 Ranger Bill, warrior of the woodland, struggling against extreme odds, traveling dangerous trails, showing rare courage in the face of disaster, in the air, on horseback, or in a screaming squad car. His mind alert, a ready smile, unswerving, loyal to his mission. And all this in exchange for the satisfaction and pride of a job well done. That you, pal? Uh-huh. Boy, what a day. Oh, was it that bad? I guess not really. It just seems that way. What's the trouble, Henry? Oh, you know. Sometimes a guy gets tired of all this studying, especially history. School getting it down, huh? Yeah, it sure is. Well, don't worry, pal. It'll pass. Everybody feels like that every now and again. You know what you need is a new shot of life in your studies. I know that. But where can a guy get that shot? Seems like every time I turn around, I've got a new set of names and dates to try to learn. What's the good of all that detailed stuff anyhow? That's a question that's asked by more students every year than any other. I don't doubt that a bit, but that doesn't answer it. Well, pal, look at it this way. Do you know what you want to do when you get out of school? I mean, after you finish college, as well as high school? Not exactly. Okay. Now, suppose you end up in a job where you just might need all those facts. That's all well and good for a guy like me, but what about the fellow who already knows he's going to be something where he doesn't need him? Why should he have to worry about him? I think I can answer that one, silly. Stumpy. Why didn't hear you come in? No wonder you didn't. You got your forehead so knitted up it's probably closed your ears off. Looks like you're really trying to think hard. Well, that's what I was. I was trying to see why we have to learn all those names and dates and things in history. I can tell you why I think you ought to learn them. Oh, why is that? Well, it has to do with what causes what. If, and you know when the thing took place and what happened before it, sometimes you can see why it happened. That's always a lot more interesting than just the fact that it did happen. I'm not sure I follow you. What Stumpy means is this, pal. The way some people figure it, most everything that happens is caused by something that happened before it. Now, if I hit Stumpy, I'll hit you right. And there we have a simple example of what we're talking about. Now, if that's all true and one thing does cause another to happen, then the knowing of dates becomes important, doesn't it? I guess so. I never thought of it that way. But why is it so important to know what caused different things to happen? Well, Sunny, let's stick to the example Bill just gave you. You mean about hitting you? That's right. Now, let's say he really did well at me and I give it right back to him. What are the dates and details of the thing? Dates? That's right. Who did what to who first? And what happened next and so on? I see. Well, Bill hit you first and then you had him. Yep, good. Now, what other than the plain old facts of the thing what did you learn from it all? Oh, I see. I learned not to hit you. I'll probably get the same thing as Bill got, right? Right, Bill. Now you can start to see why studying history is important. Sure. It isn't the historical happenings themselves that are anywhere near as important as what we can learn from them. You guys. Boy, thanks a lot. I'll give you another little hint to make that their history more interesting to you, Henry. What's that, Stumpy? Try putting yourself into the picture. Like, well, what are you studying right now? Well, we're on the settling of the far west in this country. You know, right after the Louisiana purchase and Lewis and Clark and all, right when both England and America are trying to get the Oregon territory settled. That'll be pretty interesting, Bill. Yes, sir. Well, it would be if it weren't for all the names and dates and things. But I think I can get through them now. You should be studying something about the old Oregon Trail. Is that right? That's right, Stumpy. Did you know that that old trail used to run right near here? About four or five miles up on the Shady River? No, I didn't. I wish the teacher had mentioned that. Well, as long as you know about it, you shouldn't have no trouble at all throwing yourself into that part of history. I'll try it. I sure am glad you fellas are around here. I may have fun with my history yet. I'm getting late. Well, I could hardly read. I'm so tired. Oh, I guess I better get ready for bed. Well, maybe I can finish this chapter. There's only a few pages. Oh, those folks are those wagon trains. Must have had a hard time. Oh, just think. Hardly made. About 30 miles. I was back here on the wagon. I reckon I'd better get down and look at our supply. See how much we got. Careful, Owen. It makes me nervous when you jump on and off the wagon while we're going. Oh, nothing to worry about. Let's go back and check the water. All right. What is it, Owen? I'll show you what it is. This young whipper snapper was hitching a free ride on the back of the wagon. Please, I didn't do any harm. Probably from most of our water. I haven't had any of your water. I don't think. Don't you know? Well, I'm not sure. Maybe you just better jump up before we can get to the bottom of this. Honestly, Mrs. What matters? It's been so long since I was called Mrs. Anderson. I'm dorker. That's what everyone calls me. I'm Owen. This is our wagon. Where do you belong? It's hard to say. I don't think you'd believe me if I told you. How'd you get aboard our wagon? I don't know. Sounds pretty strange to me. Where'd you join this train? Back in Independence or Townsville Bluffs? I can't remember ever being in either place. You'd have had to be in one of them. Henry's my name. Henry Scott. No, Scott's not in all of this train. Maybe you got in the wrong wagon train by mistake. I really have no idea how I got onto this wagon train. Well, for that matter, how I even got in this gear. He sounds like he might catch in the end, Owen. Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I think he might be dangerous. I don't know. He sounds educated. I'll be all up there alerting him into his hands. Boy, it really is exciting, isn't it? What you talking about, Boy? This train. Boy, you're on the Oregon Trail, aren't we? That's right. We're on our way out there to the Oregon Territory. And you're trying to help get more U.S. citizens than British so that we can claim the territory, right? That's more I know about it. What you call us, U.S. citizens? We're Americans. I know. Don't you call it the U.S. yet? He's starting to talk funny again, Dorges. What do we do? We keep in peace until they came. And Brad can figure out where he came from and what to do with it. Yeah. I just think. Marcus Whitman came out this very way. Long ago. He hasn't been so long, Henry. About more than a couple of years, anyhow. What did you hear about Whitman? Oh, we read all about him. Don't you sound educated? Can you read? Sure. I'm across Whitman's name. One of them there periodically goes back years now. Oh, no. I mean, something like that. Hey, hey, here comes somebody riding up. Don't you know who he is? No, but he's the wagon master, named Brant. Time to hit some pretty rough country folks and better tighten up the lines and be going a lot slower from here to the river. Whatever you say, Brad. Thank you for the visitor. Well, you sure do. I'll let you talk to him when we can. All right, keep your eyes peeled for other visitors, ones with red skins. There's pretty good hunting grounds and we won't be moving very fast. Oh, dear. Have a big camp in a couple of hours. Man, it'd be good to stop for a while. Now, you'll have a lot harder trip from here on in. We should start through the mountains tomorrow. The Rocky Mountains? That's a good name for them, boy. How do you? Uh-huh. You seem to know a whole lot about this trip. I mean, about getting the territory of Manglund and Marcus Whitman and, well, then, their mountains. How do you know all them there things? Well... Get into a circle! Get into a circle! What's he shouting? Inches! Come on! We've got a whole circle there. Well, I don't know how we did it. But there wasn't one casualty this whole afternoon. So frightened, then? I never saw anything like it my whole life. All them Indians riding around shooting arrows at us all. I know, folks. I've been wagon master on a whole lot of trips in the last few years, but you don't never really get used to an engine attack. Sure will play. Running between wagons and giving us help the way you did. Seems like the only one who wasn't really bothered was your young friend here, Henry. Huh? They stand up a couple of times right in the middle of all that fighting. Oh, I wanted to see better. Well, you keep that kind of thing up, and you might not stop seeing real fast. We hadn't had as much warning as we did. We might all be that way. Who gave you the warning, Mr. Brett? Well, it carries a male west. Passed us earlier in the day, but he came back when he saw them Indians coming. Saved our lives, most likely. Have any news from the east? Oh, yes, he did. The oak was elected. Oh, 54-40 or 5, he wins. Oh, that is the new life. Oh, sure is. And I'm not pretty well-subtle all the trouble about this territory out here. He'll get it for us, or my name ain't no way. He won't get all of it. What's that, boy? I said he won't get all of it. What do you got on your mind, boy? What are you talking about? Well, he's going to talk to England and the West of the Louisiana purchase all the way up to Alaska, isn't he? Up to what? I mean, up to the parallel 54 degrees, 40 north latitude. Isn't that what he's going to talk to England about? That's right, 54-40 or 5. And what did you call that last couple of hours? I guess Russia owns it at this time, doesn't it? You sure are a smart fellow, Henry. Yeah, sure are. What makes you think President Polk won't get all that territory for us? Now, we got more settlers out here than England does. We got a lot more other claims to it, too. Well, England has some claim to the territory. They have traitors and some trappers out there. Besides, if we got the whole land, there wouldn't be any Canada up there. Yeah, there was. Sounds to me like you're... like you're over for them red coats taking the land, is that right? Not exactly. We'll divide it with England. That's what'll happen. You think we'll give in to England just because of a few mangy trappers? Yeah, sonny. I don't want to hear anything poorly said about trappers. Stumpy. What are you doing here? What do you mean, sonny? I'm a trapper in these parts. But who are you? How do you know my name? He's a very strange boy, Stumpy. Seems to know a lot about most everything. Aren't you really Stumpy? Of course I'm really Stumpy. Who are you? Really? I'm Henry. Henry Scott. Don't you know me? You know, Bill and the Rangers and you and me? You see, Mr. Brett, that's what we're telling you about. Yeah, he just seems to go way off once in a while. I don't recall any Scott, sonny. You must have me mixed up with some other fellow. Yeah, that's probably it. Listen, folks, we better all turn in now. We've got a tough day ahead. And, uh, oh, and... Don't worry about this Scott, boy. I'll keep an eye on him. We'll be right up here in front with you, Mr. Brett. That's all right, boy. There's a way I can keep an eye on things. You've always seemed to be making pretty good time today waiting back in that valley. Move until you pass by and then get your... Looks like we're in bad spot, eh, Brad? Yeah, it sure does. I wondered many times in the past why those Redskins never used that valley for an ambush. Reg and I don't have to wander no more. It sure is a good thing I saw him there. It sure is, Stuffy. Oh, now you're sure they didn't see you? Sure, I'm sure. When I say I'm sure, I... Yeah, save old Stuffy. I wish you'd get it out of your head that you know me, young fella. Sorry. What are we gonna do about those Indians? That's what I'm puzzling out right now, boy. If I knew the answer to that, I'd be a lot happier. Now, if there's only some way we could go around the valley, we could just leave them Indians there. Hey! No! What? I just recognized that bluff over there. And that one. What are you talking about? We're right near Naughty Pine. I told you he gets that way. Brad wants to know why you gotta watch him. I even know how to get on the other side of the valley without passing through it. We'll use the trail that the rangers use when they check the fire lanes. They can't make out much of what he's saying. Can you? Now, the only part of that that interests me is that he said something about getting around the valley. What's that all about, boy? I said I know how to get around it. There's a real shallow place in the shady river. Take all the wagons and people across and follow the other side of that mountain to where it meets the other end of the valley. Can you ever hear of a shallow place in that river, Stumpy? Nope. Come on. Let's ride over there. I'll show you. That looks like it's the only way, if it really is the way. Yeah, let's go. It's like the Indians don't have the smallest idea of what we're doing. In the rivers, honey. You sure see a lot of lies by knowing it. That's right. Now, did you know about it, Henry? You handle yourself like you lived in these parts of your life. Well, of course, that's impossible. Ain't nobody lived in these parts but Indians and me. And I didn't even know about this place. If I told you how I knew about it, you wouldn't believe me. Let's just be glad I did. I'll go along with that. It looks like about time to camp for the night. This looks like a pretty good spot, not a detection. If it's all right with you, Brett, I'll spend the night in your camp. Sure enough, Stumby. Come on. I've got to get that train started on bedding down. My, the country's gotten so nice out here. I know it's harder to travel through, but in a way that's nicer, because you can spend more time looking. I know what you mean, ma'am. I reckon that's one reason why I like this job of mine. Um... Henry... Yes, Owen? I... Well, I owe you kind of an apology. I'd like to get off the chest. Apology? Yeah, that's right. You see, I thought you were... Well, out of your head, when you first joined this, you do say some pretty strange things sometimes, and I don't... Don't even think about it, Owen. I have to really stay on my toes to keep from saying things you think were crazy all the time. On your toes? Oh, that's just an expression. Well, anyhow, after you save the day-to-day, I just don't care if you are a little queer in the head. I just want you to know... Folks, might have your attention for a little... Folks, thank you. Now, you probably all know that we was almost massacred today by Indians. I said almost. Well, we kind of put one over on the redskins by taking this back way through here. I don't know if you all know that this lad here is the one who saved all our lives. His name is Henry. There was him that knew where to cross the river. Folks, hold it down. I thought we ought to pay a little tribute to Henry here for what he'd done, but it didn't hit me until just now how to pay that tribute to him. How are you going to do it? Now, wait a bit, and I'll tell you. Oh, you don't have to do anything. Now, you just simmer down, fellow. We all appreciate what you did, and we want to thank you. Now, it seems like I heard Henry call that river we crossed by a name this afternoon. Pretty good name at that. He called it the Shady River. And it seems to me like we just ought to officially name it that for all time. There you are, Henry. You might kind of call it your own river now. The Shady. Sure did shade us from them Indians here. Is that really how it got its name? You just heard it, boy. What are you talking about? Just think. The Shady River was named by me all these years ago. What are you talking about? What does it matter, boy? You feel all right? Looks like he's in a daze. Hey! Wake up, boy! Henry! Wake up! Don't be. Where'd everybody go? Looks like you fell asleep over your book, pal. You saw your light still on. Looks like a tree so to be more interesting didn't work. Still put you right to sleep. Sleep? Yeah. Yeah, that must be it. Did I ever have a dream? Well, that sometimes happens when we go to sleep, Henry. I know, but what a dream. Hey, you were in it, Stumpy. You were a trapper in the old west. Well, you don't say. Did I make the list, Henry? I don't remember you, Bill. Boy, was it ever realistic. I was on a wagon train going out to the Oregon Territory. There was an Indian attack and everything. I said you should put yourself into those historical situations, Henry, but maybe this is carrying things too far. We were right near here in the dream. I even recognized a couple of mountains outside of town. Well, that's not hard to understand, pal. It isn't? No. You remember earlier when Stumpy told you that the old Oregon trail used to run nearby Nottie Pine? You probably just remembered that and it was an area you were familiar with. I kind of like to see where the old trail used to be now. Just to see if it's where it was in my dream. That might be fun. We'll have to ride out there one day soon. I'll show you. Of course, we might have a little problem. Problem? That's right. You see, the old Oregon trail used to go nearby here in two places. Two places? I don't think anyone knows why for certain, but there's a legend that the southern trail was used for many years until a tribe of Indians tried to ambush your wagon train. In a valley? Near where the trail crossed the shady river? That's right, Henry. Hey! I thought you said you didn't know about the trail being near Nottie Pine. I didn't. At least I didn't think I did. Do you know any more of the story, Bill? Well, only that the ambush didn't come off. It seems the wagon train started the new route a little ways up the river and skirted the valley, leaving the Indians just sitting there. I can't believe it. Seems to me the way I heard the story, it was some time around then that the shady river got its name. We're shading that wagon train from trouble or something. I really can't believe it. What's the trouble, pal? Bill, stop it. I named the shady river. Well, boys and girls, dreams sure can play tricks on you, can't they? Sometimes something you've heard long ago and in an offhand way can be the subject of a whole dream. Well, hope you got as much out of Henry's history as he did. And we'll see you next week for more adventure with... Ranger Bill was produced in the radio studios of the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.