 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. This is an important time of the year for the students of Naughty Pine. Well, I should include every living soul in town because there isn't a person who doesn't get wrapped up in this contest. What contest? Well, this is a very democratic contest that teaches young people the American way of life. Everyone's invited to cast their ballot for the candidate of their choice. What am I talking about? This is Youth Week in Naughty Pine. We'd better get you into the story right away. Here it is. Henry for Mayor. Let's go over to Naughty Pine High. Right now, the Naughty Pine High Band is stirring the spirit of the occasion with the Stars and Stripes March. Listen to them give their instruments all they've got. Wielded by the principal, only envy grudgingly yield the floor to the gentleman with the gavel. Two young people have more enthusiasm than the democratic and the republican national conventions put together. The time is here that you've all been waiting for. The nominating ballots have been counted and I have the results before me. There are two young men you've chosen to nominate for mayor. The first young man is Henry Scott. The second choice to run on the ballot is Thornton Newcastle. Now that the two top candidates have been named, please wait until I finish naming the other young people before applauding. Now for the Office of Treasure, you've nominated Paul Sands and... Hiya, Thorny. Congratulations on being nominated. You're acting pretty big now, Henry, because you got the most applause. I don't understand. Applause and cheering isn't what counts. The ballots cast on Friday will tell the story. You don't say, Sunday School Boy. Don't act so smart, you guys, or you'll be laughing out of the other side of your face, Thorny. You're just what your name says, Thorny. Knock off the talk, fellas. Thorny, I don't know what's eating you, but I will say this much. Whatever it is, you're wrong. Dead wrong. Yeah? Well, you listen to me, Henry. I'm going to win this election and nothing you can do will stop me. Remember that. Come on, fellas. Let's start winning votes. Okay, let's go. How do you like that? Boy, who does that Thorny think he is just because he's a son of a big businessman? Henry, you should have taken a poke at him for that. No, that wouldn't get us anywhere, Mickey. He's all worked up about something. I'm sure I don't have the slightest idea what it is. Let's go over to headquarters and tell Bill and the fellas. Bill Stumpy and Grey Wolf will be proud to hear this, Henry. I sure hope so, Mick. Hey, the door's opening by itself. Pretty fancy. Rangers have automatic doors. Stumpy, why'd you open the door for me? Isn't very often that we have his honor the mayor call on us with his staff. Here, your honor, have my chair. Here, let me dust it off for you. Oh, cut it off, fellas. I'm not even elected yet. Besides, if I thought you'd treat me like this, I wouldn't want to be elected. Well, there's only one lad who would say that, pal, and that's you. We're only teasing, you know. Sure. I know, Bill. How'd you fellas find out so quickly? Oh, big news like this travel fast as soon as meeting at school break up. Hey, Mr. Mayor, I got a couple of complaints to make. You're not even in office, Henry, an old-timer has complained. And what is your complaint, Mr. Jenkins? Mr. Jenkins, who's he? Oh, that's me. I forgot that I had a last name and used it for so long. Say, your honor, you know that there are green and red stop and start lights at the corner of Locust and Main? Yes. Well, sir, the crazy thing blinks so much when it's green that it almost turns into a nervous wreck stopping and starting. What do you mean, stopping? Well, every time the green light blinks, I think it's going to change and hit the brakes. I stop and start ten times while trying to cross Main Street. And that's kind of hard on your brakes. No, but not nearly as hard as it is on the rear bumper of my car when the fella behind me tries to figure out what I'm doing. Henry, I'm proud of you and all I can to help you win. That is, I'll pray for you. Otherwise, I won't interfere because this young people's job. Now, Gray Wolf's right, pal. Our prayers and best wishes will be with you, but we're not allowed in this contest. Besides, any help we might give could be considered unfair influence. Thanks a million, Bill, Gray Wolf. You don't know how much I appreciate your comments. I only hope that I can measure up to the honor that's been given me. It's the next day now, and Henry enters the locker room to the swimming pool as he gets ready to work out with the rest of the swimming team. Hey, fellas, here he is, the new mayor of Nattie Pine on Youth Day. Hello, fellas. How's your leg, Shorty? Oh, fine. I got the Charlie horse pretty well worked out. Coach says another week and I'll be as good as any old fish in a pool. Hello, boy. We ought to be able to take Canyon City high without trying if you'll be back in form again. Oh, Shorty's in good shape now for the shape he's in. You better go, Mickey. Coach will be sore if you don't. You're almost ready. I'll wait. Hey, I hear around school that you're going to win. Almost all the kids I talked to are going to vote for you. How do you like that with the election just three days off? Fine. Hey, you don't sound too enthusiastic about the news that you're going to win. Oh, I'm excited, Mickey. It's just that I don't want to go overboard until the votes are counted. If the Lord wants me to win, then I'll win. If he doesn't, then that's all right with me, too. Let's go swimming. Thorny, we got to do something about Henry. Why? He isn't going to win. How do you know that? I got a plan. That's how I know. Well, okay. But you better get a move on. I know that two-thirds of the school's going to vote for him and maybe more. Friday's still three days off. Don't worry. I'll fix his wagon. He'll never catch even a single vote before I'm through with him. Okay, okay. So you've got a plan. What is it? This afternoon Dunlap's giving a math exam. Henry's got Dunlap's exam pattern all figured out. Yeah? How's he doing? Stealing exam when Dunlap's not looking? Oh, don't talk like a baboon. Henry never cheat. You know that. Yeah, you're right there. But how's he got Dunlap's exam pattern? Well, by studying Dunlap's test after he takes them, he also marks the book the way he thinks the proper test. He's almost 100% right. Henry's made a science of studying for exam. Not that. No wonder the guy's on the honor roll. But what does this have to do with you? Henry always guards his book like they're gold so nobody can see what he's studied. Now he's in swimming team practice. We're going to take a look at his books while he's working out. Did you wish to see me, Mr. Bean? Yes, Henry. Come in. Sit down. Thank you. Henry, I have here on my desk some exam papers that have been called to my attention by your mathematics teacher, Mr. Dunlap. Yes, sir. He gave the exam yesterday afternoon. I'd like you to take a look at them. What? I can't believe it, sir. These other papers are almost identical with mine. And yours is identical almost to a fault with Mr. Dunlap's questions. Henry, how did you find out what the exam was going to cover? And why did you pass all the information to your classmates? Mr. Bean, I haven't any explanation for this. That is, as far as the exam notes getting into the hands of my classmates, I honestly don't know how they got a hold of them. All right, I'll accept that. I've never known you to lie. I've made a study of all my teachers, sir. I go over their method of examination from stem to stern. Mr. Dunlap's been my math teacher for two years now. You get to know how a teacher tests in that length of time. Mm-hmm. Henry, I'd like to talk to Bill, since he's your legal guardian. I'll tell him you wish to speak with him. Never mind, I'll call him. Am I under suspicion of cheating during examination, sir? No, Henry, you're not. Let's say you've maneuvered yourself into an unfortunate situation. Isn't that saying, then, that I'm a cheat? No, I wasn't referring to that. The words leaked out about this, because I've already talked to the other young men involved. I doubt that you will stand the chance of winning the election after this. Well, now you have all the facts, Bill. I'm sorry this happened for Henry's sake. He's a fine lad, and I don't like to see him hurt. Then you're not establishing a cheating charge against him. I know, of course not, Bill. I know the lad. He wouldn't do a thing like this. He is the victim of a plot to discredit him. But I can't prove a thing. The others involved are boys who have had trouble before. You know as well as I do that the circumstantial evidence is stacked a mile high against Henry. I'm basing my opinion on Henry's outstanding record. Not only in scholarship, but, well, his moral standards. Well, I'm thankful that you're intelligent enough to see through this, Martin. But as you say, we can't prove a thing. Bill, who taught Henry the science of studying for exams? I guess I have. I learned the hard way in college. One time I studied my head off for an exam and flunked it. I studied the wrong subject matter. Partially because I didn't keep alert in class to note all the things he considered of value. I know what you mean. What do you plan to handle this problem? Well, I'll clear the record at faculty meeting this afternoon. But I'm afraid that the damage has already been done. Yeah. The word's probably all over town by now that Henry's a cheat. Henry's sure he's gotten into trouble. What's wrong with him? This sure changes my vote. That guy's nothing but a cheat. Henry sure is a disappointment. Too bad. Fine in. Hello, Bill. Have you got time to talk? I've always got time to talk. Now grab a chair and make yourself at home. What's on your mind? It's about Henry, Bill. You've got to help him or he's going to lose the election. Well, I'd like to help very much, but I think you can understand that I've got to stay out of the picture. But Henry's in trouble. Have you seen him lately? Sure. I've seen him several times a day. Then you must have noticed how down in the mouth he is. This whole thing about him cheating is a pack of lies and you know it. But Henry doesn't know how to beat it off. Well, I'd sure like to help, but if the word got out that I was helping Henry, I'd hurt him more than he's hurt now. Adults have to keep out of this. I've already told Henry that he'll have to fight this battle alone. Everybody gets a soda. I'm buying. I feel to be mayor of Naughty Pine on Youth Day, Thorny. It's kind of feel fine now that I know I'm going to be mayor. I'll make you please magistrate, Norm. Good. Then I can put Henry behind bars for cheating on exams. Ha ha ha! He thinks because he cheated. Don't spread that around because it's only a rumor. What's the difference? If Henry gets kicked out of sports, that'll cut down the competition for the rest of us. You know what I say about competition? Right, Thorny. If you can't beat him, get rid of him some other way. That's right, Norm. I have the feel to myself. It'll be a landslide. Hey, Sam, keep the sodas coming. Have all you want, gang. Just remember who bought them when you vote Friday. You've just got to fight back, or you won't stand a chance in the election. I don't stand a ghost of a chance no matter how you look at it. That's right. Unless you fight back, what's happened to you? You used to be a real fighter. I didn't fight clean. I refused to fight dirty even if I lose the election. If Thorny's going to fight with loaded gloves, then I'm licked. You mean you think he framed you? Sure. Some of his friends in a math class had the same answers on their test papers as I did. Why don't you go tell that to Mr. Bean? Ha! Yeah, I'm in a fine position to tell him that. Why not? I can't prove a thing. That's why not. Besides, it would look like I'm trying to pass the blame. Remember, it's my test answers they copied. I'm going to give up without even trying to win the election. Sure. What else is there to do? Everybody's been told I'm a cheat. It doesn't matter to them whether it's true or not. The damage is done. Well, you've got to help, Henry. You just got to. Yeah, I think you're right, Mickey. This cheating charge has knocked him for a loop. It's like a heavy weight, and he can't throw it off. Then you'll get in a fight and help him win the election? Hey, wait a minute, young fellow. Let's be careful what you say. Your choice of words is wrong. I don't understand. You said you're going to help. That's right, Mick. I did say that. But I didn't say that I was going to help Henry win the election. I... I still don't follow you. I told you when we talked before they wouldn't be fair for me to throw my influence behind Henry. Yeah, I remember you telling me that. The help I'm going to give Henry is to teach him how to fight fair in an unfair fight and win. You know, pal, if every honest man who ran for office would have quit because he was wrongfully talked about and plotted against, our country would be in sad shape today. Yeah, I know that. If every Christian warrior would have given up because he was persecuted and lied about, we wouldn't be Christians today. We'd still be in dark slavery and not have the wonderful story of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. Uh-huh. Honestly speaking, Henry, I'm very disappointed that you've let me down. Huh? Unless you're down. How? Ever since you were a small boy, haven't I schooled you in the art of fighting for what's right? Yeah. Haven't I taught you how to fight fair and clean and a dirty brawl and win? Yeah. You also know from the scriptures that nobody can be against you if the Lord is on your side. Yeah, that's right, Bill. Now where would we be today if the apostle Paul had given up? Chickened out, is the term young Americans use today. How about Martin Luther, John Knox, David Brainerd, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and hundreds and thousands of others who never gave up in spite of the obstacles in the path to their goal? Yeah, I know. I know. But how have I let you down? You've let me down in the fact that I tried to make a strong Christian man out of you. Henry, I thought I'd developed a strong backbone in your mind, heart, and soul. But I guess I've been wrong. Your mental and spiritual backbone is nothing more than weak matchstick timber. You're calling me a coward? That's correct. I use a lot of words to do it, but I see I got my point across. Henry, I think your backbone has turned to jelly. You really mean that, don't you? You haven't known me to waste time with idle talk? No, I haven't. Never. Where are you going? I'm going to find a place where I lost my backbone, and then Thorny's going to get the surprise of his life. Oh, boy, it sure seems good to see the old fire burning inside you again. What happened? Well, wonderful. Are you sure you want to have this out in front of half of the school? That's about how many there are in a soda shop. This is the best time. Let's go in. Hello, Thorny. What are you doing here? I'm chasing down rumors to their source. Rumors? What kind of rumors? About me. Those aren't rumors, they're facts. I think you've been misinformed, Norm. The rumors you've heard about me are not facts. They're fiction. Give it to them both barrels, Henry. We know they're facts, and you can't prove otherwise. The truth doesn't have to be proved, Thorny. But if you want some facts, I'll give them to you right now. All right. Fact number one. I haven't been charged with cheating nor did I cheat. Mr. Bean has cleared my record with the faculty. Fact number two. I saw all the test papers. Norm and Phil, your buddies, had about the same answers I did. How you managed to get hold of my test pattern, I don't know. Fact number three. I haven't been asked to quit school athletics nor do I intend to. Everything I've said can be checked with Mr. Bean and found to be the truth. Let's go, Mick. Oh, you should have heard him, Bill. When Henry got through, you could hear a pin drop in the soda shop. Well, it sounds like the old Henry coming back to life. Get in there and fight. And fight hard, pal. That's just what I'm doing. And I'm not through doing yet. Bill, the school paper's already out, so it's too late to get an editorial in it. You think Smitty would put my editorial in the daily paper? No, pal, but there's one way to find out. Right. Let's go talk to Smitty, Mick. Let me take a look at this article. Sure. Here it is. Wow, this ought to start a fire in your favor, all right? Will you put it in your paper, Smitty? I sure will. Right smack dab in the middle of the front page, too. Thanks. Thanks a million. Don't thank me. Thank yourself. What do you mean? Any young fellow who's got enough courage to stand up and defend himself? There's just a few lines that you're writing honestly from your heart. I'll print it just like it's written. Mr. Martin Bean has cleared my record in school, but I want to clear my record as it is read by each and every citizen of Notty Pine, whether I win the election or not. Every person reading this article has formed an opinion of me in his own mind. I affirm on my word of honor as a Christian that I am not guilty of cheating. I learned a long time ago that lying doesn't pay. As a Christian, I cannot lie. I have always told the truth, regardless of the consequences. Henry makes a nice defense here, fellas. What I like in particular is that he hasn't pointed a finger of suspicion at anyone. Listen to these closing remarks. Yes, I will admit that I would like to be mayor on Youth Day, but to me that is not nearly as important as my Christian testimony. I sincerely hope that the Lord will not be discredited because I have been. This decision is up to you. Henry fighting true spirit of the soldier of the cross and up to people and students now to see truth. Well, I hope that the folks hereabouts aren't blind so they can't tell truth from fiction. If they are, then we're in bad shape. Real bad shape. That's right, Stumpy. We'll get the answer Saturday morning when the mayor of Youth Day is installed in office. Gentlemen, here's honor the mayor of Naughty Pine. Breathless anticipation for this moment when I shall name the young man who will be mayor of Naughty Pine for this day. The students of the high school held their elections and all of the ballots have been counted. The results of this election I have before me. Ladies and gentlemen, the students of Naughty Pine High School have elected to the office of mayor for this, their Youth Day, Henry Scott. Before you take the oath of office, I want to say a few words to you in front of the people who put you here. I want you to know that your sincere presentation in our newspaper touched my heart. I'm firmly convinced that your classmates and schoolmates have elected the right young man to be their mayor. I think, come on in. Don't stand in the doorway. Can I see you for a minute? Sure. Come on in, sit down. Thanks. I have something to say to you. What are you so nervous about, Thawney? Is something wrong? Yeah, it's me. Henry, I'm the guy that tried to fix you on the exam so it would look like you cheated. I also lied about you being kicked out of school sports. I'm really sorry. I told Mr. Bean the whole story after I read your article in the paper. Well, you've done a fine thing, Thawney. I have? Me? Right. It takes a lot of courage to admit that you've deliberately heard a person's reputation. I guess I've learned something. That it's ability, truth, and sincerity that went out in the long run. I don't have much ability. From now on, I'm going to be honest and sincere. Hello, boy, Thawney. You'll find that your decision is the right one. Boys and girls, both young men learned a lesson. I hope you have too. We'll see you next week for more adventure with... Rangers!