Phineas: Clem told me about the robbery. Have you found the varmints yet?
Sheriff: Nope. They left a red herring on the trail.
Phineas: Hm. Must have been some daring soles.
Sheriff: Oh, I don’t know. Only an ’eel would do a thing like that.
Phineas: I’ll go get my sea horse from the coral and join the posse.
Sheriff: Fine. See you later. (_SHERIFF leaves. Before PHINEAS can leave, a girl is heard, crying, and SUSIE enters, LEFT._)
Susie: Oh, I’m so frightened! Please help me, Phineas.
Phineas: Stop your blubberin’, little gal. What’s wrong?
Susie: (_weeping_) I can’t find the Sheriff! I think I know who robbed the bank, and they’re after me!
Susie: Oily Oliver Octopus and Louie the Lobster!
Phineas: Are you sure? Why I remember them when they were just a couple of perch-snatchers.
Susie: Oh, yes. I saw them near the bank this morning, but I didn’t realize what they were going to do.
Phineas: I’ll go tell the Sheriff. He’ll throw out the fishnet.
Susie: (_wailing_) Oh, don’t leave me! Stur-geon-na be trouble.
Phineas: Don’t you fret, Susie, gal. Hide behind that clump of seagrass till I come back. (_PHINEAS leaves, RIGHT. SUSIE also leaves, LEFT, apparently to hide. OLIVER enters RIGHT and LOUIE, LEFT._)
Oliver: Well, we made our get-away all right.
Louie: Yep, but I’m scared, boss. We’ve got to catch that little starfish before she talks.
Oliver: Well, where is she? She came this way.
Louie: ’Course I kinda hate to hurt her. Gosh, she’s purtier than Marlin Monroe!
Oliver: Forget it! Don’t be a sucker for a pretty fish.
Louie: Reckon you’re right. I’ll go look that-a-way. (_leaves, LEFT._)
Oliver: (_Looks about, sees SUSIE hiding and drags her on stage from left._) Aho! So there you are. Come on out.
Susie: I was right! It WAS you and Louie.
Susie: Unhand me, you cod! Somebody else already knows!
Oliver: So you’re gonna clam up? Wait’ll I get Louie! (_OLIVER leaves, and SUSIE is alone._)
Susie: (_wailing_) Land o’Ocean, what shall I do? (_PHINEAS enters, RIGHT._)
Phineas: I’ll save you, Susie gal! Go hide again, quick! (_SUSIE disappears quickly and LOUIE enters from the LEFT._)
Louie: Hey, Boss, where is she? (_sees PHINEAS._) Out o’ my way, Buster.
Phineas: I’ll fix you, you lobster mobster! (_PHINEAS rushes at LOUIE, butts him from underneath with his head and mouth and LOUIE gives a bounce in the air and collapses over the front of the stage, hanging limply. PHINEAS leaves._)