 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. Did you ever think that you'd like to be doing what someone else is doing for a living or a hobby? You know, sort of discontented with your lot in life? Well, some young folks and older folks, too, for that matter, feel that they're in a rut, and the rut keeps getting deeper and deeper as time goes by. We look around at other pastures. They seem to be greener, at least from our side of the fence. I guess we all do this at one time or another, even I've done it. Felt that perhaps some other job would be more to my liking or more adventuresome and less humtrum. So one day I had my chance to try out another man's job for a while. I like to call this experience the flying game ward. Hey, Bill, here's your chance. What do you mean, Bill? You've said more than once that you'd like to have Arnold Nelson's job as flying game warden. I sure have, but a snap job he has. You mean as long as the engine and his flying machine keep going? I sure have. Easy job, all right. Just fly around over treetops and watch hunters and fishermen. I don't think it's quite that easy, Grey Wolf. Well, I'm sure it's much easier than our job and not near as nerve-wracking. Well, you've got it. What do you mean, pal? Here, read this teletype from Colonel Anders. All right. Arnold Nelson's going on extended vacation and the state requested Colonel Anders to supply a replacement since they're shorthanded. And you got job? You said it, Grey Wolf. I'm going to be our flying game warden. How about that? I don't know, young fella. I'll tell you better after you've had the job a couple of weeks. Yeah, you might have a point there, old timer. This is great, man. When do you start? Well, Arnie's coming in here at the end of the week and briefing me on the job, and then I take over. And plenty of soon then you find out if grass greener on another side of fence. Racket like you got, Arnie. All you have to do is run around in that there flying machine of yours all day and take it easy. Once in a while, take a peek through them binoculars of yours. Plenty of soft life, all right. You guys kill me. When are you going to stop ribbing me about my easy job just because I fly now instead of going on foot or horseback? Well, it's the truth, isn't it, Arnie? Look at the size of your bay windows into your flyer blade. You tell him, Bill. Inventions like airplanes will kill a man because he doesn't get enough exercise. Muscles get soft like melted butter and then fat creeps in and chokes him to death. I guess the only way to show you how easy my job is is to let you have it for a month and then you'll find out. I guess we will. We'll watch Bill grow a bay window. Oh, yeah. If my waistline increases one quarter of an inch in size, I check the plane and start walking and riding horseback. We'll see about that. My district has tripled since I got the plane, you know. Yeah, that's true, but I can appoint three deputy wardens, can't I? Sure you can, Bill. See, fellas, Bill is checking out already. He put us to work doing his job. You fellas better watch out or I'll deputize you right now and you'll have to fly the plane. Let his bay window really grow. Probably sits an easy chair. Well, I'd like to chin more with you fellas, but I've got a long drive to make before I can really get lazy. Well, Arnie, have a good vacation and a safe trip. Thanks, Bill. That goes for me too, shall I? No, you have good rest. Oh, by the way, Bill, when we discussed my job before to familiarize you with it, I forgot to mention one thing. What's that? Keep your eyes peeled for the Bixen boys, Barry and Leo. What about them? They do a lot of poaching and their father Clay approves of it. Arnie, you mean to tell me he doesn't stop them? No, he thinks they should do it as long as they don't get caught. Yeah, these are pistol-packing rifle-shooting varmin, ain't he, Arnie? You know it. I've shouted out with him and his boys several times, but they always do away with a poached fish or game and when I catch up with them, I haven't any evidence. Man working alone, I haven't any witnesses. Well, haven't you taken some deputies along with you to try and catch them? Yes, I have. They're the smartest bosses. They seem to know when I bring extra men with me and, well, they stop poaching and hunting fish legally. Do they destroy the poached game and fish? I don't think so. I've never found any evidence to show that they do. I'm almost certain that they've got a secret hiding place. You've never been able to find it? No, no, I think they keep shooting at me until they get the stuff hidden. Well, we'll keep our eyes open, wide open. Fine, well, but be careful. Some of their bullets have come mighty close. Gordon Youngfiller? I really don't know yet, Shumby. It is an every law officer that's for two badges. You can get him coming and going now! Yes, he can run and rag it. Well, what do you want us to do when you have another job, Bill? Just keep things going along, fellas. If something heart breaks, you can radio me. I'll take Henry along with me on some patrols and you, fellas and others. It'll be a good experience for you. Shumby, you're right. He's trying to break us in easy, so he can sit back and let us do work. Yep, that's the way it looks, all right. And I never would have thought it of him. Me neither. Well, like Arnie said, you guys kill me. Here's the Blue River. That's the eastern boundary of Arnie's district. Now we'll fly north into the Lake Country. That's a good thing. This is an amphibious plane. There isn't much land that can be used for landing. At least around here there isn't. Now as we fly over the lakes and along the rivers and streams, search them with your binoculars for fishermen or hunters along the shoreline. Okay. We'll circle the shoreline of each lake, flying low. Here comes the first one. Hey, look at the water over there. Two men overboard. Yeah, I see them. One's waving. Get a line ready. We're going to land. All yet. The first boat to the pontoon. I'll hold on to it while you get my friend aboard. The outboard motor came in my hand. Okay. I'll get a good hold on the line. Yeah. Hi, guy. Pull him slowly, pal. So he doesn't lose his grip on the other fella. Okay. Can you keep pulling him by yourself? Sure. I've got myself braced. Good. I'll crawl out on the pontoon and give him a hand. I've got a good hold on your friend now. Thanks, Ranger. He's still half out. I was afraid I'd lose him. You get into the plane. Hold on to the rope and Henry will give you a lift. What about Al? Shouldn't he go first? No. You get into the plane first. Then you can help Henry pull in your friend. Good. Here comes the line. I got it. I'll tie it under his arms. You fellas pull him in. I'll keep his head above water. Okay. I'm in now. I'll lift him up into the plane. Okay. Say when. Now. Here we go. There you go. There you go. There you go. Pull him back now so I can get in. All cleared. I'm so glad you fellas happened to come along like you did. Many thanks for saving. I don't mention it. You fellas look after the injured man. I'll get the plane on its way to hospital. What will happen today for excitement? I don't know, Gray Wolf. Got any ideas? No. Hey, look in clearing down there. Where? Yeah, to the right and down. Hey, two buck deer locked horns in combat. One is dead. Other die if we not free him. Break open the emergency box and get a saw. I'll land the plane on the edge of the clearing. We'll see if we can set the victor free. Dear heroes, you know we come to help. Yeah. I'm not struggling anymore. We have to saw horns off dead buck. Or live one, not get free. I'll say we will. Two of them are really a lot together. They must have charged head on with all we had. Well, let's get busy with the saw. I'll hold the live buck's head steady all you saw. That's plenty good idea. Okay, start sawing. Easy, boy. Easy. Easy, boy. One side free and now I get other side. Good. This fella must know we're trying to free him. He has a move to muscle and he doesn't seem to be afraid. I ready again. Okay. Go ahead. Easy. That's it. Take it. Buck is free. Let him go. Okay, big fella. You can take off now. So that makes a fella feel good after he's freed a majestic animal like that. Ah, that right. I'm going to show that sometime winner of battle pays bigger place as loser. That's right. The case of animals, it's the law of nature that a younger buck, Peter, the younger animal wins. He's the new king. But in the case of man, God gave us common sense to know that we won't necessarily be the victor, even though we might win the fight. Well, let's get back to the plane and continue our patrol. This lake close to Vixen plays. That's right. Sweep the lake with your glasses. The mouth of the river too. I do. See anything? Where are they? Two men hide under shade of big tree in their mouth of river. How do you know I see something? I saw you bring your glasses back for another sweep of that area and then stop the sweep when you spotted them. You get good as Indian. We land plane and inject them. I wouldn't mean to use them that. They let a chance to get rid of their catch if they're poaching. The plane makes a little noise, you know. You speak truth. Maybe it's better we come back on foot and travel. That's my plan, Gray Wolf. They won't be expecting us to come up on them Indian style, eh, Gray Wolf? We get them too. What's your plan, Bill? Ah, let's hear it, honey. My ears are waiting. Gray Wolf and I are going in on horseback until we get close to Vixen's place and we're going to proceed on foot. Today's from now, Henry. You and the old timer will fly Arnie's plane over the lake and make a landing close to shore and not far from the river mouth. Now, make a big production out of it so you'll keep their attention. Put the rubber raft in the water and paddle to shore. I don't particularly care what you do or how you do it, but keep their attention. Back up the river when they hear the plane and see us land, won't they, young pillar? I hope so. And that's right where Gray Wolf and I'll be waiting for them and catch them red-handed. It sounds great. But you fellows will have the tough job of getting into their country without being seen. I imagine they're pretty sharp in the forest. You imagine right, pal, but you forget one thing. Yes? Gray Wolf's trained all of us in the ways of the Indians. They'll have to get up pretty early in the morning to outsmart him. Good time. Yeah. Fortunately, the trail is in good condition. We can use the time at the other end, too, getting close to the Bixen boys. Not right. One thing, Gray Wolf. Don't take any chances with those fellows. You might get panicky when they realize we've sprung a trap on them and do something they wouldn't ordinarily do. We'd like to shoot for keeps. Possibly. We'd better hide horses and drive up to head and go on foot. Yeah. Getting close to enemy territory now. A trip will have been for nothing if they know we're here. Close to the lake and river now. Yeah. A better camp here for the night. About to eat cold food. Well, maybe not. You think we can risk a fire in a hollow lawn and filter the smoke through mono? If we walk back half mile, am I not pleased about cold suffer? Okay. Let's go back and find the hollow lawn. Bixen boys. They come down to Lake to Fish. They hide boat near Martha River. Yeah. In half an hour, Henry and Stumpy should be flying over here. Look, they not go out in Lake to Fish. They stop at River Moth. That's just what I expected. They've got a trap there under the water. Right. They reach down the pole trap up. As soon as they empty that trap into their sack, we've got them. It'll take little time for that. We can wait. Move into position while they're watching the plane. They come back along trail pretty soon now. That's what I'm expecting. Let's go, Grey Wolf. Stumpy, you're doing a good job out there. Look, on Bixen boys now. Henry and Stumpy soon get into raft to come ashore. I'm like you, Grey Wolf. And don't take any chances. Run for it, Leo. Freeze. Put your hands up against that tree and spread your feet out and don't move. Check and see if they have guns. Okay. He's got them stretching around their tree like a scarecrow. I got all weapons. All right. Take your hands down and pick up your bag of fish. Boy, your ideas sure work nicely, Bill. Thanks, pal. You and Stumpy did your job well. You rangers sure got us trapped. Worse than a grizzly and a hundred-pound steel jaw. Sure. Now you got that engine ranger with them. We can't outsmart no fellow like that. Let's get moving to your cabin and don't try any monkey shans. You lad, better mind what Bill says. You're in real trouble. And he's nobody to fool around with. That doesn't surprise me, Clay. Barry, Leo, you two sit over there while I talk with your father. Hey, hey, you got caught. What's it look like, Pa? We caught them poaching, Clay. We got the trap located and we've got the fish. Dumb kids got caught. Is that all you have to say about it, Clay? Yep. Do I understand that you approve of them poaching? Yep. Clay Bixen, I've known for a long time that you're a man who has little or no respect for law and order. But I didn't think you'd lead your sons down the same wrong road and not teach them right from wrong. No, no, right and wrong in my book. Well, it gets caught as foolish and stupid. What? Why are you angry? Ah, but he have good reason, man. You know it's the duty of every father to teach his children right from wrong. Well, there ain't no right from wrong. Not even animals say that. Animals teach young right from wrong. You're not even animal sense. Yeah, maybe. Don't bother me, darling. What are you going to do, Bill? Arrest them and haul them in? No, not yet. Barry, Leo, come on outside. I want to talk with you. You leave them alone, range. They're coming outside. What do you want with us? Yeah, you can't talk us out of nothing. I think you'd better listen to what I have to say and listen closely. You're in no position to tell me what you will or won't do. Okay. Now the law says that you cannot and must not poach game of fish. So what? We've got to eat. Yeah, all year round. You can hunt enough game and catch enough fish legally to eat all year round. Yeah, but that's hard work. And Pa says poaching's all right as long as you're hungry and don't get caught. Mostly as long as you don't get caught. Isn't that it? Yeah. I know you're trying to fool you. You look dumb, Bill. By any chance do you fellas have a Bible? Yeah, I think so. Ma had one. Jen covered somewhere. Ma died when Barry was born. I know. Get the Bible and bring it out here, will you please? Well, okay. Be right back. What you looking for, Leo? Ma's Bible, Pa. Bible? Yeah, that's right, Pa. Here it is. Pretty dusty. Don't listen to that ranger. He'll tell you again that you're here. Don't worry. I won't. Well, you better not, young man. I'll swap the living daylights out of you. Read it again, Barry. Though shall not steal. Now read this again, Leo. Man shall earn his bread by the sweat of his brow. Okay. I'll read to you out of the book of Romans where the apostle Paul tells us that we should be honorable citizens and obey the laws of our government. By poaching, you've broken the laws of God and of your country, also the laws of nature. How do you reckon that? You aren't giving the game and fish a sporting chance. You're not good sportsmen by using traps and illegal snares. You've broken God's law, which is the most important. Thou shalt not steal means you're not to steal anything, not even your living or game and fish, which you're doing by poaching. I could arrest you and take you to jail and the judge would sentence you possibly to the state prison and most assuredly fine you. The second offense would go harder on you. I'm trying to prevent that because you'd always be in prison because you've never been taught the difference between right and wrong. But you turned to us against power. Yeah, that's right. We don't hold to that know-how. I can understand how you feel, but this is your decision to make. Now, you're almost grown man and you'll have to thank for yourselves. I hate to say this about any son's father, but your father is wrong and has been all these years. I'm going to walk back into the cabin now. I'll wait for you to come in and give me your decision in front of your father. You're gonna leave us out here all alone? Yes. Why not? You now know the difference between right and wrong as far as poaching goes and you know what the penalty is. I'm giving you a chance. What you do now will be your own decision. You turned my boys against me, Bill Jefferson. I won't forget this. How do you know what they'll decide? Unless you have a guilty conscience. And if you do, it means you've used them for your own gain all these years and you've sinned terribly. The Lord help you if that's true. Take true. You are no good... Say something. Don't stand there glaring like a grizzly. Pa, you taught us wrong all these years. Take so. He put you up to this. That's the only lie I've been told Pa. We figured that if Ma had this Bible all along you must have heard something from it. That means you knowed all these years you was teaching us wrong. Ma would be right ashamed, Pa. So are we. Mr. Jefferson, we made our decision to follow God's laws and every other law. There ain't gonna be no more poaching. I'm glad to hear that, fellas. You taught us right. We're gonna read this Bible like Ma did. All of us are gonna read it from cover to cover. Me, Leo and Pa. I'm glad Barry and Leo made the right decision, aren't you? And you know something? Arnie can have his job back. It isn't as easy as it seems. See you next week for more adventure with...