 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 or 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 believe it Bill just can't believe it how many years has it been I don't know old Amhert good money you know how many times have we tried this well at least a dozen probably more or two glorious weeks of vacation always in the past nothing has come up stuffy but this time we made it away without a single interruption even Henry was happy to see us go glad to get rid of us might be a better way of putting it he's heard us talking about taking a vacation for so long and not actually getting it that I think he was almost happier than we were to see us go and what a vacation mill no forest no horses no fire towers just miles and miles of serene blue seas yes I think it'll be a real tonic for a stumpy they say that the seer is good for you anyhow and what better way to take it than on a quiet cruise around the Caribbean your elderly friends seems to get along very well with children Ranger Jefferson now stumpy has always been a hit with him captain if he were a little heavier said I I think I'd almost believe in Santa Claus the old-timer watches his weight a little too closely for that to ever happen but with his white beard I can't see what you mean well Ranger Jefferson are you enjoying our quiz very much both stumpy and I but enjoying every bit of it especially those stops at the small islands meeting some of the islanders well if there's anything at all we can do to make it more enjoyable than just let me know thank you captain no I have to check out a few things yeah keep thinking I've left something running you'll get used to the sound of the engine stumpy I think I'll just stretch out a bit for lunch today today sees to me you've just stretched out a bit before every meal every day of this cruise it's a sheer pleasure to have no adventure to work out to know mystery to solve no what's the matter with this ship what do you mean haven't you noticed we've been slowing and sounds to me like we're gonna stop probably another island to look at that can't be I looked at the schedule of events first thing this morning me and do to stop at an island till late afternoon come on let's go up on deck and find out why we've stopped it's a folksy and pretty curious bill I see that stumpy excuse me yes I could you tell us what's going on it's hard to say it's hard to say I've only heard rumor myself it seems that that island out there isn't on the map the island big enough well it isn't terribly big as islands go a couple of miles in each direction I'd say I did a rumor like that get started I don't know I just heard it myself and when the ship came to a standstill well that seemed to clinch it many mine looky there the captain looks like you're gonna say something friends may I have your attention please thank you no doubt many of you've already heard but I'd better make it official the island you see off there is unknown to me it's a bit unusual because I've been sailing this route for the last five years I'm sure we're not all course yet I can't explain the presence of that island well I guess it wasn't a rumor that's the strangest thing I've ever heard of it's unusual all right I'm rather lost and lost no exactly what to do I suppose as long as we're here and it's here we might as well at least circle it and see what it looks like but beyond that well I hope this doesn't spoil your voyage looks as though this little added bit of mystery is improving the cruise for a lot of people I reckon they don't get a lot of excitement where they come from you probably see plenty of adventure where you're from didn't someone tell me that you two were state police officers or something forest Rangers I am Bill Jefferson this is Stumpy Jenkins nice to meet you my name is Fred Robbins actually this mystery island business intrigues me more than most people I think oh yes I'm a newspaper reporter when I'm at home and working what do you think of it mr. Jefferson the newspaper business no the mystery island well I'm afraid I don't know very much about such things mr. Robbins but I find a little hard to swallow you think it's a hoax I'll just sit back and watch you mean to say you think the captain is pulling a fast one bill I don't really know Stumpy I do know that the islands like that one don't appear overnight might have been an undersea eruption or something that could cause Earth to be piled up in Forman Island mr. Robbins not one with dry land trees on it as old as the ones on that island are the foliage alone makes that island at the least I'd say 100 years old well that's all well and good if this is all a hoax but if it isn't and the captain really doesn't know anything about the island that makes it even more of a mystery because it doesn't seem to be any natural way to account for the island being there well at least we'll be getting a good look at it in the next few hours the captain follows through and his idea circling it I suggest we just watch it as intently as everybody else and see if we can make any sense out of this whole thing all we can really tell is that it has a large beach dense forest a couple of small mountains out there what other secrets that might hold they're still unknown to us it's been suggested as we go shore in the long boats and explore the island see what's there I know that all of you will not be interested in such an excursion some of you are a little apprehensive of the unknown some of you're seeking some new thrill well opposed to paper outside the dining room entrance as you go for lunch today sign your name if you're interested in exploring the island enough express interest will take time from the cruise to do so this afternoon well it looks as though we'll get a chance to get a better look I suppose so you are going to sign up aren't you Bill come on Bill we don't want to miss going ashore and looking around I have every intention stuffy I was just wondering how curious you were about this mystery island a couple of woodsmen like yourselves ought to be able to throw a lot of light on what the island is all about I think I'll stay close to you in the group all right now I suggest we eat a hearty lunch we're going to be exploring that island this afternoon we want to be well fortified for the track as you decided to come along Ranger Jefferson maybe you will keep us from getting lost maybe stay close together now I've asked forest Ranger Bill Jefferson one of our guests to stay up ahead with me in well um what do you make of it Ranger Jefferson I'd say you've been here often enough to become a little careless captain huh if I were coming ashore for the first time I might not have spotted that path quite so easily you're been so sure of myself in leading the group I'll remember that next time part of the trip hey you're pretty sharp Ranger Jefferson that dish are yes this is the part for all those on board who've always wanted to escape to an unknown island you won't give it away with you're planning to back on the ship island now sit it will kill the thrill of it if I told them while we're still here on the island okay well Ranger what do you make of this island well that captain the trees and shrubbery make it at least a hundred years old probably more I don't see any signs of life except for the birds of course I'd say it was a bona fide island or a what were I what were you and the captain talking about Bill the island friend it's a pretty place ain't it Bill how do you suppose it got here oh just like all the other islands in this part of the world well I guess we'd better be starting back for the long boats I'm a little disappointed Bill we didn't even run into Robinson Crusoe while we were here I'm afraid this is just a very ordinary island Stumpy not much of a story for you Fred say I thought he was right here so did I must have wandered off with some of the others oh well let's get back to the ship I have a feeling the mystery will be all cleared up very soon wondering what those of us who went ashore this afternoon found well I guess it's time for a report we found an island yes this was a very ordinary island that's been here according to Forest Ranger Bill Jefferson for at least a hundred years probably more what made this island something a little more special than any other island is that we told you we'd never seen it before that it was a mystery island well it wasn't I knew about it all the time you see we advertise this trip is including everything you've ever wanted many of you've always wanted to escape to some unknown desert island somewhere well we've provided you with that island this afternoon thank you did you know about this all along I guess it's stuffy how about that sure for me I guess I've always wanted a desert island I don't think so old-timer I think you just want a little excitement today well I guess I got a little of it anyhow I have a feeling we've lost Mr. Robbins Bill oh I haven't seen him since we came aboard I've had the ship search from one end to the other even a stowaway couldn't have escaped that search I'm sure that he's not here that means only one thing of course he's still back on the island that's why that's something we'll have to ask him when we find him we're going back huh Bill captain I suggest we make another trip to the mystery island just the three of us this time we've got something a little more like a real mystery on our hand here are some footprints Bill all over here in the sand and they're far enough away from where the group went they couldn't have been caused by them that's strange what is these footprints up until now all the footprints we've found have been made by person wearing shoes these are barefoot say that's right what do you make of it looks to be like someone got tired of shaking sand out of the shoes it might be as simple as that and might not let's keep looking it seems as though we've been over every inch of this island now we've covered about a third of it oh looky here Bill what have you found something what is it old-timer here kind of under this bush looks like somebody and the rest didn't be in discovery hey the remains of a small fire I think you're right though it was hastily but purposefully hidden might be as old as a week depending on what the weather has been like here a week looks to me like we're getting more and more in the way of odd clues let's hope we find Fred Robin soon that he can supply us with some of the answers we're looking for hold on a minute fellas what's the matter Bill listen I don't hear anything of course that's it what's it what are you two talking about well up until now the air has been filled with the sound of jungle burns they've stopped at least in this area what does that mean it means that there is something near here that's scaring them Fred Robbins maybe that's all it is let's move a little more slowly just to be on the safe side for it look up ahead where oh oh I see him oh it's Robbins all right looks like he's trying to hide all crowds down like that let's ease a little closer before we make ourselves known to him expecting company mr. Robbins oh it's you Bill I can't tell you how glad I am to see you as you look real anxious to see us hiding like that hiding yes but not from you there's no anyone else to hide from on this island that's what you think hold on there young fella you're trying to tell us that someone else lives on this someone or something why what happened well I started up toward the place where I'd seen the thing it was a small path not as well marked as the one we'd been on I started along it in the direction whatever it was had been going I moved along as quietly as possible yet as quickly hoping to catch up enough to get a look I was just rounding a small bed in the path when there he was staring me right in the face he I don't know what he was a man a big animal of what I just don't know I took one looking and ran as fast and as hard as I could to get away this is how far I got before I stepped on a branch or something and twisted my ankle at least you can believe that part of the story just look at my ankle look at the size of it seems to me that before we leave this island we'd better find out just exactly who or what else is here we'd better get a move on that's a dandy little storm hitting this way why don't we just head back for the shipping forget it why because there really isn't such a creature no because I've already seen him and I don't like the idea of seeing him again I'm afraid we can't do that Fred no telling what we might find even the possibility of a demented person or one in need of help can't leave whoever he is here without seeing if he's in need he's right we're going to track this creature down we'd better do it in a hurry that storm isn't going to wait too long to rain on us look over there okay just in time we can hide in there let's make tracks fellas this cave is a lifesaver I'm sure sorry I couldn't travel any faster I was thinking the same thing what are you talking about soon to breathe and sound coming many of us don't seem to be going much any particular place just all rounds I hear it too that's all mine why you make of it Bill I think rather than interrupting our search for the other beating on this island the rain has led us to him in here yes it's probably hiding farther back in the cave these cave walls just right acts as a megaphone and magnify the sound of his breathing but if we can hear him get here us I don't know doesn't always work out that way maybe maybe not what do you think we ought to do well we were looking for him weren't we I guess so come on stomach you and I'll lead the way back let's find out what this is all about I hope so so do I shout did you see him did you see what he looked like not very well enough to know that he's a man no no I have a feeling that that's what he wants knows that woods backwards grab us lost in no time at all signs in the storm is prayer would be impossible to follow what are we going to do wait for him right here wait I have a feeling if we just continue on to a dad lighted area back in the cave we'll find his home such as this he's bound to come back sooner or later that's probably true but what happens when he does guess we'll just have to wait find that out yet coming back you'll come say look at these all newspaper clippings newspapers now they're quite old let's see them if I make them sure here you are very interesting seems to be one big story here all about a young man who inherited $25 million it's a rather bad picture in here 25 million and unless I miss my guess or a strange friend running around on this island and the young man who inherited the 25 million are one the same and also unless I miss my guess he felt the need to escape to this unknown island soon after the inheritance you do not miss your guess I presume it was also you who decided it would be unwise to follow me into the storm that's right I've been watching you you seem to know your way in the woods well we might as well introduce ourselves I'm forest ranger Bill Jefferson this is my friend and fellow Rangers don't be Jenkins this is newspaper reporter Fred Adams this is kept never mind all this who is this creature if I'm not mistaken mr. James Archer millionaire and hunt I am but why $25 million you can do pretty well what you wanted you I'm more closely approach that state of bliss here you want to tell us about it why not you found me you've not been scared off or picked off and I am an old man why would you seek this place out especially with all that money all that money a chain that's what it was to me dragged me into the company of so many who had good plans for my money great designs on it what good is a fortune but it means that you can no whether your friends are your friends or whether they're just interested in your money you just decided the only way out this to hide from the world man yes why not tell you why not because you with all your money haven't made the world one pinch better than it was when you ran away from it what did it ever do for me it gave you a $25 million to use that's what it did my father earned that money and how much did you come into life with and how much are you gonna leave with if you weren't as old as I am Jacobs I wouldn't take this kind of talk now that I'm here you will take it fairly like you make me pretty angry especially when I think of all the good you could have done with that money as many people right now are almost penniless living in constant sacrifice to see that other folks here about the way Jesus Christ remakes a man religion no sir Jesus Christ now there was a man who everybody turned against even his closest friends didn't run off somewhere high either he stuck to his job because this perfect man didn't run away where they was killed you and me were insane but perfect and be made right with God I haven't got any stack of sins against me God don't take me what I die all the things you didn't do make a stack higher than I can see my God's word says if you see something good to do and don't do it it's a sin mr. Archer you're in the same kettle of fish we are in without the forgiveness of God through the death of Christ and there ain't gonna be no alibis when you meet God face to face well I know that we have to get back to the ship I can't hold up the cruise any longer for this what everything she is we do have to get back mr. Archer if you will come along with us we'll be glad to show you more of what God's word has to say about all this yeah there's a parable I want you to look at it's about very money come back hey I don't think I can well then let's go here mr. Archer you take this Bible that's right I've had this little book around for a long time there's some marks and notes in there too no look just be sure to read God's words to you stop by every month to read this Bible feel like you'd like to come back civilization see what you can do to help things in the power that God's waiting to give you just hop the ship right back you'd better shave first before you do a thing like that mr. now come on let's get back we'll be expecting to hear from you mr. Archer that's right my dress right inside the cover I appreciate what you said done I'll read it and then I'll see mr. Archer did read Stumpy's old Bible boys and girls and he did see he saw himself in need of being right with God that running away didn't clear himself and he saw Jesus God's own son sinless pleasing to God in every way nailed to the cross for the sinners that we all are mr. Archer is back now putting his money into his life work serving God we hope your life is being spent in the same way well see you next week for more adventure with Ranger Bill is produced in the radio studios of the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago