 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. Hello, boys and girls. I'm sure you recognize that sound you just heard. In fact, you can still hear it a little bit, I guess. It's thunder. And you know what that means? Rain. Well, rain has a great deal to do with the adventure we're going to tell you about today. Rain and what happened after. As you know, I'm a forest ranger out here in the West. My job is an interesting one. Sometimes I'm called a natural resources conservationist. Those big words just mean I look after the trees, the meadows and the animals. And my territory is in what people used to call the Wild West. Of course, it isn't too wild anymore, except when nature goes on a rampage, which is exactly what happened in today's story. It seems it rained and rained and rained until, but I see I'm getting ahead of myself. The name of the story is, they called him a coward. Take a look high in trees, fellas. That red-headed woodpecker. Not see too many like this around here. They come up north in early spring. Oh, we're lucky to have Gray Wolf take us on these nature hikes. Yeah. Swell getting out of school. Hot little school building out in the woods. Yeah, it's still part of our school work. Yeah. Gray Wolf knows everything there is to know about the woods. Uh-huh. What's that? Don't you like the woods? Not especially. You're new in town, I know. Your name's Jerry, isn't it? Yeah. I guess you just moved here. What's your dad do? He's dead. He died in a big fire. My mother works at the railroad lunchroom. And moved here because she got the job here. Anything else you want to know? I'm sorry, Jerry. I didn't realize that... Hey, boys! Put down roads! Schoolhouse on fire! Come on! Schoolhouse on fire! Wow! Look at that! Look at those flames! Come on, Jerry, let's hurry! You gotta help those kids out of that schoolhouse! Come on, let's run! Good work, boys. Move fast, but don't make children scared. Take their hands. Two by two. That's it. Two by two. Hey, teacher. All children out safe. Good. Children all okay. Now we just have to let old schoolhouse burn down. Henry, good work. Good boy. Keep head. Keep cool. Grave, help keep out little children. Hey, where's Jerry? I asked where Jerry? He not run when I call for help. He not run when you run. He ran all right, but he ran the wrong way. He ran away because he was scared. I can see his hand hurt nothing like it in all my born days. Here you have this young fella, almost a man groaned. How old is he? Fifteen. He's in school with me. Almost a man groaned. And when all them little children was in that there schoolhouse with the flames of war in the region, what'd this here Jerry do? He run away. I know. Worse than that, he run plumb away. Runs fur away. He's been gone for three days now. Everybody's out hunting up hill down there. I just hope that he's all right, that's all. Covered just about every possible place to look for. Hey, stop it. What? That big packing box. Put there by the wall. Looks as if it's over there. No, sooner's had than done. Over we go. And here we are. Now just bend down, take a good look inside this here packing box. And we'll comb my whiskers and call me a dude if it ain't. It's Jerry. Did you enjoy your meal? Yeah, thanks. We'll give you some more in a little while. I guess you didn't have too much to eat for three days. No. Jerry, Bill and the sheriff and some other good folks have asked me to talk to you. Well, I'm what they call a psychiatrist. I'm a doctor except I don't treat you for stomach aches. I'm here to help you when you're worried or unhappy or scared. Well, what I'd like to do with your permission is sort of talk things over with you from time to time. I think maybe we can work things out so you won't be, well, so quick to get away from things. And Bill and Henry and Gray Wolf and Stumpy are all ready to help you do this. In fact, they've invited you to go out and stay with them for a while. And in that way, all of us can help to make things better as far as you are concerned. Does that sound like a good idea to you, Jerry? If you say so. Oh, good. As a matter of fact, they're waiting for you right now. Let's go out there right this minute. My car's outside. In fact, that's the first time, the very first time ever played it. What's the matter? Don't you especially hanker after harmonica music? Well, I... Well, we come out here today to study and observe the critters of the forest. We can just forget about the music. All right. Well, let's get on with our bird-watching. Maybe I better explain. I ain't exactly as technical as Gray Wolf, but... Now, you take that there bird sitting up there and that there tree up there. You see her? Sure. Now, you might think that there bird was robbing. But she ain't, Jerry. No, sir, she ain't. That there bird is South American Willie Walliface. Funny thing about them is South American Willie Walliface is they fly backwards. Oh. Yep. The South American Willie Walliface flies backwards because it don't care where it's going, but it likes to see where it's been. I heard that one before. Maybe so, maybe so. Just thought maybe some little foolish man like that might cheer you up a little. Well, all of us, Bill, and Gray Wolf, and Henry, we all have been trying to get you to feel a little... I know. It's no use. I don't belong here. I don't belong anywhere, I guess. I'm just scared of everything. No, nonsense. Well, Jerry, you're every single bit just as... Hey, look there. Cute little rascal. Look at him, sending himself, giving us a once-over. Oh, curled up there and just enjoying life is pretty scab-y. Oh. There he goes, jumping over fences, running away for dear life, scared most to death, running away, running away from a tiny baby, cute little harmless innocent garter snake. Oh, Jerry, Jerry, Jerry. Well, you're right. Plenty slow, Jerry. These good horses. Anyway, I'll tell you what to do. Yes. Horse smart. Horse no one rider is. Well, rider's new rider. Like me. The whole reign's easy. Not tight. This horse, Indian train. Everybody ride Indian horse. Gets to be a good rider. Now sit up straight. Now I'll show you how we go to the left. Press horse side with left knee. Turn wrist a little bit to the left. There, see? Easy. Now you turn wrist straight. Don't press with me, see? Now we go straight. Horse no. You make good rider, Jerry. Two or three lesson, you beat me. I learned to ride when I was five years old. No saddle. My father lift me on pony's back. Show me to ride same way I show you. Everybody learned to ride out here in the west. You like it? I'm no good at it. I teach you. Now you stop. You do what I do. Pull back on reins, slow and easy. No need to say anything. Now, see? Easy. Now when we start you move hand forward a little bit. And talk horse talk. Horse talk? Sure, like this. See? Now I'll show you what to do to make horse skill. Well first you... No, no Grey Wolf. Please let me off. Let me get off and walk home. Please Grey Wolf, horses scare me. I want to get off and walk. I'm scared. Her is hot. We need a rain. We'll be there in a minute or two. Henry, I don't think... I can't even hear you boy. We walked about a mile and a half on a broiling hot day just to go swimming. We got our swimming trunks on. So we get to the water all you have to do is just jump in and cool off. But Henry... You can't swim, can't you? Yeah. Well then, there's the old swim at all. Just like the pictures in a bus. Ha, that'll look good now. I don't think I would. Hell, here goes nothing. That's right, you'll like it. Swam there a million times. There Jerry is one of the finest views in the whole world. That's what I always say. Three states. How high are we? Oh, not so very high. Three, four thousand feet. The first time I brought Henry up here when he was a little shaver he wouldn't believe we were looking at three states. He thought they should have been different colors like on the map. I see. Well, time to start back. What's wrong? Nothing to get startled about, Jerry. It's just that I haven't been watching the times a lot later than I thought. Practically dusk now. By the time we get down to the timber line there, it'll be dark. It's dark. Do you know the way home? Sure. Let's get started, huh? Getting to enjoy life out here in the West, having fun, I mean? I don't know. I'd like to see you have a good time. We like to have you with us, Jerry. Why? Well, because we like you, that's why. How can you? How can we what? How can you like a person that's afraid of everything? It seems the older I get, the more of a scaredy cat I get. I know what you and Stumpy and Grey Wolf and Henry are trying to do. You're trying to help me learn how not to be scared of things. But no matter what you do, no matter what you do... We like you, Jerry, and that means we're going to keep on liking you. And if you'll just... Bill! Great horned owl. Yeah, watch him fly. Not a sound, see? Comes drifting along out of those trees just like a shadow. Quietest fly in the world. Wonderful sight, old Mr. Owl. Bill, it's dark under those trees. I don't like the dark, especially in the woods. I wish we were back home. I wish we were back home. It's time to climb into the haze. This year, hot weather gets the fellow all discombobulated. Hope she ain't too hot-sleeved. I'm tired. Me too. How about you, Grey Wolf? I always ready for bed when time come. Go to bed early, get up early. That's my motto. Me too. How about you, Bill? Sure enough. Grey Wolf, have you taken a look at the barometer on the porch? Yes. Not good. Good what? The barometer dropped. Did you bust it? When did you drop it, I mean? No, big rain come, I think. I agree. Big bad rain, or else I miss my guests. Well, everybody accounted for it before we aimed for bed. Where's Jerry? He's asleep. I just looked in on him a minute ago, and there he was sound asleep. Sound asleep. No, I'm afraid I tell you, can't you understand? All right, Jerry, there it is. Teeny-weeny is a little bit of a baby garter snake. Gettlesnakes wouldn't hurt a flea. But I'm afraid of snakes. Oh, kind. Don't make me go near it. I hate snakes. I don't like to get near them. No. Now we know what's going on. This good horse is easy to ride. Just kick back heels and horse go fast, fast, fast. Horses are so big. I'm scared when they come close to me. I don't like to get on them. They go so fast, so big. Hey, you just jump in while I jump in. The water's not so deep. Wow, why so far? Swimming's fun. You dive when I count three now. It's easy to swim. It's fun to swim. All the boys like to swim, like to swim. No, no, not me. Water makes me shiver. I can swim. I don't want to. I don't want to swim because I get frightened. Now we'll go through these dark woods, Jerry. Nothing to be afraid of in the wood at night. Dark woods are friendly places. Here we go into the dark woods. Into the dark woods, into the dark woods. No, I get scared of the dark. There's a little teeny weeny garter snake. Now we make horse go fast to this good horse. Let's swim this afternoon. Swimming's fun. Swimming's lots of fun. We'll walk through the dark woods. The woods are friendly places. The woods are friendly. No, no, I'm afraid. I'm afraid. I'm scared. The shore is raining. Equinoctal rain. Equi, what's your order? Boy, look at it, will you? Yeah. Jerry's showing any progress, do you think? Poor fellow, he tried and tried all of us, but nothing seems to help. Dr. Grant, that psychiatrist, he's a try, but even he can't... Seems like we've tried everything. No, Henry, not everything. I began to think we started in the wrong way. There's one thing we haven't tried and maybe that's what we should have started with. In fact, I think the very next thing to do is... Hey, hey, emergency signal on the state radio. I'll get it. Bill here, okay, to go ahead, over. Bill, big trouble. The river has risen over the bottom lands, still rising. All inhabitants of the area evacuated except one house. A house in confluence of river and bitter crates. Hey, I know that house. I've... Parents and children are trying to rescue their two small children. Parents in hospital now. Children still marooned in house, surrounded by flood water. Need help. Urgent. Repeat. Urgent. Over. Okay, Cal, we'll get those children out, over and out. You heard all that, fellas? Now let's get ready, all of us. It's dark, we'll need flashlights. Ray Wolf, you get the horses ready. With all the flood water, we can't use the jeep. Henry, get several coils of rope. Stumpy, get heavy gloves and the snake bite kits. Those bottom lands flooded every bushel ever rattler or cottonmouth in it. Hey, Bill! What about Jerry? He'd better stay here. We'll be finding snakes and horses and water and darkness. He's afraid of all of them. Now, let Jerry stay here. No, Terry! I heard what you said. It's true. I am afraid of all those things. But I'm more afraid to stay here all by myself. So I'm going with you. Can't be very far now. Right around this bend, I think. It's hard to see or the dark. You all right, Jerry? I'm all right. Good. Water gets any deeper. The horses will have to swim. Hey, try not to let your horse press against those tree branches. Bell says... I know. The ground's rising. We're up on higher ground. It's almost right into Bill, the rest of them. Hey, what are we stopping for? This is as far as we can go with the horses. The mirror of the land dips down into the bottom. Hey, house over there. Hundred yards, maybe. Light and window of house. Children still there. Yeah! Look at them! Billows, a range in water! What are we going to do now, Bill? We'll inflate the life raft. Spread it out and get it ready, Grey Wolf. I know. And we'll each take poles or a paddle. Let the current take us down to the house. Once we get there, we'll get the two youngsters up. Then let the current take us to where we can touch solid ground again. That's a good idea. Rubber boat all spread out. All right. Puncture the compressed air capsule. I figure it'll take all of us polling and paddling to guide the boat. All of us, that is, except Stumpy Hugh and Grey Wolf and Henry, climb in and get set. All right. Jerry, you stay here and mind the horses. You'll be back before too long. Jerry? Yes, Bill. All right, Bill. Good. I'll get in here. Everybody ready now? All right, Bill. Remember, keep aiming for the house. All right. I'll shovel. There. Now keep paddling and pulling all the time. See you later, Jerry. Just about halfway there. Hard to see in the dark. The good thing is, I left that lamp in the window. He could steer by it just dandy. I think we're just about in time, Bill. We're in coming down harder than ever. This old tree. Look out. Expert strong swim. I could make a go of it in this country. That rolls me out. Not water, animal. Swim okay, but I go swim good. You good swimmer, Bill. I was. When I got pitched out of that boat, I banged my arm somehow. I don't think it's broken. Right now it's numb. You're so quiet. Terrible. Can you hang on to the tree, okay, Bill? Oh, sure. It only takes one arm for that. I'm sure I'm not going to be any good for much else. At least hang on to the branches of this tree. There you go. Pass through the monkeys. Well, all right. Let's not help two little ones at house. Do we have those long ropes we board with this? I think they sank when that boat went down. Or else maybe we're not great. We're helpless. There isn't a single thing that we could do. Tree move a few inches. That fast current. It's gradually uprooting this tree. What are we going to do? Maybe she'll hold. Maybe she won't. The only thing we can do is... She doesn't even know we're in trouble. She's here. We're shown she's here for a second. What do you say? I know. I know, Henry. What do we do? Let's hang on. Oh, Jerry. But Jerry. I'll just hang on to a branch here. And catch my breath for a second. Jerry! Don't worry about me. I suppose I should have told you. I can really swim okay. I got medals and junk to prove it. Now then, Bill. Here. I got a coil rope here. Turn around my waist. Just a second. There. It was tied to the palm of one of the saddles. Bill, pass the one end of this rope around me. Right below my arms. Great. Good. I know. Right. Now, what are you doing there? I'll pass this whole coil rope twice around this big branch. You finished the gray wolf? Not too tight. That's just right. You take the coil rope. As I swim toward the house, you pay it out gradually. In this current, we don't want to have too much slack. Jerry, are you sure that you can... I'm sure, Bill. I'm going to swim down to the house. Get those kids. When I jerk twice on the rope, you pull me back. Okay? You ready, gray wolf? Yes, but I... Okay. Here I go. You'll be ready with the rope. Come on. There he goes. Rope a lot. Fast. Current taken fast. He's a good swimmer. Swim like Otter, the best I ever... Huh? Watch out! Rope goes slack. You've got to see what happened. Do you think he... Yeah. Jerry's signal. Two jerks on rope. Now I pull. Oh, which I could. Sam! I've got all that black water. Hey! I can see him! I can... Yeah! He pulled him, gray wolf! Pull him! It looks to be... Henry, Charlie. What? Here, Stumpy. Do you take the one? I'm sure we are! And I was cheated! Henry, you take the other one. Here. They're both okay. They're the best little kids I ever saw. Gray Wolf! Yeah, Jerry. Please listen. I'm going to swim to the shore. To the high ground where the horses are. What? I'll keep the rope around my waist. And when I get there, it's when I get on shore, I'll fasten my end of the rope to saddle horns of a couple of saddles. In the meantime, you tie yourselves to this end of the rope. I do. Then what, Jerry? When I give the signal, two jerks on the rope. Just like before. I'll start the horses, and we'll have you hauled out of here in about one minute flat. How do you know which way to swim? All I've got to do is keep upstream. Get shallow pretty soon. Besides, when the horses hear me, they'll whinny. I'll make it, Bill. You'll see. Jerry, I don't know how. We can never fight. Tom, I'll get my breath back. Here I go. A couple of shakes from a lamb's tail. Now there he goes. There he goes. The boy was afraid of everything. The boy we call the cow. What a best picnic I ever went to. I'm glad you'd come along, doctor. You want to go swimming with us later? Yeah. And Jerry's teaching me how to dive. Pah, is he good? I swim like a rock, but I'll go long. Jerry, how did all this happen? Well, one day I happened to find a book in Henry's bookcase. I just started reading it. It seemed like I just couldn't stop reading. I see. What was that book, Jerry? It's this book. It's right here. I carry with me all the time. My pocket. Here. The Bible? Yes, sir. The Bible has been used to change many young lives, even more radical changes than Jerry. The Bible introduces you to the God who created you. And once you've met him and allowed him to explain a few things to you, your life is changed. I hope you already know this. Well, see you next week for more adventure with...