 Ranger of the Woodland! Ranger Bill, Warrior of the Woodland, struggling against extreme odds, traveling dangerous trails, showing rare courage in the face of disaster. In the air, on horseback, in a screaming squad car, Ranger Bill, his mind alert, a ready smile, unswerving, loyal to his mission. And all this in exchange for the satisfaction and pride of a job well done. Will you ask the blessing, Henry? Okay, Bill. Our father, we are thankful for this food and I care for us that it represents. We thank thee for this day and all that thou dost send us to learn and do in this day. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. Amen. Well, thanks, pal. That prayer of yours getting more to the point every day, Henry. What do you mean, Stumpy? Well, thanking God for the day. With all this talk of the whole world being blowed sky high, it's meant to be more and more of a blessing to have one more day to live. You said it, old timer. And it's also more and more of a responsibility for the Christian to live close to God. I'll say. I never found it very easy to live as though the Lord was coming back any minute. But I don't have any trouble at all remembering that we might be blasted into His presence any second. Well, maybe this cold war is a blessing in disguise. Maybe a lot of people are now making their peace with God through Christ just because they realize that they might suddenly have to face God. I'll be glad to get up and reheat this lunch if you fellas want to go on and talking. Oh, I forgot all about it. As long as you're going to be around for a while yet, you might as well eat up. I didn't know I was going to start such a serious conversation. Well, interruption's over. Let's eat. Oh, interruption number two. Hi, Freddie. Oh, we're just getting a bite to eat. Did anyone start eating? Um, Freddie, I mean, do you have to just stand there and stare at us? Me? Yeah, it sure does things to a fella's appetite. Yeah, why don't you sit over there and look through some of those forestry magazines until we're through? Okay. I never tried to eat before with someone just looking at me. Well, now that Freddie is occupied, let's eat lunch before it's completely cold, huh? Okay. Freddie, Freddie, what did you come over to see me about? Oh, good. You done? I... I wasn't very hungry. Let's go outside. It's a good thing you weren't hungry, pal. We're having a big dinner tonight. Thanks, Bill. Come on, Freddie. Now, what was it that you wanted to see me about? I want you to help me build a fallout shelter. What? You know, a fallout shelter. In case of a bomb, you just run into it and you have food and shelter and stuff. Um, Freddie, where do you plan on building this shelter? In the basement of our house. I got a booklet all about it, but I forgot to bring it to show you. Does your parents know what you plan on doing? Sure. My dad's getting all the stuff we need. He says it'll save him about $500. Save him that much? I guess he could buy a fallout shelter to put in the basement for about that much, but he says if I'm careful and follow all the directions, we ought to have a good one for practically no money at all. My dad was the one who said I'd ask you to help. Well, it does sound like it ought to be fun, and as long as your folks say it's okay, it's not. Sure. Why not? Hey, I'll go and tell Bill where I'm going and I'll be right back with you, Freddie. Great. Now, I figured we'd build it right over here where the coal bin used to be. It's not right under the house, but it's attached to it, and all we have to do is clear it out and patch it up a bit, and we have three of the walls done already. I can't get over you, Freddie. What do you mean? Well, every time in the past that we've done something together, we've always gotten into some kind of trouble. But this time, well, your parents know what you're going to do and approve. You have all the instructions. You even have some pretty good ideas. I've given this idea a lot of thought. I guess you have, and it sure looks like it's paying off. Come on, let's get moving this junk out of the old coal bin. That way we can see how much work it'll take to make the three walls good and solid. That's the last of it. I think we ought to rearrange the way we piled this junk, Freddie. It looks like it's about to topple right over. Never mind that, Henry. We'll take all that stuff out of the cellar anyhow. Let's look at the old coal bin here. No sense in moving it twice. Hmm. Looks like this old coal bin was really made to last. Sure. It wouldn't do any good to have the sidewalk come crashing through here now, would it? Or do you think it's strong enough for a fallout, Sheldor? I don't think so. What we'd better do is patch up all the crack places and holes in the walls and put new supports along the sides and cross the top. That way we know it'll hold. Okay, Freddie. It looks like your father's got enough materials to build two shelters. I guess we have more than enough extra to play with. Let's get some of that ready-mix concrete. Sooner we get these three walls in shape, sooner we can start putting on the front wall in the door. Boy, is this gonna be great. May I be excused from the table? Sure, pal. On your way to Freddie's house? Right. How's that show to your building coming along? Oh, it's terrific. No kidding. You've been working on it for a couple of days now. We'd like to get a look at it some time soon. We're going to start building the front wall today, Bill. We've got the other three walls and ceiling reinforced, and that booklet Freddie's got showed a swell way to put in shelves and even cots for sleeping. I'm glad to hear that you'll have more than just a thick wall room. The idea is to live down in them things for two weeks at least, ain't it? That's right. Well, we're taking care of it all. Boy, Bill, I can't get over the way Freddie is going at this. You know how he usually sort of skips over instructions and only half does whatever he's trying to do? Uh-huh. Well, not so this time at all. He's really trying to be careful. Oh, once in a while he tries to slide by something, but he's really a whole lot more careful than I've ever seen him. You know, it just might be possible that our friend Freddie is growing up. Well, he sure is a lot more fun to work with. I've got to get going. After we really have something to show you, I'll ask Freddie if you can come over and see it. Good. We'll appreciate that, pal. Well, Ranger Bill Jefferson, come in. I've been wondering when you'd be dropping in. I've tried to stay away as long as possible, Harold, but my curiosity has the best of me. Come on in. Thanks. Why don't you have a chair? Thank you. Henry and Freddie have been busy at it down there for over a week. And if I do say so myself, I think they're doing a very reputable job. Well, Henry has been very excited about it. He's already started talking about building two more, one at home and one under the Ranger station. I know who he'll get to help. Yeah, so do I. Are they down there now? They are, as usual. They said something a little while ago about coming up to get me later. I guess they're pretty near finished. Well, then I picked a good time to drop in. You certainly did, Bill. Who is that at the door, Harold? It's Bill Jefferson, Ann. Come to take a look at the fallout shelter. Oh, Bill, it's so nice to see you. Thank you. If you don't mind my saying so, it's a pleasure to have you visit us for this kind of reason, rather than your usual visit to try to talk me into going to church. Harold. Oh, that's all right, Ann. You give me half a chance, Harold. I will drive. Then I'll try not to give you half a chance. Harold, such talk. Actually, Bill, the way I feel, I live in a clean Christian country. I don't break the commandments. I go to church once in a while and even look at the Bible on occasion. Well, I'd be a fanatic about religion. I'm okay as is. Bill, isn't a fanatic, Harold? I know, Ann. But some people seem to fit better in a religious framework, like pastors and missionaries and the like. Most pastors and missionaries were once just plain, ordinary people, Harold. As a matter of fact, I don't know one who wasn't. Well, you know what I mean. Men like you want to go into a lot of extra studying of the Bible and all kinds of meetings and so forth. Fine. More power to you. But that stuff is just not for me. You believe that your shelter is finished as is, huh? Huh? Oh, yes. That's good. Oh, let's talk about shelters. My shelter is okay as is. I like that. Well, the boys ought to be up any time to discuss on the 50-cent tour. While we're waiting, would you like a little a cup of coffee or something? I don't go to any trouble. No trouble at all, is it, Ann? Not at all, Bill. Just that there are you two in talk and I'll bring in something to munch on with the coffee. I didn't plan on staying for any length of time, Harold. So? You got more than you expected. Where else can you find that kind of thing these days? Well, there's something in that, alright. Oh, you disappointed me, Bill. Disappointed you? I expected you to pick that right up and say something about finding more than you expect in God. You know all you need to know, Harold. Even most of the language. All you really need now is a complete commitment of yourself into God's hands. Maybe later, Bill. Right now my shelter is okay as is. Harold, have you been rearranging things out here in the pantry? No, I haven't. Why? I was sure that we had... oh, I know. What's the matter? Do you suppose Freddie's been taking things downstairs to that shelter they're building? He has. He's a little premature. That thing hasn't even finished yet. Well, you know how Freddie is. Sometimes he does rush things a bit. Well, then that's probably what happened. Just bring in the coffee, Ann. That'll be plenty. Yes, please, Ann. Don't go to any trouble. Fellows will probably be coming up any minute now. I hope so. They haven't even let me down there to see what they've been doing since about three days ago. I guess we're all pretty anxious to see the shelter. I do hope they hurry. Freddie, what's all this stuff? Modern food. What's it look like? Already? Well, the door isn't even bolted on yet. Almost is. Boy, it sure was heavy carrying it over. All these bolts seem to be holding it in place all right, though. As soon as I get this last one tightened down, we can try shutting it. Can I help you, Annie? No. Well, the others seem to be holding it. Okay. There. Hey, it's done. Well, we don't know that for sure. We haven't tried this door. Well, try it. Try it. Okay. Well, stand back. It works. Well, it closes anyway. Uh-oh. What's the matter? Well, that was pretty stupid. What was? We should have tried it from the outside. What if it doesn't open? Stop saying what if and try it. Okay. What's the matter? It doesn't seem to... want to open back up. Let me help, too. Okay. Boy, that's as tight as it can be. How could it close and not open back up? I don't know. Maybe it's weight and momentum of the swing-forced at shot. We haven't got enough weight or strength to open it. What are we gonna do? I'm not sure. Let me throw my weight against it a couple of times and see if it does any good. What was that? That beats me. Something falling outside. Oh, I know. That pile of junk we were going to take out, it must have fallen over. I knew we should have stacked it better. It's been just ready to fall ever since we started working the shelter. It must have fallen in front of the door. Yeah, how do you like that? I will never get this thing open. Don't say that. What are we gonna do? Boy, I don't know. I guess all the cement in this new wall is pretty well set by now, huh? I tried it this morning. It's solid. Wouldn't you know it? And there isn't enough... Wait a minute. What are those pipes up there? I don't know. We just build around them. Why? Well, if they go up into the house, maybe we can signal for help on them. You mean bang on them? Sure. Does your father know any Morse code? No, I don't know. Why? Well, I could tap out at SOS. Well, do it, Henry. I'm not so sure I like it down here. What if this light burns out or something? Up until a little while ago, I thought they might have gone to sleep down there, but that crash in the basement says they're still at work. I know what you mean. It's SOS. That's what you mean. Sounds like someone tapping it on a pipe. Those boys. You know what that crash was a little while back? What are you talking about, dear? They're testing the shelter. That crash was probably the bomb dropping, and they ran into their shelter. They're sending out messages for help to see if anyone else survived. Some fun. Oh, hadn't we better go down and rescue them? I don't think so, Anne. It'd spoil their fun. We'll just wait for them to come up and tell us that the shelter's a success. Well, that's because they've already put it to the test. It doesn't seem to be getting through to them up there. I guess my father doesn't know code. We'll just have to think of something else, Freddie. Hey. Did you think of something? Yeah. What was it? We don't need to do a thing. We can just sit back and relax in here. What are you talking about? What time is it? Almost five in the afternoon. Why? Well, if we don't come up pretty soon, at least for supper, they'll probably wonder what happened to us and come and see. We won't even have to try to get them here. They'll just come. Freddie, sometimes you really do amaze me. That's perfect. What are we getting so excited about? I don't know about you, Henry, but I'm sprawling out on this cot and relaxing. We got food and water. We might as well make ourselves at home. Yeah. I might as well lie down over here. We could pretend this is the real thing, Henry. Up there, the whole place has been leveled by the blast, and we're the only survivors. Well, that's nothing to play about, Freddie. Think of all the people who would be killed in such a thing. So many people suddenly coming face to face with God. So many people wishing they'd spent their whole lives differently, wishing they'd accepted God's gift of forgiveness and the death of Jesus Christ. You know, that's why Jesus was killed. Just so that those of us who were sinners could be forgiven by God and be born into his family. Just so that we wouldn't have to be afraid to face God when we die. Boy, Henry, I wish you wouldn't talk so much about dying. That's why I wanted to build this shelter so we wouldn't die. I know, Freddie, but even with this shelter, we all have to die sometime. I don't want to talk about it anymore. I'm going over and got something to eat. Might as well enjoy our... Hey, what's the matter? Look at the floor. We got an inch of water in here. What? Water? Where's it coming from? I don't know, but we gotta find the leak and plug it. We sure do. That door stuck the way it is. We can't have water pouring in here. I hope we're not flooding the whole basement. I hope we are. You do? That's right. If this water is flooding the whole basement, it'll take longer to fill up in here. But the water is only coming in here. Hey, why isn't the drain working in here? Drain? Yeah. Didn't the instructions say something about a drain? Well, maybe they did. I know they did. I thought you were taking care of it. Yeah, but it would have been a lot of trouble to make it. We wouldn't have been done with this shelter for another week at least. Oh, fine. We haven't got any time to worry about that now, Henry. We've got to try to stop the water coming in here. Yeah, look at it. Just since we discovered it, it must have come up another inch. It's really coming in fast. There's the leak. Up there on that pipe you were hitting. I see it. Come on. Boy, it must have been an old pipe. It's leaking in a lot of places and just running down the wall. Can we fix it? I don't know, Freddie. Why don't you try tightening it with that pipe wrench? Okay. Uh-oh. He broke the pipe right off. Now what are we going to do? I don't know. It's funny, though. The shelter you made to keep you from being killed might be the very thing that will cause it to happen. I'm worried about the boys. We haven't heard anything from them for a long time. Worried? Nothing to worry about. For once we know right where Freddie is. Now he's even in the shelter. I think for about the first time we don't have to worry. I think I'll take a look just the same. Sure, go ahead. But if they get mad about you spoiling the surprise, don't blame me. Well, the fellas do seem to be taking a longer time than I'd figured on. Well, that crash we heard a while back and taps of SOS explain that. We're waiting out the initial contamination period. Once they're satisfied that the shelter's all right, they'll be up to take us on a tour. Seriously, Bill, I think these shelters are a good idea. You do, huh? Right down there in the basement. Plenty of access to take all we need to on a moment's notice. And then what? Then what? I don't care. Let them blast away. We'll be safe. Well, how long, Harold? Well, for at least two weeks, probably more. And then what? What are you trying to get at? I was just wondering what happens next. I mean, after your supply of food runs out and you have to come up, then what? Well, by then things will be under control. I hope so. You sound to me like a man who hasn't got a shelter and is jealous of those of us who do. Not at all, Harold. I just think it's more important to settle the ultimate problems before the immediate ones. I mean, sure, you may be able to postpone death. Many fine doctors are doing it all the time. But it does come sooner or later. And God is unchanging. I'm no worse than anyone else. And all men have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Look, let's forget it, huh? I don't care to... Well, I suppose they're all right. They've got the door on and closed, and all that junk they moved out from the old coal bin is scattered across the floor. Sure they're all right. They're just putting that shelter through its final stages of testing, that's all. I hope they don't take much longer. It's up to my chin, Henry. I'm standing on the cot. Sooner or later we'll have to hold on to what's left of that pipe to stay above the level, Fetty. I only hope it'll hold us. I'm gonna have to grab it now. Go ahead. I've still got about another foot. It seems to be holding you, Fetty. Of course, with the water holding you up, you don't weigh as much. I hope it'll hold us both when the time comes. Henry, are we just gonna stay in here and let ourselves be drawn? Please, do something. I've been praying, Fetty. So far that's all I can think of to do. I don't see any answer. Well, when the water gets right up to the top of the door, I'm gonna try to push it open again. Maybe all the weight of the water will be enough to manage it. Henry, well, what's it like to meet God? I don't know, Freddie. All I know is that Jesus is going to be the judge. But how can he be? How's he going to know how much anybody did wrong? Well, you'll know. But he wouldn't even have to, Freddie, because every person living deserves help. They're isn't a righteous man alive. Then you ought to be as scared as me. Except that Jesus, the only righteous man, died for me. And my life is dedicated to his keeping. When I face God, I'll be on the basis of how good a man and how complete a punishment Jesus went through. Quick, Henry, what do I do to be the way you are? Just accept God's gift, you Freddie. Just put your name in that verse. For God so loved Freddie. God, he gave his only begotten Son that if Freddie believeth in him, he shall not perish but have everlasting life. Oh, Henry, I want to do that. I have to. And pray to God, Freddie. And remember, if we make it out of here alive, you've given your life to God. Matter, dear. I can hardly get any pressure in the tap at all. It took the longest time to fill that pot with water. Maybe the city is working on the main. I'd think that, too, except that they always come by and tell you when they're going to. I wonder if there's a pipe split somewhere. Downstairs. Hey, the fellas. They might have broken something while they were working down there. I didn't see any water down there when I looked a little while ago. But it might be inside the shelter. With them. Come on, let's get down there and see. Let's get this stuff out of the way. Just make a path to the shelter door. Hey, look, there's water coming out from under it. Here we are. The door must be stuck or they'll be out of there. Let's pull it open. Be careful. You stay back, Ann. If this place is full of water, it'll come rushing out on a big hurry. Pull. It's moving. Come on. You all right, Henry? Ready? Just in time, Bill. The water was up to the ceiling. We thought we were dead. Let's get them upstairs and into something warm. So the water kept getting higher and higher. And Henry kept telling me about how important it was to get right with God. And I did. He gave his life to Jesus down there. I think you'll stick by it now that we've been taken out of there. I sure will, Henry. Boy, it sure was a strange thing. Praying for God's forgiveness. I could feel him do it. Really, Dad? You haven't had anything to say at all, Harold. What's the matter? Nothing. I think it's a little more than nothing, Harold. What's on your mind? Well, I was just thinking about all this. Freddie might have been killed in that shelter. That shelter wasn't a shelter at all. I didn't pay close attention to the instructions, Dad. I thought it was too much trouble to make the drain. And you're thinking that you maybe haven't taken the instruction seriously on your shelter, Harold? Maybe. What shelter's that, Dad? I guess all shelters are not alike. A faulty one or a wrong one is like having no shelter at all. Well, Freddie's father looked into his Bible a lot more carefully, boys and girls, and finally took the same step that Freddie did, placing his life in the hands of God. We hope you have, too, and found the true shelter. We'll see you next week for more adventure with... Ranger! Ranger Bill is produced in the radio studios of the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.