" Oh, he's pretty good, isn't he?" " Come on, let him have it." "Use your right." "Come on, Joe, get the left to working." "Come on, Joe." "I told you, I told you." " That's the way to go!" " Go on." " Go on." " That's it." "That's the way to go." "Charlie, you're looking at the next World's Champion." "Isn't he terrific?" "Yeah, he'll slaughter that Murdock." " Okay, Joe, that's enough." " Come on, Maxie." "Only had five rounds." "Can't I have a couple more?" "You heard me." "I said that's enough now." "Save some of that for Murdock." " How do I look, Pop?" " Just fair." " Not enough speed, and quit calling me Pop." " I'm in the pink, Pop." "You'll get plenty of training in the next two weeks." "Break down, Maxie, who's your favorite fighter?" "Stop your clowning." "Go and get your rub." "Snap out of it, Max." "We're going to do all right." "Look, Joe, I've decided to finish training in New York..." " so we'll break camp right after lunch." " Well, that's great." "Then I can fly myself down this afternoon, huh?" "Now, listen, Joe, do me a favor, will you, please?" "Leave that plane of yours up here and take the train down with the rest of the gang." " Will you do that?" " What can happen to me... when I got my lucky sax along?" "The way we're set now and within two weeks of the greatest fight of your life... and on our way to the championship, why take chances?" "Fine thing." "Me, known as the Flying Pug." "The papers will all say, "Flying Pug takes train."" " Fine thing." " Oh, Joe." "I'll meet you in New York at the gym tomorrow." "And how about the flying?" " How about a little of your favorite tune?" " Not today." "No." "That's what I said, Mr. Pendleton." "You are dead." "You don't make any sense at all." "You got me all mixed up." " You must be a little cracked." " I'm fast losing patience with you, sir." "And I can't waste any more time with you." "I'm due in New York and I got to get there." "Where can I find a taxi..." "Hey, a plane." "That's what I want." "Messenger 3,081 reporting, sir." "Five passengers." " Territory?" " Southeast Australia." "Proceed." ""Atwater, John." " "Gaylord, William." "Zabel, Frederick."" " Zabel?" "That's "Z."" "You're jumping from "G" to "Z." Haven't you anyone between?" " Yes, sir." " Well, then, call them off alphabetically." "You've been at this long enough to know the rules." " Yes, sir, my mistake." "Sorry, sir." " Continue." " "Heggie, Alicia."" " Heggie?" " Now, that's better, isn't it?" " Yes, sir." ""Ingle, Peter."" "Hey, when's the next plane for New York?" "Who do I see about a ticket?" " "Zabel, Frederick."" " Who's in charge around here?" "Mr. Pendleton, will you stop this commotion?" "Commotion?" "I'm just trying to find out about a plane." "What's the trouble?" "Messenger 7,013 reporting, sir." "No trouble at all, sir." "There's no trouble yet, but there's going to be plenty if..." " Are you the boss here?" " Mr. Pendleton, a little more respect." " This is Mr. Jordan." " Look, Mr. Jordan..." "I want to get a plane for New York." "Who do I see about a ticket?" " What is the meaning of this?" " Meaning?" "I just explained it to you." "A very difficult case, sir." "Fought me tooth and nail all the way up here." "Fought him?" "How do you like that?" "Don't waste your time listening to this comic." "He's got a screw loose someplace." "You know what he keeps telling me?" "He keeps telling me I'm dead." "And you most certainly are." "Otherwise I shouldn't have taken you." "You hear that?" " I'm afraid you are." " Are what?" "Dead." "You, too, eh?" "You're just as crazy as..." "Messenger 2,460 reporting." "Three passengers, sir." " Territory?" " Finland." "Proceed." ""Abelius, William." ""Caliga, Maria."" "Dead?" ""Purmi, Jan."" "Excuse me, Mr. Jordan, but I don't quite get this." " You wouldn't kid me?" " Mr. Pendleton." " Why, I mean, are you sure?" " Of course." " Yeah, but I feel all right." " Pay no attention to him, sir." " Is he all you gathered?" " Yes, sir." " I'm sorry, sir." " Name?" " Pendleton, Joseph." " No, no, you even got that balled up." " It's Joe Pendleton, not Pendleton Joseph." " For heaven's sake, be quiet." "Pendleton, Pendleton..." " I can't be on any list." " Quiet, please." "No, the way I feel, somebody's got their wires crossed." " Somebody's made a mistake." " A mistake?" "Utterly fantastic." "What did you do?" "Your occupation." "Musician?" "No, no." "That's just a hobby, like flying." "I'm Joe Pendleton." "The Flying Pug, they call me." "You know, pug?" " I'm a prizefighter." " You were a prizefighter." " There's no Pendleton Joseph listed." " What did I tell you?" "Oh, it can't be possible." "There must be some explanation." "I hope there is, for your sake." " I'll see if he's on any newer listing." " He's just got to be, sir." "What do you mean, I got to be?" "If I ain't on any list, I ain't on any list." "Mr. Sloan... contact the Registrar's Office, will you?" "Ask them for everything they have on Pendleton, Joseph." "Yes, sir." "Calling Registrar's Office." "Plane number 22, calling Registrar's Office." "I'm trying to tell you fellows, I'm not ready for this place yet." "I never felt better in my life." "I'm in the pink." "How can I be dead?" "Really, sir, it isn't possible that he could have survived." "Why, he was hurtling to earth with the speed of a meteor." "Yeah, but I wouldn't have crashed." "I'd have pulled the ship out somehow, if you let me alone." "Do you mean to say you took him out of that plane before it crashed?" " Yeah, that's what he did." " Yes, sir." "Oh, I know that we messengers shouldn't permit our emotions to sway us... but there he was, sir, just plummeting earthward." "I wanted to spare him the agony of crashing, so..." " Unpardonably presumptuous." " Yeah." "Well, I'm just desolate about it, sir." "What territory do you cover?" "It's a place called New Jersey." "And if it could be arranged, sir, I should like very much to be transferred." " You're new, aren't you?" " I am." "Yes, sir." "It's my first trip." "I was put on only this morning." "I thought so." "Overzealousness." "Out for record collections." "This happens right along with the inexperienced." " Really?" "Oh, dear." " It wasn't in the cards." "Nothing can happen to me when I've got my lucky sax along." "And how did he manage to wangle that thing up here?" "Mr. Jordan, sir." "On Pendleton, Joseph, the official record says both his parents... are happily withdrawn and awaiting his arrival." "Joseph is scheduled to join them the morning of May 11, 1991." "1991?" "That's 50 years from now." "What did I tell you?" "It seems you were a little premature." "50 years to go yet." "You certainly pulled a boner this time." "Mr. Pendleton, I feel I owe you an apology." "I'd tell the world you do." "Never mind, we all make mistakes." "There's no harm done." " Just forget about it and take me back." " Take you back?" "Naturally, take him back." "Return him to the body out of which you so indiscreetly snatched him." "Yeah, and make it snappy." "I got to meet Corkle." " He's liable to be worried." " Corkle?" "Yeah, he's my manager." "I'm training for the Murdock fight." "Got to keep my body in the pink." "Come on, let's go." "Mr. Pendleton, if you don't mind, I'm the one who says, "Let's go."" "Glad to have met you, Mr. Jordan." "And thanks for straightening everything out for me." "Not at all." "I'll be seeing you 50 years from now, if you're still on the job." " I will be." " So long." "There's the old crate." "Hey!" "What happened?" "I'm not here." "Where is it?" "I mean, where am I?" "Well, dear me." "You ought to be around here somewhere." "Well, obviously, your body has been removed." " Yeah, but where to?" "Where to?" " Well, let me see." "Perhaps I'd better take you back to Mr. Jordan." "Wait, I know." "Corkle." "He did it." "Ten to one, he's got me laying out in my own living room right now, the dope." " Let's go." " Mr. Pendleton..." "I say, "Let's go."" "Let's go." "Boy, we sure get around." "Zip, we're at the crash." "Bam, we're here in New York." "How do you do it?" "I'm going to ask you not to pry into trade secrets, Mr. Pendleton." "It's okay with me." "Here we are." "Here's home." "Extra, extra, read all about it!" "Joe Pendleton crashes in plane!" " Read all about it!" "Flying Pug story..." " That's what he thinks." "Hey, kid, give me a paper, will you?" " Extra, extra!" "Joe Pendleton's plane..." " Come on, give me a paper." " Mr. Pendleton." " That kid's goofy." " He can't see you and he can't hear you." " What?" " He can't see you and he can't hear you." " Why not?" "Because you are not in your body, that's simple." " Yeah, but I can see and hear him." " Of course." "Well, okay, what are we waiting for?" "Come on..." " let's go." " Let's go." "If I tell him once, Charlie, I tell him 1,000 times." "No, he's got to fly." "Who am I to tell him?" "Just his manager." "Just a guy that's looking after him." "Hey, Max." "Be yourself, pal, look..." "Will you please remember?" "He can't see you and he can't hear you." "Oh, yeah." "Of course, this washes me up." "I'm quitting the game, Charlie." "I couldn't handle anybody after Joe." "Poor Max, I wish I could tell him." "Say, I don't see me around anywhere." "Where am I?" " Hey, what did they do with me?" " That's funny." "What's funny about it?" "And what a champ he'd have made." "The cleanest kid that ever lived, and a heart as big as a house." "Can't you ask him what they did with me?" ""A fighter's got to live cleaner than anybody else in the world," he used to say..." ""because a lot of kids look up to fellows like that and try to live like them."" " Hey, Max." " Mr. Pendleton." "Cut it out." "Where am I?" "Come in." "Johnny." "Hello, fellows." "Hello, Mr. Corkle." "He was a swell guy, Joe was." "He'd have beat Murdock, and Gilbert, too." "That's the way I feel about it, Chip." "We brought these." "Kind of late, but..." "Well, you see, we didn't know where that place was." " You know, the..." " Crematory, yeah." " Crematory?" " Well, thanks, fellows." " Cremated." " Oh, dear me." "So long, Mr. Corkle." " Max, you dumb cluck." " Control yourself, Mr. Pendleton." "Control myself?" "Don't you realize?" " What do I do now?" " Well, offhand, I'd..." "Offhand, I ought to..." "Come on, we're going back to Mr. Jordan." "Cremated, that's what I said." "While you guys kept me up here gabbing... that Corkle gets my body out of the plane and has me cremated." " That's bad." " Bad?" "Oh, it's deplorable." "I'll never forgive myself." "I feel just ghastly." "How do you think I feel?" "Wait till I see that Corkle." "He can't go around burning me up like that and get away with it." "Very bad." "This complicates everything." "I have an idea, Mr. Jordan." "Couldn't we have him reborn?" "Nothing doing." "I'm not going to go through that again." "Oh, no, no, no." "Well, I see I'll have to take personal charge of this." "Now you're talking, Mr. Jordan." "You gotta get busy and do something." " I intend to." "Come along, Joseph." " Wait a minute." "Where to?" " I'm taking you back." " Yeah, but you can't." "Didn't we just tell you?" "I haven't got a body anymore." "What of it?" "I'll get you another body." " You'll do what?" " Another body?" "Well, that's what I said." "Come along, Joseph." "No, wait a minute, wait a minute." "What kind of a deal is this?" "You can't go shoving just anybody's body off on me." " No, not on your life." " Mr. Pendleton, please." "If Mr. Jordan says he'll get you another body, he'll get you another body... every bit as good as your own, if not better." "There isn't any better." "I put in 10 years getting that body in the pink." "Just 'cause you guys fumbled the ball is no reason..." "But, Joseph, it's gone." "Your body doesn't exist any longer." "But, that isn't my fault." "You guys can do anything." " Go ahead, do your stuff." " We shall, Joseph." "You shall have your choice of 1,000 bodies." "All excellent specimens." "1,000 bodies?" "Mr. Pendleton, think of that." "Yeah, I am thinking about it, and I say no dice." "I don't want anybody's body." "I want my body." "Oh, don't be so fussy." "Your body, after all, what is it?" "Just a physical covering, that's all, worth, chemically, 32 cents." " Not mine." "It was in the pink, I tell you." " Oh, dear." " Shall we get started?" " Now, wait a minute." "Let's understand one another before we start running around." "Joseph, I promise you we'll keep looking until we find the body you like." "Now, that's fair enough, isn't it?" "Well, I don't want any more than is coming to me." "I just want what I was, and what I was going to be." "No more, no less." " But I expect you to make good, Mr. Jordan." " I'll do my best." " Come along." " I warn you..." " you may be just wasting your time." " I have a lot of that." "Goodbye, Mr. Pendleton." "Good luck." "That sounds mighty weird coming from you." "I thought that messenger was pretty good at getting around, but you're terrific." "Russia, Australia, South Africa, and now New York." "How do you do it?" "Oh, yeah, I know." "Trade secret." " Joe, we've made 130 stops." " We made a raft of them, all right." "I know how you feel about a perfect body... but I've offered you the cream of last week's crop... and you've turned up your nose at the lot." "You know there wasn't a decent physique in the whole bunch, Mr. Jordan." "You can't palm off a second-rater on me." "You got to remember I was in the pink." "That is becoming a most obnoxious color, Joe." " Don't mention it again, please." " Okay." "Next stop?" "A pretty snazzy place." " Who do we size up here?" " The owner, Bruce Farnsworth." "Now, look here, Mr. Jordan, this isn't just another one of those things, is it?" "You'll find this most interesting, Joe." "By far the most interesting we've looked into yet." "Okay." "I don't want you to think I'm not trying to play ball." "Some place." " Hey, we better duck." " Oh, please stop yanking me around." "Can't you remember that we can't be seen?" "Or heard." "I keep forgetting." "Who is that guy?" " Farnsworth's butler." " Oh." "What about this guy Farnsworth?" "What's the dope?" "Well, he's about your age and fairly husky." " About my age and he's got all this?" " Oh, he inherited it, Joe." " Well set up?" " Quite." " Played polo a while back." " That sounds all right." " Is he dead?" " No." "Gonna die, though?" " Sick, huh?" " No, not really." "He has a slightly rundown condition." "I get it." "Playboy type." "Wine, women, and song." "Ruins his health." "Fine body you want to make me a present of." " Guy drinks himself into an early grave." " No, he didn't." "He's just slightly rundown." "He's going to die, that's all." "He's being murdered, Joe." "Murdered?" " Is it going on right now?" " Yes." "Right here in this house?" "Who's doing it?" "His wife and the man she's in love with, Farnsworth's confidential secretary." "Nice people you want me to meet." " How are they killing him?" " They're drowning him in the bathtub." "Holy cow." "Come on, let's scram out of here." "I'm going to keep my nose clean." " I'm in enough trouble anyway." " Wait, Joe." "Look here, Mr. Jordan, you don't think I'm crazy enough to change places... with a guy who's got a wife like that hanging around?" " I ain't punch-drunk yet." " We'll have to wait here until I collect him." "It's my job." "How can you sit there when there's a guy being killed?" "Why don't we call the police?" "I'm afraid they wouldn't pay much attention to us, Joe." "Yeah, that's right." "It's all over, Joe." "You mean, he's dead?" "Those are the two that did it, huh?" "Yes, Mrs. Farnsworth and the secretary, Tony Abbott." "Gee, to look at her, you wouldn't think she'd..." "Tony, I'm frightened." "Get ahold of yourself, Julia." "Tony, I don't know what's come over me." "I have a feeling I can't shake off." "That there's something weird... something hanging over us, watching us." "You said it, sister." "Come now, stop it, Julia." "What could be more natural?" "A glass of warm milk, a sleeping tablet or two... and a very tired, dissipated young man unfortunately drowses off in his bath." "I've had enough of this." "I need some fresh air." " Wait, Joe." "Don't go yet." " I don't want any more of this mob." " Miss Bette Logan to see Mr. Farnsworth." " Wait, Joe." " I can't talk to her now." " Of course you can." "Show her in." " Yes, sir." " It's quite simple." "Just be sympathetic." "I'll be in the study." "If she becomes difficult, bring her in to me." "Who's this Logan?" "Somebody else mixed up with this murder?" "You judge for yourself, Joe." "Miss Logan." "How do you do, Miss Logan?" "I'm Mrs. Farnsworth." "May I see Mr. Farnsworth, please?" "I've got to see him." "Why, yes." "He'll be right down." "Be right down?" "She knows he's dead." "Mrs. Farnsworth..." " my father's been arrested." " Yes, I know." "I'm sorry." "He's sick, Mrs. Farnsworth." "This will kill him... and he's not guilty of anything." "It was about some worthless securities he sold, wasn't it?" "That Mr. Farnsworth sold under my father's name." " That's a pretty serious charge, isn't it?" " I believe my father." "Well, what do you expect Mr. Farnsworth to do?" "I don't know." "I came here to ask him to..." " He can't send an innocent man to jail." " Well, I don't know about that." "Mr. Abbott has all the facts in the case and he's in the study." " Would you care to see him?" " Yes, if I could, please." "Mr. Jordan, I've never seen anything as beautiful as that, not even in heaven." "She's in a tough spot." "Got a lot of courage to come all the way up here alone to fight for her father." "She worships him." "She's no match for those buzzards." "She needs help." "She's in trouble." "You better go to work." "Farnsworth is the only one who can help her, Joe." " And he's dead." " But you can be Farnsworth." " What do you mean?" "I don't get it." " It's quite simple." "You mean, you want me to be Farnsworth and have a swell girl like that hate me?" "But you'd make a very different Farnsworth." "Spiritually, there'd be no change in you." "Yeah, but I wouldn't be myself." "A guy's no good if he isn't himself." "Joe, you'll always be yourself." "You'd merely be using Farnsworth's physical covering... like donning a new overcoat." "Better be a pretty good overcoat." "Gotta last me for 50 years." "But inside that coat, you'd still be Joe Pendleton... thinking and acting and feeling." "Yeah, but that overcoat, that'll be Farnsworth." "That's what she'll see." " He's a rat." "She'll think I'm a rat." " Maybe at first." "But eventually, she'd see the soul of Joe Pendleton... because that is never lost." "That will always shine through, Joe." "No matter what overcoat you put on." "Yeah, but that rundown overcoat, that playboy Farnsworth..." "I'd have to give up everything." "Crack at the title and..." "No, I couldn't do it, Mr. Jordan." " I'd like to help, but not that way." " There is no other way." "Do you think it's fair to put me in a spot like this?" "This is the evidence against your father, Miss Logan." "These stocks were issued by his company." "Look at them." "Those stocks were issued while my father was in Europe." "He had nothing to do with them." "Please let me see Mr. Farnsworth." "Mr. Abbott, have Sisk announce Miss Logan to Mr. Farnsworth." "What's the idea?" "She knows he's dead." "Why send for him?" "Very convenient, Sisk discovering the body." "You haven't much time to decide." " Mr. Jordan, I don't want to be Farnsworth." " Miss Logan, you're a stupid child." "What would Bruce Farnsworth do for you or anyone?" "Perhaps you think he'll reach into his pocket... and pay out $5 million to redeem those securities... just to make you happy and get your father out of jail." "Why, he'd see you both starving first, and enjoy it." " You hear that?" " You want to help her..." " don't you, Joe?" " Sure, I want to help, only..." " You rang, madam?" " Yes." "Tell Mr. Farnsworth Miss Logan is here to see him." "Yes, madam." " He's going up there." " Hurry, Joe." "Don't rush me." "Before I take a step like this, I gotta do some figuring." " Make up your mind." " Look, what if I did it?" "Only temporary." "Suppose I was Farnsworth just for a little while... until after I help that kid out." " Could I do that?" " If you wish it." "And after you've got me out of Farnsworth's body... you'd have to get me a body that would suit me." " Is that clear?" " Quite clear." "Okay, that's a deal." "Come on, Mr. Jordan." "We better hurry." "It's still me." "I haven't changed." "Look." "We can't get away with this." "I still look like me." " Isn't that Joe Pendleton, or am I nuts?" " Inwardly, you haven't changed." "You're still Joe Pendleton, and that's what we will see." "Outwardly, you're Bruce Farnsworth, and that's what they'll see and hear." "Mr. Farnsworth?" "Are you there?" " Answer him, Joe." " Answer him?" "You mean, people can hear me now?" "Yeah, but I still talk like me." " He knows that other guy's voice." " That is exactly what he'll hear." " Mr. Farnsworth!" " He will?" "To everyone else, you'll seem to be talking like Bruce Farnsworth." "Mr. Farnsworth!" "Is anything wrong?" " Oh, please answer me, sir." " Go ahead, Joe." "Okay, I'll be out in a minute." "Yes, sir." "Thank you, sir." "There." "Now, what he heard was the voice of Farnsworth." "It was, eh?" "And when you open that door, what he'll see will be Farnsworth." "Mr. Farnsworth, there's a Miss Logan here to see you." "Yeah, I know." " I beg your pardon, sir?" " Well, I mean, I'll be right out." "I'll be right down." "Look you're kidding me." "I wouldn't fool anybody." "You'll fool everybody." "Open that door." "I'm sorry to have made such a racket, Mr. Farnsworth... but I thought something had happened to you." "Yeah, well, something did happen... but it's all right now." " You sure you're feeling all right, sir?" " Yeah." " Oh, yeah, Miss Logan." "I'll go right down." " Mr. Farnsworth, your clothes." " Yeah, I better put on some clothes." " Will you sit down, sir?" " He never batted an eye." " I beg your pardon, sir?" " Remember, people can hear you now." " Oh, yeah, I forgot." "Forgot what, sir?" "Nothing." "But they still can't see you or hear you, huh?" " No." " Who can't see or hear who, sir?" "Nobody." " I was just thinking." " Yes, sir." ""Mr. Farnsworth," he calls me, looking right at me." "How do you do it, Mr. Jordan?" "If there were no mystery left to explore, life would get rather dull, wouldn't it?" "You've got an alibi for everything." "If we can get away with this down there, we're terrific." "You'll get more terrific by the minute, Joe." "Well... taking pretty long, isn't he?" " Perhaps he won't come down at all." " Julia." "So why don't you go?" "There's no help for you." "Your father's in jail to stay." "Mr. Farnsworth." "Bruce." "Hello." "Hello, Miss Logan, I'm glad to see you." "Mr. Farnsworth, I..." "I'd like to speak to you privately." "Yeah, sure, why not?" "How about in there?" "Mrs. Farnsworth looks a little pale around the gills." "She looks like she's gonna..." "She did." "Well, here we are." "Sit down, Miss Logan." "We'll have a little talk." "Mr. Farnsworth, I came here hoping that you'd at least listen to me." "Yeah, sure, of course, I'll listen." "I..." " What's that?" " Your tea, sir." " My tea?" " Yes, sir." "Oh, yeah." "Put it down." "Tea, that's fine." "We have some tea, Miss Logan." "What do you say?" "No, thanks." "Well, you better have some." "You look kind of nervous." "Go on, sit down." "Everything's going to be all right." " How do you like it?" "Straight?" " I don't want any." "All right." "All right." "I just want one thing." "I want you to get my father out of jail." " Yeah, that's right." "He is in jail, isn't he?" " As if you didn't know." "Well, I did but I didn't." " You must know that you put him there." " Well, Farnsworth did." "I mean, you see, I'm not..." "Well, you know how it goes." "For instance, if you want to change overcoats..." " This is hardly the time for jokes." " I'm not joking, Miss Logan." " Then admit it." "You did put my father in jail." " All right, I did." "But I didn't have anything to do with it." "I can explain it to you." " But you'd just think I was balmy." " I don't understand a word you're saying." "I was afraid of that." "Will you sit down, Miss Logan?" "You're just trying to put me off." "You're trying to make a fool out of me." "You think you can laugh me out of it as if I were a child." "Look, your father's going to be all right, Miss Logan." "Another Farnsworth trick." "They told me it was no use coming here to talk to you." " Oh, now, listen." " I knew you were cruel... but to play with people like this and torture them." "Look, Miss Logan, I promise you I'll get your father out." "Joe." "That was great." "I certainly fixed that up." " She likes me a lot." " She will in time." "I'm poison to her." "It won't work." "No use wasting any time inside of Farnsworth." "You better get me out of this, this overcoat..." " and let's get moving, Mr. Jordan." " She is wonderful though, isn't she?" "Yeah." "Yeah, I'd give my right arm if I could help her." "You promised you would, didn't you?" "You can't very well move on until you made good." "Yeah, but there's no use." "I don't even know what to do." "Bruce Farnsworth can do anything he wishes." " I'll have to be leaving you now, Joe." " What?" " My work's piling up." "I have to get back." " But you can't leave me holding the bag." "Not when I'm in a mess like this." "I don't know anything about stocks and finance." "Finance is merely a matter of the heart being in the right place... so you'll be surprised how easily it will all come to you." "Yeah, but couldn't you stick around for just a little while..." " just till I get the hang of things?" " I'll be back whenever you need me, Joe." " Yeah, but..." " Excuse me." "Wait." "Mr. Jordan." "Pardon, sir?" "Mr. Jordan." " Where'd you get that?" " From your bathroom, sir." " I can't imagine how it got there." " Yeah, I put it there." "You put it there, sir?" "No wonder I wasn't getting the breaks." "I didn't have my lucky sax along." "Pardon me, sir, but I never saw that before." "That's it." "Tell that what's-his-name to come down here, will you?" " Who, sir?" " You know, that secretary." " Mr. Abbott?" " Yeah, Abbott." "That's it." " Get him down here right away, will you?" " Yes, sir." "Knew I'd start clicking with you around." "No, I'm fine now." "It gave me cold chills, Tony." " How can he still be alive?" " I was certain he was dead." "I held him under long enough." "And to see him walk into that room, grinning like a hyena..." "It's creepy." "Do you think he knows what we tried to do?" "Impossible." "He was asleep." "Come in." "Pardon me." "Mr. Farnsworth would like to see you immediately, Mr. Abbott." "Very well." "What's that?" " A saxophone, madam." " Well, who's playing it?" " Mr. Farnsworth." " Mr..." "But he doesn't know how to play a saxophone." "He evidently does, madam." "It was in his bathroom, and he put it there." "I'd better go right down." "You sent for me, Mr. Farnsworth?" "Yeah." "What are you looking at?" " I didn't know you played a saxophone." " Yeah, well, a lot of people don't know it." "Even after they see me playing it, they don't know it." "You get used to it after a while." "Are you sure you feel quite well, Mr. Farnsworth?" "Yeah, I feel fine..." " and I'm going to stay that way." " Why, of course." "Now, let's get down to business." "I got something kind of important on my mind." "Oh, I have a memo from Gibbons, sir." "He thinks we should buy 10 million bushels of July wheat." " Oh." "Oh, he does, does he?" " Immediately." "10 million bushels of wheat." " Where'll we put it?" " Have your little joke, sir..." " but surely we can't ignore..." " Well, never mind about that." "I'm only interested in one thing." "That's this Logan business." "I've been talking it over with a friend of mine." " You mean J.B., of course?" " No, no." "Just J." "It doesn't sound so good." "I want to get it straightened out." " I want to get Mr. Logan out of jail." " With fraud pinned on him like this?" "Pinned?" "Well, who pinned it on him?" " Well, naturally..." " Yeah, that's what I thought." "So, let's unpin it." "Anything, only get him out." "Mr. Farnsworth, you realize this places the entire responsibility on your shoulders." "You'll have to buy back every share of that worthless stock..." " and that's impossible." " Well, who's got it?" "Well, actually, small investors all over the country." "Small investors, eh?" "That's nice work." "Buy it back from them." " Give them back every cent they paid for it." " That'll take millions of dollars." " Have I got it?" " Oh, really, sir." " Have I?" " Many times that amount." "All right, let's do it." "Don't you feel you ought to think this over first?" "I've thought it over." "And get this:" "You and I are going to tangle plenty from now on, if you don't watch your step." "So, don't try any funny business." "And stay out of my bathroom." "Get going, Mr. Abbott." " It's practically a stampede." " Hold it, Mr. Farnsworth." " Thank you." " Thanks." "That's the man." "Let's do it." "Mr. Farnsworth, have you any further statement..." " to make on the Logan securities?" " Nothing now, gentlemen." "Mr. Farnsworth is late for his board of directors meeting." " That'll be a hot session." " Please." "Good morning, Mr. Farnsworth." " Good morning, Mr. Farnsworth." " Good morning, Mr. Farnsworth." "Good morning, Mr. Farnsworth." "We'd better go right into the board meeting, sir." "All right, Mr. Farnsworth." "Bruce." " Yeah?" " Do you realize what you've done?" " Oh, you mean the Logan business?" " What's come over you?" "Well, he was innocent, wasn't he?" "So, you had to go and confess your sins publicly?" "'Cause that's what people will read between the lines." "You had to go and make a clean breast of everything before the whole world." " Well, it seemed like the simple way." " Not simple, insane." "You are head of Farnsworth Limited." "If you have private sins, don't make amends in a way... that brings suspicion on this company and every member of this board... and that's what you have done." "Look, by this one idiotic gesture of yours... the panic is on in Farnsworth Limited." "The stock has gone down 20 points overnight." " Look, look." " Wait." "They can't do this to me." "They can't brush me off and give Murdock the nod." " What?" "What is it?" " Nothing." "Leave me alone." "They can't do this to me." "This is my fight." " Mr. Jordan." "Mr. Jordan, where are you?" " Here I am, Joe." "How do you do, Mr. Pendleton?" "Mr. Jordan, you're just the man I needed." "Look at this." " I told you I'd be here if you needed me." " And I need you plenty." "They're trying to dish me out of the title." "Murdock has got to fight me first." "After that, the winner gets a crack at Gilbert." "This is what comes of fooling around with this temporary Farnsworth business." "Look at the spot I'm in now." "You're in no spot whatsoever, Mr. Pendleton." "Why don't you keep out of this?" " Oh, indeed?" " Yes, indeed." "I know perfectly well that you were to have another body." " And what have you done about it?" " Just scoured the world for it, that's all." "Worn myself to the bone, that's all." "And I may say, I've found it." " Now, what do you think of that?" " You..." " What have you found?" " A superb specimen." "A strapping fellow in Australia who'll soon be available." "A motor accident." " What's his weight?" " 192 pounds." " That's good." "What's his reach?" " 78 inches." "Not bad." "Waist, chest, and forearm?" "Great heavens, what difference does that make?" "He's got a waist and a chest and a forearm." "What more do you want?" "I want to know, that's what I want." "While you're fumbling around, the championship's getting away from me." "Well, it won't get very far." "We have found out... that you are actually intended to be the next World's Champion." " Is that a fact?" " Yes, Joe." " How do you know?" " Nothing can prevent it." "I knew it." "I told you." "I told you nothing could stop me." "What are we waiting for?" "Let's take a look at this Australian fellow." " Whenever you're ready, Mr. Pendleton." " I'm ready right now." "Look, Mr. Jordan, I got this Logan business polished off." " I did my part of the bargain, didn't I?" " Yes, you did, Joe." " All right, come on, let's go." " Just as you say." "Excuse me, sir, I thought you were at the meeting." "No, I'm through with the meeting." "I'm through with all that." " I'm getting out of here." " Then you don't want to see Miss Logan?" " Who?" " Miss Logan." "She's waiting." "Sure, sure." "Send her in." " Is this delay necessary, sir?" " And very interesting." "Hello, Miss Logan." "My father's home." "Thank you." "Well, that's fine." "That's fine." "Won't you sit down?" "It was a wonderful thing you did." "Not only for my father, I mean, to give that money back to all those people." "Well, as a matter of fact, that was about the only thing to do, wasn't it?" "I'm sorry I keep on staring at you like this." "That's okay." "I'm doing a little staring myself." "I'm all mixed up." "When I went to see you, I expected so little." "I'd made up my mind about you and I was terribly rude." "I always thought I'd be afraid of you." "But something happened." "You were so different." "Strangely enough, when I was trying to hate you most..." "I couldn't deny there was something warm and friendly..." " even gentle, in the way you smiled." " There was, eh?" "In fact, I didn't come here so much to thank you, as to..." "Because I had to see you again." "Well, that's wonderful." "That's wonderful." "You gotta sit down now." " How long does this drivel go on?" " A little patience." "You know what I told my father this was?" "A miracle." "A miracle?" "Why?" "Well, that a man like Bruce Farnsworth... could actually think the way I was brought up to think about people." "That he could have a real feeling for the happiness of others." "Well, that's as good a way to go through life as any other, isn't it?" "Yes, that's all I meant." "Except, when you find that in somebody, it's a great discovery." "I guess that's why I keep staring." "I can't help it." "I suddenly feel so warm and alive and happy." "It's something in your eyes and what's behind them... that I keep trying to see." " That sounds silly, doesn't it?" " No." " I must go." " No, no, wait." "Great grief." "I know what you mean." "When you make a discovery like that, it's pretty important, isn't it?" "More important than what two people look like..." " or who they are, or anything else." " Of course." "And even if she was a..." "Well, and he could be..." "It wouldn't make any difference what he was." " The other thing is all that matters." " That's how it ought to be." "Goodbye." "Wait." " Will I see you again?" " Yes, of course." "Goodbye." "Thank goodness." "Mr. Pendleton, your time may not be valuable..." "Mr. Jordan, did you hear what she said?" "She was looking at me." "Joe." "She likes me." "Me." " Really, sir, we have to get moving." " Yeah, you said she would." " You said just give her time." " Yes, I did." "Ready, Joe?" "What do you mean?" "Oh." " Yeah, that Australian guy." " If you recall, yes." " Well, wait a minute." "I can't do that now." " Why not?" "Well, don't you see, Mr. Jordan?" "She likes me the way I am." "If I go running off to Australia and pull a switch... just when I get her used to this Farnsworth, I might lose her." "I don't wanna take a chance on that." " Don't you see what I mean?" " Yes." "Look, Mr. Jordan, this Farnsworth was about my age." "He had a pretty good body once." "You said he played polo." "Why couldn't I build him up physically like I did me?" " Why not?" " Yes." " Exercise, plain food, plenty of fresh air." " I'm sure you'd do wonders with him." "Yeah, with my knowledge of fighting, sure I would." "I could get that body in the pink in no time at all... and lick Murdock with it." "Then I got the title and I got her, too." " Mr. Pendleton, is this final?" " You bet it's final." "I'm gonna stay like I am." "As Farnsworth." "If you really are, Joe, you've got a lot of work to do..." " so you better get started." " Yeah." "Thanks, Mr. Jordan." "So long." "Goodbye, you." "I won't have to see you again." " Thank goodness." " Ditto." " Well, that's off my hand." " In a case like this, you can never be sure." "Oh, dear." "Come on, over your head." "Get it up over your head." "That's it." "Get it up over your head." "That's a boy." "Come on, once more now." "That's it." "Bruce!" " What's the matter?" " What's the matter?" "Great heavens, your blood pressure can't stand this sort of thing." "My blood pressure is perfect." " Oh, Sisk, look at you." " I can quite imagine, madam." " He's doing fine." " Get back to your work." "I'm very grateful, madam." "I'll take you for a jog in the morning." "It'll do you good." "Mr. Farnsworth, I must tell you, sir, the board is frantic at your absence." "They've got to have your decision on Herr Carbide... and something has to be done about the P and L debentures." "Yeah, I'll take care of that." "We're going to dump a lot of that stuff." "We got too many fingers in too many pies." "We're gonna do one thing and do it right." " But, Mr. Farnsworth..." " Can't you see I'm busy?" "Tony, I tell you, he's gone mad." " Mr. Farnsworth?" " No." " Who is this gentleman, Sisk?" " Corkle's the name." "Max Corkle." "He said he has an appointment with Mr. Farnsworth." " Yeah." " There must be some mistake." "I'm Mr. Farnsworth's secretary." "You couldn't have an appointment unless I had given it to you." " Well, you don't need to get fancy about it." " Do you mind stating your business?" "Look, I don't know what this is all about." "All I know is I got a telegram from Bruce Farnsworth..." " telling me to come to this address." " Why?" "I don't know why." "Outside of having seen the guy's picture in the paper..." " I wouldn't know him from Adam." " Mr. Corkle?" "Oh, Mr. Farnsworth, this man says he has an appointment with you." "Yeah, would you mind stepping in here a minute, Mr. Corkle?" " In here." " Yes, sir." "Max, you old son of a gun, I'm glad to see you." "How are you?" " You know me?" " Certainly, I know you, you dumb ox." "Well, look, Mr. Farnsworth, I got this telegram..." "Yeah, I know about that." "Take a good look, Max." "Do you know me?" "Sure, I know you." "Everybody knows you, Mr. Farnsworth." "What's the matter with your eyes, you big sap?" "I'm not Farnsworth." "I'm Joe Pendleton." "Your Joe." " You're nuts, Mr. Farnsworth." " Wait a minute now, Max." "I know I don't look like Joe, but I'm him just the same." " And it's your fault." " My fault?" "Yeah, you hadn't been in such a hurry to cremate me..." "I wouldn't be in the jam I'm in now." " I cremated you?" " Well, didn't you?" "Well, take it easy, will you, Mr. Farnsworth?" "It's been kind of hot today, ain't it?" "Oh, no, you don't." "Now, you stay put and listen to me." "You remember the last time I went up in that plane?" "Well, something went flooey and the ship went into a spin... and then one of those guys that goes around collecting people... he pulled a boner." "All the time he thought I was dead, I wasn't dead at all." "He grabbed me off before my time." "And while I'm arguing with him... whether I'm dead or not, you cremate me." "Then they gotta make good." "They gotta get me another body." "Get it?" "Well, sure, sure." "Then everything's fine now, ain't it?" "And all you need is a doctor." " The best one, maybe a specialist." " Now, you stay put and listen to me." "I'm a very busy man, Mr. Farnsworth." "The body they gave me belongs to this other guy." "They drowned him in the bathtub." "Pushed him underneath the water." "Help!" " Having trouble, Joe?" " Mr. Jordan." "I certainly am glad you showed up." "I'm having plenty of trouble." "I can't get anything through this guy's head." "Tell him what happened, will you?" "This is Max Corkle, my manager." "You know, the guy that did me up good." "And this is Mr. Jordan." "You know those collector fellows I was telling you about?" "Well, that's his department." "He's in charge, see?" " Is there somebody with us?" " Yeah." "Mr. Jordan." "Oh." "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Jordan." "Oh, I forgot." "You can't see him." "Well, maybe if I had a good, stiff drink..." "You can't see him because you're not dead yet." "Well, I guess you two fellows have got a lot of business to talk over..." " so I'll be mooching along." " Oh, no, you don't." "Mr. Jordan, I gotta get this through to him." "He's a swell guy." "He's my manager." "I'd be lost in the ring without him." "Make him understand, will you?" "Just let him see you for a minute." " You can do it yourself, Joe." "Try." " I can, eh?" "I'm gonna make you understand if I have to pound you into a jelly." "How would I know about Joe if I wasn't Joe?" " And listen to this, you got 40% of me." " Yes." "Well, thanks." " Since when did you give me that?" " Since that night in Astoria... when you saw me put away Butcher Boy McKenzie." "You said I had color, you said I had what they wanted." "And how's your sister Rosie, and the three kids?" "Have the twins gotten over the measles yet?" " Say, who are you, anyway?" " I'm Joe." "Your Joe." "This is Farnsworth's body because you burned mine, you big stiff." "Wait a minute." "I'll prove it to you." " Do you remember this?" " Hey, that's Joe's." "I gave it to him." "Poor Joe." " Where'd you get that?" " It's mine, I tell you." "Wait, I'll play your favorite tune for you." "You always hit that note sour." "Joe." "It's you." "Joe." "He knows me." "He knows me." "You feel better, Max?" "You sure it isn't a hangover from last night?" "You really are Joe?" "Listen, Max." "Inside, I am Joe." "Outside, I'm Farnsworth." " Hey, is your pal still around?" " Yeah, he's right there." "He is, huh?" "Maybe I'm somebody else, too." "Ask him." "No, don't." "If I'm in somebody else's body, I don't want to know about it." "Max, I want to tell you why I sent for you." "They're talking about matching K.O. Murdock with Gilbert." "Yeah?" "Who did Murdock have to fight before he got a crack at Gilbert's title?" "Joe." "You." "All right." "I want you to fix it for me to fight Murdock." "You're crazy." "K.O. Would never fight Farnsworth." " Tell him what the Registrar discovered, Joe." " Yeah, that's right." " Is he talking again?" " Yeah." "Max, I'm going to let you in on something." "I'm the next champ." "It's in the book." "Nothing can change it." " Is that what he said?" " That's what he said, and he knows." " Will he insure any bets?" " Max, I'm telling you what you got to do." "Oh, yeah, but how am I going to fix it with the Boxing Commission?" " You're a ghost." " I'm no ghost." "I got 50 years to go yet." "It'll be Farnsworth who's doing the fighting." "Can't you get that through your thick head?" "Okay, but Farnsworth, a banker." "They'll throw me right out on my ear." "Look, you go and see Lefty, K.O.'s manager." "Offer him some money, any amount." " Like what?" " What'll it take?" " I don't know. $25,000 at least." " That's a lot of money." "Why, just have your secretary write him a check, Joe." "Yeah, that's right." "Wait a minute." "Watch this." "Hey, Abbott." "Excuse me." "Say, Mr. Jordan, I'd like to have a few words with you, if you don't mind." "It's about Joe." "Maybe you and me could get together on something." "Say, you're here, ain't you?" "Look, if this really is Joe, why, he's sitting pretty with millions." "Now, why should he go and get himself punched silly trying to be a champ?" "What'll it get him?" "Certainly not millions." "The way things stand now, I've got 40% of him." "You heard him say that." "With what he's worth, 40% is okay right now." "Suppose he goes and takes a couple of hard ones on the chin... and goes goofy on me." "Then suppose he forgets who I am, Mr. Jordan." "Then where will I stand?" "Now, here's what I want you to do for me, Mr. Jordan." "I want you to help me get this fight notion out of Joe's head." "Let him stay Farnsworth, like he is." "I'll make it well worth your while." " Talking to yourself, Max?" " Don't do that." "I was just having a little conversation with your friend Mr. Jordan." " A little one-sided, of course." " He's in the other room." "You're cracking up, Max." "Here." "Here's the money." "Go on, do your stuff." "Get down and see Lefty." " Is this good?" " Yeah, it's perfect." "What was that you were saying about my getting the fight notion out of my head?" " What was that all about?" " Well, I'll tell you, Joe." "I was thinking here." "You know this fight game is a bad racket." "Course, if you needed the dough, I'd say all right..." " but when a guy's got millions..." " Listen, you dope." "I don't want any of that Farnsworth money." "I'll make plenty of my own." "You just get me the fights." "I'm going to be champ." " Now, wait a minute, Joe." " Just run along and do as I tell you." "Now, listen, Joe or Farnsworth..." "I got 40% of you, and that ought to give me some say." "You quit arguing." "Get down there and set this fight with that Murdock crowd... and after you get it fixed, give me a call." "I'll wait to hear from you if I have to stay up all night." "Okay." " Is your friend here?" " Yeah." "He's right over there." "Well, pleased to have met you, Mr. Jordan." "Could I drop you somewhere?" "No, come to think of it, I ain't going your way, am I?" "Thanks very much, Mr. Jordan." "That about takes care of everything." " Then you're quite happy?" " Oh, yeah, everything's swell." "I'm getting hard as nails, and then there's Miss Logan." "She's going to stop in here for a few minutes tonight... on her way to the theater." "She got some papers of her father's she wants me to attend to." " She likes me a lot, Mr. Jordan." " Well, that's nice." "Yeah, it's a little gummed up." "I can't even see her." "Here I am, supposed to be married... and she can't visit me, and I can't take her out for the same reason." " People might talk." " You'll work that out, Joe." "Yeah." "Yeah, I gotta make some changes around here." "I gotta make them quick." "Well, I got to get a bath and some rest." "I'm in training, you know." "You don't mind?" "Of course not." "I have to be leaving myself." "Hey, this is something new." "Me walking out on you." " You're not sore, are you?" " Good luck." "Thanks for everything, Mr. Jordan." "A fight manager?" "You're sure?" "Car's still here." "She's been down there with him over an hour." " What's the meaning of it?" " That doesn't matter." "Do you know who this Mr. Corkle is?" "A fight manager." " What?" " $25,000 to arrange a fight." " He intends to enter the ring." " Oh, no, he's not that mad." "What else could it be?" "His gymnasium downstairs, training schedules..." "He's throwing money away in every direction." "Where will it stop, Julia?" "If this keeps up, you'll be a pauper within a month." "Oh, I don't know." "I can't figure it out." "I'll have Abbott take care of these in the morning." "I'll get them all signed and everything, just like your father says." " Don't you worry about it." " Thank you." " You got to go now, huh?" " Well, the car's waiting outside." " I'm a little late." " I wish you didn't." "I could stand here and look at you all night." "I mean, I never saw you done up like that before." " Looks wonderful." " Thank you." "I wish I could stay a little." " Well, couldn't you stay just for a minute?" " I'd like to." "Anyplace but here." "I know how you feel about that, and you're right." "But just for a minute." "So many things I want to ask you and so many things I want to tell you." "Please." " We could have him declared insane." " By the time they brought it to trial... he'd have tossed away every last cent." " Then how are we going to stop him?" " As we tried to before." "Only this time, there'll be no mistake." "I'll see to that tonight." "Look me over." "You see anything?" " Any difference?" " Now, let's see." " Healthier, maybe?" " You look very well." " Sort of in the pink?" " Yes, almost pink." " There you are." "I've been exercising." " Really?" "Yeah, and I mean exercising." "Sparring around, punching the bag, plenty of roadwork, lots of sleep." "You might even call it training." "Well, a certain amount of exercise is fine..." " but why on earth should you be training?" " No, but that's the point." "Did you ever box?" "No, of course you didn't." "But I used to and I liked it a lot." "I thought I'd like to get back in shape again." " What for?" " Well, I..." "I thought I might get an idea." "You know how you get ideas." "I might get a notion that I'd like to do some fighting." " Some real fighting." "Right in the ring." " You're joking." "Well, I'm not bad, you know." "Bruce, you must stop this exercising." "It's gone to your head." " But, listen, I..." " Good night, Bruce." " No, I'm serious about this." " You're not." " Yeah, honest I am." " Bruce Farnsworth, the banker, in the ring?" "Well, I know people would talk, but if I wanted to do it, why couldn't I?" "Except for you, except if you didn't like prizefighting." " Well, I don't know anything about it." " It wouldn't make any difference, would it?" "I mean, you told me the important thing was how people were inside... no matter what they did." " That's still true, isn't it?" " Yes, of course." "What's the matter, Bruce?" "Nothing, I..." "Excuse me a minute." " I really must go." " No, you stay right where you are." "I forgot something." "Don't move now." "You stay there." "What's the idea of popping up like this?" "I thought I saw the last of you." "I had thought so, too." "As you know, I went through Hades to make good my error." " I hoped I'd had the last of it." " Well, what's the idea?" "What's the matter?" "It's very distressing news, Mr. Pendleton." "You can't use Farnsworth's body anymore." " Just what do you mean?" " Just what I say." "But you're crazy." "You told me I was going to be champ." " But not with Farnsworth's body." " Why not?" " It wasn't meant to be that way." " Why not?" "Don't keep saying, "Why not?"" " You must just believe me." " I believe nothing." "You can't pull this on me." "Why don't you guys get together for once?" "Mr. Pendleton, you haven't much more time to stay in Farnsworth." "I'm not even listening." "Mr. Jordan said okay, and this is the way it's going to be." " Oh, dear." " Oh, dear, nothing." "Now you go back and tell whoever's pulling this that there's no soap." "I'm laughing, see?" "Now, get out of here." "And stay out." "You're bad news." "You're always gumming up the works." "Bruce, I really must leave." "Sorry to keep you waiting." "I'll take you to your car." " Something's happened?" " No." "No." "Bruce." " Yeah?" " What's troubling you?" "Nothing, I..." "You gotta believe one thing:" "We got a great life ahead, you and me." "Nobody can take that away from us." " Why are you looking at me like that?" " I'm trying to memorize your face." "I'm trying to memorize everything about you... so that no matter what happens, I won't forget you." " What might happen?" " Now, don't be scared." "Just look at me." " You wouldn't forget me, either, would you?" " No, never." "No, of course, you wouldn't." "But if something did happen..." "No, it won't, though." "It won't." "But supposing..." "You wouldn't forget..." "I mean, the thing you said you saw in me." "You remember you said you saw something in my eyes?" "Well, if someday, somebody came up to you... it might even be a fighter, and acted like he'd seen you someplace before... you'd notice the same thing in him." "Even if you thought you did, you'd give him a break... 'cause he might be a good guy." "I don't understand you." "I'm just crazy." "Don't mind me." "I never want to lose you." "That's all I'm trying to say... and I'm never going to." "Good night." "Joe, I'll have to talk to you." "What do you want, Mr. Jordan?" "It isn't true, is it?" "About giving up Farnsworth." "You're not going to ask me to do that now, are you?" " It's not up to me, my boy." " But, why, why?" "Now that we've got everything going great, after all the trouble we've been in?" " I can't give up Farnsworth now." " Joe." " You told me I was going to be champ." " You will be, but on another road." "But why not as Farnsworth?" "I got his body in the pink." "Max is out getting the fight." " I'm all ready." "Why not as Farnsworth?" " Because it wasn't meant to be that way." "That's no answer." "On the contrary, it's the perfect answer." "But there's Bette." "I love her and she loves me as Farnsworth." "You can't ask me to give her up and forget her now." "No, if that was meant to be, it will be." "I can't believe anything you tell me now." "Yeah?" "Max?" "I knew it." "It is?" "When?" "That's great." "Yeah, no." "No, not tonight." "See me tomorrow." "Make it early, will you?" "Nice work, Max." "You see, Mr. Jordan, Max has got the fight with Murdock." "It's all settled." " I can't switch now." " You haven't much time." "Don't talk like that." "Listen, Mr. Jordan." "Just let me get through this fight, work it out somehow with Bette." " Give me a little time." "You can fix it." " There's no time left at all now, Joe." "Then I say no." "No, you're not going to play tricks with my life again." "I am going to stay like I am." "You cannot change the course of your destiny." "We'll see about that." "You think you can pry me loose from Farnsworth... you go ahead and try it." " Something's holding me back." "I can't move." " Sorry, Joe." " Let me go, will you?" " You wouldn't get very far." " Let me go and I'll show you." " Very well." "And, now, goodbye, Mr. Jordan." "It was them two." "Call the police." "Mr. Jordan." " Mr. Jordan." " Don't fight, Joe." "Leave Farnsworth." "This is it, huh?" "And Farnsworth, what's going to happen to him now?" "Just earthly remains for them to dispose of now." "And me, Mr. Jordan?" "Me, Joe Pendleton?" "Why, you and I will be moving again, Joe, and searching." "Mr. Jordan, Bette." "Don't fight, Joe." "Leave Farnsworth." "Now, we've got him on our hands again." "Oh, dear me." "The major-domo." "Good morning, my good man." "Tell the master of the house that Old Faithful is here with glad tidings." "Mr. Corkle, I'm sorry, but Mr. Farnsworth is not at home." " How come?" " It seems he went out last night... and never returned." " Went out?" "Where'd he go?" " I don't know, sir." "It's all very strange." "He left no word and took no clothing of any kind with him." "Say, what is all this?" "What's going on around here?" "He was to meet me here early." "He wouldn't run out on me like that." "Mr. Corkle, evidently Mr. Farnsworth changed his mind about fighting." "Evidently you don't know what you're talking about." "He might change his mind about everything else, but not that." "I know." "I'd advise you to drop the matter until Mr. Farnsworth sends for you." "Drop nothing." "There's something awful fishy about this, and I'm going to find out what it is." "For four days now, no sign of him." "They can't kid me." "He's disappeared, and I think it's foul play... because Mr. Farnsworth wants to see me, and if he could, he would." "Now, what I want you to do is to check every hotel, railroad, hospital, and morgue." "Oh, listen." "Listen, Lefty, you must listen." "Now, look, all the police in the country are looking for him." "They've gotta find him." "Give me one more day." "No, it's off, Max." "Murdock and me ain't waiting for no screwball millionaire." "Murdock's fighting Gilbert on the seventh." "There goes my fight." "Fine mess you got me into." " Weeks now and no body yet." " Joe, you won't be cheated." "In the final reckoning, everything will be accounted for." "...still unsolved." "Read all about it." "Farnsworth disappearance still unsolved." "Police again questioning principals." "More questioning." "They'll be dragging Bette in again." "You wanted to see the fight." "Shall we go in?" "Hey, wait." "My saxophone." "That's why everything's going wrong." " I left it at Farnsworth's." "Let's go get it." " Now?" " Yeah." "We got time before the fight." " Very well, Joe." "Last time I remember it, it was on the piano." "I've called you all together again because I want to go over every step... since the night Mr. Farnsworth disappeared." "Now, we better start all over." "Maybe I missed something." "Maybe somebody forgot something, but I'm going to crack this case." "Then you better call in Houdini." "Miss Logan." "You said it was approximately 8:30 when you left Mr. Farnsworth that night?" "Yes." "And you brought some papers for him to sign?" " Yes, for my father." " Hey, Joe." "Joe, are you here?" "Oh, Joe." "And you haven't heard from Mr. Farnsworth since..." " by telephone or in any way?" " No." "Come on, Joe." "Where are you?" "Oh, Joe, be a good guy, will you?" "I ain't slept in three weeks." "Look, I'm losing weight." "Hey, Joe, you ain't on the end of the old sax, are you?" "Come on, Joe, who are you now?" "Give me a break, will you?" "Oh, come on." "Give me a break, will you?" "Corkle, exactly what do you think you're doing?" " Looking for Joe." " Who's Joe?" " He might be anybody." "I don't know." " Maybe we'd better call the psychopathic." "Corkle, are you going to shut up and sit down?" "Okay, but if Joe or his pal Jordan are around here, I'm gonna find them." "Wait a minute." "Just who is this Jordan?" "He's the guy that put Joe in Farnsworth's body." " I warned you about that goofy talk, Corkle." " All right." "All right." "Well, when you last saw him what was he doing?" "He was arguing with some guy from heaven." "Well, that's what you'll be doing if you don't stop this clowning." "Clowning?" "After what I've been through?" "And what do I end up with?" "40% of a ghost." "That's 40% of nothing." "And I can't even find that." "Sorry, Max." "Inspector Williams, we'll accomplish nothing here." "I can only repeat that my husband's disappearance... is neither mysterious nor does it surprise me in the least." "When you consider his actions for several weeks previous... giving away his money, planning on entering prizefighting." " He was obviously insane." " He was nothing of the kind." "I knew him better than any of you." " He was fine and generous." " Don't cry, Bette." "I can explain those tears, Inspector." "The last time I spoke to Mr. Farnsworth, he told me that he loved Miss Logan... that he wanted to marry her, and asked me to divorce him." "I see." "Aha!" "You can say "aha" again." "It won't get you anywhere." "Quiet." "Miss Logan." "If he were alive, you feel sure he'd communicate with you?" " I know he would." " You bet I would." "Look, for the last time, you think you're hunting for Farnsworth... and you're really hunting for Joe." " Farnsworth's dead." " I knew it." "In fact, if you wanna know... he was drowned in the bathtub by his wife and that guy there six weeks ago." " You're mad." " Hold it." "So, Mr. Farnsworth was drowned in his bathtub, huh?" "Yes." " Six weeks ago?" " Right." " But he's only been missing three weeks." " I don't care." "That's what he told me." " Who told you?" " Joe..." "Farnsworth." "Just when did he tell you this?" "Before or after he was drowned?" " After." " After." " Get hold of him, boys, he's violent." " What?" "What's the matter with you guys?" "Let go of me." "Inspector Williams, he was murdered." "I'm sure of it." "Well, then, where's the body?" " Where did they put me, Mr. Jordan?" " In the basement refrigerator." "All right, boys." "Well, how about some suggestions, Corkle?" "You've got a lot of ideas about everything else." " Where's the body?" " Ask them." "I will." "Well?" "Why, naturally, we cut it up, stuffed it in a trunk..." " flew it out over the Atlantic..." " Stop it!" "Stop it!" "They're killing her, Mr. Jordan." "I can't stand it." " Then let's leave, Joe." "Take your saxophone." " What, leave Bette?" " Well, the fight's about to begin." " But I can't walk out on her this way." " Wait a minute, will it be on the radio?" " It's on now." "Well, then I can hear it." "I'd like to ask you a few questions, Mr. Abbott." "That's your privilege." "You say you last saw him down here when Miss Logan arrived with those papers?" "That's correct, Inspector." " How can I turn it on?" " Mr. Corkle will..." " if you'll concentrate on him." " Yeah?" "Max, turn on the radio." "Max, turn on the radio." "Max, you turn on that radio." "Go on, Max." "Go ahead." "Max." "...fighting with his left, getting the range." "Gilbert misses a right, Murdock comes back..." " Corkle, turn off that radio." " Yeah?" "Well, you kept me from seeing the fight, dragging me over here..." " but I'm going to listen." " ...another one." "Murdock wades in." "Gilbert goes into a clinch." "The referee has them apart." "Gilbert misses with the left." "Murdock throws a right to Gilbert's head." "A left to the body and a right to the body." "Murdock is crowding Gilbert into the ropes." "He shoots over a right cross." "There's a hard left jolt to the chin." "Another right, another left." "Lightning punches that hit their mark like bullets." "Gilbert shoots one high to Murdock's head, but it glances off." "Murdock comes back with a right and left to the body." " Gilbert..." " That Murdock's a great fighter, Joe... and you know it in your heart, you'd even like to be like him." "Who, me?" "Another right to the head." "Gilbert swings wild." "Murdock!" "Murdock's staggered, and all of a sudden Murdock's quit." "I don't get it." "Gilbert didn't even touch him." "That wild punch only grazed..." " What could have happened?" " ...the side of Murdock's head." " What's going on here?" " I don't believe it." "Murdock was going like a buzz saw." "Why should he fold?" "He was shot, Joe." "Gilbert is belting him all over the ring." " Shot?" " By gamblers from the ringside... because he wouldn't throw the fight." "He told them and Lefty that he would throw it." "Otherwise, they wouldn't have given him a chance at the championship..." " but once he got in the ring..." " So they shot him." "Murdock keeps stumbling and weaving." "Murdock, one of the cleanest guys in the game." "And Gilbert is swarming all over him, cutting him to ribbons." "He's down, Murdock's down." "He finally dropped." " He's dead." " Dead?" " I wish I could finish that fight for him." " You can, Joe." " You mean, I could take Murdock's..." " We've just got time to make it." "Come." "Three, four, five... six, seven, eight, nine." "He's up at the count of nine." "Murdock is up." "Full of fight." "One minute, lying there like a dead man." "Now on his feet like a dynamo." "It's amazing." "And Gilbert's down." "The referee's counting." "One, two, three, four... five, six, seven... eight, nine." "You're out." " What a scrap." " The winner and new champion. ;" "Ralph Murdock." "This fight, ladies and gentlemen, will go down in history... as one of the most sensational encounters of all times." "What's that Murdock's taking off of the ring post in his corner?" "A saxophone." " What?" " Imagine that." "I didn't notice it there before." "Saxophone?" "It's gone." "It was right here." "I touched it." "He took it." "He was in this room." " Corkle, what's come over you now?" " That was Joe." "That was Farnsworth." " Mr. Corkle, what do you mean?" " I mean that, that was Joe Farnsworth." "Joe, that you're nuts about." "He was here." " Corkle, will you pull yourself together?" " Let me out of here." " Where are you going?" " I'm following that saxophone." "Grab him, boys!" "Greatest fight of your life, K.O. I'm proud of you." " Give us a statement, Murdock." " All right, boys." "All right, all right, now." "Get them out of here, will you?" "Get the mob out of here." " Yes, you'll get the story, yes." " You're champ, K.O." " This guy, Murdock, is the best." " I'll say you are." "Not me." "Murdock." " How did this get in the ring?" " Here, give me that." " You didn't have it when you climbed in." " I always have that at all my fights." "Sure, sure." "He's always got it at all his fights." " What a night, K.O. You're the champ." " Yeah, you're in the dough." "Murdock's not gonna fight anymore." "What are you talking about?" "Why, you're perched on top of the world." "I'm not perched anywhere." "I don't even know where I'm going from here." "He's woozy." "Yeah, it was the punch he took when he went down for the nine-count." "Punch, my eye." "Gilbert didn't even lay a glove on him." "What made you drop, K.O.?" "Get out of my way." " Listen, I got to get up here, see?" " What do you want in here, Corkle?" "Murdock, where'd you get that saxophone?" " Get him out of here." " Come on." "Let him in." " What's Corkle got to do with you?" " Plenty, Lefty." "Come on, get out of here." "You and the rest of them." "Get out." "How do you get that way?" "I'm your manager." "And a fine crooked manager you turned out to be." "Get out of here before I throw you out." "I'll ask you again, Murdock, where did you get this sax?" "Max, don't you ever know me?" " Are you?" "Are you?" " Yeah." "Yeah." "Yeah." " Joe." " No, Max, don't faint, don't faint, don't faint." "I know, I know, but what are you doing in Murdock's body?" "I just took Murdock's body to help him out." "He was shot." "Look." "Joe, what kind of a body is this to pick?" " I better get a doctor." " No, no, no, it's nothing." "It's nothing." " Nothing, you say with a bullet in you?" " How many times have I gotta tell you?" "The bullet's in Murdock's body, and as soon as Mr. Jordan comes..." "I'm gonna get out of it." " Excuse me, Murdock." " Now, Corkle... where's that saxophone you've been following?" "Here it is, right here." " There's the guy you're looking for." " So, now I'm looking for Murdock?" " Only that's Farnsworth." " Oh, it's Farnsworth?" "Don't try to kid me." "I know Farnsworth." "I know you do, but he's not using Farnsworth's body." " But whose body is he using?" " Murdock's." "Only he ain't Murdock." "He's really Joe Pendleton." "Holy cats!" "Oh, listen, calm down, will you?" "Maybe we'll clear up the whole case for you." "I told you Farnsworth was killed by Mrs. Farnsworth and Tony Abbott." " But where's the body?" " Body?" "What body?" "Max, take a look at this for me, will you?" "Thanks, kid." "That's all right, all you need... is a little hunk of plaster on there after you've had your shower." "Where's the body?" "Tell him to look in the basement icebox." "Oh, that's fine." "That's the only mark on you." "Never laid a glove on him, never heard such a fight in my life." "I would have given anything to have been there." "In that fifth round, do you remember?" "Where's the body?" "Take a look in the basement icebox." "That settles it, Corkle, you're coming down to headquarters." " Now, you lay off him." " You keep out of this, Murdock." "Now, wait a minute." "Wait a minute." "Take a look in the basement, can't you?" "And if it ain't there, I'll go any place you say." "Fair enough?" "All right." "Come on, Chuck." "This is going to make me look like an idiot, but we'll call up the Farnsworths." " Joe, if it hadn't been for you..." " Mr. Jordan, how are you?" " I'm glad to see you." " Hello, Joe." " Joe, is he here again?" " Yeah." "Would you mind waiting outside a minute?" "I wanna talk to him." "Sure." "Sure." "Well, I'm pleased to have seen you again, Mr. Jordan." "Mr. Jordan, I'm glad you came here." "How'd you like the fight?" "That was a nice job, Joe." "You made Murdock very happy." " He was told how it came out." " Oh, that's swell." "You fought beautifully, cleanly, scientifically." " You make it an art." " Thanks." " Back in my old form again." " This is your niche, Joe." "This is where you belong, where you were meant to be." " World Champion." " Oh, no, not me." "Murdock is." "I don't mind helping him out, Mr. Jordan, but now get me out of this." " Joe." " Yeah?" "You remember I said you wouldn't be cheated?" " Yeah." " Nobody is, really." "Eventually all things work out." "There's design in everything." "You were meant to be champion." "You are." "You and Murdock are one." "You belong to each other." "This is your destiny, Joe." "You're back on your own road." "Yeah, but wait a minute." "You're forgetting about Bette." " What good is anything if I haven't got her?" " That is a chance you have to face, Joe... no matter whose body you take." "Wasn't that true from the moment you left Farnsworth?" " Yeah." "Yeah, I forgot." "I..." " Don't worry, Joe." "You'll have everything that was ordained for you." "I don't like it, Mr. Jordan." "I want to find something..." "I mean, I want to be something besides just a plain fighter... even though Murdock is a champ and a swell guy." "But it's like I told you, Murdock is the champ, not me." "No, I don't like it." "If it's all the same to you, Mr. Jordan... you and I'll keep going till we find the right guy." "Will you ever be sure he's the right guy, Joe?" "Of course I will." "You wait till I get a shower and get some clothes on... and you and I'll get started." "I'll be right with you, Mr. Jordan." "This is your road, Joe." "From now on, you're K.O. Murdock." "There'll be no more memory of Joseph Pendleton." "And everything is going to be all right." "Chief, Chief, Pierce found it." "Farnsworth's body in the basement icebox." "Holy mackerel!" "You knew what you were talking about, didn't you?" " Sounds like it, don't it?" " Call Pierce back." "Tell him to arrest Mrs. Farnsworth and Abbott." " Tell him to send the body to the morgue." " No, no, no!" "Don't touch it." " Joe's liable to need that body." " Yeah, don't touch it." "Joe's liable to..." "Come on, Chuck." " What goes on here, anyhow?" " Hey, stay out of there, you guys." " K. O..." " Well, where is he?" "There." "There he is." "Hey, what's the row?" "They found Farnsworth's body just like you said." "I don't get it." "I don't know any Farnsworth." "Sure you do." "The guy that was killed." "Hey, where is he?" " Who?" " Mr. Jordan." "What Jordan?" "Oh, no, don't give me no answers like that." "You're out of your mind, Corkle." "Stop bothering K.O. And get out of here." "Why don't someone take that Corkle to a hospital?" "What do you mean, take me to a hospital?" "He's the one that ought to go to a hospital." " He's got fever." "He was shot." " Who was shot?" "Where is it?" " Where's what?" " The bullet hole." " He showed it to me." " Are you crazy?" "Come on, hurry up will you, Bugsy?" "I gotta get out of here." "I'm going around again." "It's that guy Jordan." " What did he do to you, Joe?" " What are you calling me Joe for?" "Look at me." "Take a good look." " Don't you know me?" " Yeah, I think so." " Well, who am I?" " Don't you know?" "I got my doubts." "You tell me." "You're Corkle, Max Corkle." " Who are you?" " K.O. Murdock." "What's the matter with him?" "Do you..." "Do you know Joe Pendleton?" "Yeah, sure." "Killed in an airplane crash." "Yeah, that's right." "That was a tough break." "Nice fellow, strictly on the level." "Certainly was." "I understand you are, too." " How'd you like to manage me, Corkle?" " How do you get that way?" "Lefty, I made up my mind after this Gilbert deal, you and me were through." "Yeah?" "Well, I'm not letting you go." "I got a contract." "You wouldn't want me to tell the whole world you were crooked, would you, Lefty?" "Funny you had turned up at just the right time, Corkle." "You and me are going to do all right." " Yeah, I..." " I got to be running along." "Hey, where are you going?" "I don't remember exactly." "Hey, Joe..." "K.O., is this thing yours?" "Yeah." "I guess so." " Take care of it for me, will you, Corkle?" " Yeah, sure." "Hey, what's the matter with you?" "You look like you had a bad dream." "Come on." "Snap out of it." "We're gonna do all right, Maxie." " Excuse me." " I'm sorry." " You looking for somebody?" " Yes, Mr. Corkle." "They said he might be in Mr. Murdock's dressing room." "Don't I know you?" "I don't think so." "No, I guess not." "I thought for a minute I did." "Funny how sometimes you feel you know people." "Yes." " Is that the way to the dressing room?" " Yeah." " Did you like the fight?" " I didn't see it." " Oh." " But I heard it over the..." " Your eye is hurt." " It's nothing." "It's just a little swollen." " It's all red." " It doesn't hurt." " I'm Murdock." "Ralph Murdock." " Oh?" " And you're..." " Logan." "Bette Logan." " Hello." " How do you do?" "Glad to know you." " You interested in the fight game?" " I knew a man who was." " Do I know him?" " Bruce Farnsworth." "Oh, yeah, they were telling me about him." " He was killed." " Yes." " I'm sorry." "Was he a friend of yours?" " I loved him." " That's too bad." " Yes, but I don't know why..." "Maybe it was the kindest thing." "He was so troubled." "I..." "I don't seem to feel..." " What did you do that for?" " Your bandage was loose." "I didn't mean to." "Well, it felt kind of good." "You know, you were looking at me just now." "It..." "You were kind of looking right through my eyes." " What's that?" " Oh, don't be scared." "It's just a warning." "All lights out." "In the darkness, your voice sounded like I'd heard it someplace before." "I couldn't remember where." "You didn't feel that, did you?" "Well, yes." "I felt I was standing high up looking out over the sea... and someone was swimming toward me, shouting something." "Something I felt I'd heard long ago." " And I said, "Don't be scared."" " Oh, did you?" "People are always thinking they knew someone before in another existence." "You know, I had a feeling tonight I was in a hurry to meet somebody I knew." "I..." "There's a little place around the corner." "Nice little place called Mike's... where I go after the fights." "You wouldn't want to..." "No, I..." "I guess you wouldn't want to tonight, feeling the way you do about him." " I guess not, huh?" " What was it he said?" "If I were to meet a fighter, I was to..." "I'd love to go with you, Mr. Murdock." "So long, Champ."