Black Flame of the Amazon 38-xx-xx (03)

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Black Flame of the Amazon 38-xx-xx (03)"

Title: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode: Black Flame of the Amazon 38-xx-xx (03)
Release Date: July 19, 2025
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Description: Dive into the thrilling adventures from the Golden Age of Radio, where families gathered around their radios to experience captivating stories like The Shadow, Abbott & Costello, and Dragnet. In this episode, "Black Flame of the Amazon," listeners follow the perilous journey of Harold Noyce and two stranded children in the heart of the Brazilian jungle.

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**1. Recap of Previous Events

[00:17]
The episode opens with the narrator setting the stage, recapping the previous chapter where Harold Noyce, a renowned explorer, attempts to befriend two children, Gene and Jimmy Brady, who have crashed in the Brazilian jungle. The antagonist, Butch Grogan, a notorious white renegade, captures the children and their pilot, Pat Donovan, after Donovan disables their aeroplane. Grogan, accompanied by a tribe of indigenous people, takes the prisoners ashore, separating Harold and Pedro from the children.

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**2. Gene and Jimmy's Strategy

[02:52] - [05:06]
Inside their hut, Gene and Jimmy strategize to outwit Grogan. As Grogan leaves, the children seize the moment to protect the secret code crucial to their survival and mission.

• Jimmy: "Gene, go to the door and look out. See if you can get a line out of Grogan. Hurry." [02:52]

• Gene: "Okay. Say, I see him. He's away down at the end of the village street. Donovan's there too..." [02:56]

Realizing the secret code is written on heavy paper, Gene expresses concern about hiding it effectively. Jimmy proposes an ingenious plan to transfer the code onto thin cigarette paper, referencing Grogan's own tobacco stash.

• Jimmy: "Well, like this... (explaining the process)" [04:09]

They meticulously recreate the code using available resources, with Jimmy demonstrating how to embed the code into cotton inside the blowgun darts.

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**3. Executing the Plan

[05:06] - [07:22]
The children prepare to hide the encoded message. Gene remains skeptical about the plan's effectiveness, highlighting the risk of Grogan discovering the torn paper.

• Gene: "But listen, Jimmy, I don't see how you're going to get rid of the little piece of paper you tore out..." [05:06]

Jimmy reassures him, emphasizing their ability to study and memorize the code:

• Jimmy: "We've memorized it enough." [07:22]

Their preparation includes handling weapons in the hut, such as a blowgun with poison darts, to ensure their safety while executing the plan.

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**4. Confrontation with Butch Grogan

[09:01] - [12:35]
As Grogan returns with Donovan, tension escalates. The children confront Grogan with their deceit:

• Jimmy: "We ate and swallowed the paper." [12:21]

Grogan demands the secret code, suspecting the children of treachery. In a clever rhetorical move, Gene invokes honesty by comparing themselves to George Washington:

• Gene: "We can't, Mr. Grogan. Me and Gene, we're just like Mr. Washington. We cannot tell a lie. We ate and swallowed the paper." [12:11]

Unbeknownst to Grogan, Jimmy and Gene have planted a duplicate of the code high in a tree branch outside the hut, ensuring they have a backup plan despite ingesting the original document.

• Narrator: "...right outside, sticking in the tree branch high up above the hut, there's a copy of that precious code." [12:35]

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**5. Cliffhanger and Anticipation for Next Episode

The episode concludes with Grogan's frustration and determination to uncover the missing piece of the code, setting the stage for heightened conflict and suspense in the next installment.

• Narrator: "If only Grogan knew that right outside, sticking in the tree branch high up above the hut, there's a copy of that precious code. Well, will he find out? And what happens now?..." [12:35]

Listeners are left eager to discover how Gene and Jimmy will navigate the escalating dangers posed by Grogan and whether their clever tactics will ensure their survival and the protection of the secret code.

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Key Themes and Insights

1. Ingenuity and Resourcefulness: Gene and Jimmy demonstrate remarkable quick-thinking and creativity in devising a method to preserve the secret code despite their dire circumstances.

2. Courage in Adversity: The children's bravery shines as they confront a formidable antagonist and take bold steps to safeguard crucial information.

3. Moral Integrity: Gene's reference to George Washington underscores a theme of honesty, even under duress, highlighting the characters' strong ethical foundations.

4. Suspense and Tension: The episode masterfully builds suspense, keeping listeners engaged with cliffhangers and the looming threat of Grogan’s pursuit.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Jimmy: "Gene, go to the door and look out. See if you can get a line out of Grogan. Hurry." [02:52]

• Gene: "But listen, Jimmy, I don't see how you're going to get rid of the little piece of paper you tore out..." [05:06]

• Jimmy: "We've memorized it enough." [07:22]

• Gene: "We can't, Mr. Grogan. Me and Gene, we're just like Mr. Washington. We cannot tell a lie. We ate and swallowed the paper." [12:11]

• Narrator: "...right outside, sticking in the tree branch high up above the hut, there's a copy of that precious code." [12:35]

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Conclusion

In "Black Flame of the Amazon 38-xx-xx (03)," Harold's Old Time Radio delivers a captivating continuation of Gene and Jimmy Brady's adventure in the Brazilian jungle. The episode skillfully intertwines action, strategy, and moral dilemmas, keeping listeners on the edge of their seats. As the children outsmart Butch Grogan through clever deception and resourcefulness, the narrative promises even more excitement and intrigue in upcoming episodes. Stay tuned to unravel the mysteries of the Black Flame and the fate of our intrepid explorers.

Transcript

[Narrator]

The Black Flame of the Amazon, featuring Harold Noyce, world famous explorer in person. In the last chapter, you heard the story unfold. How Mr. Noyce, endeavoring to befriend two children who were stranded in the Brazilian jungle, finds himself in the clutches of an infamous white renegade named Butch Grogan. The two youngsters, Gene and Jimmy Brady, and their aeroplane, are captured by Grogan. Not, however, until Pat Donovan, the pilot, succeeds in disabling the ship. In the meantime, the white renegade, aided by a tribe of Indians, gets the prisoners ashore and places Mr. Noyce and Pedro in a hut by themselves. Little Gene and Jimmy. He takes to his own hut and tries to bluff them into believing that he wants to be their friend. Even to handing the secret code back to the children, asking them to hold it in good faith, but to study it and be able to read it. Then he leaves the hut for a few minutes. That's where he made a big mistake. For right now, the two children are doing some fast thinking.

[Jimmy]

Gene, go to the door and look out. See if you can get a line out of Grogan. Hurry.

[Gene]

Okay. Say, I see him. He's away down at the end of the village street. Donovan's there too. A couple of Indians have him. A prisoner.

[Jimmy]

Hey, what's Grogan doing? Keep watching while I get things fixed here.

[Gene]

Grogan's still standing there. Donovan's pointing to the river. They must be talking about the aeroplane, I guess. Oh, there they go. They go into the little hut. The Indians are standing outside the door. Oh, Grogan and Donovan just went inside too.

[Jimmy]

Swell, but come here, Jean.

[Gene]

Sure, Timmy. But look, now, about our secret code. It's written on kind of heavy paper. You can't hide this very well.

[Jimmy]

Well, I know it, but there. There isn't a place safe enough. But I got two swell ideas, I think.

[Gene]

I hope you have. They gotta be good and swell to fool Grogan.

[Jimmy]

Don't worry, Jean. We'll fool him all right.

[Gene]

Well, you gotta show me.

[Jimmy]

Okay. Now look, then here, you see right here on the secret code, right in the middle of the paper.

[Gene]

Uh huh.

[Jimmy]

Well, that's where most of the important marks and signs are. Right in the middle of it.

[Gene]

Yes, but what of it?

[Jimmy]

Well, like this.

[Gene]

All right, it's towing. You tore it. But you still can't hide the towing part.

[Jimmy]

Well, that's what you think. But look here on the table. What's that?

[Gene]

Tobacco. Why, Grogan left his tobacco here.

[Jimmy]

Yeah, and now what's fastened to the tobacco package?

[Gene]

Oh, those little papers, you mean?

[Jimmy]

Yeah. Groban cigarette papers. And look. I'll take one out. Look at that, will you? Thin paper, and as thin as can be.

[Gene]

Ooh. You mean you're going to make a copy of the marks from the secret code on this thin cigarette paper? Oh, I get it. I get it.

[Jimmy]

That's right. But come on now, just in case things may go haywire, let you and me study this torn piece. We can try to remember it, at least as much of it as we can.

[Gene]

Sure we can, Jimmy. We may forget some of it, but maybe we both won't forget the same parts of it. See?

[Jimmy]

Sure, but there's a lot to remember. Wait. I want to see if Grogan is coming back. No, no sign of him yet. Well, I guess we got lots of time to do what we gotta do.

[Gene]

But what you gonna write with, Jimmy?

[Jimmy]

A pencil? I got a little stub. I always have one. I like pencil stubs. They don't take up much room when a fellow's exploring in these jungles.

[Gene]

But listen, Jimmy, I don't see how you're going to get rid of the little piece of paper you tore out. Grogan will find it no matter where you put it.

[Jimmy]

Oh, no, he won't. But just you keep watch at the door while I do some writing on this cigarette paper.

[Gene]

Oh, okay. But I can stand right here at this table and watch the street. And you, too. Go ahead. No one's coming. Just the two guards outside our door.

[Jimmy]

All right, Gene, I'm just about finished now. You can help while I'm folding this up in a little ball. You see that thing over there on the wall there?

[Gene]

Oh, you mean this thing here? It looks like a piece of a fish pole.

[Jimmy]

Oh, fish pole, my eye. That thing is a dangerous weapon.

[Gene]

Oh, boy, you could slam anyone over the head with that dooflikki, and it wouldn't hurt much.

[Jimmy]

Aw, that's just like a girl. Say, you don't slam people over the dome with that dooflinky? No, ma'. Am. That's a blowgun.

[Gene]

A blowgun that blows a poison dart.

[Jimmy]

A blowgun that shoots poison darts. And right above your head there, there's a bundle of things. You see them? Or those are the darts.

[Gene]

Those little things, say, just little splinters of bone or wood or something.

[Jimmy]

Well, sure. Now bring that bundle over here to the table. Jean, hurry up. We need them.

[Gene]

No, sir. Now, listen, Jimmy. We aren't going to puff any poison darts at anybody, not even Grogan.

[Jimmy]

Who said anything about puffing darts at anybody? Get them, Gene. Hurry. I've got this paper about ready.

[Gene]

Okay, but I'm going to lift that bundle down at the end of the fish pole. I mean, blowgun. Wait. I got them. Look out. Here they come. Gosh, Jimmy, don't get too near them.

[Jimmy]

Drop them on the table, Jean.

[Gene]

No, no, Jimmy, don't touch those ugly things. You might get poisoned.

[Jimmy]

Oh, no, I won't. I'm not touching the sharp end. Now, here, Jean, you hold the paper. I'm going to tear out some of this cotton stuff on the thick end of this dart.

[Gene]

Is this all a part of the too swell ideas you had? Hmm? Well, if this is the first one, it sure looks phony to me. Why are you tearing out the little cotton stuff?

[Jimmy]

Well, here, give me that little fold of cigarette paper and I'll show you. Thanks. Now watch. I'm going to stuff this little ball of paper into the cotton just like this, see? And then the smooth cotton like this. I'll pull out about as much cotton as the size of the paper we put in there. Now, how's that?

[Gene]

Well. But what is it?

[Jimmy]

Oh, boy, it's the bee's knees. This is where we food. Grill them. The blowpipe. Gene. Gimme. All right. And look and see if Grogan's coming back.

[Gene]

No, Nobody. Jim, the coast's clear. They're still in the hut, I guess.

[Jimmy]

All right, here goes. Now, Mr. Noyce explained to me the way to handle a blowgun. Here's the little blow dart. Our secret code is right inside the cotton shell.

[Gene]

I saw all that. Saw what?

[Jimmy]

All right. Now look out. That little wonder. Now, you see that big tree over there with big thick branches way up on the trunk?

[Gene]

Yes.

[Jimmy]

Well, now watch this. I sure hope it works.

[Gene]

Oh, you gonna blow that thing into the tree?

[Jimmy]

I'm sure gonna try. Cross your fingers, Gene. You better cross em good, too. A little dart goes in this end. Now, this is the mouthpiece. Then we lay the other end of the gun on the ledge like this. We aim up at the branch there. And then I take a big deep breath.

[Gene]

Go ahead. I guess maybe I'm just a little dumb. You better take two breaths. Doesn't cost any more.

[Jimmy]

All right, razz me all you want, but you just watch this.

[Gene]

Oh, you hit it, Jimmy. You hid it. The little dart is sticking in the branches up there. You see it?

[Jimmy]

I see it. Say, it wasn't me that put it there and Grogan will never think to look up there.

[Gene]

I still think we should have tried to memorize it better.

[Jimmy]

Oh, we've memorized it enough.

[Gene]

But you asked me some time ago, just after Grogan went out of the hut. You asked me if I was very hungry. Why did you ask me that?

[Jimmy]

Because you're going to get a swell feed. Maybe a little tough and all that, but you're going to eat it.

[Gene]

Swapy.

[Jimmy]

Yes. That little piece of paper out of the secret code right in your hand that's gotta be eaten.

[Gene]

So I'm the one who's to eat the paper, huh?

[Jimmy]

Oh, don't worry, I'll help. I'll eat my share all right and like it too. About through with that thing, Gene?

[Gene]

I guess I can remember quite a lot of it all right.

[Jimmy]

All right, then. Gimme. Hurry. I just saw Bush Grogan come out of the hut and he's bringing Donovan with him. Now, here, Gene, bite into this, chew it up quickly and swallow. Here goes my half Too fast dinner.

[Gene]

You had much time? Gosh, I have a new paper. Was so tough I would taste that too.

[Jimmy]

Doesn't matter. Bad or not bad. Never mind the taste. Now listen, Gene. Gorgo's gonna have a bad taste in his mouth when he finds out what we've done.

[Gene]

What's gonna happen to us? Tell me that.

[Jimmy]

Well, we'll just have to wait and see. Anyway, he's gotta take good care of us. We got the principal part of the secret code. And without Grogan, he'll never get us into the Black flame country.

[Gene]

Then that's what you meant about bargaining about Mr. Norris and Pedro?

[Jimmy]

Sure. If Mr. Norris and Peter don't go with us, then we tell him nothing about the secret code.

[Gene]

Oh, I get you, Jimmy. Well, here goes. Maybe I can swallow it now. I'll try anyway.

[Jimmy]

Well, Jink, if you made it, there's no harm in me trying to. But I did have the biggest piece. Here it goes.

[Gene]

Say, if we don't have a couple of swell tummy aches from this feed.

[Jimmy]

Then you name it, you just got rid of it in time. Here comes the big bad wolf in person. Let me do the talking, Gene. Hold the secret coat up, what's left of it, so he can't see the hole torn in it.

[Butch Grogan]

All right, all right. Inside. Donovan, I want you to talk more civil to me. Getting hard boiled won't get you nothing. See, you got my hands tied behind my back, Grogan. Just cut me loose and see what happens when I get through with you. Your own mother won't recognize you. Ah, shut up, Donovan. I ain't taking no chances. I got you here and here you stay till I Tell you to move. And that'll be when we're all set to move out of here in that ship of yours. The kids here are gonna explain how to read that secret code. All right, how about it, you two? You studied it good. Know what that thing says?

[Jimmy]

I'll say we have, Mr. Grogan. We got almost every word of it.

[Gene]

Jimmy's right, Mr. Grogan. We've both just about stuffed with nolly darp, whatever you call it.

[Butch Grogan]

Well. Well, all right. You, Donovan, sit down on the floor with your back to that wall. Go on. Go ahead. That's the idea. Now then, kids, give me that secret code, and we'll get down to business.

[Gene]

All right. Here you are, Mr. Grogan.

[Butch Grogan]

What's the idea? Who tore this paper?

[Jimmy]

I did, Mr. Grogan.

[Butch Grogan]

You did, huh? Thought you'd get away with something, huh? Them gods didn't let you out of this hut. So the piece of paper you tore is right in here. Right in this hut somewhere. All right, start finding it.

[Narrator]

Go on.

[Butch Grogan]

You hear me?

[Gene]

Say, Mr. Grogan, did you ever hear of George Washington?

[Butch Grogan]

What's George Washington got to do with this? Produce that paper. Come on, come on. Snap into it.

[Jimmy]

Well, we can't, Mr. Grogan. Me and Gene, we're just like Mr. Washington. We cannot tell a lie. We ate and swallowed the paper.

[Butch Grogan]

Ate the paper.

[Jimmy]

The main part of it.

[Narrator]

Eating a tough piece of paper isn't so very delightful. But little Jean and Jim at least have put some more trouble and delay in the path of the hateful Butch Grogan. If only Grogan knew that right outside, sticking in the tree branch high up above the hut, there's a copy of that precious code. Well, will he find out? And what happens now? Grogan is furious, almost choking. Tune in to our next program. More thrills, more smiles, more laughs, more adventure. Don't miss a single episode of the Black Flame of the Amazon.