Paws & Tales

Gooz: Hey everyone, Gooz here for Paws & Tales. I think it's time for you to become famous and I have just the plan to get all rolling. Pop over to pawsandtales.org and download one of the radio scripts we have there. Record yourself on your parent's phone reading it like you're a real actor. We have several scripts for you to choose from.

Then, just have your parents go to pawsandtales.org and head on into the clubhouse and upload it there. We'll use some of them inside an actual episode. So record it serious or record it silly, we're going to love it either way. Get your radio script at pawsandtales.org and let's start your new career as a radio announcer to the world.

Guest (Male): Welcome to the world of Paws & Tales. Wild Mountain can be a pretty dangerous place. If you stay on the trails and stick with me, there's adventure to be had there too.

Guest (Female): Come on, CJ, jump!

Guest (Male): It's too far!

Guest (Female): It wasn't too far for me!

Insight for Living: Insight for Living is proud to present Paws & Tales.

Officer Hunt: Howdy and welcome to Wildwood. The talk in town today is all about Officer Hunt's latest case, a real whodunit. It all started with a call from Captain Reginald Horatio. Valuable cargo was disappearing from his ship, the Shilo, and he couldn't catch the thief. Officer Hunt went down to the wharf to talk to the captain.

Officer Hunt: When did you first notice cargo missing from the Shilo?

Captain Reginald Horatio: About three months ago. A crate of spices could not be accounted for. I didn't think much of it at the time. Cargo often gets misplaced, you know.

Officer Hunt: But the disappearances continued?

Captain Reginald Horatio: Yes. The second time it was two bundles of imported fabric, then a crate of fine china, a chest of jewelry, foodstuffs, silverware, clothing.

Officer Hunt: So why did you wait until now to call me?

Captain Reginald Horatio: I wanted to handle it internally, not make a big fuss about it. The problem is we're scheduled to pick up a large shipment of gold next week. If it's stolen, I'm ruined.

Officer Hunt: Do you have any suspects?

Captain Reginald Horatio: I'm afraid not.

Officer Hunt: Well, I'll need all the information you have on your crew and the dock workers that offload the Shilo and...

William: Excuse me, Captain.

Captain Reginald Horatio: What is it, William?

William: Begging your pardon, sir. I couldn't help but overhear. I know the one you're looking for. His name is Slade.

Officer Hunt: Slade. Sounds familiar.

William: A timber wolf, about your size with whiskers. Wears a black eyepatch, knit cap, navy pea coat. Hangs out at the Bag of Nails on the wharf, always snooping around, sticking his nose where it don't belong.

Captain Reginald Horatio: That hardly makes him a thief.

William: Oh, he's a thief all right. Seen him pickpocket with my own eyes, I have. Heard he lurks around the warehouses at night too. Slade's your man, mark my words.

Officer Hunt: I appreciate the tip.

William: Just thought you should know. I'll be getting back to the heave-ho then.

Officer Hunt: What do you know about him, Captain?

Captain Reginald Horatio: William? A bit slow, crusty around the edges, but a good sailor. Does volunteer work in town. Soup kitchen, I think. He could be right about Slade.

Officer Hunt: It's the only lead we've got. I'll see what I can dig up.

Captain Reginald Horatio: Are you a praying man, Officer Hunt?

Officer Hunt: Not as much of one as I should be, I suppose.

Captain Reginald Horatio: Me either of late, sad to say. I should have been praying about this thief all along instead of waiting until things got so bad.

Officer Hunt: That's the way most of us are, I'm afraid.

Captain Reginald Horatio: Aye, but I'll be praying for your success just the same and that God's will be done.

Officer Hunt: Thank you, sir. I appreciate it.

Miss Harbor: Good morning, Mr. Montgomery, Matilda.

Matilda: Ain't you looking nice today, deary? A regular flower, lovely as a rose.

Miss Harbor: Matilda.

Matilda: Well, facts is facts. The homeless shelter ain't exactly a bouquet of smiling faces, but you always manage one. A lung of fresh air you are. Ain't he, Mr. Montgomery?

Mr. Montgomery: Well, now that you bring it up, Matilda, I agree. Since you've started teaching here, Miss Harbor, I've noticed a marked improvement in the residents' attitudes. I hope you're enjoying your work.

Miss Harbor: Oh, very much so. But I think Matilda's taught the residents here more than I have. She seems to know something about everything.

Matilda: Oh, go on.

Mr. Montgomery: Now, don't be modest, Matilda. Remember the leak we had under the kitchen?

Matilda: Twarn't nothing.

Mr. Montgomery: Nothing? She excavated the basement, installed a new subfloor, and replumbed the entire system, Miss Harbor.

Miss Harbor: Let's see. That would make you a plumber, a carpenter, and an automotive engineer.

Mr. Montgomery: Automotive engineer?

Miss Harbor: Matilda's going to teach me how to tune up the shelter's truck this afternoon.

Mr. Montgomery: Well, it seems there's no end to both your interests. I must say, the sight of you up to your elbows in grease is something I'd like to see.

Miss Harbor: Why don't you join us?

Mr. Montgomery: It's very tempting, but I can't. I have business that will keep me away all day.

Miss Harbor: Some other time then.

Mr. Montgomery: Absolutely. You can teach me what Matilda has taught you. Meanwhile, I expect to hear a full report on your lesson tomorrow morning.

Miss Harbor: Oh dear, you may be disappointed. I'm afraid I'm not very mechanical.

Mr. Montgomery: Nonsense. I have a feeling that you can do whatever you put your mind to, Miss Harbor. I'm very glad you're here, both of you. Good day, ladies.

Matilda: Get a load of that, will you? You can do whatever you put your mind to. I'm very glad you're here.

Miss Harbor: What?

Matilda: He's sweet on you, that's what.

Miss Harbor: Matilda!

Matilda: You'd have to be blind as a moth to miss it. Make a fine catch too, handsome bachelor like that. Twenty years ago and thirty pounds ago, I'd have gone after him myself. Well, duty calls. Another needy soul looking for a bit of breakfast, I suppose.

Miss Harbor: Why doesn't anyone come to the front door?

Matilda: Too ashamed, I suspect. Can't say as I blame them. Pride is about all that some of these homeless folks have left, deary.

William: Oi, over here, me!

Guest (Male): Looking for someone? I say, you look like you're looking for someone.

William: No, I'm just making sure the place is safe, that's all.

Guest (Male): Safe? The Bag of Nails? You've got to be kidding.

William: Shows what you know, eh? All right then. Safe enough for what? For this.

Guest (Male): Oi, I say, nice pearl necklace, William. Are they real?

William: Of course they're real. Mind the irregular texture and silvery luster. Prime merchandise these are. What do you say, gents? Any takers?

Guest (Male): How much?

William: Two hundred. Don't be so cheap. Well, well. Look what just washed ashore.

Slade: Out of my way.

William: Not so fast, Slade.

Slade: Let them alone, William.

William: I'm going to have to have a little talk with Slippers. This used to be a respectable place, but now he's letting all sorts of riff-raff in.

Slade: The only riff-raff I see is standing in front of me, William. Now get out of my way before I knock you out of my way.

William: You'll try!

Slippers: Break it up! Break it up! What clobbered both of you? You saw him, Slippers. He started it. He jumped me first. Everyone saw him.

Slade: That's a lie.

Slippers: Get out of here, Slade. I was minding my own business. You heard me. Take a swim, cool off.

Slade: Yeah, sure, fine. I don't want any trouble.

Slippers: And you back off too, William.

William: All right, Slippers. All right.

Slippers: Everyone back to the tables. Go on. Go on, Pops. Tickle them keys. You all right, William?

William: Fine, fine. Just needed to teach that hooligan a lesson, that's all.

Guest (Male): Looked like he was the one doing the teaching.

William: No, that jack-tar never laid a finger on me. He's all talk. Oh, I guess he taught that bruise right onto your chin, eh? Forget about him. Let's get back to the merchandise. So what do you say, gents? Who wants to surprise your lady with a nice string of... what's the matter? They're gone! My pearls are gone!

Guest (Male): What?

William: They were right here in my pocket before. Why, that stinking, rotten Slade! He lifted them! He stole my pearls!

Areya Sunshine: Hi, I'm Areya Sunshine from North Carolina. You know what I like to listen to the most? Paws & Tales, of course. There's more Paws & Tales coming right up.

Gooz: So Dave, notice anything really new and really, really nice?

Guest (Male): Dave says that the new Christmas swag bag?

Gooz: Yes, as a matter of fact, it is. A fashionable drawstring backpack filled with a Paws & Tales t-shirt, a ball cap, a very special pen made from a tree branch, and one of our activity coloring books.

Guest (Male): All of that can be under your tree for Christmas!

Gooz: Just jump over to pawsandtales.org and get one for your Christmas Paws & Tales fan.

Matilda: Morning, Miss Harbor. Working early again, are we?

Miss Harbor: Teachers are only as good as they are prepared, Matilda.

Matilda: Reminds me of Mr. Montgomery's dedication to the shelter. Working every hour of the day and night. You're two peas in a pod you are.

Miss Harbor: Oh, you're not going to start in again on what a fine husband he'd make, are you?

Matilda: Farthest thing from my mind, deary. But now that you brought it up.

Miss Harbor: Matilda.

Matilda: Now, just between us girls, come on.

Miss Harbor: Well, he is handsome. I'll grant you that.

Matilda: Yes, yes.

Miss Harbor: But I mean, I hardly know anything about him. For example... oh dear, someone at my back door and just when it was getting juicy. We'll have to take up our chat just a little bit later then, okay?

Miss Harbor: That Matilda. That Matilda. Okay, let's see now. Supply room, that way. Oh, this must be it.

Miss Harbor: Oh!

Mr. Montgomery: Miss Harbor!

Miss Harbor: Oh, Mr. Montgomery, I'm so sorry. I...

Mr. Montgomery: Can I help you?

Miss Harbor: Oh dear. The supply room. I was looking...

Mr. Montgomery: This is my office. The supply room is down the hall.

Miss Harbor: My apologies. I'm afraid I'm rather confused.

Mr. Montgomery: You're in awfully early.

Miss Harbor: Well, yes. The classroom needs to be restocked and I always like to be prepared. Matilda tells me you're an early riser too.

Mr. Montgomery: Oh, well, yes. Always chasing loose ends, putting out fires, that kind of thing. Let me show you to the supply room.

Miss Harbor: Thank you.

Mr. Montgomery: I keep my office under lock and key like all the other rooms. There's a history of things disappearing around here.

Miss Harbor: Oh, that's dreadful.

Mr. Montgomery: So, shall we? Forgive me for startling you. Sometimes I just get so wrapped up in my work, you know. Say, how about joining me for a cup of hot tea?

Captain Reginald Horatio: Yes, William, come in. Officer Hunt has something to tell you.

William: Oh?

Officer Hunt: Yes. These look familiar?

William: My pearl necklace!

Officer Hunt: I found it in Slade's pocket. Caught him red-handed and took him into custody. Looks like you were right about him.

William: I knew it!

Officer Hunt: He's now resting comfortable behind bars, so it seems the mystery of the vanishing cargo has been solved, thanks to you.

Captain Reginald Horatio: My congratulations as well, William. Well done.

William: You can count on me anytime, Cap. Glad to be of service.

Officer Hunt: And so the investigation is officially closed.

Captain Reginald Horatio: Not a moment too soon either. The Shilo sails in four bells for the gold.

Slippers: Keep your frills on, I'm coming. What you want then?

Slade: Got me a package, Miss Tillie?

Matilda: All right, all right, here you go. Now off with you now.

Slade: Be seeing you, Miss Tillie.

Matilda: One ring next time! I ain't deaf yet! Another visitor! Miss Harbor! Scared the breath right out of me.

Miss Harbor: I'm sorry. I've been looking for you.

Matilda: Well, you should have tried the basement. Just come up from preparing care packages. Going to be a cold one tonight and the street folks have been coming around, you know, for blankets and such things like that.

Miss Harbor: We had an auto repair lesson, remember?

Matilda: Oh, forgot all about it. Not to worry. Truck's parked right out back, we'll get started straight away.

Miss Harbor: I've been reading the carburetor manual. It's rather technical.

Matilda: Miss Harbor, first things first. Let's just start with the spark plugs today, deary.

Officer Hunt: As planned, Captain Reginald set sail on the Shilo for a week's voyage to pick up the gold, a treasure chest of 562 coins. On the night of the seventh day, he returned to Tranquility Bay just as the evening fog rolled in. With the Wildwood Bank scheduled to receive the gold in the morning, Captain Reginald got busy in his cabin preparing the necessary paperwork when...

Captain Reginald Horatio: Yes, what is it, William?

William: Cap, sir! The gold! Cap, it's gone!

Zane: Hi, I'm Zane from Ontario. Don't go away, there's more Paws & Tales coming right up.

Gooz: Do you know what's the biggest problem?

Guest (Male): I guess I don't.

Gooz: What to wear! I get so excited about going to school that I don't plan stuff out very well. I wore my shirt on backwards last week, don't you know?

Guest (Male): Here is one of our newly made Paws & Tales t-shirts. It has the Paws & Tales logo on the front so you'll never be confused and wear it backwards.

Gooz: It will be so great if people could just go on to pawsandtales.org and order one.

Guest (Male): Gooz, I think you're a genius.

Officer Hunt: Things didn't look good for Captain Reginald. The theft of the gold shipment would surely put him out of business. After saying a quick prayer, he ran off to find Officer Hunt, leaving William alone aboard ship to gloat.

That's right, William was the thief all along. As soon as Horatio was gone, the thief and crewman packed up his belongings in anticipation of a clean getaway. Or so he thought.

William: Bamboozled the whole lot of them. A bunch of fools, that's what they are. Reginald, Hunt, and Slade.

Slade: Is that a fact, Slade? I'd stay perfectly still if I was you, William. My trigger finger is right itchy tonight.

William: How did you get out of jail?

Slade: I have my ways. Did you really think I'd let you get away with it? Let me be the fall guy while you get the gold?

William: Slade, I...

Slade: Where is it?

William: I don't...

Slade: I'm not going to ask you twice, William. Take me to the gold now!

William: All right, all right then. Just keep calm.

Mr. Montgomery: It's about time. William, where in the world have you been?

Officer Hunt: He was a bit delayed by me.

Mr. Montgomery: What's the meaning of this?

William: He cornered me at the ship, Monty. I had no choice but to bring him here.

Slade: So you're the partner, eh?

Mr. Montgomery: I don't know what you mean.

Slade: Sure you do. William stole so much stuff from Horatio's ship he had to have someone selling it for him. Never thought it was you though. A perfect setup. Nice homeless shelter, no one would ever suspect.

Mr. Montgomery: Suspect? Suspect what? I don't even know what you're talking about.

Slade: Come off it. We both know William ain't smart enough to come up with this on his own. Having him plant the pearls on me during our fight, that was a stroke of brilliance. Make me look like the thief so I get arrested and the coppers turn down the heat, leaving the two of you free and clear to steal the gold. You lay low a couple of days and when the coast is clear, black market the goods from the ship and slip out of town with the loot. Perfect plan. Only you didn't count on me popping up again, now did you?

Mr. Montgomery: Look, Mr. Slade, is it? You have the wrong person. I barely know this man.

William: Oh, stop pretending, Monty. He's got the whole thing figured out.

Mr. Montgomery: Quiet, you! You're in enough trouble as it is. And so are you, Mr. Slade. But if you give yourself up now, I promise I'll put in a good word for you with the authorities.

Slade: Playing it straight right to the end, aren't you? Might work too, except for one thing.

Mr. Montgomery: Really?

Slade: Yeah. That tie pin you're wearing. It's part of one of the stolen shipments. Now look here, Slade, there's no reason why we can't work something out. I mean, there's enough gold for everyone.

William: Yeah, yeah, we can split it.

Mr. Montgomery: Split? Sure, three ways. We each get a third. Or you can have half. William, he's got the gun. Half works for me. The gold is down in the basement. We can divide it right now. What do you say, Mr. Slade? Is it a deal?

Slade: Well, it would be if it weren't for a slight problem. Officer Hunt.

Mr. Montgomery: Why should he be a problem?

Officer Hunt: Because, buckos, I am Officer Hunt.

William: A disguise? A blooming disguise! Oh no!

Officer Hunt: Come on in, Captain. Hands up there!

Slippers: That's low, Hunt. It's dishonest. It's called going undercover. The whiskers, eyepatch, sailor's uniform, they let me keep an eye on things around the wharf.

Officer Hunt: Very clever.

Captain Reginald Horatio: Thank you. You're both under arrest for the theft of various cargo and goods and grand larceny in the amount of 562 gold coins.

Officer Hunt: Good work, Hunt. Now, I believe I heard something about the gold being in the basement? So if you gents will lead the way, we'll take a look. Hunt, you were right. I'm not smart. I didn't really know what was going on here.

Mr. Montgomery: He's lying! Montgomery thought of everything. I just did what he said.

Officer Hunt: Be quiet, William. Quiet, both of you. Please, I don't want to go back to jail. I'll tell you everything. William! Start with where you put the gold. It's right over... hey, it's gone!

Mr. Montgomery: Well, it seems your evidence has vanished.

William: But it was right there!

Mr. Montgomery: Will you be quiet?

William: Quiet nothing! We worked hard for that. Somebody took our gold!

Slippers: What would I do without you, Slippers? Hauling that chest would have broken my back.

Matilda: Thanks, Miss Tillie. Let's blow this town, eh, deary? What the... no good rusted bucket! I have to have a look under the hood.

Slippers: What's the problem?

Matilda: Nothing I can't fix. Now you stay put. It's gone! Somebody stole my...

Miss Harbor: Distributor cap wire? Miss Harbor! Thanks for the auto repair lesson, Matilda. I never could have imagined that they would help me catch a gold thief.

Matilda: You're smart, deary. But not too smart. After all, you're all alone with a tough broad and her 350-pound bouncer. Slippers, say hello to the lovely Miss Harbor.

Slippers: Gems, I'm sure.

Miss Harbor: Uh-oh.

Matilda: Now kindly hand over that distributor wire or I'll tie you into a pretty knot like a pretzel and feed you to the sharks.

Officer Hunt: I don't think so, Slippers.

Slippers: Hunt!

Officer Hunt: Back away, Slippers. Hands up there! You and Matilda join William and Montgomery over there.

Miss Harbor: Hunt, Reginald, am I glad to see you!

Officer Hunt: Likewise. You just saved the case for me. Now I have all the evidence I need to put these four away for a long time. Captain, if you'll be so good as to cover me?

Captain Reginald Horatio: I'd be delighted. All right, everyone, up against the wall.

Captain Reginald Horatio: So Matilda was secretly out-thieving the thieves, eh?

Officer Hunt: Looks that way. She took their stolen goods and passed them off as care packages. Slippers sent to customers and collected the money. So when she saw Montgomery and William arrive with the gold, she knew she'd hit the jackpot.

Captain Reginald Horatio: But how did you know about Matilda's activities, Miss Harbor?

Miss Harbor: I saw her handing out packages at the back door. She said she had just come from the basement, but the back room doesn't have any stairs to the basement.

Officer Hunt: Secret passage, eh?

Miss Harbor: Right. I snooped around downstairs and found piles of stolen goods, donations as she called them. That's when Montgomery and William arrived with the treasure chest. Yes, oh, it was quite a shock. Until then, I had no idea Montgomery was a crook.

Officer Hunt: Didn't they see you?

Miss Harbor: I was hiding in the shadows. That's when I discovered the secret passage, backed right into it. As soon as William and Montgomery left, I slipped up the passage and almost ran into Slippers and Matilda sneaking down.

Officer Hunt: While we were arresting William and Montgomery, Matilda and Slippers were busy stealing the gold.

Miss Harbor: And I was busy pulling the distributor wire. I figured they'd use the truck as a getaway.

Captain Reginald Horatio: What a tangled web we weave indeed. Well, this dinner is my sincere thanks to the both of you. I'd be paddling a dinghy if that gold had been lost. I thanked the Lord for you both.

Officer Hunt: All in a day's work, Captain. Speaking of thanking the Lord, would you both bow with me? Heavenly Father, thank You for Your blessings. Thank You for Officer Hunt and Miss Harbor, and thank You for teaching me once again to rely on You. Amen.

Officer Hunt: So ended the mysterious case of the vanished cargo. Officer Hunt saw clearly now that we're often blinded by our own sight. He'd used that bit of wisdom for good by disguising himself as Slade to discover the truth and gain justice.

William, Montgomery, and Matilda, on the other hand, thought a respectable appearance would cover their evil ways. They were wrong as water running uphill. Little did they know, God sees not as a man sees, for a man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

Guest (Male): Once there was a crooked man

He always had a crooked plan

I guess he didn't understand

That God could see his heart

He hid beneath his coat and hat

A phony smile he had down pat

But somewhere under all of that

God could see his heart

God saw him sneaking

Tippy-tippy-toe and all around

No hide and seeking

'Cause with God you were always found

Oh, but the crooked fan bent the rules

Yes, he was sly

He twists the truth into a lie

It never worked, I'll tell you why

God could see his heart

Oh, the crooked man

He had an angle on everything

But things never seemed to work out like he planned

So the crooked man began to think things over

Hmm, can I hide out in the dark of night?

No, you would still be in God's sight

Oh, but what if I'm hush-hush as I creep and crawl?

It doesn't matter, God can see it all

But I covered my tracks, I don't leave a clue

God is everywhere, He'll still see you

Then the crooked man saw with quite a start

That God could see his heart

God saw right through him

There's no coat or hat that he could hide behind

And when that God got to him

He could see that he'd been out-of-line

And so the story ends

The crooked man saw his mistake

He changed his ways and changed his fate

And now he's on the path that's straight

And God can see his heart

Gooz: To get a copy of today's program, Blinded By The Sight, you can place your order online at pawsandtales.org. Blinded By The Sight was written by Gary Armstrong and directed by David Carl. The Crooked Man was written by Sandy Howell and Nick Brown. Music was by Tim Hosman and our sound designer was Eric Basil. Paws & Tales is an Insight for Living production.