Ranger Bill, 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 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. So then what did the doctor say? He said, he said, I ain't coming out here to your farm ever again. Why? Because, because every time he went there, the ducks insulted him. Don't you get it? The ducks insulted the doctor. You know. I know, I know. Quack, quack. Oh, Stumpf. Well, you can't get off a good one every time. Well, the thing I can't understand is why you laugh so hard at all of them. Well, with ones like that you have to. Otherwise it'd get lonely. Well, now, how do you like that? I'd get a better laugh out of you if I just tell the truth. Well, here's one for you, Stumpy, as long as you're on the subject of doctors. Did you hear about the woman who took her little boy to the doctor? What was the trouble? Well, that's what the doctor asked. Well, what did the mother say was the trouble? She said, it's his head, doctor. He's had it on and off since he was born. Wow, I never heard you laugh that hard before. Neither have I, pal. Bill. I didn't hear you come in. Small wonder. When I came in you went back and were hooting loud enough to be heard on the other side of town. What was so funny? That's what'll surprise you, Bill. He wasn't even laughing at one of his jokes. He was laughing at one of mine. That is a surprise. I want to hear that one myself, later. Something up? Something I think you might be able to handle, Henry. Come on into the back room for a minute, will you? Sure. Mind if I hang along? Not at all, old dimer. What is it, Bill? I brought this little fella in with me, Henry. Here, look. Hey, it's a rabbit. I guess a bunny would be more like it. That's right, pal. I found him out back. Looks as though his leg is in pretty bad shape. Might have been run over or had something fall on him. Anyhow, I thought you might like to nurse him back to health. Boy, would I? Poor little guy. Hey, don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you. Looks like the little feller is really scared. I know. He'll take a lot of patience, pal. He sure will. Have we got anything to feed him around here? I doubt it. Why don't you run over to the store and pick up a few vegetables, huh? Stomp in aisle, keep an eye on your new friend. Okay. And don't bother hurrying, Henry. I think once this little feller discovers my whiskers, he'll know there's at least one warm place to build his nest. Wow. Hey, did you see him jump when I started to laugh? I sure did, pal. Why would he do that, Bill? Well, there might be a lot of reasons. You think somebody did something to him to make him afraid like that? It's a possibility. Whatever happened to his leg was enough to keep him pretty frightened for a while, Henry. You know, animals and people are alike in a lot of ways. We sometimes forget that the way we feel or are physically can have a great deal to do with the way we are mentally. Yeah, I guess so. I suppose everyone's a little more jumpy when they don't feel well. You better get a move out over to the stores, honey. You can start unscaring this little feller soon enough. Right. Well, I'll be back in a minute. About ready to leave, pal? Yeah, almost, Bill. There. Boy, that little rabbit is funny. Every time I give him something to eat, you think he hadn't eaten for a month. He's okay for the night? I think so. You think so? Well, that little bunny is more comfortable right now than I'll be all night. He's in a lot worse shape than you are, too, Stumpy. No whippersnapper. I'm just trying to reassure Bill. Oh. Well, we'd better be getting along. Visiting hours over at the hospital only last two hours, and Mrs. Fay is expecting us. How's little Candy making out over there? I don't know, pal. But I suppose her condition has something to do with Mrs. Fay's asking us to stop by tonight. That poor little girl's been sick about as long as she's been alive. Has made it. I think so, Stumpy. Okay, Bill. I'm ready. Let's go. I might pick up a few good ideas at the hospital on how to take care of that rabbit. I'm so glad you all came tonight. Maybe this will help Candy. Is she worse, Mrs. Fay? Well, not really, Henry. But she seems to have lost all interest in getting any better. Poor child. She's been sick for such a long time. That's just it. I've heard of adults who finally gave up after a long illness, but I've never heard of a child and Candy. Well, we'll do what we can, Mrs. Fay. Maybe a couple of Stumpy's jokes will help. They might make her worse. I knew I could count on you, Bill, to think of something. She's in that room across the hall. Let's all go in. Candy, the Rangers are here. Remember? I told you they'd be coming by this evening. Hello, Candy. Hello, Ranger Bill. Hi, Candy. Hello, dear Candy. Hello. Why did you all come here? They came to see you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Why did you all come here? They came to see you, Candy. Did you come because you wanted to or because my mother asked you? Well, Candy, I'd say it was both. You know, sometimes we get a little busy over at that station and forget to pay a call and some of our friends. Your mother just reminded us, that's all. You probably want to be anywhere else than right here. Hey, what kind of talk is that? It's true, isn't it? Well, no, it isn't. Why should you want to come here? There isn't anything happy about a hospital. There is when someone gets well enough to leave. Sure. Well, that's not me. I'm never going to get well. Are you sure about that? Uh-huh. If I was getting better, I'd be out of here already. Tell her how wrong she is, Bill. I don't know if I can. She might be right. Bill! You got something wrong upstairs, honey? No, I don't think so. Candy seems to want to stay sick. So she probably will. Want to? I don't want to be sick. Sounds to me like you do. Well, I don't. Why did you say that? Your mother tells me that you don't take an interest in anything at all. That you don't eat well. It doesn't matter, does it? Not going to get any better. There, you see what I mean? Boy, what would happen to that little rabbit if he decided that he wasn't going to get any better? As little as he is, he'd probably die. What rabbit? Oh, he's just a little bunny that Bill found near the station. His leg is pretty badly hurt and he's scared about almost everything. Hey, don't let us get too near to him to help him. That ain't because he don't want to get better. He's just scared that we might hurt him. You see, the point is, Candy, that you aren't helping people help you either. That's just the same as not wanting to get better, isn't it? Is the rabbit going to die? Not as long as he lets us take care of him. I wish I could see him. Well, I'd be happy to show him to you. But they don't allow pets in the hospital. And I can't leave. Maybe if you were to go home, Candy, you could see the rabbit. But you'll have to get better than you are, Candy. Henry? Yes, Candy? If I get well enough to come home, would you bring the bunny over to my house? Sure. He'd probably be well enough himself to be moved. Are you thinking that you might be home one of these days? Maybe I will, Henry. Well that is good news, Mrs. Fay. And imagine, all because of the rabbit Henry's been keeping. If only I'd thought of something like that. When are they releasing her? Day after tomorrow, Bill. The doctor said she was much improved. She seems to get better every time she hears that the rabbit's getting better. Well, her homecoming will be a big event at your house, Mrs. Fay. Oh, it certainly will. Of course, the doctor said that too much excitement might put her right back in the hospital. I understand. But we're hoping that you and Henry and Stumpy could come over in the evening for a little while. You want to bring the rabbit? You're a mind reader. It was pretty large print. Oh, Bill, I can't tell you how happy we are about all this. We've known for a long time that Candy could be much better if only she wanted to. But everything we try just failed to work. I think Henry had the right idea the other night when he said he thought that what Candy needed all along was to be interested in life. Oh, hobbies and the like are fine for the person who wants to relax. But for real interest, there's nothing like a living animal. Yes. Well, you will be over then. We'll be glad to come, Mrs. Fay. Oh, good. Then we'll see you this evening. And thanks so much, Bill. You're perfectly welcome. Goodbye. Goodbye. Sounded like you were talking to Candy's mother. That's right, Stumpy, I was. Is Henry in back? Play a nurse to that bunny. Want me to call him? Never mind. I was just coming out. What is it, Bill? I have some good news for you, pal. Oh? Mrs. Fay just called to say that Candy is being released from the hospital the day after tomorrow. Hey. And she'd like the three of us to come over in the evening and bring the rabbit. I guess Candy is pretty anxious to see him. Boy, that's swell. Hey, looks like we might have two patients recover before we're done, huh? I wouldn't be surprised, Henry. I'll be right anxious to see how little Candy is. Sounds like she's much improved thanks to Henry and the rabbit. Look at how he eats the lettuce. Look, Mother. Yes, I see, dear. Well, I haven't seen her so happy for, well, it must be years. It's sure good to see you laughing. Would you like more ice cream, Henry? I would, but I don't know where I'd put it. Can we give some ice cream to the bunny? We'd better not, Candy. Sweets aren't so good for him. Then we'd better not is right. We want him to get better all the way. Looks to me like he's taking a liking to you, Candy. I reckon he wants you to get better all the way, too. Mrs. Fay, may I talk to you for a minute? Why, of course, Henry. You go on giving him lettuce, Candy. He's getting less jumpy all the time. I wonder what the lad has on his mind. I don't know for sure, Stumpy, but I think I have a pretty good idea. Yeah? What is it? Oh, here they come again. I think we're about to find out. Candy? Yes, Henry? I just asked your mother, and she thought it'd be all right. Would you like to have the rabbit? Do you really mean it? I mean, for keeps? For keeps. That means that you'll have to help him back to health, you know. I'll be able to help a little, but the main job will be yours. I don't mind. I want to. Well, maybe we can watch the two of you get well together. Oh, Henry, thank you. Thank you. Is that what you thought, Bill? Mm-hmm. Say, your new bunny has to have a name. Oh, yeah. What'll we call him? He's your bunny, Candy. What do you think? Well, we could call him what he makes me think of. And what's that, dear? Cotton. Hey, that's pretty good. Cotton, Candy. Makes me hungry just thinking about it. Well, I hate to end the evening's fun, folks, but time is getting on, and we all have things to do tomorrow. Besides, I know that Candy isn't supposed to have too much excitement. Yes, and I'm afraid she's already had a bit more than is good for her. Well, we'll be running along then. Good night, Candy. Nice to see you home. I'm sure you and Cotton will get to feeling better and better as the days go on. Thank you, Ranger Bill. Thanks to all of you for coming over tonight, and you most of all, Henry. Oh, that's all right, Candy. I'll be stopping by to see how everything is going. Well, so long. And thank you so much again for everything. Ah, you sure feel good when you've done something like that. Ain't that the truth? That sure was a good idea, Henry. Made that little girl beam like the sun. I hope it helps her to get better. The way she's identified with the rabbit, it ought to have a good effect. What do you mean, identify, Bill? Well, it means that she sees something of herself in the rabbit, Henry. And as he recovers, she ought to recover right along. Oh. Bill. Yes, pal? I was just thinking, if Candy relates herself to Cotton so much, like you say, what will happen if he got worse or even died? Would she get worse too? That's good to hear, Mrs. Faye. Both patients doing fine, huh? What's that? Oh, he is, huh? And she's interested? Well, I'm not too surprised. You know, once you get a person really looking into one thing, it isn't long before they become interested in a variety of things. Yes. Well, thanks for calling. All right. Goodbye. Mrs. Faye, Bill? Mm-hmm. She says that Candy and the rabbit are in better health than spirits every day. Well, what was that about not being surprised? Henry seems to be making good use of his time over there in more ways than one. He's been talking to Candy about the Lord. She really seems interested, Bill. You're the ideal person to present the Lord to her, pal. She already knows that you like her. I never thought of that. I'm afraid too much of the time we force God onto strangers. They know we don't really care about them as people. At least little Candy knows that you know who she is and are concerned about how she is, physically and spiritually. Here I thought she was the one who was learning things by all this. I've just started to learn myself. I'll get it. I'm expecting a call from Candy. Arrange your headquarters. Henry Scott speaking. Henry, you've got to come quick. Candy, what's the matter? It's Cotton. He's run away. Oh, Henry, I'm so glad to see you. Candy said that Cotton was gone. Oh, that's right. You know how he was beginning to hop around a bit and how his leg was mending so well? Sure. We were all glad about it. Well, it looks as though his leg got well enough for him to hop out when no one was looking. How is Candy taking all this? Well, that's why you must find Cotton. Candy's in her room and doesn't want to talk to anyone. I'm not sure, but I think she's crying. I'll do what I can, Mrs. Fay. I know you will, Henry. I just wonder if we made a mistake. What do you mean? Well, giving Candy that bunny was all well and good while Cotton was getting better, but now that he's run away, I... Well, I hope this doesn't undo all that you... Well, all that we've been able to accomplish with her. I hope not too, Mrs. Fay. I hope not too. Henry! Huh? Oh, it's Bill. Hi. We've been searching all over for you. I've been searching all over for the rabbit. Any luck, young fellow? I traced him this far. He put a ribbon around his neck and some of the kids over there played with him for a while, but they say he hopped off toward the woods. Well, I'm not surprised. Bill, what are we going to do? You don't think there's any chance of finding Cotton? Well, you can see how close the woods are to here. If he got there and he's had plenty of time, we'll never be able to find him. Well, then it looks like the thing to do is to go back to little Candy and tell her the truth. But how will she take a thing like that? She practically has her whole life built on that rabbit. If it wasn't for Cotton... Cotton and Henry Scott! No, I didn't have anything to do with it, really. It was a rabbit. I'm just afraid that since Cotton is gone, she'll get worse and have to go back into the hospital. We thought of that possibility right from the first, didn't we, pal? Sure. But it didn't seem like much of a possibility back then. Now that it's happened... Why don't we just go back to the Faye's house, huh? Yeah, I guess so. She'll have to find out sooner or later. Come in. Is that Henry, Mother? Yes, it is, dear, and Bill and Stump are here with him. I thought she was in her room. Let's go in and see her, pal. Hello, Henry. I'm sorry you had to go all over like that looking for Cotton. Have you found him? No. What? You don't look at all sad about losing him. I am sad to lose him, Henry, but that isn't the end of the world. You see, pal, you were wondering what we were going to do about this, and it appears that you had taken care of it long before it happened. I don't get it. Well, like I told Bill and Stumpy when they were here a little while ago, you showed me a lot of things when you used to stop by to check on Cotton. You showed me how much fun it was to be well, and you showed me how much God loved me. Even just now you went all over trying to find Cotton, and then I thought of the story you told me that Jesus told about the shepherd and the lost sheep. But I couldn't find your bunny. But don't you see, Henry, it really doesn't matter. Thanks to you, Candy wants to enjoy all of God's world, all of her life, not just one little bunny. You guys knew that all the time. Yep. We just wanted to see your face when you found out. I used to think that nobody really cared whether I was sick or well, that I was just a bother. But then you came along, Henry, and showed Candy that you cared, that we all cared, and more especially that God cared. I just don't know what to say. Well, it looks to me as though you and your rabbit were closer together than even we realized, Candy. What do you mean, Ranger Bill? It looks like both made a big step in growing up at the same time. Huh? Sure. That there little bunny was strong enough to make it on his own, so he let out. Maybe he didn't show the best in manners, leaving the way he did. But he went anyhow and headed straight to where he belonged. Now with little Candy here, it's the same story. She finally got strong enough that she didn't need help from a little rabbit to make it. She's starting to make it on her own. Cotton didn't really belong in a house with people. And you don't really belong in a hospital. No, I don't. But you know, I can help, hoping that someday I'll see Cotton again. Then I can see how he's doing. And he can see how I'm doing, too. As you can see, boys and girls, a little love and concern for others goes a long way toward their finding the Lord. Maybe there's a friend around your neighborhood that you could help the same way. Why don't you look and see? Well, I'll see you next week for more Adventure with Ranger Bill. Adventure Bill was produced in the radio studios of the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Thank you.
