The Headhunters

This title was originally published in the August 1936 issue of Five-Novels Monthly and combines two thematic elements common to Hubbard's adventure fiction: headhunters and gold mining. It opens with American Tom Christian setting off for the jungles of the Solomon Islands in search of the gold that cost the life of his partner. When Christian's defenses are weakened by gold fever, he finds a savior and sidekick in Hihi, a Polynesian native who joins him on his journey. With arrows and spears whizzing by and gunshots ricocheting off trees, listeners will feel as though they are navigating the perilous jungle alongside the duo. Notable are the appearances by jiggly-eyed thief Punjo Charlie, whose foreboding way of speaking Hihi's name in the context of threatening his life—a curled, drawn out "Eeee-hee"—is spine-chilling. R.F. Daley narrates while Thomas Silcott, Jim Meskimen, Max Williams, Josh Robert Thompson, Brooke Bloom, and Fred Tatasciore voice the nine-character cast. Definitely one of Hubbard's more successful adventures; strongly recommended.