 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, have you ever thought about your heart? Have you ever thought about how important your blood is to your life? Of course you have. Or perhaps only casually, as you've read about them or had a lesson on them in school. But what would you say if I told you about a young fellow by the name of Leo Foster, who had two hearts? Well, you'd say I was balmy. But the facts are that Leo's blood was being pumped by a second heart for a brief time. Yes, a real human heart. Well, I guess this is enough of the riddle. Let's get into the story of the second heart. Leo and his older brother, Jim, are walking along Main Street in Naughty Pine. They're heading toward their father's place of business so they can walk home with him at quitting time. Officer Patrick O'Rourke keeps an eye on the lads as they skip across the street while he stops the traffic. There they are, boys. Walk across the street. Don't run. I'll keep the car to stop until you get to the other side. Okay, Pat. We'll walk. Come on, Leo. Don't go so fast, Jimmy. I'm tired. You're tired most of the time. We've got a higher doubt if you're working. Remember missing. It's only another block. Daddy don't quit for a little while yet. Come on, Leo. You can rest with me. Hey, Leo, what's the matter? You look sick. I don't know what's wrong, Jimmy. I don't feel so good. Jimmy, stop running around me. I'm not running around you. I'm still still. I'm gonna fall, Jimmy. I got you, Leo. I got you. Hello, Callaghan. This is O'Rourke. Get an ambulance to Main and Saddle Street right away. Okay, Pat. I'll have one there as soon as possible. What's happened? A young lad by the name of Leo Foster has passed out on the sidewalk. That's too bad. I'll have the boys on the way right now. Here comes the ambulance, Steve. I'm glad you got him. Can I ride with my son to the hospital? I don't see why not. All right, folks. All right, stand back now. Make room for the stretcher to get through. Stand back now. Thanks for your help, Pat. I think your celebrity gets me too. I sure hope Leo will be all right. I got your dog tags, fellas. Here you are. I think there's plenty of good idea for us to wear identification tags around neck, and that show blood type as well as name. Is this part of the National Civilian Defense Program, Bill? That's right, Henry. It's not compulsory, but it strongly suggested that this be done. I like the idea, not only in case of air attack, but these will come in handy for our work. I'll say they will. Forest fire season isn't too far off. Yeah, it won't do any good to know what type of blood I got anyhow. Why you say that's something? Yeah, nobody could match your blood of an ordinary quitter like me. Yeah, I guess you're right, Sturkey. Hey, now wait a minute. I didn't think I was going to get a unanimous decision. Actually, fellas, all of you have common blood type, except me. What? What type of blood do you have, Bill? Type B, R-H negative. Is that very rare type, Bill? It sure is. I'd be in a bad way if I needed a transfusion in a hurry. Hey, listen, fellas, we're supposed to be hitting the trail for parts unknown. Yeah? Where are we going this time, Bill? Up to the north ranges. Hey, that is parts unknown. So let's get saddled up and hit the trail. The crew is out of two days' start on us. They'll be resting with nothing to do unless we get there quickly. Dr. Flint, have you been able to tell what's wrong with Leo yet? I'm sorry, Mr. Foster. Just at present, we're up a tree, diagnostically speaking. Your son has the whole staff puzzled. Has he regained consciousness yet? Yes. Yes, he has. That's the only encouraging report I have at the moment. You can see him any time. Just don't get him excited. That's all. When will you know what's wrong with him? I hope it won't be long. I'm going down to X-ray now. Perhaps I'll have a picture from which we can learn something. Oh, I hope so, Doc. You go in and visit your son. I'll be back in 15 minutes and let you know what we find out. How are you feeling, son? I'm awful tired, Daddy. Are you mommy mad at me for falling down a sidewalk? Of course we're not. All we want you to do is to rest and to get well. I will. How's Jimmy? Oh, he's fine, fine. He says you should come home real soon. But remember, you've got to do what the doctors and nurses tell you or you won't get well. I will, Daddy, in honest. That's a good fella. I know you will. Mr. Foster, may I talk to you, please? Yes, of course. I'll be back in a few minutes, Leo. Okay, Daddy. I'll be waiting. Well, Doctor, what's the news? The X-ray shows that your son has a heart condition, Mr. Foster. A heart condition? At his age? Now don't jump to conclusions. It may not be as bad as it looks. What do you mean by that? Well, let me answer it this way. We'd like to call in a very fine heart specialist from Canyon City, a Dr. Philip Regwick. A specialist? It's just that. Well, it's just that we'd like a confirmation of our diagnosis, Mr. Foster. Also, Dr. Regwick is the only man in this part of the country able to perform the surgery if such became necessary. But isn't that awfully dangerous? Yes, yes it is. That's why we want the most competent doctor we know of to do it. Dr. Flint, you can call in anybody you want to help my son. But I want to know what's wrong with Leo's heart and no beating around the bush. Give it to me straight. I can take it. All right. Frankly, I have been beating around the bush. I wanted to find out if you could take the shock. We believe Leo has a patent form in O'Valley. I don't know any more now than I did before. Let me explain. Before birth, there's an opening in the muscle wall between the two oracles. Now, normally, this opening closes shortly after birth. The opening in Leo's heart didn't do that. I see. If he's to survive it, it must be closed. Is that right? Yes. Remember, of course, that we're not positive about this. We want to be. That's why we want Dr. Regwick to come in on it. Okay. Get Dr. Regwick here as quickly as possible, will you? Phil, this is Grant. Charlie, good to hear from you, old boy. I thought you'd let the country. It has been a long time since we've seen each other or even talked for that matter. Say, Phil, I suspect that a patient of mine here at the hospital has a patent form in O'Valley. I'd like you to see it. Just a young lad. You don't say. Oh, I'm interested. I'll be on the next train or drive to Notty Pie, whichever is faster. That'll be fine, Phil. I'll see you soon then. Right as soon as I can get there. Now, here's our work plan, fellas. Wait till I open the map. The easiest to explain what I want done. Great Wolf, you see this stream here? Ah, yes. I noticed on our fall inspection, there's a nasty erosion wash along this stream. Take a crew and have them fix it. We do. Anything else, Bill? Well, that's all for you right now. You better get started. Take you quite some time to check the erosion. Oh, right away, Bill. Now, you fellas and crew, one, come with me. Stumpy, here's what I want you to do. I'm listening, Johnny. Take the second crew and head for the timber north of the Little Shady River. Why don't we go in and do, Bill? We're going up into the North Peaks and fix the trails, Henry. Also, I want to find out how the high altitude wildlife we're making up. Oh, that ought to be interesting. Hey, maybe there's still some snow way up in the mountains. The Foster Boys in room 28, Phil. I'm sure glad you were able to come right away. I'd route everything for one of these cases, Grant. How old is the lad? Eight years old. I'd like you to conduct your own examination before making a diagnosis, Phil, just as a check. All right. Well, I want to see your records and test reports, too. The lad's father is here. Oh, that's fine. Hello, Mr. Foster. I'm Dr. Regwick. How do you do, Doctor? This is my son, Leo. Hello, son. So, you're the lad who's having a bit of a problem. Well, we'll have a look at you and see what we can find. I'm sure there's nothing we can't fix up and you'll be as good as new. I hope so, Doctor. I'm getting so tired of being tired all the time. You'll find he has a lot of courage for a little, fellow, Phil. I'm sure you're right. Let me get this conglomeration out of my bag and we'll ever go at it. Say, Leo, you're a jolly good patient. I've been pounding you and poking you and you haven't said a solitary word. Are you able to make a diagnosis yet, Doctor? Hardly, old fellow. If it's what Dr. Flint says it is, there'll be several more hours of work to do before I can say you'll just have to be patient. But there's one thing I can tell you. What's that, Doc? We can't afford to make a mistake. So, Leo, but sure, is a very good motto. I've been out in God's country for a long time now. You know, fellas, somehow I never get tired of it. Never grow stale. No, I'll say it doesn't, Stumpy. Anything the Lord has a hand in never grows old. Oh, look at those stars. Smell the pines. What more could a fellow ask for than this? I can say amen to all of that, fellas. Just now, however, I'm gonna have my devotions and turn in. Me too. That's a good idea. Hey, we haven't listened to the radio today, Bill. Yeah, he's just afraid of missing something. We'll tune in tomorrow evening. Nothing important could have happened in this short time. Here's the complete lab report, Phil. You don't say. That's fast work, Grant. Let's have a look. Shall we go across the hall to my office? Right, I am. Now, let me see here. Here's your examination and mine. Two sets of x-rays, cardiograph, morator, metabolism. And that about does it, eh? That's the whole ball of wax, Phil. Now what do you think? Phil? Oh, sorry, old chap. I was mentally turning the pages of my experience with this sort of thing. You fellows have hit the nail right on the head. Then you would agree with our diagnosis. No, quite. There isn't a doubt that Leo has an opening between the oracles. And if he's to keep on living, it'll have to be sewed up. You gentlemen want to see me? Yes, come in, Mr. Foster. Please sit down. Dr. Regwick and I have just completed the diagnosis. And it's this. Leo has an opening in the oricular wall of his heart. And it has to be closed. I see. Is the surgery dangerous? Well, Phil, will you describe just what we're up against? Certainly, Grant. Mr. Foster, any surgery of the heart is dangerous. All I can say is I've been completely successful in performing this type of surgery in the past, so I see no reason to be unduly alarmed. And what does the operation involve, doctor? Well, it involves the connection of Leo's cardiovascular system to that of a second person, while we open the thoracic cavity and the heart, and sew up that opening. You mean that you'll have a second person on the operating table? On another table alongside Leo. Then you'll disconnect Leo's heart from his blood vessels and connect them to this second person's bloodstream? Quite. The second heart will pump for both persons while we operate on Leo's heart. Can't believe it. How can one heart pump for two people? Well, Mr. Foster, I know it sounds fantastic, but I've done it at least a dozen times. We use an auxiliary pump as a booster to bridge the gap between the two persons. It's awfully hard to believe. It sounds like a desperate measure, but if you've been successful before, let's do it by all means. You're sure it's the only way this condition can be cleared up? I don't wish to be tried, Mr. Foster, but you can't sure horse while he's running. See your point, Dr. Redwick. You'll be operating soon. There is a difficulty we must overcome first. Difficulty? What's that? Your son has a rare type blood, Mr. Foster. Very difficult to procure. BRH negative. Easy storm. This is a pretty steep slope. You said it, Bill. Walk down nice and careful like this, old girl. I want to fly through the air like a cannonball because you lost your footing. We'll ride over and take a look at the other antelope herd. Okay, Bill. We'll find some mountain lion tracks around there, too. I don't know. We find where Mr. Cougars killed some young antelope. We'll have to hunt him down. Boy, I'll say one or two mountain lions could cut down the animal population pretty badly. That's right. And after we finish looking the herds over, we'll head back to camp and quit for the day. Now you're talking my language, Bill. Boy, am I hungry. You weren't joking, Dr. Flint, when you said Leo had a rare blood type. You've tested 50 of my friends already and still you can't match it. Done got discouraged. Mr. Foster will keep trying and it could be the 51st person. But what if you can't find it and there's no more folks who are still to come in for the test? Then I'll get in touch with the newspapers and the radio stations. I'll ask them to make an appeal for a person with this type of blood. I'm sure that out of this part of the country there must be one person with Leo's blood type. Well, we should know by this evening if any of the rest of my friends can qualify. I'm Spence Brown speaking. Mr. Brown, this is Dr. Phillip Regwick. I want you to make an appeal for someone with... I say, Mr. Nichols, would you do me a bit of a favor? This is Dr. Regwick. Oh, yes, sir. How can I help? One of my patients is badly in need of a person. Hey, Bill, what do you say we find out what's going on in the rest of the world, huh? Oh, sure, Annie. Why not? Warm up the radio. I wish I could have heard the whole march. The next march we play will be by John Philip Sousa. But before we play the next march, I'd like to present a heart-stirring appeal to you again. Dr. Phillip Regwick is appealing for someone with type B, R-H, negative blood. Come to the Naughty Pine Hospital. Henry, let's listen. Repeat that type. B, R-H, negative blood is needed in a serious operation to save the life of young Leo Foster. Anyone who has this type of blood, please contact or come to the Naughty... Stumpy, Gray Wolf, you fellas take charge. I'm riding to Naughty Pine right now. Not dangerous to do in Darkville. Yeah, you better wait until morning and then go away. Don't worry, I'll get through. There's no time to wait when a life is at stake. Henry, turn that radio on short wave and tell him I'm on the way. You must be Bill Jefferson. Yes, I'm Bill Jefferson. I've come an answer to your appeal on behalf of young Leo Foster. My friends were really glad to see you. Are you sure you have the right type of blood? Reasonably so. Let me take a blood test now, if you wish. That's rather decent of you. By the way, I'm Dr. Redgewick. This is Dr. Flint and Mr. Foster, the boy's father. How you do, gentlemen? You do. You don't know how deeply we appreciate this, Mr. Jefferson. That's all right, Mr. Foster. I'm glad to help if I can. Well, let's get to the lab then and make the test. I'll alert surgery and if it's the right type, we'll operate within the hour. Right. We'll know in a minute, gentlemen. How do you know that you have this rare type blood, Mr. Jefferson? I just had a blood test made a short time ago for my identification tag. Isn't it wonderful how things have a way of working out? What do you say, Grant? Does it match? Look for yourself. Perfect. Let's proceed to surgery at once. Mr. Jefferson, I'm going into the preparation room and scrub up. It'll take about 20 minutes for Dr. Flint and me to get ready. The orderlies will wheel you in just before that time. Okay, doctor. I'm ready whenever you are. Bill, you're not afraid, are you? Why should I be, Dave? Well, what I mean is, well, if something should go wrong, maybe your heart can't pump or two. Dave, I'm a Christian. The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ has cleansed me from all sin. He's my savior. If I should die on the operating table, then I'll enter into the full blessing of eternal life. I have nothing to be afraid of. Christ conquered death for me. I don't understand. What are you talking about? Bill's talking about Jesus, Daddy. Don't you remember what the teacher taught me in Sunday school? Oh, yeah. Surely, oh, I remember. His mother sends him to Sunday school to learn about religion. I think it's a good thing for children to know. You should learn about Jesus too, Daddy. Jesus told me not to be afraid of the operation. I prayed. Shira, no, son. You'd better rest now. Do you honestly believe that salvation is only for children, Dave? Well, sure. Why not? Religion won't hurt him, will it? It's not religion your son is talking about, Dave. It's Christ. If he won't hurt children, then how can he hurt adults? You know, Dave, you're more frightened than your son is. You're scared to death that this isn't going to work. Who? Me? Why should I be scared? I'm not blaming you, Dave. You ought to be scared because you don't know the Lord. You should accept Jesus as your savior. I don't need help. It's another time. Not now. All right, Mr. Jefferson, Leo. The doctors are getting ready for you. We'll take you into the operating room now. Well, I'm ready. See you later, Daddy. We're ready for you now, old man. Leo's well under the anesthetic. I'm ready for you too, Doctor. What type of anesthesia is it? Local. You'll be conscious throughout. We'll administer it now and then we'll make the splice. Don't move a muscle. The nurse will wipe your face for you. After a bit, we'll start an auxiliary pump to help push the blood along. Now, we'll have a go at it. Here's the hypo, Phil. Thank you, Grant. Say, Ranger, you usually have tough hide. You won't feel a thing in a moment. Let's start to work on Leo. I'm right with you, Phil. Skin knife? Yes. Swab. Climb. Second knife. Swab. Retractor. Climb. Suche. Start the auxiliary, Grant. Right. I say that's working like a tub. Now, the heart. Yes. Scalpel? Righto. I'll have to move swiftly now. We don't want to give that second heart any more work than necessary. Wipe my forehead, nurse. Beastly heart in here. Can't be helped. How are you doing, Bill? Just fine, Doctor. My heart isn't complaining a bit about pumping for two people. Oh, you're one. Snipe the suture, Grant. Right here? Yes. There we are. Now, get this cardiac plumbing back together again and the ladle lives to be an old man. Ready to disconnect? Quiet. The pump's going off. Plump. Fosyps. Suche. More Suche. Are you taking care of Bill, Grant? Yes. I've got him put back together, Phil. Suche. Now's the test. There we are. Grant, we've done it again. Ah, that's wonderful. You're terrific, Phil. You too, Bill. Thanks. Don't thank me. All I had to do was the pumping. You fellas did the work. Well, how do you feel now, Leo? I feel fine, Daddy. I'm not tired anymore like I used to be. Doctor, fix me up real good. Is he really going to be all right, Doc? He'll be ready to leave the hospital in a couple of weeks. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Wedgwick. It was a pleasure to help, Mr. Foster. So it was. Here's the chap to thank. Leo's second heart. I know, Bill. Bill, you risked your life to save Leo's. How can I ever repay you? You can repay me by going to Sunday School with Leo instead of just taking him, Dave. I'll do that, Bill. For now on, we'll all go to Sunday School and church as a family. That's a covenant with God because he spared my son. How about that? There were two heart operations going on. While Dr. Wedgwick was working on Leo's heart, the Lord was working on the heart of his father. While for just a little while, Bill Jefferson's heart beat for two. Well, we'll see you next week for more adventure with...