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.
Ranger Bill brought to you today by the folks at Gaiman's Feed Mill, Denver.
I guess I'll turn in for the night, Grover.
I want to be wide awake and alert early tomorrow.
Well, that's a good idea.
I could use a bit of shut eye myself.
It's like a good many miles today.
I figure about 25.
At least.
When you get to be our age, that's a good distance.
Our age?
That's far enough to walk no matter how old you are.
Anyhow, we won't have to worry about bumping into other hunters this far from civilization.
Coming this far was a good idea.
Thanks, Ben.
When we roll out tomorrow, we'll have to figure out some sort of route that will take us back
to the land of the living.
Still met us a good catch.
What are we doing, hunting or fishing?
You know what I mean.
Right now, my tired old bones have had it.
Me too.
I'll just put a few more pieces of wood on our fire to keep the chill and the animals
away.
And I think I'll turn in myself.
Good night, Grover.
Good night, Ben.
You about ready to shut off?
Huh?
Oh, I'm sorry.
Didn't know I was bothering you.
It's all right.
Good night.
Did you see that?
See it?
How could I help it?
It lit up the whole area.
Well, what, what, what is it?
I don't know.
It was so bright and close.
Look.
It lit up the whole sky for a minute.
It must have crashed just over that ridge of foothills.
I don't hear anything anymore.
See anything either.
You think it'll start a fire?
I don't see any light in that direction.
If it were going to, it would before this.
Must be all snow up in that area.
Probably doused it right out.
Uh-huh.
What do you suppose it was, Ben?
Don't ask me.
Probably a meteor or something.
Yeah, probably.
Only, uh...
Only what?
Well, the sound it made.
Almost sounded like a rocket.
You ever see a rocket that looked like that?
No, but...
Say, wait a minute.
You don't think that...
I don't think anything, Ben.
I just said it sounded like a rocket.
That's all.
Well, I think it was probably just the meteor that made it sway this far.
Who knows what a meteor sounds like anyhow.
Yeah, you're probably right.
I'll tell you what we'll do, though.
What's that?
Well, we were looking for some sort of plan to follow anyhow.
Why don't we set out in that direction tomorrow and see if we can find the remains of that
meteor?
If we can hunt on the way, and maybe we'll make some great scientific find while we're
at it.
Sure thing no one else saw it.
Ah, that sounds like a good idea, all right.
Fine.
Oh, no.
As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted.
I think I'll turn in.
See you in the morning, Grover.
We should be near the place where that thing landed by now.
Yeah, not too far from it the way I figure.
We should stop calling it that thing like it was something out of the ordinary.
Well isn't it?
I know you don't see meteors just any time of the day or night, but it isn't a Mars spaceship.
I didn't say it was.
Just not convinced that it was a meteor.
It's cold up here, isn't it?
Yeah, I knew it would be.
That's why the thing...
There you've got me doing it.
That's why the meteor didn't start a fire.
There's still plenty of snow up here.
Strange, we haven't seen it yet.
You'd think with the size of the explosion we saw there'd be a big area all black and
scorched.
Maybe what we saw wasn't an explosion at all.
Maybe it was a set of reverse landing rockets.
Do you think that too?
Oh, Grover, act your age.
Well these days you never know.
It wouldn't necessarily have to be Mars or anything like that.
Even on our own planet we...
Ben!
Grover, what's the matter, man?
Your white is a sheet.
Look!
What's down there?
What are you...
I see them.
I see them too, Grover.
What are they?
Well, it looks like man or something like them.
Five of them.
Walking along, real slowly, in single file.
Yeah, and look at the way they're dressed.
Grover, those are space suits, I think.
Those big greenish bubbles for heads.
They must be seven or eight feet tall.
Ben!
Shh!
What?
That path they're walking on.
What about it?
It winds around and comes up here.
It's the one we're on.
Shh!
They're too close for us to make any noise.
They'll be here in no time.
What are we gonna do?
Quick, let's roll under these bushes along the path and cover ourselves with them.
What if they see us?
They'll be sure to see us if we run.
They will if we stand here talking much longer.
Come on!
Come on, let's pull these branches right over here.
A little bit more over here.
Like this?
Yeah.
Now, that's good.
Pull this branch over here a little more.
Yeah, yeah.
All right.
Now, quiet.
They'll be here in no time at all.
We have to stop now before they come after us.
Shh!
Mmm.
But they're gone, Ben.
We don't know how far away they are.
Ben!
What?
I have to sneeze.
Don't you dare.
I can't help it.
I'm sorry, Ben.
Good.
Well, I guess it's all right now anyway.
They didn't seem to hear you.
Look, there they go.
Up the mountain.
I know.
I've been watching them.
What are we going to do?
I don't know why you keep asking me that question.
You're the one who knew they were men from Mars in the beginning.
Don't say that.
Okay, okay.
I think the best thing to do is just sit tight until we're sure the coast is clear and then
head back for town as fast as we can.
Maybe the Rangers will have some idea about what to do.
I don't know.
Bill and his Rangers are smart fellows, but I don't think even they could figure out much
to do with men from another planet.
Yes, sir, so the sky fills with these here flying saucer things and they start landing
all over the place and these little fellers, oh, about that high, get out.
High?
That's pretty small, old timer.
Okay, about this high.
Well, anyhow, these little fellers come running out of the flying saucers and turn all over
the neighborhood.
And finally, one of them runs up the front steps of this big house and bangs into the
door.
So the lady of the house opens the door and looks down at that little feller.
She probably screams, huh?
Nope.
Well, what did she do?
She just sort of smiled and says, I'm sorry, little boy, but we don't have any tricks or
treats left.
That's pretty good, old timer.
I don't think it's so funny.
It's the way you tell it.
Whippersnapper.
Hello, fellas.
Been behaving yourselves?
Stumpy's been telling us jokes about creatures from other planets and stuff.
Even I must admit that some not bad.
Well, I wish I'd been here.
I haven't heard a good joke.
I'm out of you for a long time, Stumpy.
Okay, okay, sonny.
You can get that way if you want to, but one last...
I've got it.
How do you like that?
It just gets here and business picks up.
Ranger headquarters, Bill Jefferson speaking.
Sure, he's right here.
It's for you, Henry.
Oh, thanks.
Hello?
Oh, hi, Milo.
What?
Oh, no.
Sure.
Sure, I'll be right out.
Just a minute, Milo.
Bill?
Yes, pal?
Do you need me around here for a while?
I can't think why.
Anything wrong?
No, no.
Just a little something, a friend of mine and I were experimenting with.
Nothing big or much.
Milo, listen, I'll be there as soon as I can make it.
Yeah, okay, so long.
You look a little worried, sonny.
But really, isn't anything.
Just a little experiment.
I'll see y'all later.
Bye.
It is a leg, Henry.
I think same thing.
Well, I wouldn't worry about it.
He'll tell us whenever it's about when he's ready.
Hey, that's tower 12.
I'll get it.
Hello, Tom, where's the fire?
Just a couple of guys who insist on talking to you.
That's not strictly according to regulations, Tom.
Is it important?
That's why I called, Bill.
I can't figure them out.
We should give a little listen to their story and see what you think.
Okay, put them on.
Okay, go ahead.
Talk about investing here.
Bill?
Bill, can you hear me?
This is Grover Cameron.
Am I coming through all right, Bill?
Fine, fine.
What's up?
You better let me talk to him, Grover.
You're too nervous.
Bill, this is Ben Adams.
Listen, we depreciate on your
if you and some of your men would get out here on the double.
Well, I'd appreciate it if one of you would tell me what the trouble is.
Spacemen, Bill.
Real live walking spacemen.
All right, we got here as fast as we could.
Well, maybe you'd better go over that again.
You say you saw some sort of spaceship land and strange men?
That sounds unbelievable.
Well, it wasn't exactly like that, Bill.
Last night, this loud burning thing zoomed over our camp and crashed a few miles away
up in the mountain area.
And this morning, out of curiosity, we went to see what it was.
And we saw them.
Grover, please.
Oh, we did.
Biggest life.
Five of them walking along the path making strange sounds.
They were just breathing.
And it was strange breathing, too.
Well, anyhow, that's about the gist of it, Bill.
These strange men were wandering around in the same area where we saw that burning thing
crash.
They had green heads.
I was just going to ask you for some sort of description.
I guess that's as good a place to start as any.
Green heads?
Well, they were kind of a big green bubble.
I couldn't make out any features.
Uh-huh.
And what color were their suits?
Oh, kind of an aluminum color, metallic.
Their breathing tanks were the same.
I see.
About how far from them are we right now, would you say?
Not far enough.
Oh, I'd say about four or five miles.
We almost ran the whole way.
We sure were glad to spot this tower.
Well, we'll walk back a little more leisurely.
Walk back?
To them?
That's right.
I think we ought to drop in on our space friends and see if they're enjoying their stay.
Right up ahead.
There's where we hid.
This is where they passed right by us.
These are the bushes we crawled under, Bill.
Uh-huh.
So we thought we should just check that out.
You credit them properly.
everything they told us is true.
You'd better believe it.
We told you the truth.
Story true, that makes Stumpy and I look foolish.
Well, what's Stumpy got to do with this?
By the way, where is he?
Well, you see, Ben, when we heard your story
over the Ranger two-way radio,
both Stumpy and Graywolf decided it was just a big joke.
Stumpy figured he'd watch things at the station,
and Graywolf came along only because I asked him.
Bill, look at tracks and path.
Funny footprints.
They almost square.
Uh-huh.
I thought we'd see some sooner or later.
All right, now that we got a trail to follow, come on.
You know what I can't figure out, Bill?
What's that, Ben?
Well, you seem to be so very calm about this whole thing.
You're not at all excited or even afraid
to follow these creatures.
I noticed the same thing.
You know something we not know, Bill?
Not really.
I suspect something you all don't seem to know about.
We'll see when we meet the strangers.
Bill, I know this path.
Oh?
Yeah, we use it when inspecting fire lanes.
It lead to old cave hills.
We're not far from there now.
Caves, huh?
Well, what do you make of that?
I know what to make of it, and I don't like it.
Those visitors landed near here because they knew they
could hide out in one of the caves.
That's what we're all thinking.
That's not what I'm thinking.
I just figured it out.
What are you talking about?
Well, you know how some people, when
they're faced with trouble or a frightening situation,
just snap?
That's what's happened to Bill.
No wonder he isn't bothered.
See?
Roll over.
That's ridiculous.
Bill's been in more tense situations than this.
Path in just over a small rise ahead.
And the caves are just a short distance beyond, right?
Right, Bill.
Maybe we better send a lookout on ahead.
That's a good idea.
Uh, who will we send?
OK, let's draw straws.
I'll just pull up a few of these longer weeds here.
And line up the tops like so.
There we are.
Now we'll all take one.
Gray Wolf?
Ben?
Grover?
Well, there are only two left.
Give me a chance to make up my mind.
Um, this one, which leaves me with this one.
OK, whose is the shortest?
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
I don't see what's so funny.
You wanted to send someone ahead.
If you hadn't said anything, we'd have all gone on together.
Now after that little draw, you have to go alone.
Who shall we contact in case of trouble, Grover?
All right.
Kid if you want to.
But who knows?
The whole world may someday thank me for what I'm about to do.
You look like you walked last mile.
Bill, but what do you think he see over here?
Yeah.
Bill, what is it you've been keeping to yourself about all this?
Let's just watch Grover, huh?
Look, he's down on his hands and knees crawling to the top.
Hey, he sees something.
He takes a short look and he crawled back down as fast as possible.
Here he comes.
They're there.
All five of them.
They're there.
I saw them.
All sitting around a small fire.
Well, Bill?
Let's all go up there and take a look.
All of us.
Come on.
Let's go.
Hand me those binoculars, will you, Graywell?
Here, Bill.
Thanks.
You should be able to see them in just a few feet.
Aren't you going to crawl like I did?
Nobody could crawl the way you did.
Now let's see.
Ah, yes.
There they are.
I see them too.
Yeah, those are the ones all right.
Now do you believe us?
We weren't seeing things.
You weren't seeing things.
That's for sure.
If you were, you would have noticed what's
written all across the tanks of oxygen
and other equipment they have.
What's that?
Let me see those glasses.
Here you are, Ben.
What is it, Ben?
You and your men from Mars.
Almost every piece of equipment they have down there
has great big blue letters on it reading, United States Air
Force.
Well, that don't beat all.
How do you like our planet, Sergeant?
Well, it's worth writing home to Mother about.
This is about the best I've heard for a long time.
Well, we thought as long as we were in the neighborhood,
we'd drop in.
Ah, glad you did.
It sort of brightened up a routine job.
These fellas maybe never walked around in these monkey
suits before.
But I'd take a bunch of them out almost every week.
Hey, that suit looked plenty warm.
It's got a thermostat in it.
Warm when you need it, not when you don't.
Say, engine, maybe you should teach me
a little on watching a trail.
What's that?
Well, I'd like to know what to look for just in case
we almost step on some more hunters.
I feel pretty stupid, Ben.
Well, never mind, it's all taken care of now.
It was just that flaming thing crashing
in these high altitude suits.
Hey, that reminds me.
What was that thing that crashed last night?
Were you fellas trying something else out?
I don't know anything about a crash.
Set out from trucks early in the morning.
Now that I think of it, we didn't get any news
on a meteor hitting this area either.
I told you it sounded like a rocket.
Yeah, and you said that those guys look like men from Mars,
too.
Well, they do.
That's right, I guess they do.
What do you say we go looking for that thing, whatever it is?
Well, I mean, we'd better go along if it is a rocket.
Good idea.
OK, man, let's break up camp.
Well, look for that rocket.
It should be somewhere in this general area.
Well, if it made as big an explosion as you said,
we shouldn't have too much trouble locating it.
Did I find anything over there?
Not yet, Sergeant.
Hey, I have an idea, Bill.
What's that, Gray Wolf?
If we get up higher than this, maybe we have a better
chance of seeing it.
That makes sense.
How do you figure on doing it?
This is kind of a plateau here.
Well, downhill a bit.
But you said you wanted to get up higher.
Downhill, there are tall trees.
I go and climb to a higher point than here.
OK, Gray Wolf, we'll watch you for directions
in case you see it.
I move fast.
Hey, where's the engine gone?
Climb a tree and check this area.
Come on over.
Bill.
Yes, Ben?
I just thought of something.
What's that?
Well, Grover and I might have dreamed this whole thing.
What?
Well, as I remember, we turned in for the night,
and I'm sure I dropped off.
I can understand why we can't find the thing.
Grover, were you asleep on this blue over?
Asleep?
Who could sleep with all that noise and light?
Well, I mean, had you fallen asleep before we saw it?
I don't know.
It was sort of getting comfortable,
if you know what I mean.
See, Bill?
There sure is a lot of small gullies and hills in this area.
No wonder we can't find anything.
Sergeant, Ben here thinks that he and Grover
might have dreamed this whole thing.
Is that so?
Well, it's a pretty good trick, if it's true.
Yeah, exactly what I was thinking.
Why do you say that?
I never in my life heard of two fellas dreaming
the exact same thing at the exact same time.
Are you fellas brothers?
No.
Then chances are even slimmer.
Well, we were both in the same place
and in the same conditions.
Mr. Back at the barracks, there might be four or 500 men
in the same place in the same conditions.
They even make pretty much the same noise when they sleep.
But I don't think you'll find any two of them ever
dreaming about the same thing.
You see, Ben, there was something in the air last night.
Hey, look at Grey Wolf.
Where?
In that tree over there.
You see?
The tall one in that cluster.
I see him.
He's pointing over to our left and motioning farther back.
Let's go.
He's spotted the rocket.
I've never in all my life seen a rocket like this.
I haven't either.
It's radio smaller than any I've seen.
It almost looks like a miniature.
Of course, a lot of it has been blown away by the explosion.
I think we better contact a few officials
about this right away.
My man and me will stand guard around this thing.
If you'll head back for town and do the contacting.
Good enough.
We have horses at the tower.
Make good time.
Then you better get a little old move on, I'd think.
There'll be some brass that'd be real interested
in this little feller.
No, Milo.
He isn't back yet.
Uh-huh.
Sure is.
Well, listen, as soon as he gets back,
I'll ask him if he'll help us look for it.
Yeah, OK, Milo.
Right.
Bye.
Brother.
Oh, Bill.
There you are.
Hi, pal.
Uh, toss me that phone directory, will you?
Sure.
This one?
No, uh, the black one.
No, over there.
Oh, the important numbers, huh?
Mm-hmm.
Here you are.
Thanks.
Bill?
Um, uh, yeah, pal?
Did you ever have something really tremendous
and exciting fall through for you?
Everyone has, Henry.
Well, what did you do about it?
How it made you feel?
Uh, here it is.
Listen, pal, I'm in a kind of hurry.
Could you talk about it later?
This is important.
Sure, I guess.
We can wait.
Not a boy.
Excuse me.
Only four numbers?
Is that one of those special defense code numbers?
Yeah, that's right.
What happened?
Tell you about it in a minute, pal.
Hello?
Colonel Riley, please.
Thank you.
He's Air Force, isn't he?
All right.
Hello, Colonel.
Bill Jefferson.
We've got something here we don't know quite what to make of.
But you'd want to take a look.
Uh-huh.
It's a small rocket ship of some sort.
What?
Hold it, pal.
That's right, Colonel.
Oh, maybe six or seven feet long.
Hard to tell exactly, because some of it
was blown off when it hit.
Bill, that rocket is what I want.
Please, Henry.
What's that, Colonel?
Sometime during the night, yeah.
A couple of hunters spotted the things that came down.
No, I know what that rocket's all about.
Let's talk about it later, pal.
This is, uh, what's that, sir?
Yes, fortunately, we ran into one of your patrols
and they're watching it.
No, no sign of life anywhere near it.
As far as we could tell, there wasn't anything in it at all.
No life, no warheads or anything.
Listen to me.
You don't have to worry the Air Force about this.
Hold on a minute, will you, Colonel?
Thanks.
Now, look, pal, this is important business.
There's no telling how important.
And whatever you have to say, we'll have to wait.
It is not important.
I know all about that rocket you found.
I know where it came from and who made it.
And it isn't a threat to peace or anything like that.
You, you know?
That's what I was so disappointed about.
You see, Milo Armstrong and I were
trying to make a working model of a rocket for a science
class project.
And well, we were going to send it up today.
Wouldn't have gone very far, we thought.
But last night, Milo was fooling around with it and, well,
went up.
Just a minute, Henry.
Tell me the rest later.
Uh, Colonel Riley, I am sorry I bothered you about this little
rocket business.
Uh, what's that?
Well, it seems that Henry and one of his friends were, uh...
So first of all, you two thought they were Mars men, eh?
Looks like we all got a little carried away with our imaginations.
Oh, shameful! Grown men letting their imaginations run away
with them so much that almost the whole United States Air Force
was brought out!
I suppose you never get carried away.
Oh, Sonny, when you live as long as I have, you will realize it.
Oh, my God!
Puffy, what you do under desk anyway?
What was it? What was it? It flew right by me!
You mean, you mean this, Alzheimer?
What is it?
I was just sitting there folding this paper up to make an airplane.
I guess I tossed it too close to you, huh?
A paper airplane!
Did you see the way it dove under the table?
I never let my imagination run away with me!
Well, when you live as long as me!
Well, boys and girls, we all get a little carried away at times,
don't we? Even stomping.
But it's no stretch of the imagination to say that we'll see you next week
for more Adventure with Ranger Penn!
Certainly, нарaling!