 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. It's a bright sunny day in Naughty Pine. Henry and I are at headquarters trying to clean up the continuous plague of paperwork that seems to find its way to my desk, somehow or other. Stumpy and gray wolf are out riding trail, which is the only place a Ranger should be expected to be. Everything is quiet and routine. Oh yes, the name of this story is The Deep Country. Paperwork, paperwork. It seems just about all I get to do around here. I'm not an armchair Ranger. I should be out on the trail doing the work I'm supposed to do. Yes, sir. I think I'm going to move headquarters way out into the hills where the postman can't find it. That'll get rid of this pesky paperwork. Yes, sir. First we make out a report, and then we have to make out another report to tell what the first one means. Then we have to report on the report that we already reported on. And if we fill out the report incorrectly, we have to make six more reports telling why the report of the report in which we reported was wrong. Then we have to make out a new report reporting again what we originally reported but shouldn't have reported the way we reported it. Yes, sir. If you say yes, sir, once more Henry Scott. Yes, sir. I mean, no, sir. What's the difference? Go ahead, belt me. I thought I won't have to file this stack of papers. I wondered how long you could go before you got paper writers too. You mean you're not going to smack me one? No. I might put you in the hospital, and then I'd have to file all the reports myself. You should get off so easy. Coward. Come on. Let's make some excitement, huh, Bill? Uh-oh. Keep your shirt on. Maybe this is it. We should live so long, man. Hello, Ranger headquarters. Bill Jefferson speaking. Yes? Well, I don't see any reason to get excited about it, Walt. No, I really don't. Well, perhaps they stopped over somewhere and be along in half a day or so. Well, call me tomorrow if they don't show up. Oh, OK. And Walt, quiet down, will you? Lots of folks have been half a day overdue. Yeah. Goodbye. No excitement? No, Bill, no excitement. Colonel and Mrs. Anders are half a day overdue from their vacation, and Walt's all lathered up about it. It's their vacation, isn't it? Besides, if the Colonel wants to come back late, who's to say he can't? He's the top man of the whole Western District. Everything west of the prairie lands. Oh, Walt's all right. He just gets too excited. That's all. He's afraid the Colonel's going to miss a big conference tomorrow afternoon. Oh, they'll be home soon. Maybe they're there now, for all we know. Yeah. Could be. Let's go out for a walk, huh? Hey, did I ever tell you the story about the two barbers? No. You tell us something. You're asking for it, Gray Wolf. Well, but do you not tell me anything new, Henry? Well, this one barber always drank a glass of water after he shaved. And the other barber asked him, why did he? Why did he? If it's so funny, you tell us maybe, huh? Come on, stop it. Tell us. Do you know why he drank water after shaving? You're laughing at you, Stumpy. You probably left out the punchline of the joke. Come on, what's so funny, old timer? I've got it, fellas. Hello, Ranger headquarters. What was it, Walt? Time that you wouldn't listen. I knew from the start. Walt, just a minute. Well, you don't have to yell. Take two deep breaths. Why? I'm breathing all right. Just take a moment. Just keep breathing that way until I get there, and you won't have a nervous collapse. Never mind. I'm flying down right away. So hold the fort. Goodbye. All excited? Excited. That's not the word for it. I thought he was going to blow a fuse. Young fella can sure get head up in a hurry. That's why the colonel took him into his office. Well, just couldn't keep him getting up a full head of steam, pronto. Well, we just couldn't use him in the field. He gets just like a bandied rooster. It hasn't had a scrap for six months. I feel sorry for Walt. He's a good man otherwise. That's right, Gray Wolf. Well, let's get packed and into the plane. Henry, call Tommy in to take over the office while we're gone. Sure. I take it the colonel and Mrs. Andrews haven't showed up. Huh? What's this? We'll tell you about it in the plane, old timer. All right, let's go. I want to get there before Walt has a heart attack. No time for frivolity. What took you so long? Colonel and Mrs. Andrews might be hurt badly. And we are doing a thing about it. They might have been held up and taken prisoners or hostages so the law won't get the robbers. Maybe they had an accident and they're bleeding to death on the highway somewhere. Maybe they got kidnapped and we'll get their ransom notes soon. Oh, this is terrible, terrible. Colonel Andrews and his wife in danger. Walt, calm down. That's better, sonny. You got to come up for air once in a while. All right. But you'll be sorry you took this so lightly. You just wait and see. Walt, I need some information. Are you going to supply it or do I have to waste time getting it the hard way? No. I'll tell you what you want to know. Where did the Colonel and Mrs. Andrews go on their vacation? San Francisco. They were going to spend some time there. With friends or at a hotel? Hotel. You know the name of the hotel? Yes, I got it written down somewhere. I'll find it. Now we're getting somewhere. Why? I think we should worry more about Walt and Colonel Andrews. Operator, this is the Ranger Bill Jeffs. I need an emergency connection with San Francisco. Yes. I'll have more information in a minute. Thank you. If they checked out a hotel, then we know they start for home. Yes, you've got to narrow this down as quickly as possible. Colonel Andrews has that big meeting this afternoon. Hey, where's Walt? Oh, I get him. Thank you, Colonel. That man has got to learn to control his blood pressure. Thank you very much, Mr. Summers. Yes, sir, you've been a tremendous help. Goodbye, sir. Operator, hold the line open for a few minutes, please. Thank you. What hotel say Bill? They checked out early yesterday morning. I told you this is no good. Something's happened to them. Something terrible. Take it easy, Walt. What Bill think? What do you aim to do now, sonny? I'm going to talk to the California State Police. They may have an accident report. If not, I'll file a missing persons on them. Stumpy, you call Cal and have him put out a missing persons on them. Now, Gray Wolf, call Tom and tell him I want every available man down here in Prandtl. Call Ralph and tell him the same thing. All right, away. We'll get moving like one of them there being jackrabbits. What do you want me to do? Sit tight, Henry, and don't let Walt's imagination run away with him. Right. Operator, I want to talk to the California State Police headquarters. I knew at the minute it happened. I just had a feeling. Tell them this is terrible, terrible, I tell you. How can an experienced man like the Colonel just up and vanish? They've been kidnapped, that's what. Walt, please sit down. I can't. You know that as well as I do, Bill. I can't sit still. You know how excited I get, and you don't give me any consideration at a time like this under this terrible strain. I've got to do something. Well, go take a walk. For a long run. So, now you don't want me around to help out, eh? Figure I know too much. Well, you fellows have delayed too long already. Walt, you know that's a lot of hot air. Now you go do something to burn off the excess steam before you dry me cuckoo with your pacing up and down. I can pace up and down wherever I want. I'm nervous. I know. You pace wherever you want, as long as it isn't in front of me. Now go, please. Aren't you kind of rough on him, Bill? Yes, pal, I am, but you know, Walt, my extended sympathy would get ten times worse. Sometimes you just can't give sympathy to people who are near hysteria. Only makes them worse. Sounds cruel, I know, but in the final analysis, you're really helping. Missing person not as yet? Not a peep, Grey Wolf. Ah. Here's a sandwich and coffee, you fellas wanted. Thanks, something. Now what are we going to do now, young fella? Wait. Yes, we've got to give the missing persons reports time to go through the police system. So all we can do is wait. At that time, every available ranger in this part of the country should be here, except for the skeleton crew who's left behind. Are you going to take Colonel Anders' place at the meeting if he hasn't been found by then? Nope. My job is to find the colonel and Mrs. Anders, and that's what we're going to do. Attention, please, man. Each one of you has a map and now it is marked your area of search. Yes, I know. Now, I want you to be particularly conscious of places where accidents could occur. Look for tire marks, smashed car, and so forth. Check every doctor, hospital, and first aid station, and police department in your area. I want this to be a real search, men. Not one stone is to be left unturned. But don't search foolishly. Someone somewhere is seen, the colonel and his wife. I want those people found and found quickly. Understand? Yeah, I know. Fine. Henry and I will be right here at the radio constantly. Now, get going and good hunting. Well, here's hoping. Yes, pal. I'm beginning to think that we ought to do some praying. Looks like this is going to be a job for the Lord because we are rapidly using up our human resources. Why, when I told Walt to take a walk, he sure did. I wonder where he went. To the nearest telephone, it looks like. What do you mean? He's coming up to walk with Sue Anders. Oh, no. See for yourself. Oh, why did he do that? I didn't want Sue to know about her parents until we were sure they really are missing. Oh, Walt has put his foot in it this time and he won't get it back out before I spring the jaws of the trap. I know what you mean. He's sure taken things upon himself. Yeah, we might as well get ready for this storm. They're entering the building now. Instead of one, now you'll have two of them on your neck. Dad has a dependable assistant because you wouldn't even give me the time of day, Bill Jefferson. Just who do you think you are anyway to keep this from me? You have your nerve. My mother and father might be dead for all you know and you haven't the courtesy to tell me what's going on. My father will hear about this when he returns, if he returns. Like Walt says they're probably kidnapped or something worse. Well, why don't you say something? I'm all out of breath listening to you, young lady. Well, you used to talk like a gentleman but now you don't even do that. What's gotten into you, Bill Jefferson? You tell him, Sue. He won't listen to me. He says I make him nervous. Walt, you overstepped your authority to get Susan here. Well, that's a fine way to talk. Just what do you mean? I suppose you weren't even going to bother to let me know my parents are in danger. Are they? Well, that's what Walt said. Walt talks too much. See, there he goes again, picking on me. First, I make him nervous. Now, I talk too much. Well, don't you? It seems to me that we're wasting a lot of time talking about your hurt feelings which come as a result of Walt's overzealous efforts. We're doing everything we can to locate your folks, Sue. Oh, are you really? I've got a missing person report out on them in three states and 40 rangers from each district which makes 80 men out searching every nook and cranny for them. A lot of good that's going to do when they've been robbed and beaten or even worse. Who told you that? Walt did. He hasn't held a thing back. That's for sure. It's just possible, you know, that they could have had an automobile accident or a motor breakdown, or one of your parents could have been suddenly taken ill. The pressure of their current predicament has caused them to forget about notifying anyone of their whatabouts. How does that sound? There's a positive approach to the problem. Instead of the overworked results of one man's morbid imagination. Even entirely possible that nothing is wrong. That they just stopped off somewhere and sent a wire which was misdirected. Well, it does sound logical and certainly more cheerful. I don't think any such thing has happened. Bill's got a smooth tongue. He could talk his way out of a cave full of grizzly bears. Oh, don't you believe him, Susan? I tell you something terrible has happened and that's my firm and honest opinion. Bill, Greywell's calling in. Maybe he's got something hot. Let me have the mic, pal. Sure, here. Bill to Greywell. Bill to Greywell. Come in. Over. He crosses Big Bend Highway. Maybe we have hot lead. All right, Greywell. We're on our way. Over and out. I know where that is. Man alive! That's near the... Ow! What's the matter, pal? You stepped on my foot. Oh, excuse me. Come on, let's get out of the car and meet Greywell from the boys. Why aren't you going to invite me along? No, ma'am. Well, that's a fine thing. What am I expected to do while you're gone? Please go home. We'll notify you in a little while. Or you could stay here and listen to more of Walt's hair-raising tales of horror. Because you were acting like Walt. You mean you didn't want me to say anything about Greywell's call. I'm not close by the deep country. You guessed it, pal. I can understand why, too. You were just about getting Walt and Sue settled down in that big mouth remark with a start on them up again. That's right. I'm sorry I had to step on your foot. That's all right. Maybe it'll teach me a lesson to keep my big catertribe shut. Hey, there's a couple of ranger cars right ahead by the gas station. Right. Now we'll find out just how hot this lead is. Let's have it, boys. This here fella is Cyrus Hallman, Bill. He says he might have seen Colonel Anders in the Mrs. Passby this way. Oh, hello, Cyrus. Howdy. Are you the big boss ranger? That's right. Do you think you might have seen the people in question? Well, could be. How long ago? Tolerable spell. Tolerable, huh? Could that be a whole day ago? Yep, could be. What kind of a car did they have? They weren't no regular cars, I recollect. One of them they're station wagons. He writes so far, Bill. Yeah, it sounds hopeful, Bill. What did the people look like? Didn't see them. You didn't see them? No. Well, how in the name of common sense did they pass this way? Paul saw them. He allowed about that ranger marker on the car. Well, knock me over with a feather. Why didn't you tell us this the first time? You didn't ask. No. It's all right, fellas. Cy, where's your father? Home. Where's that? This piece. Which road, Cy? That one. The old rim road? Yep. How far? Well, you could down by the big tree in the short rocks, right there. Listen, friend, how about showing us, huh? Got to tend the pumps. I'll leave a ranger here to tend the pumps. Come on, let's go talk to your pa. My good fellow, a man and a woman's life depends on your talking and talking quickly. I hope I don't have to pump you like a rusty pump just like I did your son. I don't think so. But what do you want to know? Did you or did you not see Colonel Anders and his wife? And if you did, where did they go from here? I've seen them. You saw the man in this picture? Yep. Where did they go from your gas station? That away. Which way? What road? And how long ago? Went back into the deep country. Went down a big bend. How long ago? Tolerable time ago. Maybe a day. Can't you remember exactly? Nope. It was some spell back. Thank you. Let's get back to the cars, fellas. I've never been so fed up with people in my life. First Walt and Sue, and now those two slow-motion characters. Boy, you think it actually hurt them to talk? Yep. You said it, sonny. We didn't have to deal with people in this instant. We'd be better off. What's your next move? I don't like it. They're out there in the deep country. It's a miserable wilderness. Awfully hot. Stumpy, Grey Wolf, get your man into the deep country and begin searching. I'll call in all the other units to join the ground search. Henry, call for a helicopter. We'll search by air. Their car shouldn't be too difficult to spot. We need a Tom. Report. As long as rapidly as possible. Okay, Tom. Check another sector off the air search map, pal. Right. We should take us about a mile away from Big Bend Highway. Right. Grey Wolf has a report. Should I call him? Yeah, you better. Go ahead, Grey Wolf. We find Mrs. Anders and Carr. You did? Where? You come along like you fly right now. You see us two miles in front of you. We mark place for you to land over and out. Oh, boy. They found Mrs. Anders. Oh, that's good work. The score is one found and one lost. What happened, Mrs. Anders? I don't know, Bill. Suddenly the car was without water. The colonel pulled in here to look for a certain rock specimen. And then we noticed the water was gone. I've been almost crazy with worry about the colonel. There, there, now. We'll find him all right. Don't worry. Grey Wolf, Stumpy, start tracking the colonel. Let me know as soon as you pick up his trail. We sure will, young fella. Now don't you fret, Mrs. Anders. We'll find him. Thank you, Stumpy. I know you will. I tried to get him to stay here and wait for help. So ghastly hot. But he wouldn't listen. Said he knew what he was doing. And that's the last I've seen of him. We find him plenty quick. Tom. Yes, sir. Stay with Mrs. Anders. Will you have a car brought in to tow out this one? You bet. Hey, Stumpy is signaling me. They picked up the colonel's trail. From the heat. He's slowed down now. Let's press on, fellas. Time's running short. And we should find him plenty quick now. Hey! Pulse is weak. Steady. He's exhaustion. Is that we? Better make sure he ain't snake bit. Well, I look already. He not have snake bite. Let's get him out of here and to the hospital. And home. Not the colonel's up and about again. You're not the only one, pal. You mean you had enough folks who talked too much and those who talked too little? Precisely. I think you not forget about deep country for long time. Yeah, well, the deep country and the people involved will be deeply grooved in my mind for a long time. That was no idle statement, either. And Walt and Suhr on my mind for a long time. Strange how they let their mind and imagination run riot. Why, they even got to believing it was the truth. This ever happened to you? Well, I'll see you next week for more adventure with... Boys and girls, this is Ranger Bill back again for just a third of a minute with an extra word of thanks to you for joining us today. Hope you'll team up with the Rangers every week at this time when your local station gives us this chance to get together. See you then.