
Jack Armstrong - Pelican Crew Is Rescued
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Narrator
The All American Boy is on the air in person to get you to reach Cretes fellows girls again. Cretes bring you the champions in action. Hang on to trail action. Here comes the champion of the railroad. Here comes the Hiawatha. And there goes the champion. There goes the Milwaukee railroad's new great streamline locomotive. An orange and silver bullet streaking across the country on the fast Chicago to Minneapolis run. There goes one of America's great trains. A true champion of the rails. A thrilling new train with a cruising speed of 100 miles and a top speed of 120 miles per hour. And today Jack Armstrong and the fellows and girls listening in salute the Hiawatha. The first are the sea liner. And now all you fellows and girls just listen to this. Here's what Bill Dempsey, top notch engineer or the great bullet of the rails, the Hiawatha says about your favorite breakfast dish, Tweety quote before taking the streamlined
Jack Armstrong
Hiawatha on a fast run.
Captain Hands
I want to eat a big man
Jack Armstrong
sized man style breakfast. A breakfast that hits the right spot and tastes well. That's why I go for a big bowl of crispy toasted Wheaties with plenty
Narrator
of milk or cream, sugar and fruit.
Jack Armstrong
Wheaties fixed this way. Make a real breakfast of champions. Try it you say. Just like lots of railroad engineers say Wheaties taste great.
Narrator
Do is build empty and some of America's greatest railroad engineers do. And put Wheaties on your own breakfast table tomorrow morning. Eat the figure substantial breakfast dish that
Jack Armstrong
really sticks to your ribs and helps
Narrator
supply lots of that food energy a wide awake fellow or girl needs for the energy demands of work and play. You'll say like lots of champions say Tweeties are my dish all the year round. And now Jack Armstrong, the All American boy.
Jack Armstrong
Yesterday Jack made his way safely across
Narrator
the treacherous ice flows carrying a line to the Pelican.
Jack Armstrong
And here we are a short time later.
Narrator
The breaches boy is working and the crew from the Pelican is being rescued one by one. Here comes one of them across the ice now.
McGregor
Fisher. I'm Going. Then lift him clear the minute he comes on board.
Captain Hands
We've got to start the breaches lock without a second's delay, sir.
Betty
Oh, I hope it takes Jack.
Jack Armstrong
It's not that easy. I can still see him over on the Pelican deck. He's standing by the rail with Captain Hand.
Betty
Oh, he oughtn't to wait so long.
Jack Armstrong
Well, he's doing what he thinks is right. He knows he'd have a better chance of coming across the ice than any of the crew.
Captain Hands
I put the ship make it down. While he's standing there on the deck?
Betty
Goodness, yes. The whole S is blazing now.
Jack Armstrong
The ice must be melting around her fast. If she flies free of it, she'll sink all right. I and in a hurry.
Captain Hands
I don't like the way the flames are spreading forward either. If they reach the border's mouth, they burn the buoy room.
Betty
Oh, dear.
Captain Hands
Doctor, how many are left over there besides Jack and Han? Can you tell through the glasses?
Robert
There can't be many. We've already bought over 17 or 18.
Jack Armstrong
There's only one that I can see.
McGregor
Send him below with the others. And get that treatise back. Quick, son. Back you go over river, man.
Betty
Oh, dear. There'll be two more before Jack comes.
Jack Armstrong
No, only one, Betty. Captain Har will be the last to leave his paper.
Captain Hands
Hey, he's man enough for that.
Jack Armstrong
No doubt he's tried to get Jack to come before this. There seems to be some sort of argument going on right now. Hands are shouting and motioning the other man to get back. I believe he wants Jack to go
Robert
next and things must be getting desperate.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, no doubt of it. And I see who that other fellow is now. I thought there was something familiar about him.
Captain Hands
Who do you mean? Who is he?
McGregor
Robert.
Betty
For goodness sake, Robert. Gee. Oh, I'd forgotten about him.
Captain Hands
Oh, Robert. Well, I certainly hope Jack comes ahead of him.
Robert
Captain Hands must have had it in
Professor
for him to make him wait this
Captain Hands
long for his turn.
Jack Armstrong
But somebody had to wait.
Captain Hands
I. Aye, but I'm thinking Hands. If there's enough of that traitor to know the man has no backbone. They've got the breaches.
Jack Armstrong
Way on deck now. Hands means for Jack to come, all right.
Betty
Oh, is he going to?
Jack Armstrong
No, he's stepping back.
Captain Hands
Roberts is coming.
Jack Armstrong
Hans is raving at him, too.
McGregor
There's the puller in the line, McGregor. Aye, Captain. He's ready, men. Pull her back. Heave on the wheel.
Narrator
Aye.
McGregor
Pull her back faster this time. It can't be helped if you bump him over the ice. Get him across quick, do you hear?
Robert
Gee, Captain, do you think the pelican's going down?
Captain Hands
Something's wrong, Billy. Or Captain Hans wouldn't get excited.
Betty
And Jack and Captain Hands ought to climb down the ice while there's still time.
Jack Armstrong
Jack ought to. I'm not sure Captain Har will leave his ship if she starts to sink.
Betty
Is he slipping any? Can you tell?
Jack Armstrong
She's a little lower in the stern.
Captain Hands
That's where the fire's been fierce from
Jack Armstrong
the very start, but the bar is still high.
Robert
Then she's all right for a while.
Captain Hands
You can't tell, Billy. The ice is sure to be melting fast around the stern. Just a little clear water back there will give her room to slide down stern foremost.
Betty
Oh, dear. That must be why Captain Hans is worried.
Jack Armstrong
We'll make Robert tell us when we get him here.
McGregor
Hostel men. Heave on that rope.
Betty
Oh, I almost wish Jack would start back over the ice.
Jack Armstrong
I believe there'll be time.
Captain Hands
Robert is almost here.
McGregor
Stand by the gravity, men. Get him out quick. Send him up here when he's aboard, McGregor. Aye, sir.
Robert
I'll bet he'll never want another ride like that.
McGregor
Aye.
Captain Hands
I'm kicking myself for not bringing him back on the island on the Penguin. Then we'd have Jack coming aboard with this troop.
McGregor
Instead, they've got him.
Betty
They're lifting him out. Oh, I hope he's not hurt. He's not. He's standing on his face.
McGregor
Aye, that I do. Come here, Robert. Yes, Captain Campbell. I, I.
Captain Hands
You needn't be scared anymore. You're safe, man.
McGregor
It's not that. I. I had the wind knocked out
Captain Hands
of me, that's all.
McGregor
I'm grateful to you, Captain. Do it.
Captain Hands
What's wrong? On the Pelican wave his hands raving at you.
McGregor
He's got it in for me.
Captain Hands
He made me wait till all the
McGregor
rest of the minutes and brought a crawl.
Captain Hands
We know that.
Jack Armstrong
But why?
Captain Hands
What was he excited about when you left?
Jack Armstrong
Does he think the Pelican's going down?
McGregor
No, not right away. Unless.
Captain Hands
Unless? Well, unless what? Unless the gasoline explodes.
Betty
Oh, gosh. Gracious.
Captain Hands
What's that you say? Is there gasoline on the Pelican?
McGregor
Yes, an extra supply for the plane, but it's stowed forward. That's why I didn't mention it to the captain when the fire started. The fire was ass.
Captain Hands
I thought the men could put it
Jack Armstrong
out, but great Scott, it should have
Captain Hands
been thrown overboard anyhow.
McGregor
Aye.
Captain Hands
Now I understand. No wonder Hands turned on you, Robert. And I think I know what happened. You didn't mention it to him because you were afraid he'd ask you to go below and get it?
McGregor
I might have been trapped down there. The lights were out.
Captain Hands
None of the other men would go.
McGregor
And there's no danger even now. The flames are nowhere near it yet.
Captain Hands
It'd only take a spark to set it off.
McGregor
But I looked down the hatch only a while ago. It's still dark where the gasoline stored.
Captain Hands
That's all. Robert.
Narrator
Get below.
Captain Hands
You'll be given a bunk and all the food you want. And try to keep out of my sight from now till we set you down in port.
Betty
Okay.
McGregor
If that's the way you feel about it.
Jack Armstrong
Joe, that gasoline is serious.
Professor
Yeah.
Robert
Jack oughtn't to stay there if he
McGregor
knows it's on port.
Betty
Knows he should have started back over the ice long ago.
Captain Hands
I'm sure he knows what he's doing. You can't tell much from what Robert says. We'll get a straighter story from Jock himself.
Jack Armstrong
But no matter where that gasoline is, it's dangerous. The fire may break through a bulkhead in the hole and sweep through the whole ship like a flash.
Captain Hands
If it does, Hans will know it. He wrote a jut over the table.
Betty
Oh, they've got the breaches, boy. Now, they pulled it up on deck, but I can't tell who's getting into it.
McGregor
It's Jack.
Jack Armstrong
Hans is helping him.
Betty
I'm so glad.
Robert
Boy, that's great.
McGregor
Oh, what lies McGregor. Stand by the heave the minute the judge comes. But take it floor this time. It's Jack that's coming. Aye, aye, sir. You hear the document? We're pulling the lot over. Nick, he's ready.
Betty
He's ready all the way, men.
McGregor
Give her a strong, sturdy pull. Oh.
Betty
Oh, Jack's safe now. He's safe at my.
Captain Hands
There's no more danger for Pelican.
Betty
May go down when he's halfway across.
Jack Armstrong
He can come the rest of the way on foot if it does.
Robert
Sure he can. But see, I hope we have time to save Captain Haynes.
Captain Hands
It'll be a close shave if we do.
Jack Armstrong
The planes are spreading much faster now. I'm sure they're sweeping into the forward part of the ship.
Captain Hands
Seems to me she's settling more.
Betty
She is the third much lower than it was.
McGregor
Tell the men to pull faster on deck.
Robert
She won't mind.
Captain Hands
McGregor.
McGregor
A little stronger in the hall there. You can get them here quicker without hurting him.
Captain Hands
Any
McGregor
speed her up a little.
Betty
Oh, he's more than halfway here.
Narrator
Yep.
Robert
He smashed that open stretch of Water. He had to jump.
Jack Armstrong
I say.
Captain Hands
What is it, Master?
Jack Armstrong
I can see that stretch of water plainer than I could before. It's wider, much wider than it was.
Betty
It's been spreading, then?
Robert
Yeah, and I'll bet it was spreading when Jack made the jump. He knew it was. That's why he didn't try to come back on foot.
Betty
Oh, of course.
Captain Hands
That explains it.
McGregor
Stand by the cloudy when he comes aboard, Hill. Turn back, men. I'll let the lad down with my own hands.
Betty
Listen to that. He's calling us. Jack. Jack. Good boy, Jack.
Narrator
Jack.
McGregor
We'll reason for you, lads. Well done, Jack. Oh, Jack.
Betty
You're safe at last.
McGregor
I've got him.
Captain Hands
There you are, Rob. And a great job you've done.
McGregor
Watch, Captain.
Professor
Send the breaches back quick for Captain Hant.
McGregor
Back with them, McGregor.
Professor
They were too strong for the mate. I hope they never get me here.
Narrator
What's wrong?
Jack Armstrong
Is the pelican thinking?
Professor
Yes, he's starting to settle fast. She's almost clear the ice. Captain Hand says she's getting ready for the final plunge. Besides, there's gasoline on board.
Captain Hands
Roberts told us that. We figured that it was his fault.
Narrator
It was.
Professor
Haskell, a fellow in charge of the plane, started to fight the fire. When it broke out, he told Roberts to go below and get the gasoline
Captain Hands
and dump it overboard.
Professor
He caught Robert Todonnett holding Captain Hand. The Captain only found out later that he hadn't. By that time, Haskell had been brought
Captain Hands
over in the breach's boy.
Professor
Nobody else but Robert knew where the gasoline was. And by then he was too scared to go after it.
Captain Hands
Jack Carter. I thought so. I do.
Jack Armstrong
Then the ship may blow up any minute.
Captain Hands
Yeah.
Professor
I wanted Captain Hans to come on a last trip instead of me. I thought I'd take a chance on coming back across the ice. He wouldn't let me, though.
Narrator
He sure got nerve.
Jack Armstrong
Just as well he held you back. There's a spreading stretch of open water.
Professor
I know. A couple of other places are starting
Narrator
to open out, too.
Professor
The whole mass of poles is shifting all the time.
Betty
Oh, look. The planes are spreading almost to where Captain Hans is standing by the forward mass.
Robert
Gosh, they'll burn the rope before he gets the breaches on deck.
Jack Armstrong
You'll have another minute or two, but no more.
Professor
Where are the breaches? Can you see, Professor?
Jack Armstrong
Yes, they're almost there. He's pulling them up to the rails. And he's got him.
Professor
Gee, now if he can only get
Jack Armstrong
clear of the ship if he's planted
Professor
out on the ice.
Jack Armstrong
I'll go after him.
McGregor
McGregor, get ready. Stand by the pool man.
Betty
Oh, he may only hurry.
Jack Armstrong
He's getting into them. I believe he's all set.
McGregor
Yes.
Betty
There's a jerk on the rope all the way, men.
McGregor
Bring him home.
Betty
He's off the ship at last.
Jack Armstrong
None too soon. I'll give her five more minutes at the most. Left to night I face when the gasoline explodes, the whole bottom will fall out.
Betty
It won't be long. Look how the flames are sweeping over the whole deck.
Jack Armstrong
The men had better pull hands faster they get him past that open water. Yeah, we don't want the rope to
McGregor
give way when he's open it faster than the hole. Can I get it, boy? Can't believe we're going to get him here.
Betty
Oh, I thought so.
McGregor
The worst is over.
Professor
He's more than halfway across.
Betty
Then he's safe. He can walk in from there.
Captain Hands
Hey, we'll have him for a passenger. I'm glad he's rescued, but I wish he could go home on another ship.
Jack Armstrong
Never mind, Captain. You'll have him in your power.
Captain Hands
I want no power over him. I want as little to do with him as worthible.
McGregor
I find a he. He's going to make it all the way.
Narrator
That's valley.
McGregor
Hang on to him, man. When you catch hold of him, the flames will reach the horser at the other end. We touch him, I need no help at all. Where's responsible place to save you? H. Oh, it's turn around. Hey, Cambo. You rescued me this time. Or that of a boy. Did you? Never have done it without him. But we're quick now here. Hey, we'll quit.
Captain Hands
We'll forget the whole thing.
McGregor
Aye, that we will. There's been too much rescue on these boys.
Professor
It's not from a like him.
Captain Hands
There's been too much of other things as well, Hans. But your part in it is finished.
McGregor
You can forget that part of it too. I know where I'm be. But I'll take those pieces of violet from you. Mo. Mo.
Professor
The pelican going down. The gasoline exploded and finished her.
McGregor
Boy, look at her. What a shame.
Captain Hands
Ah, there she goes.
Jack Armstrong
That's the last of her.
Robert
What a sight.
Captain Hands
That's the end of your expedition hand.
McGregor
I wish scottish apple.
Captain Hands
Only this and put a no restraint on your hands. You can have the freedom of the ship till we get the port. I'm taking your words that you know when you're beaten.
McGregor
Say no more about it. You needn't fear.
Jack Armstrong
I'll take any fly away to make
David Owens
a trouble for you. I've got my way and where you know it. But remember this, there's other ships to
McGregor
be had and the seas as wide as ever. We'll wait for another prize someday and Captain Hands will take us.
Captain Hands
Maybe you will and maybe you won't. But this prize is mine and I've worked to do to make it secure. So off with you and save your Turks.
David Owens
There you see no more of me
McGregor
that I can help make a regular set the regular work. Push the lookout. We're steaming away from here as quick as possible. It's back to our regular course again and full steep for the home pork.
Narrator
So the Penguin is homeward bound. With Captain Hands beaten at last. Will our friends reach fort safely? Go to listen in at the same time next Monday evening to find out what happens next. Fellows. Bill, ask your mother for pretis right now. Cello please are the whole sweet cereal that actually supplies the same amount of heat producing units you need for body warmth these cold winter days as a hot cereal does. Eat pleaties tomorrow morning and all winter long if you like. Fix that famous breakfast of champions way with plenty of milk or cream, sugar and some bananas you say just like Jack Armstrong says, Tweeties and the manners are a great combination. And just one more thing, when your mother gets Wheaties, call her attention to the famous seal of acceptance of the committee on foods of the American Medical Association. That seal is mighty important to your mother for it tells her Wheaties are pure and truthfully advertised. By the way, many grocers are featuring specials on tweeties and bananas this month. Ask your mother to get them bananas when she buys tweeties for you. These tweeties and bright bananas for breakfast. Some morning food you'll say it's a marvelous combination. This is David Owens saying goodbye for Jack Armstrong and the makers of Wheaties.
David Owens
Won't you try Wheatie for wheat is the best food of man. There's crispy, they're crunchy the whole year through. Jack Anthony never kind of them and neither will you. So just buy Freedy the best breakfast food in the land.
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Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode: Jack Armstrong – Pelican Crew Is Rescued
Date: May 13, 2026
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
This episode presents a thrilling installment in the classic adventure series "Jack Armstrong, The All American Boy." The narrative centers on a dramatic rescue operation: the crew of the ship Pelican is stranded on ice following a catastrophic fire, and danger mounts with every moment. Jack Armstrong, alongside his companions, orchestrates a perilous rescue amid growing threats—raging flames, melting ice, and a volatile stash of gasoline aboard the burning Pelican. The suspense builds as the crew is evacuated one by one, showcasing teamwork, bravery, and resourcefulness typical of Golden Age radio storytelling.
| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|----------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:48 | Jack Armstrong | "The ice must be melting around her fast. If she flies free of it, she’ll sink all right. And in a hurry." | | 04:27 | Jack Armstrong | "There seems to be some sort of argument going on... I believe he wants Jack to go next and things must be getting desperate." | | 06:46 | McGregor | "Unless the gasoline explodes." | | 06:50 | Captain Hands | "What’s that you say? Is there gasoline on the Pelican?" | | 08:56 | Jack Armstrong | "I can see that stretch of water plainer than I could before. It's wider, much wider than it was." | | 11:03 | Jack Armstrong | "None too soon. I’ll give her five more minutes at the most. ...when the gasoline explodes, the whole bottom will fall out." | | 12:34 | Captain Hands | "That’s the end of your expedition, Hand." | | 12:49 | McGregor | "There’s other ships to be had and the seas as wide as ever. We’ll wait for another prize someday." |
True to its Golden Age roots, the episode blends wholesome, energetic heroism, danger, and suspense with camaraderie. The language is direct and melodramatic, designed to engage listeners of all ages as they gather around their radios. Integrated sponsor mentions (Wheaties) add to the period authenticity.
This episode is a classic example of serialized radio drama—a blend of action, teamwork, and moral lessons, laced with light-hearted sponsor plugs. The suspenseful pacing and immersive soundscape keep the adventure gripping for both longtime fans and newcomers. The episode ends with the promise of more escapades, urging listeners to tune in next time for further exploits of Jack Armstrong, the All American Boy.