 Ranger Bill, warrior of the woodland, struggling against extreme odds, traveling dangerous trails, fighting the many enemies of nature. This is the job of the guardian of the forest, Ranger Bill, pouring rain, freezing cold, blistering heat, snow, floods, bears, rattlesnakes, mountain lions. Yes, all this in exchange for the satisfaction and pride of a job well done. Say, do you know what a ham is? No, I'm not talking about something that goes with eggs. I'm referring to an amateur radio operator. Henry, for example, is a ham. He likes to use both the single key and the mic. It gets a lot of pleasure out of it, too. Well, right now, Henry is working his ham station. It's located in the spare room next to Henry's bedroom. Oh, yes, the name of this story is Dead On Arrival. Where's that station you're listening to now, Henry? Well, that's Des Moines, Bill. We talk back and forth a lot. Uh-huh. Hey, what's the matter? The other fella get tired? Yeah. He's finished transmitting for the night, so he's got homework to do before he goes to bed. Uh-huh. I think I'll sign off, too, because I've got some of the same torture to go through. Yeah, don't be long-winded now. It's going on to nine o'clock. Don't worry, I won't. This is going to be short. Oh, sure. That's what they all say. See? I told you that's all there was to it. Remarkable. Never saw such a short-winded young fella in all my life. Yeah. Now for some trig and then into the hay pile. Had a rough day today. What are you going to do, Bill? Oh, I'm going to read some correspondence to my Sunday school lesson and turn in. Okay. I'll see you in the morning. Sure thing. Good night, Henry. Night. When we went to bed that night in our cozy home at Naughty Pine, we didn't know what was about to happen in a rough little shack in Cougar Canyon. It's where two trappers live, a father and a son, about 35 miles from Naughty Pine. Giuseppe, how do you feel now, my son? You take a cup of tea. It'll make you feel warm inside. Papa, I cannot drink that. I'm too sick. Let me feel your head. You got a fever. You should never go out in the storm like you did. You should do what your papa tells you. Don't you know? I know. Papa, I feel the worst. Nana, you stay there, Giuseppe. I'm going to see if I can get a doctor. Don't leave me, Papa. I don't want to die. I'm not to leave you, son. You think I let you stay by yourself? No, I'm a call on the radio. That's what I got it for. And now, now I call somebody. Must be somebody listening somewhere. Papa, Papa, something is not happening. What's the matter? Papa, I feel awful. I'm, I'm, I'm, I got to get up. Stay in bed, Giuseppe. I'ma come. Lie down, Giuseppe. No, no. Lie down, Giuseppe. Lie down. What did you say, Pi? My son. Wake up. Come on, pal. Wake up. Hey, Chief Snorting Bull, wake up, will you? Come on, sackhound. Get out of the blankets. Oh, boy. Oh, hello, will you? That's just nobody else, will you? Listen, fella, I'm counting to three and you'd better be out of the hay by then, or you know what happens. All right? One, two... Okay. Okay, I, I... What a wicked thing makes you wake me up at this hour, Bill. You're noisy, Bach Henry. Did you turn your radio off? Huh? Oh. Hey. You're right. I almost left the receiver on and turned off only the transmitter. I'll go shut it off. What say? Why couldn't you turn it off? You know where the switch is. Because I wanted you to listen to that signal. If I'm not mistaken, it's a call for help. Jumpin' horn toad, Bill. That's a call for help. That's a lie. You wake up mild. Now, see if you can read that signal. Weak as it is. Okay. It's too weak to get much sense out of it. I get the words, needs doctor. And the word sick. Beyond that, I get all the blurbs. Who's ever sending that call is pretty rusty on the key. And then we agree. I've been listening to that for half an hour before I got you up. Let's see if you can contact that transmitter. I'll try. Hey, take it slower, pal. That party can't send very well. Probably can't read very well either. You're right, Bill. I'll try it slower. Okay. Good boy. Now let's see if he answers. I guess he didn't read me. I'll try again though. Yeah, let's keep on trying. We've got to get through. I'm afraid it's no use, Bill. I've tried now for half an hour and he still doesn't read me. This is a powerful transmitter. He still doesn't answer my call. Perhaps he doesn't have a receiver. What if he does? He isn't pausing. Hey, listen. Now what do we do? That sounds like it's far away. Yeah. We've got to find out how far away. You can't ignore any distress call, pal. That's right. But how are we going to find out where it's coming from? Why, it's too weak to hardly get the direction. I'll call the ranger station at Forest Creek and see if they pick this up. Okay. I'll stay here and listen for a clearer message. Tom, this is Bill. What on your mind, old boy? Noises in the night, Tom. No, Tom. I wanted to see if you can pick up a weak signal for help on your receiver, a frequency 7150. Huh? Yeah. We pick it up on Henry's set. Okay, I'll wait. Does he hear it, Bill? I don't know yet, Henry. He's trying to pick it up. He doesn't have a very selective receiver. I don't know, though. Being up in the mountains may let him pull it in, though. Yeah, yeah, that's possible. Hello, Bill? Uh, yes, Tom. Can you find it? No. There he is, Tom. Must be coming from China. I can't pick up the thing. Okay, Tom. Thanks anyway. Sorry to wake you up. We'll be long, Tom, up here. Let me know what you find. I sure will. So long. No soap, Bill. No, pal. No soap. I'm going to try the state police headquarters at Folsom City. They got a better receiver. Well, if they don't pick it up, then why don't you say we go to bed and forget about it, huh? I've got a trick exam tomorrow. Well, keep trying for a bit, will you, sergeant? No. I know. The only other thing I can think of is the signal might be coming in freakishly on a short skip. I doubt it, Henry. We'll know in a minute. Oh. Yes? We'll call you if we catch it. Thanks, Sarge. Goodbye. No, they don't read it at all, Henry. Strange, all right. Very strange. Yeah, but let's go to bed and forget about it, huh? That's probably just a freak pickup from a long way off. There's nothing we can do about it, I guess. I don't know, pal. I sure wish I could get a fix on the position of that transmitter. Well, that's the right thing. If it is coming from a long distance, we'll pick it up because of some atmospheric conditions. Yeah, I think so. I'm gonna... hey, listen. The distress signal stopped. Hmm? You're right, Henry. Well, that's settled it. Let's go to bed. We can pick it up in the morning. Maybe we'll try to find out where it's coming from. Can't possibly be anywhere around here if the other boys can't pick it up. Well, good night, pal. Good night, pal. You awake? Yeah, I'm awake, Corrine. You can't sleep either, huh? No, not when I think somebody needs help. Yeah, me too. You able to pick up the signal again? Nope, and I've got the receiver wide open. Mm-hmm. Hey, hey, there it is again. Let's try to send another message. I mean, there it was, Bill. It stopped again. Well, the atmosphere must be playing tricks again. Hey, maybe that's Mike or the police radio station. I'll get it. Maybe they found it. Hello, Ranger Bill speaking. Yes? Oh, that's very good, Sergeant. Uh, just a minute. Henry, uh, pencil and paper, please. Yeah, right here. Thanks. Okay, Sergeant, go ahead and give me the position. Yes? Mountain Goats Bluff. Yes, yes, I've got it. Thanks for calling. Yes, I'll let you know what we find. Mountain Goats Bluff. Boy, what's out there? Nothing. There's a trapperies cabin at Cougar Canyon about 10 miles north of there, and it could be that's where the signal's coming from. Well, how are we going to know? We can't. We can only guess. Try to calculate the position of the transmitter from the varying strength of the signals. The only thing is it's awfully rugged country to be running around on a guess. Hey, maybe that's Tom. He's probably picked up the signal now. He'll soon find out. Hello, Bill speaking. Oh, yes, Tom. Yeah, you did? Oh, that's good. Uh, just a minute. Henry, go downstairs and call Grey Wolf and Stumpy on the other phone, will you? Tell them to meet us at headquarters in half an hour. Boy, Stumpy sure isn't going to like getting out of bed in the middle of the night. Don't worry about that. Just get going. I'll figure the position of this signal. I'll be right down. As soon as I finish talking with Tom. Okay, Bill. Now, Tom, let me have that data again, will you? Pull off, oh boy, and listen. There's a distress signal coming in on my receiver. Bill wants you to meet us at headquarters in half an hour. Now I've got to call Grey Wolf and then get my cold weather gear on. As near as I can tell, it's probably coming from right around the Cougar Canyon area. There's a trapper's cabin there, and if I remember correctly, they have some kind of a makeshift radio there so they can keep in touch with the world. That's a tough place to get to now. I hope to tell you. Eat a snow. Yes, Harry! If we sink into that, we won't get out through spring. That's no joke, even. What are we going to do, Bill? We'll pick up a dog team at Caleb Moore's place and carry a medical gear, food, skis, and snowshoes. Also packs and blankets. You all set, fellas? Yeah, I'll set it up. Say, why don't we take this snowmobile? Well, that would be fine if we could get close to Cougar Canyon. But the closest we could bring this snowmobile is 10 miles away, and that wouldn't be much help. Maybe somebody's dying. Yeah, I guess you're right. Well, let's go get the dog team and load them on the truck. Big boy, get in this harness. Don't give me any of your lift. Leave energy for the truck ahead. Okay, fellas. All the gear is off the truck and on the sled. Now, if the going gets too tough for the dogs, we'll have to pack some of the gear ourselves. Maybe in deep snow, we'll have to. You all set with the dogs? Yep, already. Henry, you drive the team. Ride the sled when you can because we're going to push right on through to Cougar Canyon. And I want to save your strength. All right, let's go, boy. Get the sled moving. That's the eight-foot snow ahead of us. So I'll break the trail for the dogs. I'll break trail with you, Bill. Good idea, Stuffy. Let's go, boys. Get in there, skater! Mush! Mush, you hear me? Mush! I think we ought to take some of the load off us. Yeah. Even you two breaking trail that soft snow is working these pups pretty hard. See, they sink many inches down. Make hard work. All right. Let's take our packs off the sled and see if that won't help. Then push on. Once we get through this valley, we'll make better time. Dogs do better since we take packs off sled. Yeah. We should be out of this in about an hour. Bill, look ahead on ridge. Men stand there and watch us. You're right. That is a man there. I'll fire my pistol. Let him know we see him. You heard that, Bill. Now he's waving his arms hard. All right, let's step on it, fellas. This may be the one who's calling for help. Are you the one who's been calling for help on the radio? Yes. My name's Atoni Codizzo. My son is very sick, but I'm afraid help, she's a comma too late. What do you mean, Mr. Codizzo? I think my son... He's a dead dog. Oh, I see. Well, let's find out for sure. He may only be unconscious. See, I hope you are right, Mr... Oh, Jeffers. Oh, Bill Jeffers. My friends here, Henry Scott. Oh! Stompy Janken, Gravel. Howdy! Just call us by our first name. Mr. Lawyer, you call me Tony. We go now. Yeah, you're right now. How far is it to your camp, Atoni? One mile. Henry, you find a place to stake the dogs. We'll go on ahead. See if you can get a pulse, will you, Gravel? I try, Bill. You think, Bill, huh? My son, he's dead, no? Well, I'm not a doctor, Tony, but let me finish my examination. I might be able to tell you. I'm not able to get pulse at all, Bill. I can't eat the Gravel. Well, now, let's listen for a heartbeat. I don't hear anything. My ear against his chest. She's a look bad. Tony, I'm sorry to have to say it, but I don't catch any signs of life. That's what I'm afraid of all the time. My son, he's dead. Here, I cover young fellow with blanket for now. Tony, when did your son take sick? Two days ago. He was on the bed, and all of a sudden, he's a fall on the floor. I put him back in bunk and try to get help on radio. Didn't you hear us trying to call you from our station in answer to your distress signal? No, no, the receiver, she's broke. It needs to be fixed a long time. I see. Well, Tony, I don't like to make you talk about your son because I know you'd rather not, but would you answer just a few more questions than I won't bother you anymore? What do you like to know? You say your son jumped around just before he became unconscious. How do you mean jump around? You know, like convulsion, Tony? That's what I mean, yeah. He's a jump around and his eye is a roll and he fall on the floor, and pretty soon, he don't move at all. I see. How old is your boy, Tony? He'll be 23 next month, but he's gone, so what's it matter? Let's not talk about it anymore. I'm sorry, Tony, just one more question. How long do you think he's been dead? Maybe day, maybe day and a half. What's the difference it make, huh? Thanks. Gray Wolf, I'm going outside and talk to Henry and Stumpy for just a minute. You stay here. Is he dead, Bill? By all outward signs, yes, Henry. What do you mean by that? Either he's dead or he isn't. Well, we don't get any pulse or heartbeat. Well, then he's dead. That's right, Henry. When your old ticker stops ticking, you're mindy dead, yes, siry. Henry, you and Stumpy harness up the team again. We're rushing Tony's son to the hospital. What? Rushing a dead man to the hospital? That's what he said, young fella, but I think his brains got froze on the way up here. What? We just got here, Bill. The dogs are tired and we're all tired. I don't get it. I'm sorry I can't explain now, Henry. If I did, you'd know I'd gone off the deep end. Let's get the dogs' harness as quickly as possible. Dear sonny, hasn't this gone far enough? I think you're being unreasonable. Who ever heard of rushing a dead man to the hospital? Add 35 miles away, too. Henry Scott, you hitch those dogs to the sled immediately and put Tony's son on it. This isn't a request, it's an order. Yes, you hear me right, Tony? We're rushing your son to the hospital. But I can no understand why you do this for my son when he's a dead. If he was alive, yes, but now... No. Please trust me, Tony. That's all I have to say. You try to make believe maybe my son is dead, no? Tony, I'm not a doctor. Maybe I'm crazy. But please let me take your son to the hospital. All right. Then I go with you. What hospital you take him, huh? Hospital at Naughty Pine. Now, Gray Wolf, give me a hand here and we'll put him on the sled. I'll be sure the blankets are wrapped tightly around him. I gotta keep out every bit of cold. I understand, Bill. This is very strange. Maybe my son isn't not dead, but if he got no heartbeat, he must be. Well, doc, what's the verdict? I'll tell you in just a minute, Bill. Tony. Yes, doc. I'm here on you. You're left. My son... He's dead? No, Tony. Your son is alive. Very much alive. Alive? Yeah. That's right. Where were Dr. Grant? How can this be? We tried to find his pulse and listened with a heartbeat, and there wasn't a thing. Please, doc. This is very serious. Tony, I was never more serious in my life. Your son has a very rare form of epilepsy. When you're going to cute attack, the victim appears to be quite dead. With the proper care and medication, however, he should convalesce rapidly. You mean... You mean my son is going to be all right? Yes, Tony, in plain English. That's what I mean. He's going to be all right. Miss Hypo should trigger some sign of life shortly. It's like bringing the dead back to life. Look, look, Giuseppe. He's opening his eyes. That means we'd best all leave. I'll accept you. Tony, you stay with your son and tell him where he is and what happened. I'll also tell him he's in good hands. There's not a thing to worry about. Thank you, doctor. Oh, Giuseppe, my son. Bill, fellas, this is one for the book. Tell me, Bill, how in the world did you know that boy was a victim of epilepsy? Yeah. That's what I like to know, too. Well, the first thing I noticed was that the young fella's body was still close to normal in body temperature. However, Tony said he'd been dead for two days. I figured rigor mortis would have sat in by then and the body would have been cold. Now, understand, I was guessing at this. I'm certainly not a doctor. Yeah, but that young fella could have been in a coma just before we got there. Then the body would still have been almost living temperature. You're perfectly right, Stumpy. I thought of that and it almost discouraged me from trying what I did for fear I was making a fool of myself. But when Tony remarked about the convulsions his son had and what kind they were, I just put two and two together. And got four as usual. Well, of course, there was another angle. I just couldn't let Tony get his hopes up too high. Boy, who'd ever think that such a wild goose chase would have turned out this way? Just goes to show you, I guess. When you have a distress call, don't argue about it. Just do something. Well, see you next week for more adventure with...