 Ranger! Warrior 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 the 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. It's a good lunch, honey, but I just can't eat. You're worried about those reports of a strange man hanging around the school, aren't you? Well, aren't you? If anything happened to Elizabeth... Oh, Dave, you're letting yourself get excited about something that's passed and gone. The police checked the school area yesterday and found no trace of a stranger. And what about the man Patsy Hill saw this morning? She says she thinks she saw. I think her parents made a mistake in warning her about him. The poor little tyke will be imagining strangers for weeks. All the same. I wonder if we should talk to Elizabeth about him. No, I don't think so, Dave. It'll only scare her. Anyway, I always pick her up at school. I guess you're right, honey. But I still think some precautions ought to be taken. If the sheriff won't do anything about it, I'm going to. Dave, Carol's doing all he possibly... I don't see how you can be so unconcerned. You happen to have a little girl eight years old, you know. Yes, dear, I do know. I suppose you think Carol ought to close down the school and put a police card around it. A police card isn't a bad idea. Where are you going? To call George Owens. Maybe we'll just take a walk over to East Street and the school on our way back to the office. Dave, you're ridiculous. Well, take your walk if you like. Just don't bring the stranger home for dinner if you do meet up with him. I'm going to do the dishes. Say, boys and girls, do you ever wonder what you would do if a strange man stopped you on the street? Maybe you've learned your manners real well and you think it would be right to act as friendly and helpful to him as you can. Well, if that's what you think, you'd be dead wrong. There are men in the world who are sick in a way that makes them want to hurt boys and girls, but these men are cowards and no brave youngster would be afraid of them. Sometimes a man like this will pretend he wants a boy or girl to show him the way to another street, or he may try to make friends by offering young people candy or money or a ride in his car. If someday a man should stop you, the right thing to do is to have nothing to do with him and to hurry right home. Almost always that'll be enough to show him you're not fooled by him. But if he should keep on pestering you, tell him that you're going straight for a policeman. Above all, don't go anywhere with him for any reason. If little Elizabeth Johnson had known what you know about strangers, her mother and father wouldn't have had the nightmare experience they did have. And we wouldn't have this story in quite the same way today. Now let's go back to the Johnson Hall and see what happened. I call this story Elizabeth and the stranger. Oh, no, Sandy. Go on, go on now. You can't come in here. Elizabeth, I told you to come in the back door. I just waxed the hall floor, dear. Oh, sorry, mother. Mother, I laid a trail in the garden just like I did at camp. You want to see it? Listen here, young lady. One trail I don't want to see is your footprints all over that new wax. When will you learn to pay attention? The wax was all dry. I couldn't even smell it. See, mother? You can see my trail out of the window. You put one stone on top of another all along the way to show the trail. Hmm. It does look like it took a lot of work. Oh, no, it was fun. The trail turns to the right. You put another stone to the right side of the two stones. And if it turns to the left, you put a stone to the left of the two stones. See how I made it turn? Yes, well, that's a good thing to know. Here, honey, will you hang up the dish towels for me? Carol will be over to take care of you, and I won't even be ready to go. Carol told me she gets tired looking after me every Saturday afternoon. Well, we all get tired of doing regular jobs, but that's how she earns her pocket money. Well, that's a shopping list. Thanks, honey. Now, let's see if we need any sugar. Oh, that's Carol, honey. Will you run around to the front and ask her to come in the back door, please? Oak. Don't slam the door. Oh, when will she learn? Oh, let's see here now. I've got enough sugar. I know I don't need any potatoes. I guess that's everything. And I'm going to make a grass trail next. Carol, would you show me how to tie the grass so they don't fall over? Sure. Oh, hello, Mrs. Johnson. Hi, Carol. I'm all set to go. Don't let any flies in the house if you can help it. There's milk in the refrigerator, and I think there's some pie in there left over from dinner. Elizabeth will show you where it is. What time do you think you'll be back, Mrs. Johnson? Oh, about the same time, Carol. Why? Well, I'm going on an overnight hike tonight, and I'm starting when I leave here. My gear's all packed. All alone? Sure. My mom told me I could as soon as I got my senior woodsman badge at camp, and I got it last week. Aren't you just a little afraid? Oh, no. My dad and I have gone fishing together ever since I was small. I've been in the woods alone lots of times. I'm just going to the edge of the forest anyhow. It's perfectly safe there. Well, it's nice you're getting to go, I guess. You've got Elizabeth just as crazy about camp as you are. She's going to show me how to make a grass trail, mother. Where's my purse? Oh, there it is, good. Well, have fun, children. Bye, Mrs. Johnson. Bye-bye, mother. See you soon. Bye. Bye. Bye, Mrs. Johnson. Thanks for the pie. Oh, you're welcome, Carol. Thank you for coming. Have a nice time on your overnight hike. I will. I'm going out to pick up my stone trail, mother. Well, good, dear. But you won't need your sweater. It's still quite warm out. Oak. Oh, Elizabeth, thanks for setting the table, honey. That was very thoughtful of you. You'll help too, mother. Well. Oh, let's see here. I wonder if there's anything in the paper about a man loitering around the school ground. Huh. I don't see anything. That's good. Dave gets all worried about the smallest rumor. There's nothing like a before dinner nap to improve the appetite. This working on Saturdays is no fun. When will the new job be done, honey? A couple of weeks, I hope. Then we can go away some weekend. I bet Elizabeth would love to see her grandpa's farm. Oh, Dave, that would be wonderful. Say, where is her Royal Highness? I haven't seen her since I've been home. I think she's in the garden, dear. You think? I told you to be sure she wasn't running around in the streets. Oh, Dave, now there's nothing to worry about. I'm going to have a look. Well, she's not in the garden. Well, then she must be out front. I'll check. Elizabeth! I don't see her, Dave. I'll take her walked on the block. She's probably playing with one of the children. I'll look upstairs. Well, but she's outside, Dave. Well, she could have come in without you hearing her. Dave, I can't find her. What? Did you look all over the house? Yes, all over. I kept thinking I'd find her curled up asleep somewhere. Well, Dave, what are we going to do? Call up Carol. Maybe she went over there. Anyway, Carol knows more about Elizabeth than we do half the time. She might have some good ideas. Dave, Carol isn't home. She told me her mother gave her permission to go out on a hike. With that man around? Is she crazy? Oh, now look, Dave, that man is gone. There was nothing, not one word in the paper about it. Betty, you've got to understand that stranger is around. The playground supervisor was in the office only this afternoon. And she told us she called Carol right after lunch about a man who was trying to give the kids candy canes. Oh, Dave, I thought it was just a scare. We've got to find Elizabeth. Thanks for coming so quickly, guys. That's your service, Carol. Yes, sir. Well, what's on your mind? We've had a few reports the last couple of days of a guy hanging around the school kids. We've kept an eye on the school since Thursday without noticing anything irregular, though. Well, fellas like that are quick to vanish when they see a policeman strolling around. Right. Well, anyway, I took the man off the beat today seeing it Saturday, and sure enough... A holiday for the kids, but no holiday for the stranger, huh? Apparently not, Henry. The playground supervisor called me up about one o'clock to report she had stopped a man from giving some kids candy and offering him rides in his car. That's for good. Where do we fit in, Carol? Well, there's a youngster by the name of Carol Peterson who's gone out alone on an overnight hike out in the preserve at the edge of the woods. She's in quite a jam. Preserve a jam? She's 14, Bill, and has had a lot of camping experience. So our mother was confident that she'd be all right. Now that this man is still hanging around, we'd like to have her save at home. Mother just called a while ago to ask our advice. Boy, finding a girl in the forest is like finding a needle in a haystack. It shouldn't be too hard, Henry. She wouldn't have gone too far in, and her mother thinks she knows where she might be. Excuse me a minute. Police station, Sheriff speaking. Oh, yeah, Dave, what's wrong? Oh, now just be calm. Now, what time did she go out? Ah, okay, have you checked all her friends' homes? Sure. Sure, Dave, of course we will. Okay, I'll be right over to your place. Yeah, right away. Bye. That was Dave Johnson, Bill, reporting the disappearance of his little girl. We've got to get over there and fast. Do you think this stranger has anything to do with it? They're sure of it. And to tell you the truth, I don't like the sound of it either. Here, I'll just mark the area on the map here where Carol Peterson should be. Right about over in there, Bill. If you fellas will take care of this, I'll concentrate on the Johnson show. Boy, this doesn't look good. You're right, pal. Come on, we've got to find Carol Peterson before that stranger does. It's a good thing I wore these shoes, Carol. My sandals will be worn out by now. Elizabeth, I've been thinking. You didn't bring anything with you, not even a sweater. Are you sure your mom said you could come? Don't you want me? I'm not going to do it, Elizabeth. But how come your mom didn't send any gear with you? I told her you would have everything. Sing me that hike song again, Carol. I'll do the tramp part. Okay. Tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp. Trampy, tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp. Tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp. Ten, ten, ten, ten, ten, ten. What's that? I thought I heard someone behind us. Nope. I didn't hear anything. I'm getting awfully tired. Me too. Let's rest. Let's make camp right here. It looks pretty good. It really does. I better see if there's any water around. I better look, too. I'll go this way, Carol. Okay. And I'll look over here by this comp of bushes. Elizabeth, I found a brook. I know, and I've never seen it before either. I wonder where we are. You said this was where your father took you fishing. I thought it was. Don't you know where we are, Carol? Well, well, if we go back the way we came, we'll come to something I remember. We saw that cave in pit, remember? But that was when we were just starting out. Come on, Elizabeth. We'll have to go back a little ways before it gets dark. I'm scared. What if we got lost? Don't worry. I'll find the way back. Come on. OK. Yes, this is as far as the old flipper will take us. Now this looks like the place on the map all right. I sure hope that young man is sitting under the nearest pine tree. My old dogs are barking already. Cal said he didn't think she'd go too far in. All out into the line. Goodie. Good thing I brought my jacket. My gray wolf would say, old fires burn cold. What are you talking about? Old fires. I don't see any traces of fires around here, do you, Bill? No, Stamby. I guess I don't. And I do see something strange. Yeah, tire tracks going over this way. Yeah. Well, a car can't go in the forest. Must be parked close by. There's a clump of trees right over there, and the tracks seem to lead to it. Come on, let's have a look. A car, sure enough. Isn't even locked. Anything in the glove compartment? Let's give a look. No, it's empty, Bill. And the license plates are out of state. You think it might belong to that stranger? What would he? I don't know. Maybe as a camp in the forest. Let's move, fellas. Oh, I sure hope there ain't a full moon out tonight. This sure is a long hike for a little girl. It's soon going to be dark. I know. Wait, I see something bright down in that hollow. Yep, I see it too. Come on, let's hustle. Henry, looks like Carol Peterson, but she's unconscious. I'm going down after her. You stay up here and give me a hand, climbing up. OK, I'll wait right here. She must have slipped on the way down into the ravine. All set, Henry. The hill is slippery and steep. I'm going to put her over my shoulder. OK, I'm ready. I can't quite reach your hand. I'm slipping back. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. I'll lie down. Now, now reach for me. All right. Good idea. All right, now pull. I'll give you a few more steps. That was a climb. He's a sturdy little girl. Looks to me like we should scoot her to a doctor just as fast as we can. There's a bad bump on her head. All right, Stumpy. I checked to see if she had any broken bones. I think her ankle might be sprained. Well, come on. Let's quit beating the gums and start hitting the trail. You and I can make a chair with our arms. We can carry her. No, do it on the head and clear away anything in the path. Good. The faster we get her to a bed, the better. It's getting dark. Why doesn't that phone ring? It's getting dark. Oh, darling, Cal said he'd call us as soon as he had any word. Well, we ought to call anyway. He said if he didn't find her within an hour or more, he'd organize a search party. We ought to have done that right away. Oh, Betty, we should have wondered about the man. It's my fault. I'll get it. Hello? Oh, Mrs. Peterson. Showed just a second. Betty, it's Mrs. Peterson. Oh. Hello, Sue. Oh, no. Is she hurt badly? Hurt? Is it Elizabeth? No, no, no, dear. It's not Elizabeth. It's Carol. No, Sue, Dave thought you meant Elizabeth. No, we haven't. Oh, Sue, I'm going crazy waiting. Are you going to the hospital now? Oh, sure, I will. It'll only take a minute. I'll be right over. Bye. What happened to Carol? The forest rangers found her in the preserve. She'd fallen down a ravine and was unconscious. They took her to the hospital. What next? Charlie's out of town. And Sue wants me to drive her over to the hospital. But we might need the car. And Dave, it's only for a few minutes. I want to. Well, hurry, Betty. How you can go running around when Elizabeth's darling, darling, it's something to do. The suspense is unbearable. I'll be right back, dear. Now that I've seen that Carol's all right, I have to go home, Sue. I hope she wakes soon. The doctor said it was just a slight case of shock. Thank you again so much. I know what it cost you to leave your telephone when you haven't heard. Mom. Oh, Carol, I'm right here, dear. Mommy's right beside you. Carol, I'm so glad you're all right. I'll see you again. I have to go now. Is Elizabeth all right? We haven't heard yet, dear. Elizabeth? How did you know she's missing? She told me that you said she could come. Don't be mad, Mrs. Johnson. Mad? Carol, was Elizabeth with you? Carol, dear, do you mean Elizabeth went with you? Yes, and well, we got lost, and we lost each other. And I fell down. Then she's still in the forest. Oh, my baby. I left word for Bill to see me at your home, Dave. Fine, fine. I only hope he gets here soon. He's taking such a long time. Well, he was on his way back to the station when I tried to contact him again. So I'll have to turn around and come back here as soon as he gets there. All that takes time. She set the table so I wouldn't call her in before supper. I wouldn't let her wear a sweater outside. She must be. I had a message to call here, ma'am. Yes, yes. Come in, please. Bill, thanks for coming back. Henry's out in the car with Stumpy. I think the man you're looking for is hiding out in the preserve. Bill, there was another little girl with Carol Peterson today. These are her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, Bill Jefferson. How do you do, Bill? Now, don't get upset, Mrs. Johnson. She can't be far from where we found Carol Peterson. We'll get her home in no time at all. We better get going, Bill. I want to come. She won't know any of you, my poor babe. Should I take our car, Cal, and meet you at the preserve? You know where we're going in, Mr. Johnson? No. That's all right, Bill. I'll take him with me and park by the car you found. Good. It won't be long, Mrs. Johnson. See you there, Cal. Don't be afraid of me. I won't hurt you. It's all right. It's all right. Bill, got any steeper? Have you seen another girl? No. Only you. Of course I do. You're all right now. I'll take you home, little girl. Just come with me. I'm awfully mad at me. She doesn't belong here. Oh, my. Never mind. She'll be glad to see you. Here, have a candy bar. I'll bet you're hungry. I thought I heard a child calling. She must be close by. We just passed the ravine where we found Carol. We did. They'll call me weak eyes. I didn't see it. It's hard to see, Stumpy. It's getting so dark. Let's call again. Let's find me a sore throat. Stumpy, shine your light over there. Oh, sure. Can't figure it out. We would have been wandering around in a circle. Can't be too far. He should hear us calling. I know. I was sure I heard her a little while ago. Where did you stop for, Bill? No, what do you see? Look, that bush, a candy bar wrapper. Bill, are you sure you're all right? I may be wrong, but I have an idea how strange your friend is around. Lots of campers throw paper in the forest. This is the second wrapper I've seen like this. Stuck low in a bush, a child would put it there. It does look like a fresh wrapper, all right. Hey, get it? A little girl didn't have any food with her. Keep flashing those lights around. Come on, Henry. Let's call some more. Elizabeth. Listen, I think I hear something. Elizabeth. Someone's calling me. Look, come on. I don't hear anything. If you go back that way, you'll never get home. But I hear it. Listen. Be quiet, you. Stop your crazy yelling. You don't want them to find me. You aren't taking me home. Wait. I hear it. It's about time. I was beginning to wonder. Hey, Bill, there's someone else running through the forest. No, what? Turn off your light. Quiet. Just a minute, you. What's the hurry? Let me go. Let me go. I ain't done nothing. What are you running? It's a free world, ain't it? No, just listen here, mister. We're rangers. And we got so many interesting questions to ask you. You can't do nothing to me. I ain't done nothing. Dumpy, take the big light and see if Elizabeth is around here. Yes, sir. His flashlight is as good as the piper's flute any day. I just bet I bring back a little girl with it. Here, Ronnie. Your mother is waiting for you in the car just outside of the forest. You'll be home in no time at all. Look the way. Follow the flashlight. Here, Elizabeth. I'll carry you. Up you go. Come on, mister. Leave me alone. I can walk by myself. She's with her mother, honey. We found her a while ago. He didn't want me to find you. Why didn't he? He's got a lot of questions to answer about the sheriff's office. You ain't got nothing on me. I ain't done nothing. We'll let the sheriff decide that. Elizabeth more than learned her lesson. And when the stranger was faced with attempted kidnapping charges, he learned the lesson, too. In fact, when the whole story got around naughty pi and all the youngsters were reminded about the right way to act with strangers, hope you were, too. See you next week for more adventure with the Institute in Chicago.