Ranger Bill, warrior of the woodland. 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. Hear that sound? Pretty mysterious and scary, isn't it? When I heard it for the first time, I couldn't believe my ears. When I saw for the first time what was making that noise and causing all that commotion, I couldn't believe my eyes. What caused it gave Stumpy and Grey Wolf and Henry and I one of the oddest adventures that we ever had. It involved a lot of bravery, for our enemy for a while was the largest animal that walks the face of the earth. Listen now while I tell you how the African jungle came to the American Wild West in the story I call Rogue Elephant. Bill, around in the weirs. No, Stumpy. Where's he at? Gone for a day, all day. Newspaper man come up from city for a story about Forest Ranger. Bill take him fishing, give him stories same time. Well, that newspaper isn't got sense. They couldn't find a better man than Bill. What you want Bill for? Oh, another one of them crazy reports come in on the telephone. I read it all down like Bill told me to. This here one's from Zephyr. We got one from Crazy Creek, one from 30 Mile and now this one's from Zephyr. They're all towns over by edge of Tall Timber or Rocky Mountain Start. Yep, all over there. Very peculiar. Why? Well, I'll read you this one that I just got. Eliezer Boggs, a farmer, Zephyr reports his stand of corn completely destroyed during the night. That all? Is that all? Ain't that enough? I mean, does report not say more? Nope. You want to hear the other two? They're just the same, only different. Hannah DeBreeze, housewife, Crazy Creek. Here's another one. I answered the phone and wrote it down. Listen to this. Henry Jorgensen, farmer, Trent's Crossing, reports his barn was pushed over. He got back from town and found it in splinters. Anything stole? Yeah, a bushel of winter apples. Well, thanks for a pleasant day, Bill. Good fishing, but no story. Just routine stuff, huh? Yeah, nothing newsworthy. Well, I guess I'll head down to the depot. Now, wait a minute. These reports on my desk, you're... But there's something mighty funny going on. Here's another note from Gray Wolf and Henry. That's my Indian assistant, my ward. I've taken off for... I'll be back. Brown. Yes, sir? Stick around. You may have got that feature story yet. All right. About those mysterious reports? Yeah. I'll take a look at them. Then step over here. Come here. Take a look at this map on the wall. Right. Now, watch. I'm going to mark with a red pencil the places where these reports have been coming in. Here's Zephyr. Right here is Crazy Creek. Here's 30 Mile. I have two reports from there. Trent's Crossing, Ajax, Carson. Four from there. Can you read maps? I was in the Army. I'm not sure I can. I'm not sure I can. I'm not sure I can. I'm not sure I can. I'm not sure I can. I'm not sure I can. I'm not sure I can. I'm not sure I can. I'm not sure I can. You been to the Army? Alright, then. Well, according to these reports. All of these robberies, these Vine and Orchard reckons. Took place in one comparatively small area. Right. And that mean anything else? Yeah, those contour lines and numbers, mean that that's high country. And that dark brownish green shading, means it's heavily forested around there. Correct. Now, take a look at this. See this high valley here, leading right back into the Rockies themselves? Yeah, a high valley in deep forest leading down out of the Rockies to these little towns. A valley and a part of the Rockies that's uninhabited. Except by whoever did all this damage. He can come down that valley. That's why no one has spotted him. Are you in there, Bill? Yeah, come on in. Okay. Hey, Bill, have you... Oh, excuse me. I didn't know anybody was here. Henry, this is Bud Brown from the Newspaper Syndicate, and Bud, this is Henry and the Grey Wolf. Glad to know you're here. Hi, how are you? Say, we've got something to tell you. Much better. We show you something. Bill, you won't believe your eyes. You'll say it isn't true, but it is true. Why, this is the most astonishing, the most surprising, why it's the most unusual thing that ever happened. Just wait till we tell you. Why, you won't believe it when we tell you. Hey, hey, slow down, will you? How about starting right at the beginning and telling us the whole story, huh? Sure, Bill. Sure. Well, after those reports you got there came in this morning, Grey Wolf and I decided to sort of scot up that valley behind those little towns, you know, kind of explore. Sure is spooky in this forest, even though the birds seem friendly. Walk Indian style, no noise. Okay. Do you think we'll find anything out back here in the back woods? Well, nobody come here. Nobody know what back in here. Yeah. I hear trailing words. Go slow now. We look for tracks. What kind of tracks, Grey Wolf? Any kind. Sure. The ground's kind of damp here. I'll be able to see. Hey, hey. You spy tracks now. I think so. We follow tracks. Long time. Half hour maybe. Oh, but I didn't see it. But I see. But what kind of tracks are they? They taught me a lot of woodcraft. I never saw any like that. Junior, you hear something? Yeah. I hear something all right. It sounds as though whatever was is coming this way. Henry, get behind log and bushes. Then we can see, but nobody see us. Okay. I'll get ready here. Ready for what? I brought my camera. You know, it's the kind that takes a picture that, you know, you can look at just a minute after you snap it. You know, you open the back. Very good. You bring camera. Now, we wait. Wow. Take picture now. Quick. Great wolf. I think I got a perfect snapshot. We go back to Bill now. Come on. Quiet now. And so we've headed right back here. Well, that's just what we did. And that's just what we saw. What about the picture? It's still in camera. Yeah. We didn't want to waste time hanging around there. Besides, we don't want to have to... Well, open up the camera now. I can't stand the suspense. Okay. We'll wait until now to develop it. And there's the picture. Hey, you're not playing a joke on us. This is no joke. What a story. What a story. A photograph of the pine forest of our own rocky mountains and in the foreground, an African elephant. All right, men. That's all the news there is. As soon as anything breaks, I promise you I'll let you know about it immediately. All right. Clear out now, please, so we can work. Thank you. Thank you. Phew. I bet there's 20 reporters there. I bet there's 20 reporters from all over the United States. Yeah. As soon as I phoned in my first story and hit the amalgamated press wires, those birds started flocking around here. And I've got the inside track, thanks to you, Bill. Well, you were in at the start. Oh, excuse me. I didn't realize you were on the ticker there. I'm just about through. More news? Yeah. Mark the wall map, Henry. That was Chuck Hanson. Who's he? Oh, he's that wealthy retired radio executive. He bought that farm way back at Stoney Lonesome. He and his wife saw the elephant this morning. First folks really got a good long look at it. The Hansons were driving along in their car when the elephant suddenly rushed out of the forest, lunged at their car and overturned it. Were the Hansons hurt? No. Shaken up. The elephant uprooted a few trees and then ran back into the deep woods. Maybe it's getting hungrier and dangerous. I arranged with every radio station, every newspaper west of the Mississippi to try to find out about an escaped elephant. And not a zoo or an animal dealer or a circus or an importer has lost an elephant. Yeah, I checked too. Even Canada and Mexico report no elephants missing. All elephants present in the convent for, sir. But where did this one come from? We can't even find him. He hides in the thick forest in the day mostly and just comes out at night to make those raids. I'm worried. Unless we can stop him somehow, somebody's life will get hurt. I see a regular hoop up out there. Hey, here's one of them there. Spectacle delivery letters for you, Mr. Brown. Thanks, Stumpy. That's funny. What? It's nothing but an old newspaper clipping. Yeah, but what a clipping. My head office sent it. Let's see. The date line is 19... This newspaper clipping is nearly 20 years old. What's the story? Listen to this. Mahmoud the Mighty, full-grown African tusker elephant who escaped from his keepers while being loaded onto the train at Moose Joss, Saskatchewan, has alluded all attempts at his recapture. Circus owners have returned to the United States. It is supposed the giant elephant, standing 11 feet high, has become lost in the trackless forests. Ranchers and hunters are warned to be on the lookout, as the beast is known to be extremely dangerous. Mahmoud the Mighty? Bill, can an African elephant manage to survive and live in the Rocky Mountains? Well, this one has. Off to one side, my good man. Let me through. I'm no star in the scribbling newspaper gossip monger. I'm a respectable, responsible, reputable businessman, and I have matters of primary importance to discuss with that excellent guardian of our hills and valleys, the Forest Ranger. Go to one side, one side, and permit me to have immediate access to his inner office. No, sir, he... Bill gave me orders. I might as well let the gentleman come in, Stompy, and thanks for doing a good job. Ah, it's worth nothing. Go along head in, mister. Thanks, grand pop. I take it I have the pleasure of addressing the Forest Ranger. I'm the Forest Ranger in charge of this section, yes? Well, permit me to introduce myself. I'm Baxter B. Bigsby, owner and manager of Bigsby Brothers' bigger and better circus. Here are my cards, sir. Thank you. I am here today, sir, to serve the interests of humanity. It is my avowed purpose, sir, with your august permission, of course, to capture Mahmood the Mighty. Hmm, that's more than my men have been able to do. Exactly. That's why the moment I read the news, I cancelled dozens of important appointments and flew up here in my own private airplane. I have come to save the day. Your troubles are over. I see. Uh, suppose you tell me exactly what you have in mind. Certainly, Mr. Jefferson. I know elephants, sir. It is not for nothing that from coast to coast I am known as the Elephant King. I know them all, and the tougher they are, the bigger I like them. I am fearless. I have nerves of steel. Glad to hear it. I'll ask you again, Mr. Bixby. Do you have some sort of plan? Indubitably and undeniably. My entire circus crew is even now en route here by train and auto. With these men, plus some of your local artisans, I propose to build a V-shaped stockade. Then we shall drive this ponderous pachyderm into close quarters, and I with my men will rope and tie the mighty marauding monster. Do you really think you can do all that? I never fail. In fact, I am often referred to as Never Fail Bixby. Besides, I'm fearless. It would cost a lot of money. I have ample funds. Ample. My wallet, sir. I open it. Yes. You hesitate. I'm wondering why you're going to all this expense and trouble and danger. Simply my dear fellow, simply because of my great love for the human race. Once this terrible Tyrannosaurus is tied and tethered, your troubled countryside can become peaceful once more. True enough. And then? And then, naturally, I will exhibit the animal in my circus, naturally. Oh, I see. The light. Well, Mr. Bixby. I will pay all expenses and, in addition, give you $10,000 in cash. No, the United States Forest Ranger Service does not want that kind of money. Of course, of course, to be sure. No offense. My apologies. However, the elephant is still at large. Farmers, ranchers, rangers, loyal citizens have hunted him in vain. Now if Baxter B. Bixby could capture him. But can you? Of course. Not for nothing I am known as Bring Him Back Alive Bixby. Well, how about it, Mr. Jefferson? Shall I capture this elephant for you? Big Chief Bixby's stockade almost all built now. I must say, yeah, just about every man in the country working on it. You think he can't catch elephant? Well, if your guess is just as good as mine. I don't like Bixby's motives, but he is an animal man. If it does work, then the elephant can't do any more damage. Ah, two more barns get smashed last night. I've been reading about elephants. I don't like noise and confusion. I don't like to be shoved around. Same as people. Yeah. So I'm afraid all this hullabaloo, plus our men and Bixby's men, tramping up and down these forest trails. I'm afraid that'll make the elephant become frightened or angry and go on a real rampage. Bixby, catch him, maybe. Well, I want to give the man a fair chance. Looks like they're practically finished. Yeah. My land, those log walls that make the sides of that V-shaped stockade must be at least seven or eight hundred yards long. Yeah. Say, they are through. There they go, clearing out. Oh, except Bixby and two or three others. What happens next? Well, Bixby has hundreds of men back in the forest. Pretty soon you'll hear them begin to yell and bang on tin pans. The idea is that if the elephant is around here, the noise will drive him ahead of those men. He'll head in this direction and work his way right along to the narrow part of that V down there. See how they've left those big trees standing? Yeah. Well, when he gets that far, it'll be close quarters, and that's when Bixby and his crew expect to rope and tie him. Sounds dangerous. It is dangerous. Well, I'm glad we're forty feet up in this nice, great, big, strong tree. You roped up tight? I'm bloody tight. I'm not bird. I can't hang on with feet when in a high tree like this. You think they'll drive that elephant this way? My elephant in this part of woods, all right. Come this way for sure. We wait. We won't have to wait long. Here comes that elephant now, and he's coming fast. He's coming this way. Careful. Get out of the way. Well, that's that. You speak plenty truth, Bill. That elephant tore down that stockade as if it had been made out of cardboard. Only stopped him for a few seconds. He wrecked it completely and took off of the backwoods again. Has anybody hurt? No. Where's Bixby? When elephants come, Bixby run. Run like Jackrabbit. Morning, Bill. Morning, Brown. Any more news? No, not a word. We haven't had anything in a week. Every reporter is left but me. My boss is after me every day for more story. Well, you had a byline on every front page in the country for days and days. But I need more. Is that all you care about, a story? Aren't you glad that elephant's gone back to the hills? Yeah, where's my story? Are you going to hunt him down? Have to find him first. Got some clue. That back of beyond territory would take years to comb. Forest Ranger on big game safari. What a headline. No need to subject my men to needless hardship and danger. That elephant is angry now. After that Bixby mess, he's learned to hate and fear men. I'm letting him cool off. As soon as we hear more about him, we'll go looking for him. Not before. I'm going down to the village. You can wait here in the office if you like. There'll be nobody here but you. Okay, so long. Operator, give me Los Angeles. Freeway 7, 1000, extension 8. Reverse the charges. Bud Brown, this end. No story, huh? I'll show him. He hasn't got a story and won't help me find one. I'll make a story. Why, I'll... Oh, hello, Ed. Bud, listen, I have much time. I want you to do something for me. Get a hold of Major Martin. You know, the English guy who used to be in the King's African Rifles. Send him up here by plane. Today. Tell him to bring his hunting outfit. He'll know what you mean. Are you sure we're on the right track? Positive. The spore is as plain as day. I can't see anything. Well, you're not a big game hunter. I am. Ah, you're the only fellow with a rifle. You think we'll catch up with that elephant? Very soon. The spore is unmistakable. Yeah, we've been tramping through these woods for three days. Do you want to turn back? No, do you? Maybe. What? Well, I don't like this. Sneaking out of town at night so that forest ranger wouldn't know what we were up to. Working behind his back and against his wishes. Look, you used to be a professional big game hunter, didn't you? Of course. I've shot over 200 elephants and I know exactly... Are you scared? You can't shoot this one, can't you? Well, I never shot any illegally. This isn't illegal. We're doing the ranger a favor. Just so you can get a story for your paper. But think of the fame and glory you'll get. The only white hunter in the world who ever tracked down and killed an African tusker in the Rocky Mountains. Think of the fame. Oh, yes. Oh, yes, of course. You're right. I will be famous. Famous. All right, now, come along, old boy. Slowly, though. Slowly. See those leaves? That elephant isn't far ahead. In fact... In fact... There he is. Up ahead. Through those trees there. See him? Yeah. He looks like he's mad about something. He is. We've kept him on the run. Hey, he's easy. He's turning. He's coming this way. Fight. Never fear. I will. You missed. I missed. I missed. I missed. I missed. I missed. I missed. I missed. I missed. You missed. You just scratched him. He's charging. Fire. Fire. The rifle's jammed. I can't fire. He's gone to his tent. He's lifting him up. Oh, help. Help. Are you all right? Are you all right? That elephant picked you up into your 50 feet. Martin, did you fire that second shot? Major Martin, not fire. Grey Wolf, how did you get here? I followed trail on Bill's orders. Bill think it's strange you and Englishmen disappeared overnight. I fired second shot to frighten the elephant away, not to hit him. Well, you did frighten him away. You saved our lives. It may be true, but maybe Bill's orders saved your life. How about Major Martin? An elephant throw him, not trample him. He'd be all right. Come, help carry him to road. Where are we going? Bixby fail, reporter fail, Englishmen fail. We go to range of Bill. He not fail. Well, I come in. Good evening, Mr. Forest Ranger. Hello, who are you? Just call me Joey. I hear you're in trouble, sir. I read about it in papers. Since Mahmood the mighty was shot and wounded, he's turned into a rogue elephant. Really dangerous. The paper stated you don't know what to do to keep people from getting hurt. I'm afraid for the country folks. My own men aren't equipped. I know. That's why I walked all the way here. I came to help you. Now listen. Long, long years ago when I was a young man. So, Mr. Forest Ranger, sir, that's why I've come all this way, just to help you. Now nobody has to be hurt. Nobody, not even Mahmood. Well, what do you think, sir? Joey, I believe you. I'll let you try. Maybe the only thing in the world that'll work. What do you need? Just a few loaves of bread. Bread? Very well. I only have ten men with rifles just in case. Let's go. So you think this place is about right? Oh, this place is charming, just like a vast meadow. Grass or broken flowers. Mahmood always liked meadows. This one's about a mile square. Ten miles back in the mountains. Well, all the better. Now you sit right here and wait in the shade of them trees. I'll be sure and wait. Wait. Wait for Joey and Mahmood. Well, there he goes. 82 years old and armed with some stale bread. What a way to catch an elephant. Well, he know elephants, I think. Who is Manville? He's an old circus clown. He says he knew Mahmood in the old days. He says they were friends. Oh, an elephant, remember? Joey seems positive. But if he does succeed in bringing the elephant out of cover, I've got ten good riflemen posted ready for the first sign of trouble. Yeah? We haven't even been able to find the elephant. Mahmood. He called elephant to him. So he says. Mahmood. Elephant, remember? Old clown, do what nobody else can do. Find rogue elephant. Mahmood. Bill, gray wolf, those pines over there on the far side. They're moving. And here comes the elephant. Look at those tusks shining the sun. He's pretty big. Real big. Bill, the old clown is feeding him the bread. What are you patting him on the trunk? The rogue elephant. Old clown leading elephant here now in no chains. Elephant follow like puppy dog. He did it. He did it. Here we come now. Now don't be afraid. I ain't. Mahmood ain't afraid any longer either. We're old friends, you see. We trust one another. Mahmood, you stand right here now. These are your friends. In a minute, we'll lead you down the valley to the big truck that's waiting. You won't have to wander alone anymore. That means Mahmood's happy. Well, ain't you got anything to say to him, boy? Yes. How do you do, Mr. Elephant? Sir? Well, where greed, selfishness, and pride couldn't capture the elephant, love did. And in case you're interested, the once terrible Mahmood is now on his way to the National Zoo in Washington. His keeper? Joey, of course. The two old friends can spend the rest of their lives there, and they'll be happy together because they are friends. Well, see you next week for more Adventure with Ranger Bill.
