Ranger Bill xx-xx-xx (208) A Boy and the Bomb
"Ranger Bill" is a classic Christian radio program from the 1950s, produced by Moody Radio.
The show features over 200 episodes and stars Miron Canaday as Ranger Bill, a forest ranger in the fictional town of Knotty Pine, located in the Rocky Mountains. Alongside his friends Stumpy Jenkins and Grey Wolf, Ranger Bill tackles various adventures and moral dilemmas, often with a strong Christian message.
The show remains a beloved piece of old-time radio history and is still enjoyed by many fans today.
Listen to our radio station Old Time Radio https://link.radioking.com/otradio
Listen to other Shows at My Classic Radio https://www.myclassicradio.net/
Entertainment Radio | Broadcasting Classic Radio Shows | Patreon
Remember that times have changed, and some shows might not reflect the standards of today’s politically correct society. The shows do not necessarily reflect the views, standards, or beliefs of Entertainment Radio
The show features over 200 episodes and stars Miron Canaday as Ranger Bill, a forest ranger in the fictional town of Knotty Pine, located in the Rocky Mountains. Alongside his friends Stumpy Jenkins and Grey Wolf, Ranger Bill tackles various adventures and moral dilemmas, often with a strong Christian message.
The show remains a beloved piece of old-time radio history and is still enjoyed by many fans today.
Listen to our radio station Old Time Radio https://link.radioking.com/otradio
Listen to other Shows at My Classic Radio https://www.myclassicradio.net/
Entertainment Radio | Broadcasting Classic Radio Shows | Patreon
Remember that times have changed, and some shows might not reflect the standards of today’s politically correct society. The shows do not necessarily reflect the views, standards, or beliefs of Entertainment Radio
Transcript
00:00Ranger Bill, warrior of the woodland, struggling against extreme odds, traveling dangerous trails,
00:26fighting the many enemies of nature. This is the job of the guardian of the forest,
00:31Ranger Bill. Pouring rain, freezing cold, blistering heat, snow, floods, bears, rattlesnakes,
00:39mountain lions. Yes, all this in exchange for the satisfaction and pride of a job well done.
00:45Have you ever thought about being an inventor? I'm sure you have. Well, this story is about a
01:01young fellow about your age, whose father's an inventor of secret timing devices for delayed
01:07action bombs. Only young Jim Deavers gets himself involved with one of these bombs,
01:13and that brings us to the name of our story, Boy and a Bomb.
01:19Jim, will you stop messing around with my tools? Some of them cost a lot of money. That one you've
01:31got there in your hand, it's made especially for this work. Now put it down. Aw, Dad,
01:36when are you gonna quit working on this thing? Not now, son. Your dad has some important work
01:41to do for Uncle Sam. Maybe after I finish this invention we can, well, go fishing or something.
01:48That's what you always say, Dad. Maybe after this one, maybe after the next one. But you never do.
01:55Maybe we can get together. Next week sometime. Here's a dollar. Go amuse yourself. I'm busy.
02:03I don't want your old money. You're always too busy. I might just as well not be around at all.
02:10Sure, sure, some other time. This is important work for the Army, very important.
02:15Yeah, sure, everything's important, but me.
02:39Good morning. Are you Bill Jefferson, Forest Ranger? Yes, I am. My name's Murdoch Fremont,
02:56special courier for the United States government. My credential, sir. Oh, have a seat, won't you?
03:02Thank you, sir, but I won't be staying. Your credentials are in order, Mr. Fremont. Now then,
03:13what's the nature of your business? Mr. Jefferson, in this sealed packet are secret orders for you
03:18to open after I leave. Thank you, and good day, sir. Hey, what a cool character he is.
03:29Ah, tough paper and tape. I'll say so. That does it. Well, there it is, fellas. Take a look,
03:49simple as ABC. Huh, that all they want? Why send courier with this? There's only one answer. Must
03:57be more important than we realize, Grey Wolf. All we have to do is escort Hal Deavers out to the
04:04Army proven ground with his new invention and bring him back to his factory again. Easy as
04:11falling off a log. Don't say that too quickly, Stumpy. These easy assignments sometimes turn
04:19out to be mighty rugged. I wonder what this thing is that Pop's working on. Looks kind of
04:37complicated. What's this thing for? Jim, what are you doing with that timer? Oh, Dad, I almost
04:45dropped it. Jim, if you drop that, I'll tell your hide. Now put it down. I'm sorry, Dad. Is it another
04:52timing device? Yes, it is. If I'm any profit, it's the best thing your dad has done yet. Oh,
04:59can I stay and watch you work on it, Dad? No, I don't want you bothering me. This work's too
05:05important to be having interruptions. Okay.
05:21Hey, what a layout Deavers has here. You never know that this was the reception room of a factory.
05:34You think we're standing in six inches of soft velvet. Well, modern factories today are nice to
05:40work in, fellas. I wonder where Deaver's secretary or receptionist is. Oh, well, we can wait here.
05:47Somebody should be out in a minute or two. I said no, Jim. I'm not going to any father and son's
05:53banquet. There are things far more important on my mind. Looks like we barged into a family
06:00argument. Okay, Dad. Bye. Oh, excuse me. Dad, some men out here to see you. My dad will be out
06:11in a few minutes. Thank you. Who's that, Bill? A young Jim Deavers. Your man must have really blew
06:20a fuse. You could hear him right through these here thick walls. That's right, old-timer. Deavers
06:25must have been pretty angry. Well, I've heard that the old man doesn't spend much time with his boy,
06:30and since the mother died, young Jim has been pretty lonely. I'd thank you to mind your own
06:36business, Mr. Bill Jefferson. What I do about my family is my affair. I'm sorry, sir. I certainly
06:42didn't intend you to hear my remarks. Hereafter, I'll thank you to mind your own business. By the
06:48way, what do you want? Well, we've been ordered here by the United States government, Mr. Deavers,
06:54to escort you to the proving grounds to test out your new timing device for a delayed-action bomb.
06:59Huh? Oh, yes, yes, that's right. Well, the test isn't until Wednesday morning, is it? That's right,
07:08Mr. Deavers. But in following through, I thought we might want to make a few last-minute plans.
07:14Yeah, I see. Well, perhaps you're right. Suppose you gentlemen step into my private office. Thank
07:21you. Now, if you'll sit down, gentlemen. Thank you. Now, this gadget that I've developed, it may
07:34revolutionize completely the manufacture of delayed bombs. In fact, I've got one all rigged up right
07:40here on my desk. It's the one I'm going to use in the test. Now, the bomb's perfectly harmless now,
07:47of course. Mm-hmm. I see you have it already in its ordnance casing. Yes, supplied by the Army.
07:53How powerful is this here contraption, Mr. Deavers? Contraption? You mean... I mean,
07:59there's a death-dealing tin can here on the table. This here, what do you call it? A straight action
08:06or something or other? Oh, you mean the bomb. Well, sir, this bomb could destroy the whole
08:13city of Naughty Pine. All by itself? Quit pulling my leg there, Mr. Deavers. Why,
08:20this thing ain't no bigger than a sack of potatoes. Neither some atomic bombs, my friend.
08:27Shades of air inside. I've been pounding me beat for 30 years, but I've never seen a night as dull
08:41as this one. O'Rourke, you'll have to be talking to the sergeant and get your beat changed back to
08:46the river area again. I say, are me peepers failing me, or do I see a wee spit of a lad
08:52wend in his way toward me? Now, what in the name of common sense do you suppose he's wandering
08:57around at this hour for? Say there, young fella, where do you think you're gone at this time of
09:03the evening? It's time for lads your age to be pounding their ear. Oh, hello, Officer O'Rourke.
09:09It's me, Jim Deavers. Great day in the evening. And now, what are you doing out all by yourself
09:15at this time of night for, Jimmy? Oh, just walking. Well, now, what's the trouble?
09:21Have you something on your mind? Oh, it's really nothing. Oh, now, listen to me, Jimmy. It lets you
09:28and me sit down here on this doorstep a while. I suppose you tell Patty O'Rourke all about your
09:33troubles. And the back of me hand to you if you try to fool me. Remember, I've five wee boys of me
09:39own to try to keep going on the straight and narrow. Oh, thanks, Mr. O'Rourke. You make me feel
09:44better already. But why should I cry on your shoulder? You got real worries to think about.
09:51Eh, Jimmy boy, Patty O'Rourke is the strong arm of the law. And what's more, I'm supposed to help
09:59people out of trouble. Now, spill it to Patty, me lad. Spill it. Well, it's about my dad. I figured
10:07as much. Go on, Jimmy boy. You see, my dad's a real intelligent guy. A genius is what I've heard him
10:14call. But somehow, he's never got his way.
10:30Pat! Pat, over here! Top of the morning to you, Bill Jefferson. And the rest of the day to myself, I always say.
10:37Good morning, Pat. Always the same. Aye, thank you, me boy. But I've a heavy heart this fine morning.
10:44Oh, no. What's up, Pat? Did you have to pinch somebody last night? Oh, something worse. I found out about a father
10:53who's going to lose the love of his young boy if he ain't careful. You wouldn't mean old man Deavers, would you?
10:58Well, if I don't turn in me badge and retire. You took the words right out of me mouth. How did you know?
11:03Well, I've been involved with Jimmy's dad and I overheard a bit of loud roaring the other evening on the part of Deavers himself.
11:10And with you knowing the boy ever since he was going to kindergarten, well, I just put two and two together.
11:15Well, what do you think about all this, Bill? Well, Pat, it's hard to know the answer. Just have to wait and see what happens.
11:23Aye, but let's not wait so long that it's the wrong thing.
11:34Hello, Mr. Deavers. Oh, hello, Bill. What are you working on now? Another idea?
11:43Yes, just got a brainstorm while I was completing the final details on this bomb we're going to test tomorrow morning.
11:49I see. Well, I, that is, do you have a minute of spare time, Mr. Deavers?
12:00Huh? Oh, spare time. Important. I think it is. About your son.
12:07Who, Jim? Oh, he's all right. He'll get along. Don't worry.
12:11Don't worry? Do you know Jim was seen walking around the streets late last night?
12:17Yeah, well, he's done that before. Now, be quiet for a minute while I gauge this reading. This, this is very important.
12:25Deavers, are you a human being or just a mechanical man?
12:30Huh? Oh, what do you mean?
12:33Don't you care whether your son is up at all hours of the night? Don't you realize you've got to be both father and mother to that boy?
12:39Right now, you're neither one. You ought to be ashamed.
12:42What? What are you talking about, Ranger? Ashamed of what?
12:46You mean you haven't even heard what I've been trying to tell you for the last few minutes?
12:50Come on, wake up. Start thinking about something else and delayed action bombs.
12:54Maybe God will take away that fine young lad of yours.
13:08Oh, excuse me, Mr. Deavers. I thought you were in the lab. I didn't mean to bother you.
13:12It's quite all right, Bob. I'm leaving shortly. Right now, in fact.
13:16Yes, sir. I'll let you out by the front door.
13:18Thank you. Oh, by the way, here's the special bomb we're going to test tomorrow.
13:23Keep a sharp eye open for prowlers. If that thing ever came alive, it could blow this whole town off a map.
13:29So I understand, sir. I'll watch it closely.
13:32Very well. Good night, Bob.
13:34Good night, sir.
13:49Hello, Dad.
13:50Hello, son. Going out again this evening?
13:53Yeah, going to see somebody. Is it okay?
13:58Well, um, there was something I wanted to talk to you about. Something that, uh...
14:04Oh, well, it can wait.
14:07Okay, Dad. See you later.
14:11I'm glad the boy's gotten over this silly idea about my spending a lot of time with him.
14:17I've just got too much work to do. Important work.
14:40What do you want, young fella? Oh, it's you, Jim.
14:54Yeah. Let me in, will you, Bob? I want to get my dad's bowling ball out of his office.
14:59Okay, Jim. Come on in. You go ahead and get the ball, and I'll meet you back here shortly.
15:04I've got to make my rounds, or I'll have every cop in the city here in two minutes.
15:07Oh, that's all right, Bob. I can let myself out.
15:10Okay, that'll be fine. Be sure you slam the door.
15:22Hmm. I thought Jim would be gone by now. There's still a light in his dad's office.
15:27I'd better look in and see what the youngster's doing. He might take a notion to fool with that bomb.
15:38Great, Scott. The bomb's gone. Well, young Jim Deavers must have taken it.
15:50Is that you, Mr. Deavers? Yes. Who else would be here at this time of night? Who's calling?
15:55Bob Sellers, guard at the plant, sir. Yes, well, go ahead. What's wrong?
15:59It's the bomb, sir. It's gone. It's been taken from your office.
16:02What? What are you there for, you idiot? Who took it in-house? Speak up, man!
16:08I'm sorry, sir, but it's your son, Jim. What? This is no time for joking, man. What's the story?
16:14He duped me into it, sir. Said he wanted a bowling ball out of your office. But he's got the bomb. I'm sure of that.
16:20You'd better be sure. You'll be fired. I'll be right out there, just as soon as I call the Rangers.
16:33I hope I can get Bud out of his bed without his folks hearing me throw these pebbles against his window.
16:39Oh, come on, Bud, open up.
16:48Is that you, Jim? Who are you?
16:51It's me, Jim. It's me, Jim.
16:56Hurry up.
17:01Is that you, Jim? What do you want? What you got in the bag?
17:05Come on down. I got something real hot to show you. Hurry up, though.
17:10Okay, okay. Go around to my dad's shop on top of the garage, and I'll be right down.
17:14Okay. Okay? Okay.
17:27Oh, here's the Rangers now. I'm sure Hopeville has an answer to this thing. We're in a spot.
17:37Deavers, what's this all about? What's wrong?
17:40Bob Sellers swears my son Jim came into my office and took the bomb somewhere.
17:45Where? We don't know. Are you certain?
17:47Yes. He pulled a fast one on the gun, and I'm sure he's got the bomb.
17:52Where? We don't know. Are you certain?
17:54Yes. He pulled a fast one on the guard and got into the office, and just about an hour ago,
17:59let himself out of the building while the guard was making his rounds.
18:02Is the bomb activated easily?
18:04Well, there's a turn key which must be removed, and then this starts a chemical reaction,
18:08which in turn eventually sets off another device made of a rare metal.
18:11When the generated heat made by the chemical reaction is high enough, it suddenly expands this metal trigger.
18:17And that'll be the end. The end of everything.
18:21Bill, if that thing blows up, the whole town of Naughty Pine will go with it.
18:24Deavers, you go in and call the sheriff and the state troopers, and get them here at once.
18:29I'll radio Ranger headquarters and start my men searching different areas.
18:32Okay. I'll do anything you say.
18:34One more thing.
18:35Yes? What's that, Bill?
18:36How long do we have before this thing breaks loose?
18:39Two hours from the time the turn key is removed and the bomb is activated.
18:43Phew. If we get to the bomb before the two hours are up, how can we stop it?
18:49Right. By jamming the timing mechanism.
18:51Then it'll have to be defused with special tools and instruments.
18:54Okay. Now the big question is, has the bomb been activated already?
19:00I don't know, Bill, but that's what's got me worried to death.
19:04That kid takes after me, and he's probably trying to take it apart.
19:09You say the bomb's been missing a little over an hour.
19:12That's right. Sixty-three minutes, to be exact.
19:15All right. Say it took fifteen minutes for Jim to get someplace where he could start working on it.
19:20That would mean it's been going forty-eight minutes.
19:23How much time do we have left?
19:25An hour and twelve minutes.
19:27An hour and twelve minutes.
19:29All right. Let's swing into action and find that boy and that bomb.
19:33Say, Bud, did you notice this bomb started to get warm when we turned that key?
19:49Now it's beginning to get hot.
19:51Oh, I'll say it is. Say, we better do something or something might happen.
19:56I don't know. What should we do?
19:59I saw my dad put this thing together once, but...
20:04Let's try taking out some of these screws.
20:08We've got to stop it somehow.
20:10Yeah, looks to me like it's going.
20:17Car Ten calling Ranger Bill. Car Ten reporting in.
20:21Still looking carefully in the old warehouse district.
20:24Found nothing yet. Over.
20:27Okay, Car Ten. Keep looking, boys, and keep looking hard. Over and out.
20:42State Patrol Car Twenty-One, report in, please. State Patrol Car Twenty-One, report in, please.
20:49We haven't heard from you for five minutes. Report in. Over.
20:53Hold on a minute, Bill. I think we've seen something.
20:57A boy just turned around the corner carrying a bag of some kind.
21:00I'll let you know in a minute. Over.
21:05Oh, I hope this is it. I hope that boy they saw is Jim and he has the bomb.
21:11I don't like to rub salt in an open wound, Beavers, but which do you think is more important now,
21:17little Jim or the secret mechanism for a delayed-action bomb?
21:20Oh, don't ask me, Bill. I was crazy. I see it now.
21:24Wait a minute. Here's their report.
21:27Sorry, Bill. That wasn't the right boy and he wasn't carrying a bowling bag.
21:31But we'll keep looking. Over and out.
21:34Okay, fellas. Keep trying.
21:43Stumpy calling Bill! Stumpy calling Bill!
21:47Well, I ain't found or seen a thing yet, sonny. Not even so much as a broken-down alley cat.
21:59Great Wolf to Bill. Great Wolf to Bill. I not see boy yet, but I keep looking.
22:11Well, that's all the five-minute reports for now, Mr. Deavers.
22:15Yeah, it looks hopeless.
22:18I'd give all my money, reputation, mechanical genius and ability to have my son safely in my arms right now.
22:29I've been blind. A stone-blind fool.
22:33That's what I've been waiting to hear from you.
22:36Now you give me hope and I've got an idea that might work.
22:40What is it, Bill?
22:41No time to explain now. You stay by that radio. Don't leave it for a second.
22:45We've only got 20 minutes, unless my idea works.
23:03Hey, O'Rourke! Paddy O'Rourke!
23:05It's a midnight. Have you found Jamie boy yet?
23:07No. That's why I'm here.
23:09Pat, you didn't see the boy tonight, did you?
23:12Say, now, do you think I'm as blind as a bat?
23:14If I'd seen him, I'd have bellied like a bull of Bayshore.
23:17Pat, think hard on this question. Does Jimmy have a friend anywhere?
23:20You know, a close buddy that he might have gone with?
23:23Say, you must be a mind reader. That's his name.
23:25Whose name? What?
23:27His pal's name is Buddy. Sure, and he lives on the southeast corner of Green and Maple.
23:31Thanks, Pat. That's the answer I want.
23:3915 minutes to make it across town. I've got to. Come on, Carl, let's go!
23:49The corner of Green and Maple. I hope Jimmy's here.
24:19Come on, come on, open the door!
24:31What's the idea of waking a person up in the middle of the night?
24:34Where's your son?
24:36In his room asleep. Where else?
24:37Let's take a look. Where's his bedroom?
24:39Upstairs in the back. Buddy's sleeping, I tell you.
24:42Yeah? I'm going to find out. Excuse me, please.
24:44Hey, you can't barge in my home without... Who do you think you are, anyway?
24:47I'll explain that later.
24:53Your son isn't here. What?
24:55There's a light in the window on top of your garage. What's in there?
24:58My workshop. Bud's in there all right. I can see him through the window.
25:02And there's someone in there with him. Young Jim Deavers.
25:05They've got a red-hot bomb ready to go off.
25:08Call Mr. Deavers and tell him we've found the bomb,
25:11and I'm waiting for his instructions as to how to jam it.
25:22Uh-oh, a ranger.
25:23Jimmy, boy, am I glad to see you.
25:26But this is the bomb, isn't it, son?
25:28Yeah, that's it. We started to take it apart.
25:31Is it going to blow up, Bill?
25:33I hope not.
25:34As soon as your dad calls on the phone, we'll try to stop this thing.
25:38I didn't mean to cause any trouble. Honest, I didn't.
25:41I know you didn't. We'll get this thing all straightened out.
25:44There's your dad now.
25:46It's a good thing Bud's dad has his extension in his workshop.
25:49Jim, you hold the phone against my ear so I can use both hands
25:52and pray like you never prayed before.
25:54Okay.
25:55Deavers, I've got the bomb right here.
25:58How do I jam the timing device?
26:00Thank God you've found it, Bill.
26:02Does Jim have the casing off yet?
26:03Well, some of it.
26:04Well, pull the whole outer casing off, Bill.
26:06All right.
26:08Let's see here.
26:11Yeah, yeah, it's coming off.
26:15There's a metal soundproofing sleeve with three small screws in it.
26:19Yeah?
26:20Take the screws out so you can slide the sleeve back.
26:22Okay.
26:27There's one of them.
26:32Two of them.
26:36Three of them.
26:38All set.
26:41Hey, I hear that ticking sound.
26:43Is that...
26:44That's what we're after, Bill.
26:45Is there a metal wedge at hand?
26:47You got a metal wedge there, Jim?
26:48Yeah, here.
26:50Got it, Mr. Deavers.
26:52Now the timing device is in between the chemical chamber and the explosive.
26:56You've got to drive that wedge in there and stop that ticking.
26:59How hard can I hit the wedge?
27:00All you've got.
27:01Start driving, man.
27:02There's no time to waste.
27:03Right.
27:12I can still hear the ticking, Bill.
27:13Hit it harder.
27:14Okay.
27:20I can't seem to get the wedge in there, Mr. Deavers.
27:23The opening's too small.
27:25You've got to.
27:26Give it all you've got.
27:27This has to do it, Bill.
27:28You've got only a minute left.
27:29All right.
27:30This time I'll drive it in or else...
27:36That did it.
27:37The timing device is jammed and we're safe.
27:52There.
27:54The little monster's defused.
27:56Boy, I never want to spend a couple hours like this again.
28:00You're not the only one.
28:02But everything's worked out all right.
28:04That's the main thing.
28:06Thanks to you, Bill.
28:07That's all right.
28:08I'm glad Pat O'Rourke remembered Jim's friend.
28:12Jim?
28:13Yeah, Dad?
28:14What do you say that you and I go on a fishing trip?
28:18Oh, boy, Dad.
28:19That'd be swell.
28:26Well, that's today's story, boys and girls.
28:35See you next week for more adventure with...
28:38Ranger Bill!
28:56Hi there, boys and girls.
29:18This is Ranger Bill back again for just a third of a minute
29:22with an extra word of thanks to you for joining us today.
29:27Hope you'll team up with the Rangers every week at this time
29:31when your local station gives us this chance to get together.
29:35See you then.