03x27 - Junior Pathfinders Ride Again

[bunniefuu]

-The Indian demonstration

isn't over, is it?

Did we miss it?

-There isn't going to be

any Indian demonstration.

Our Junior Pathfinder

chief hurt himself.

-Mr. Abernathy?

-He was putting a totem

pole in the department store

window for the demonstration,

and he hurt his back.

Now, how am I going to get to be

a First Class Pathfinder if we

don't do that demonstration?

-Well, there is an

assistant chief?

-He got poison oak on

our field trip last week.

-He's not sick in bed, is he?

-No.

The doctor just won't

let him wear any clothes.

-I guess that would keep him

out of any demonstration.

-Especially in a

department store window.

-Jeepers, it sure would

be great if someone just

offered to take Mr.

Abernathy's place,

like some Pathfinder's father.

Wouldn't it, Dad?

-I'm-- I'm sure there

are a lot of fathers

who'd be happy to help, Dennis.

It's just that--

well, there aren't

many of them who have

Mr. Abernathy's knowhow.

-Jeepers, Dad, all this

father'd have to do

would be to help me to

light the victory torch.

-Well, how do you do that?

-Well, he just

has to make a fire

by rubbing two sticks together.

-Uh, those fathers are

pretty scarce, son.

Besides, I've got a meeting

at the office this afternoon.

-We do have an honorary chief.

Maybe I'll go next

door and ask him.

-Not Mr. Wilson.

-Mr. Abernathy made

him an honorary chief

when he camped out with me

on Pine Ridge that one time.

-Well, I'd like to help, Alice.

But honestly sometimes I have

trouble lighting matches.

[theme music]

-(CHUCKLING) Martha, just

look at this mailbox.

Solid brass.

See what it says?

Member, Pioneer Club.

-But George--

-Oh, I know that only

members are supposed

to buy these mailboxes,

but I'll be a member soon.

-Mrs. Schooner had good news?

-Yes.

She's coming by this

morning with Mr. Judd.

He's the membership chairman.

And if he's impressed, I'm

sure to be made a member.

-I know how important

the club is to you, dear.

But is it so important that you

had to buy the mailbox first?

-It's not just the

honor of belonging.

The Pioneer Club

gives to every member

the free use of a mountain

cabin for the whole summer.

-Free?

-Just think of all the

money we'll be saving.

We're not only

gaining a mailbox,

but we're getting practically

a free summer vacation with it.

-Even so, I think you

should have waiting.

-Oh, now don't

you worry, Martha.

I've made sure that

Mr. Judd is going

to be favorably impressed.

The Pioneer Club's main

interest is county history.

Look at that-- my great

uncle, Jeremiah Wilson,

a prominent early settler.

I'll just show Mr.

Judd that we Wilsons

are part of this

county's history.

-Well, he's very impressive.

Where did you find him?

-I borrowed him from

cousin Fillmore.

-Fillmore?

-Yes, you remember.

He fireproofed our attic.

My, isn't he a

distinguished-looking

gentleman?

Now, let's see.

Where can we put him where

he won't look borrowed?

-You find a good place, dear.

I have to get back to my dishes.

-Hi, Mr. Wilson.

-Dennis, I approve of your

interest in the Indians,

but this sneaking up

behind people is too much.

-You want to see some

arrowheads I found?

-No, thank you, Dennis.

I'm very busy.

-Boy, he must have

a nice mother.

He got his picture

taken, and he didn't even

have to comb his

hair or anything.

-My great uncle was

a leader, Dennis.

-We Pathfinders

sure need a leader.

Mr. Abernathy can't be in our

Indian demonstration today.

You can take his place.

-Oh.

Oh joy.

But no thank you, Dennis.

-You're the only chief

we've got left, Mr. Wilson.

-Well, an honorary chief

isn't supposed to do anything.

That's the honor of it.

-Boy, wait'll I grow up and

somebody asks me to be chief.

Maybe that's why the Indians

had so much trouble, Mr. Wilson.

Too many honorary chiefs.

-Hi, Dennis.

Your mother said I

could find you here.

-So what?

-Can I be in your demonstration?

-It's all off.

We don't have a chief.

-How about me?

Princess Margaret

of the Pathfinders.

-A girl chief?

That's silly.

-All right, I'll

start as a squaw.

-We don't want any

squaws, Margaret.

-If I'm not your

squaw, when we grow up,

who'll take care

of our children?

-I'll get a babysitter.

No, you go on home, Margaret.

Because that's where squaws are

supposed to be. [inaudible].

Margaret.

[doorbell]

-Mrs. Schooner.

-Mr. Wilson.

I'm sure I don't have

to tell you who this is.

-Why, of course not.

I know a pioneer when I see one.

Mr. Judd.

-Well, you appear a likely

candidate yourself, Wilson.

But I must point out that

having lived a long time

doesn't qualify one

for the Pioneer Club.

-Oh, I quite understand.

-Mr. Wilson really belongs

in our club, Mr. Judd.

He has distinguished forbearers.

-As a matter of fact, my

great uncle Jeremiah Wilson

was one of the county's

early statesmen.

-Well, that's

Jeremiah, all right.

You're related to him?

-I'm his only great nephew.

-There's something very

odd about you, Wilson.

Most people would hide the

photo of the black sheep

of the family.

But you have it out here

where everyone can see it.

-Black sheep?

Jeremiah?

-He was the worst surveyor

this county has ever known.

As a matter of fact, if they

hadn't double-checked his maps,

our county seat would have

been built in the next county.

-Jeremiah?

-I'm sure Mr.

Wilson's forbearers

weren't all black sheep.

-Oh, no.

Of course not.

There was, uh-- uh--

oh, why don't you

sit down, Mrs. Schooner,

and be comfortable?

-Thank you, Mr. Wilson.

-Well, Mr. Wilson, we

take a very dim view

of non-members who buy

their mailboxes prematurely.

-Oh, dear.

-Oh, Mr. Judd, I hadn't

planned to use it ever,

unless I became a member.

-But anyone with the effrontery

to buy a mailbox, clearly

stamped, Member, Pioneer

Club, without the right,

without the justification,

without-- you

didn't tell me you were

interested in Indians?

-Indians?

-Indians are Mr. Judd's

main interest in life.

Why, if he had his way,

everybody would be Indians.

-Wonderful.

That's fine.

That's fine.

Oh, my.

Arrowheads.

Oh, my.

If they could talk, what

stories they could tell, eh?

This one in particular.

If-- if-- oh, I

don't think I've ever

seen one with those markings.

-Oh, it just takes

knowing where to dig.

-Mr. Wilson is always so modest.

I'll bet he knows a

lot about Indians.

-I would just give

anything I own

to have had personal

contact with the Indians.

Did you have some, Wilson?

-Oh.

Well, I did spend a little time

with some when I was younger.

-Oh, this is very interesting.

Oh, I'd like to take these and--

and show them to our expert.

-You'd like to take them?

-Well, surely you

intend to donate

your findings to

the club, don't you?

-Oh, I'm sure Mr. Wilson does.

-Well--

-I told you he was modest.

I'll bet he learned bowing

and arrowing and everything.

-Mr. Wilson, you are

going to be permitted

to do the Pioneer Club

a tremendous service.

-Oh, anything I could do would

be my pleasure, Mr. Judd.

-Thank you for

volunteering like that.

The demonstration takes

place in about two hours.

But you have to

drop by and pick up

your outfit from Mr. Abernathy.

-I beg your pard--

a demonstration?

-Yes.

It's the Junior Pathfinder

Indian demonstration.

We're sponsoring them, you know.

Oh, aren't we lucky

to get him to fill

Abernathy's place as chief.

-Fill his pl-- oh, you mean

what Dennis was talking about?

-Oh, yes.

It'll be simple for an

old Indian-lover like you.

You simply rub the

two sticks together,

make the fire that

lights the victory torch.

-Rub the two sticks together?

-Yes.

I want you to know

that the Pioneer

Club will not forget this.

Oh, I'll meet you down

at the department store,

because Barton's has donated

his whole front window.

Oh come, Mrs.--

-You're as good as in.

The arrowheads did it.

Goodbye.

-See you soon.

[nervous chuckling]

-Me?

Indian chief in a

department store window?

Oh-- oh-- Martha!

-I'm not sure this is the

way it works, Mr. Wilson.

I just followed the

diagram in the book.

-Well, I'm pretty sure it

isn't the way it works.

This thing acts as

though it were fireproof.

Fireproof.

Mitchell, would

you say that a man

who knew how to

fireproof material

would know how to

un-fireproof it?

-Un-fireproof it?

-Yes.

You know, make it

combustible, flame up.

-I wouldn't know of

such a man, Mr. Wilson.

-Well, I do.

My cousin Fillmore.

-The one who

fireproofed your attic?

-Yes, he's a chemist.

Now, if I could get

him to put something

on this contraption that

would make it ignite--

-I don't know, Mr. Wilson.

-Well, I'll bet he can.

He's always coming up with

nutty ideas like that.

Why, he probably knows

more about making fire

than even the Indians did.

Come on, Mitchell.

Let's go over to my

house and phone him.

Yes.

Uh-huh.

Oh, that's wonderful, Fillmore.

Uh, cousin Fillmore.

Thanks a million.

Bye.

Well Mitchell, he

says he can fix it.

Isn't that great?

Well, Mitchell,

you do understand

that I'd be letting down

all those people if I didn't

have a little help of some kind.

-Of course, Mr. Wilson.

I-- I imagine if there had

been chemists in those days,

the Indians would have

been steady customers.

[doorbell]

-Oh, that must be Dennis

with your costume.

-Mr. Judd.

-Oh, Wilson, I thought

it might save time

if I drove you down

to the demonstration.

-Oh, but I have a little

errand to do first.

Why don't you just

go ahead without me?

-Errand?

This is no time for errands.

The show must go on.

-But Mr. Mitchell's young son

isn't here with my costume yet.

-Well, we can pick

that up on the way.

Hello, Mitchell.

-Oh, how are you, Mr. Judd?

-Oh, I'm just great now.

You have no idea what it

means to the Pioneer Club

to have a man who actually lived

for a year with the Indians

take over for us.

-I'll be right there.

Mitchell-- oh, you better

run the errand for me.

I'll give you cousin

Fillmore's address.

It's right down the street

from the department store.

-Come on, Wilson.

-Coming, Mr. Judd.

You better hurry.

-Mr. Wilson, just one

thing before you go.

Not that I doubt you,

but did you really

live with the

Indians for a year?

-I had two Indian roommates my

first year in junior college.

Why I never bothered to

learn fire-making from them

I'll never know.

Yes, coming, Mr. Judd.

-Don't worry, Mrs. Wilson.

Henry's gone to

get something that

will make things work

all right for Mr. Wilson.

-I hope so.

When he left the

house, he didn't

look like an Indian chief.

He looked more like Custer

going to his last stand.

-How long will this

stuff stay on, Dennis?

-Oh, you don't have

to worry, Tommy.

Mr. Abernathy said

that it'll last a week,

unless your mother makes

you wash your face.

-Knowing my mom, that's

the way it'll happen.

-Hot chocolate, Mr. Wilson?

Courtesy of the Pioneer Club.

Good for what ails you.

-Oh.

Well, it's not good for

what ails me, Mrs. Schooner.

-Oh.

Have you seen

Henry Mitchell yet?

-Were you expecting him?

-If he doesn't appear before

I go into that window,

oh, I'll be a

disgrace to everybody,

including the Indians.

-Oh dear.

I'll keep an eye out for him.

-Yes.

Do that.

Please.

-Well, we're ready to

get started, Wilson.

Why, you haven't got

your w*r paint on.

-Oh.

Well, all I do, Mr.

Judd, is make the fire.

-Oh, not without your

w*r paint, you don't.

These Pioneer Club

demonstrations

are going to be authentic.

-Did you say these

demonstrations?

-We're going to take this

show all over the county.

-All over the county with me?

-We are going to put the

Pioneer Club on the map.

So you be prepared.

Until Abernathy gets well,

your Saturdays are taken.

And then after that,

we'll have you dig up

some more of those

splendid arrowheads.

Now, come on.

-Arrowheads.

-Come on, we need some

w*r paint for the chief.

-OK.

-May I have that

chair please, son?

Will you put it on?

-Sure.

-Yes, but be-- do it in a

hurry, will you, please?

-OK.

-Because we're late.

-Take it easy now, Dennis.

-My pop says that after this,

you ought to get lots of offers

to stand in front

of cigar stores.

-Cigar stores-- your father--

-Sit still, Mr. Wilson.

-Well, Wilson, when does

the show get underway?

-Oh, Chief Dooley,

well, nothing's

going to happen here to be of

concern to the fire department.

-All right.

Straighten feathers, everyone.

Oh, that's enough w*r

paint, because we just

must get started.

Now, who pulls the curtain?

-I do, Mr. Judd.

-Oh, good.

-Shouldn't we let

this dry a little?

-Oh, that's quick drying.

Don't worry about that.

All right, Indians,

in your places.

All Indians in their places.

Come on, now.

Chief, would you like to

see this from out front?

-Don't mind if I do.

I always enjoy being at

a fire before it starts.

-I don't see Mr. Mitchell.

I even looked out front for him.

-Oh, good.

Isn't that good?

Huh?

Dooley, you are going to see

life in an Indian village

as it actually existed.

[applause]

-Margaret, what

are you doing here?

-Mr. Judd said I

could be a squaw.

-Well, you just stay out

of the victory dance.

-How could I dance with the

little one to take care of?

-Boy, if the Pathfinders

are letting girls in,

I'm going to desert

and become a cowboy.

-I don't think you realize

the time problem here,

cousin Fillmore.

-You can't hurry

science, young man.

-Isn't there's some way we

can speed up the process?

-Well, if you're in

that much of a hurry.

-If I don't get it

over there in time,

Mr. Wilson's going to

look pretty foolish.

-I'm sure it wouldn't

be the first time.

-What are they doing now?

-Oh, they're drying

and stretching

the skins for the

cold, hard winter.

-Better get ready, Mr. Wilson.

We're starting

the victory dance.

-Oh, no.

Dennis.

I-- oh!

-You're here.

-Oh, and high time.

-Cousin Fillmore

guarantees satisfaction.

-Thank you, Mitchell.

You've saved my life.

-I'll go watch it

from out front.

-Mr. Wilson, I'll

just bet you're

going to be the

star of our show.

-Oh.

-Mission accomplished?

-Pony Express to the rescue.

-Look at Mr. Wilson

sitting there,

just like Sitting Bull himself.

-Yes, he does rise to

the occasion, doesn't he?

-Now, watch carefully, chief.

First, you'll notice

a tiny little spark,

and then another, and then

the nicest little fire

you ever saw.

Huh?

-Boy, Mr. Wilson, you

sure learned how fast.

-You call that

Indian fire-making?

-Well, Wilson said he

knew all about Indians.

-Yeah, he's an expert all right.

You'll be lucky if he doesn't

burn down the building.

I've got to turn in the alarm.

-Oh, George Wilson,

get out of there.

[alarm]

-Boy.

Boy, I'll bet even

the Indians never

had a demonstration like this.

-All right, kids.

Everybody get back from here.

-Oh, I assure you, Chief, this

was as much a surprise to me

as it was to you.

-Judd, if your club's planning

any more of these things,

forget it.

-Oh, we're going

to tour the county.

-Oh yeah?

After I turn in

my report, you'll

be lucky if you're

permitted to start

a fire in your own fireplace.

-Oh, dear.

This would have been

such a nice start.

[coughing]

-Oh, Mr. Wilson.

-Wilson, you told me you

knew what you were doing.

-Oh, well, you see, Mr. Judd--

-I see only one thing,

that this demonstration

is a mess and a failure

and the fire department

is threatening to

cancel all the others.

And I have you to thank for it.

-Oh, dear.

I suppose he's

really angry at me.

-Oh, it looks that way.

-Oh, do you mean--

you think-- do you--

-Oh, Mr. Wilson, I'm

afraid your chances

of becoming a member

of the Pioneer Club

just went up in smoke.

-Smoke?

Oh, good grief.

-The morning paper

isn't really bad, dear.

-Well, then why

did Crinky call me

and ask all those

silly questions?

What does the headline say?

-Fire department

averts disaster.

Doesn't even mention you.

Now, don't feel so badly.

You were only trying to make

the demonstration effective.

-Oh, it was effective

all right, Martha.

From now on, I can hire

myself out for th of July

demonstrations.

-After all, you did make

smoke Indian fashion in a way.

-Looked more as though

I were setting off

some kind of secret w*apon.

Cousin Fillmore isn't

a chemist, Martha.

He's a munitions maker.

-Hey, Mr. Wilson!

Hi, Mrs. Wilson.

Hi, Mr. Wilson.

Guess what.

All of us Pathfinders got

our first class badges,

even if we didn't finish

the demonstration.

-That's very nice, Dennis.

-And because you helped

me win my arrowhead,

I'm going to give you those

arrowheads that you borrowed.

-Oh.

Well, thank you, Dennis.

But I don't think I'll

be needing those now.

[doorbell]

-I'll see who that is.

-Oh, good morning,

Mrs. Schooner.

-Good morning.

-Mr. Judd.

-Mr. Judd.

-Mrs. Wilson.

-Mr. Wilson's in

the living room.

I'll go make you some coffee.

-Thank you.

-Thank you very much.

Good morning, Mr. Wilson.

-Good morning.

-You'll never guess

what's happened.

Mr. Judd has just made me the

happiest woman in the world.

-Well, congratulations.

I hope you didn't come here

to ask me to be best man.

-Oh, I don't mean matrimonially.

Goodness no.

I mean historically.

-Mrs. Schooner means

that I have a few words

to say to you about

your arrowheads.

-We just got word

from our expert.

-These turned out to be the

only arrowheads from the Wapaho

tribe ever found in this

part of the country.

And that proves that the

Wapaho did not migrate directly

from Maine to Florida

in a straight line,

as everybody thinks.

No.

They came in a wide curve.

-Oh?

Is that good?

-Good?

That's great.

Now the Pioneer Club

really has something.

Oh, it's better than

any demonstration.

We don't have to go

out about the country.

Oh, no.

We can put these remarkable

arrowheads in exhibit

at the club, and people

will come to see us.

That is, if we still

have the arrowheads.

-You do plan to donate them to

the club, don't you Mr. Wilson?

Now that you're going

to become a member.

-Me?

A member?

After yesterday?

-The Pioneer Club needs

those arrowheads, Mr. Wilson,

to spearhead our new program.

-Well, I'd love to

donate those arrowheads

to the club, Mr. Judd.

-Indians aren't Indian givers

like people say, Mr. Wilson.

-Those arrowheads now

officially belong to our club.

-Thank you, thank you.

Oh, we must hurry.

-Yes.

-I'm sorry we can't

wait for the coffee.

-Thank you, Mr. Wilson.

-I'll explain to Martha.

-Thank you very much.

-We'll put your

name on the exhibit.

-Oh!

Good.

Well-- oh, my mailbox.

Ah.

There it is.

[chuckling] Oh, Martha.

Martha, dear.

I'm a member.

I'm a member.

-Well, where is everybody?

-Oh, they had to go

on club business.

I'm going to put this up right

now where everybody can see it.

-Hey, Mr. Wilson, I've

got the first letter

for your new mailbox.

-A letter for me?

-From Mr. Abernathy.

He wrote it out while I

was over at the hospital

visiting him this morning.

-Heaven's sakes, what has

Abernathy got to say to me?

-Boy, is he impressed.

He heard about what

happened, and he

wants to take smoke-making

lessons from you.

-Smoke-making lessons?

[laughter]

[theme music]