I'm afraid I do not understand just what it is you wish to know.

[Mrs. Gregory]

This magnetic ring of fog around the island, will the magnetic force be maintained through this electrical storm?

[Joan]

Yes, Mother. Euclidea has been struck by lightning during many storms. But G47 and his assistants have developed some means of carrying the lightning off without harm to the island or instruments on it.

[Mrs. Gregory]

Yes, of course. They would have protected themselves then. Even in this storm, Tex will have the danger of the magnetic ring as well as the gas.

[Joan]

Oh, I was stupid about that. I might have told you.

[Mrs. Gregory]

Might have told me what? Is there something different about the magnetic ring in a storm?

[Joan]

Not the magnetic ring, but the gas ring. The rain will so dilute the gas, which is very soluble in water, that there will be little or no danger from the gas.

[Mrs. Gregory]

Oh, that's wonderful, John. I only wish Tex knew that it would save him the trouble and danger of trying to swim underwater beyond his endurance.

[Joan]

I think the clever captain will have figured that out for himself. I remember he said he was sure the gas would not be effective in water.

[Mrs. Gregory]

Then he should remember that and swim on the surface.

[Joan]

I think so, Mother. And with the rain, he would swim on the surface without danger of being seen.

[Mrs. Gregory]

And Tex can swim and float for hours. Oh, what a relief that is, my dear. The storm came up about 10 minutes ago when Tex had been gone about five minutes.

[Joan]

He would, of course, swim beyond the ends of the piers before he released the pigeon.

[Mrs. Gregory]

Yes, of course he would.

[Joan]

And the piers are 200ft long. Then it would take him some time to get the pigeon safely out of the celluloid swimsuit. And he would start back after discarding the oxygen tank. He has hardly had time to return, Mother.

[Mrs. Gregory]

You're right, dear. And he wouldn't hurry back. In fact, he would stay beyond the end of the pier as long as he was swimming easily and naturally because his return might attract attention. But did he get out safely?

[Joan]

Oh, I think you need not worry about that. The alarm would have sounded before this if he had not safely passed the protection rings.

[Mrs. Gregory]

But that storm, the lightning flashing. Look, Joan, it lights up this room as if it were day. And through that tiny port. What if lightning strikes the island while the captain's swimming through the magnetic fog? Oh, Joan, what of that?

[Joan]

Mother, that is a terrible thought. I know. The scientists used the magnetic ring of fog in some way to carry off the lightning and ground it into the water.

[Mrs. Gregory]

It's just as if Tex were swimming through the very thing that had been built to handle the discharge. Just as if you held a lightning arrester in your hand during a storm.

[Joan]

I'm afraid that would be it, Mother.

[Mrs. Gregory]

Oh, Tex. Tex, why does he hurry? I'm going to call Jerry back from the engine room again. He may have heard or seen something of the captain.

[Joan]

No, Mother. Jerry has his place there, waiting for the captain. And we have our places here, waiting for them both. It would not please the captain and Jerry if we did less than our duty.

[Mrs. Gregory]

Joan, you're the most wonderful daughter in the world. You have more courage than your mother. What is that?

[Joan]

The signal to submerge. Mother, this is going to be something of danger and terror, I think.

[Mrs. Gregory]

To submerge? You mean to submerge the island?

[Joan]

Yes, Mother. I told you the island could be submerged so that a boat could pass over the top of it.

[Mrs. Gregory]

But, Joan, do you realize what that means? This yacht is tied to the island. This boat. What will happen to us in Texas swimming out there somewhere?

[Joan]

Joan, What? There is the location signal. Five strokes on that gong after the signal to submerge. That means at this pier. Pier 5, where this yacht is held fast.

[Mrs. Gregory]

But what exactly can that mean? Is it possible to submerge only one section of the island?

[Joan]

No. I am not sure I understand that signal. Unless. Yes, it could be. There is an anchorage lock at this pier. I think your yacht is to be drawn inside the island and submerged.

[Mrs. Gregory]

This yacht? Submerged?

[Joan]

Yes, floated within a lock under the island floor and then submerged with the island.

[Mrs. Gregory]

What did that mean? John?

[Joan]

The submerging operation has begun. This boat is now being lowered between the piers.

[Mrs. Gregory]

But, Joan, we'll drown. This boat can't be submerged.

[Joan]

It will not be submerged as you mean it, Mother. It will be.

[Jerry]

Hey, Mrs. Gregory, do you know what's going on?

[Joan]

Why?

[Mrs. Gregory]

Joan says they're going to submerge this yacht.

[Jerry]

Yeah, the water's going down right now in the space between the piers. They're going to take the yacht into a lock under the island someplace.

[Mrs. Gregory]

But, Tex, he isn't back, Jerry.

[Jerry]

Well, no, Mrs. Gregory, he isn't oh,

[Joan]

Jerry, that is very bad.

[Mrs. Gregory]

Well, can't he get back now, Joan?

[Joan]

No, Mother. Unless the captain could have been within the slip formed by the two piers here, he could not get in without being seen. The ends of the piers are now joined by watertight gates to allow the space between them to be used as a lock.

[Mrs. Gregory]

I'm going out there and try to find Tex.

[Jerry]

Oh, no, you're not, Jerry. I'm sorry, Mrs. Gregory. I don't mean to be rude, but you're not going out there.

[Mrs. Gregory]

Yes, I am, Jerry. I can swim. And if Tex is out there in that water alone, hopelessly shut off from the island, I'm going after him. He won't know what's going on here. He'll be afraid to return for fear of giving away the escape of the pigeon.

[Jerry]

Now, look here, Mrs. Gregory. Captain Bradford is in command of this boat. He gave me my orders and I'm going to carry him out.

[Joan]

Jerry is right, Mother. The captain would want you to stay here.

[Mrs. Gregory]

This is my yacht I'm going off to, Jerry.

[Jerry]

Then you'll have to lick me to do it. Mrs. Gregory, I'm sorry to act like this, but orders are orders, and the last thing the captain told me was to keep you on board if I had to tie you in a chair. And I'm going to do it, Jerry,

[Mrs. Gregory]

you're doing what you think is right. But the storm is over, and I'm going to swim out there while I've still got a chance.

[Joan]

You have no chance now, Mother. These locks empty very rapidly, and by now the water is not even covering the locked gate at the end of the pier. You could not swim out. And if you tried to walk out to the end of the pier, you would be stopped by a guard.

[Mrs. Gregory]

But Teck's out there. How will he get back?

[Jerry]

Now, look here, Mrs. Gregory. You've got to buck up and face this thing. We don't dare let anyone see us worried about a thing. They don't suspect. Yet that Tech swam out with that pigeon. And if old G47 got wise to that, he might do something that. Well, so Tex couldn't ever come back.

[Mrs. Gregory]

Joan, what do you think about it? I. I don't seem to think very clearly where Tex is concerned.

[Joan]

Jerry is right, Mother. We must act as if nothing had happened to frighten us. We will be quite safe. Of course, when the yacht is taken inside the island, it will float in the submarine lock just as safely as it does here. But if we act nervous, it could only be for one reason. That we were worried about someone not on board?

[Jerry]

That's the idea, Joan. And as long as G47 thinks Texas with us, he'll find some way to get out of the water and back on the island without the Euclideans knowing what he was doing.

[Mrs. Gregory]

Well, at least we can go out on deck and see what's happening.

[Joan]

I think that would be all right. Do you not think so, Jerry?

[Jerry]

No, I don't. I told the skipper and the engineer to stay undercover, and I think we'd better do the same thing. If they see us on deck without tax, well, they'll know he isn't aboard.

[Mrs. Gregory]

I suppose you're right. But it seems so terrible to just sit here and do nothing while this boat is being taken inside the island. How will Tex get back to us? How will he know what's happened?

[Jerry]

I guess he'll figure that quick enough. All right. When he finds the gate closed at the end of the pier, then he'll have to swim around to one of the other piers and walk right up on the island.

[Joan]

Oh, that will be bad, Jerry. Then G47 will know the captain has been in the water. And it will take them only a few minutes to discover that a pigeon has been sent. That doesn't matter.

[Mrs. Gregory]

The pigeon's gone. And I'm willing to chance at getting to Johnson's boat if only Tex is safe.

[Jerry]

I'll feel a lot better when he's back on board with us. Gee, there's Tex now.

[Joan]

Come in. Oh, it's G47.

[G47]

It is I.

[Jerry]

What do you want here?

[G47]

I merely wanted to assure you there was no danger. Your yacht will be safely taken into a submarine chamber on the island and all on board will be quite safe.

[Mrs. Gregory]

Then what?

[G47]

Then the island will be submerged completely.

[Joan]

Oh, mother. The island. It will all be submerged.

[Jerry]

You mean there won't be anything left above the water?

[G47]

Not a thing. Nothing for a man to hold onto or walk upon, for example. But of course, as you are all on board, you have nothing to fear.

[Mrs. Gregory]

No, we have nothing to fear.

[G47]

Precisely. However, if one of your party was absent, say out swimming around the ends of the piers.

[Joan]

Yes.

[Mrs. Gregory]

Suppose what then?

[G47]

The unlucky person would soon drown swimming around where this island once was.

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