 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 already smile unswerving loyal to his mission and all this in exchange for the satisfaction and pride of a job well done mr. Jefferson I'm quitting the ranger service sit down Corey let's talk this over it won't do any good sir call me what you will yellow coward quitter chicken I don't care anymore my bags are packed and I'm going back home this is my final decision you just heard the pathetic words from a young Ranger Corey Winsor pathetic in the fact that the lad wouldn't let me help him Corey was not yellow nor a coward nor a quitter nor chicken he was a frustrated young man who needed direction and help but let me begin at the beginning each year after graduation exercises at ranger school the classes divided between ranger districts and the men are sent to their respective areas with orders to report to the chief Ranger it may seem strange that we're so tough on the newcomers but you'll find out why this is the morning that I'm to meet five new men who have just arrived from school and are waiting for me in the office Corey simmer down will you it's easy for you to say simmer down land you're always cool calm and collected also top man of the class top man in field honors top man on the totem pole me I'm just ordinary no cut it out Corey for the love of Mike you wouldn't be here if you weren't a good man why look at how many guys washed out of school yeah easy talk for you Casey I think you could look a rattler in the mouth and pick your teeth at the same time oh here he comes brother my goose is cooked look at that uniform look at the build on that guy oh I am looking wow what's he made of iron and steel get back he's almost here good morning gentlemen good morning sir morning sir Corey Windsor here sir Leonard Kowalski here sir Fitzgerald Casey here sir I prefer to be called Casey sir very well Casey we'll do just that James the Papa Costas I'm here sir Herman Klein here sir very good now gentlemen grab yourselves a chair and we'll relax while I talk with you a bit first of all let me say that we're more relaxed out here than in school my men call me Bill we don't have any of the formality of school but yet on the other hand the discipline will be tougher in other ways the next six months we'll scare the heart out of you at times and shrink it a bit at others now there's one extremely important subject you didn't take in school except occasionally under very carefully controlled conditions the subject is self-reliance regardless of the circumstance I'll repeat that self reliance under any circumstances now Corey let's create an actual field problem yes sir a granddad grizzly is on the warpath he's raiding and killing every living thing that gets in his way he's a wise and battle-scarred old warrior veteran of many skirmishes with man and beast to make matters worse he is nursing and infected tooth and also an old wound because someone shot him but never finished the job or else the bear finished him now this fellow hates man sent and he fears nothing and he's tearing up the country sign how many Rangers would I send out to destroy the bear but a dozen I'd say sir I mean Bill no not more than four working in pairs of two not more than four not really depending on my immediate supply of Rangers I might send only two wow double wow that's what I said when I came fresh from school now suppose you were on an outpost station and this same savage and vicious beast tried breaking into your stores and supplies as they sometimes do Casey what would you do climb the nearest tree he would I didn't say that to be smart bill I mean it of course you do but in reality you'd have to kill that beast all by yourself it's a case of kill or be killed because after he ate or destroyed your stores and supplies he'd go for you now fellas in the next six months you're going to learn self-reliance how to do the job you have to do without depending on anyone but yourself man that's a large order isn't it yes Len it is but you can't be a ranger unless you learn this lesson and pass the course we're going to teach you to think calmly and act intelligently no matter what problem you face well Casey what do you think of bill now that you've met him face to face I'd say seems to be a pretty straightforward fellow I think he'll give us a fair chance well I don't dispute that what about all the stories we've heard how much he expects from his men oh you gotta discount some of them stories you know he's become a legend out here okay but then there's stumpy Jenkins Gray Wolf Henry Scott you saw Henry in the office he appears to be a real level headed and experienced operator even for a teenager Corey are you afraid you're not gonna measure up when it counts the most yeah I guess that sums it up pretty well ah hogwash you'd been washed out back in school if that were true six months is an awfully long time to wait to find out if you can kill a grizzly all by yourself well look at it from the other side one other side the positive side so six months is an awful long time to learn how to kill a grizzly all by yourself well now that introductions have been made all around here's the program for this week Herman and Jim you'll work with Gray Wolf for two weeks Casey Len and Corey you'll work with Stumpy for two weeks you tender feet ready for your initiation the always take such pleasure in starting us tender feet up the trail of actual experience stumpy yep the fellas got some amusement once in a while now let's get out of the horse barn and get ourselves some mounts and a pack critter and take off for the hills what are we going to do first that's a good question sonny yeah let me take a peek at my assignment sheet that's filed in my pocket what is it no nothing much we gotta clean out a few rattler dens clean out a few rattlesnake dens there's a couple of them to near the tourist trails pesky reptiles mine up and bite somebody nothing to be a fear dog son this is just routine work the den right below us home man I'd say it's a den look at them all around it some in themselves most of them aren't too big but there's a couple of whoppers whoppers we got to get we don't get any of the rest well this is a fine place to sit and pick them up with a rifle pick them up with a rifle no siri snakes can't hear but they're mindy sensitive to vibration now we got to be careful about stomping around to a wheel spook them they'll scoot for the den like so many pack rats how you're gonna capture them with a snake stick in a guinea bank that means we got to get in among them of course they've never seen a snake stick that could reach from here I'm going down there and get to work while the sun's making them feel lazy you fellas stay here and don't stop around understand yes sir you are sharp now how I do it there's one of these days you're gonna have to do it boy my skin sure trying to crawl up my bones my back bone is turning to jelly double time I'm never gonna be a ranger I can see that now oh don't start that again let's watch this I want to see how Stumpy keeps from getting himself shot full of Vernon hey there's Stumpy he's almost in the center where they're stunning yeah and there's a big one wow did you see that he's flipping them into a pile with a big stick look at him work huh he ain't moving from the waist down look at the gummy sack he's swinging it in front of him and the rattler strike at that and not him wow he's got 15 or 20 pile up and they can't get away I hear y'all yes sir you fellas heard the man let's get down there and help him bag up the raptors you fellas go ahead I watch the horses so they don't run off see you got it straight now what to do yes sir don't move from the waist down and keep my face back from the open end of the sack as you're putting them in yep that's it don't worry about your hands any of them gloves been tested a dozen times these varmints can't get through that heavy leather Stumpy there's a big one getting away we've been doing too much for lavering and not enough work and here they come Casey Leonard you get the next bag ready yes sir there's the first one okay another got another one here's a big one okay here we go all right that's enough Casey you got plenty of gunny cloth there to tie a knot in the top of the sack and we'll wire the knot later on Ellen here they come you ready would it do any good to say no some more here that's it our tiny shot young fella I gotta take care of this dead one for Ricky Morty sets him what are you gonna do with the dead one you blew its head clean off we're gonna have him for supper best eaten you ever at you're gonna eat that that that poisonous reptile sure we're gonna eat him now get a long pole fixed up while I skin this fatty for his meat you ought to be a real good taster what did I tell you good taster any yeah but the thought of a poison there what you learn in school about how the reptiles are built huh the poison sack is in the head yep remember that someday you might be stranded where there ain't no other food well snakes take mine save your life you've got someplace like Chicago and see what them stores charge for a wee jar of this stuff almost like by and old what are we gonna do with the snakes we've gotten a sack they're told them up to the road and put them in the shade in the morning when I radio in I'll tell Bill where they're at and the truck will pick them up and take him to the snake farm where they milk them for making anti-venom syrup you'll probably have a hundred of pesky reptile sacked before we flew with somewhere along the line you fellas are gonna have your chance to get a little firsthand experience now let's clean up take all our utensils down to the trick and scour them with sand and we'll set a spell and talk before turning in because he lost his nerve when I called you fellas down the bag of how'd you know I wasn't born yesterday or the day before sunny and you ain't the first tender feet that this has happened to it isn't nope you ain't the last neither well I knew a fella one time they want to be a doctor the worst way but every time he saw blood he fainted away cold did he get to be a doctor he sure did sunny after a while he got tired uh falling on his head every time he saw blood he said he's my not to they the surgeon you'll find one too thanks old timer I'm beginning to see why you fellas have become legends out here you're strong and tough men but you're patient and understanding too especially to a weakling like me there ain't no human being that's perfect Corey nope not a one yeah you just relax now and get a good night's sleep you will need it come tomorrow thanks dumpy I'll sleep just fine now me too I'm ready to hit the hay you said it good night good night you tender feet and Rangers aren't you gonna sleep old timer yep just as soon as I read a little here while the fire is still up read what my new testament oh that good night good night sonny stop it what's the matter be quiet now wake up Casey and Leonard we're away did you hear something yep you fellas build that fire up and be quick about it sure what's out there a grizzly a real life grizzly he's alive all right we better be or we might not be let's get our rifles loaded and ready no why not we've got a right check herself even if we are green and shoot each other while you're trying to shoot the bear you just keep that fire roaring high and you'll have a mighty good protection in the morning we'll take a look at the trail signs and maybe we can tell what that grizzly is doing whether ain't supposed to be one why did you come back here to headquarters old timer you should have run that grizzly out of the country or destroyed him I can't agree with that sonny I got three brand spanking new young Rangers with me to look after two now you got admit that's a pass of the looking but what better opportunity could they have had than to get some first-hand experience all right mr. Bill Jefferson what are you up to you with all this foolish talk what foolish talk all right I know you got something tickling your brain cells but see it is how I ain't one of them mind-raising fellas I guess I'll just have to go long until you get ready to let the kitty out of the sack stumpy I think it's time to sort out the men from the boys you mean one of them tender feet at Rangers ain't a man that's right oh we all was skitterish when we first started out weren't we which one are you defending old timer well don't tell me your well-exercised tongue has suddenly become stricken with rigor mortis Bill wouldn't be fair to judge any of them young fellas yet they really ain't had a good chance yet okay stumpy I won't ask you to violate your loyalty principles but I want that grizzly out of the area or shot and I want the job done quickly and expertly just me and the three lads Corey Casey and Len there's only one grizzly got your gear all packed boys yes sir I'm ready to leave whenever you say the word that goes for me to stop me well Corey why ain't your gear packed we got to hit the trail now we wasted too much time already at grizzly trails getting colder by the minute I well I come on boys spit it out I'm not going call me a coward or whatever you want but I'm not going with you to hunt down the grizzly you sound sort of final young fella it is final I guess Bill was right after all what do you mean by that I forget it we got us a grizzly to spank we better get after the job pronto mr. Jefferson I'm quitting the ranger service sit down Corey let's talk this over it won't do any good sir call me what you will yellow coward quitter chicken I don't care anymore my bags are packed and I'm going back home this is my final decision there isn't any transportation out of naughty pine until morning now perhaps by that time you'll calm down and think this through and change your mind I've taken steps to prevent that you have yes sir my father's driving here now and he'll meet me at the hotel in half an hour goodbye please don't argue with me I won't goodbye Corey thank you sir are you mr. Bill Jefferson I am I'm Corey Windsor's father oh how do you do please have a chair thank you did you find Corey at the hotel all right he can wait for me first I'd like to talk about my son sure all right ahead Corey's written to me about how tough you are in your Rangers mr. Jefferson and I'd like to know the reason why you'll have to define the word tough mr. Windsor tough in the sense of requirements what they have to learn and do in a short period of time then they're put out on their own to sink or swim mr. Windsor we never expect a man to swim until he's been taught how to swim in the ranger school the men are under constant observation for the simple reason that we've got to try and detect the men who have been clever enough to get past the original screening process what are they being screened for inability to act under pressure and danger cowardice no fear mr. Windsor not cowardice a man wouldn't last a week in ranger school if he were a coward well then what's wrong with Corey fear fear what kind of fear and why fear of failure fear of failure that's right but why why I don't know why but as his father you should well I'd better beat Corey at the hotel now and we'll start home that's up to you I'm sorry things turned out this way mr. Windsor but understand one thing yes sir we must know that a ranger can be depended on to do the right thing at the right time in face of danger and pressure if he blows up it can cost the rangers life and many other lives as well not to say anything about property damage we can show the graduate ranger where the danger is but we can't make him face it that he must do himself pretty upset about this aren't you father yes Corey I'd be lying if I said I weren't but I don't put all the blame on you you don't know some of the blame belongs to me oh dad how can you say that you've been a good father by some standards perhaps but somewhere along the line I failed to give you self-confidence is that what's wrong with me yes I believe so how did you come to that conclusion well I had a talk with Bill Jefferson before I picked you up oh so that's why you were late what did you two talk about you that figures hey dad stop the car stop the car dad great Scott Corey that man's crawling alongside the road he's a bloody man stay in the car what are you gonna do that rifle never mind just stay in the car I can't I've got to help that poor fella well look at him stay in the car there's a mad grizzly lose around here grizzly get to the house family there get to the house grizzly jump me outside try to get in the house okay mr. I'm Ranger Corey Windsor I'll get my dad to take you to the hospital and I'll go up to the bear oh thank you family and cabin over there find your dad get this man to the 90 pint hospital I'm going out to the bear alone yes of course there's only one bear man there's been fighting broken rifle and blood all over the place bear tracks big one this is it boys don't tie your horses let them lose so they can run there's a cabin up ahead about half a mile where Sam Brown and his family live you think Sam and the grizzly tangled here yep I do here and find out where the grizzly is and what do you think it up next to do there's these halfway into the cabin window come on we can't let it get to those kids something we haven't got time to argue who's your jaw bones and take a gander Casey it's Corey he's beating the grizzly on the back with his rifle shoot him in the head at Stumpy watch him kill did you hear Corey killed a grizzly single-handed you can stop shaking now like young willers in a windstorm yeah it's all over Corey you are terrific man alive I'll say just a minute fellas let's not heap Corey with what he doesn't deserve Bill Jefferson what are you doing to my son why this courageous act of his has given him the self-confidence he needs it's terrific why today he grew up and became a man there you have it mr. Windsor what are you getting at just this Corey did only what he's expected to do and what he's been trained to do he's more than become a man today he's become a Ranger oh you're glad that Corey went out over his fear and doubts yes Corey Windsor is now a full-fledged Ranger and doing a top-notch John well see you next week for more adventure with Ranger Bill was produced in the radio studios of the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago