Earthquake

Danger 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. There are many ways in which courage can be displayed. Sometimes it's in battle or a physical emergency. Other times it's another type of courage.

I have in mind the courage to face the consequences of a decision. A person knows sometimes that by making a certain decision, he is leaving himself wide open for the possibility of serious results. Our story today involves both types of courage.

You see if you can determine which is the harder. Here's our story, Earthquake. For years the town of Naughty Pie didn't grow or shrink a quarter of an inch. But now, as with many other towns throughout the United States, a growth period of the state can place.

As though an effort to stay made, catch up for the years of inactive. Our latest accomplishment is the putting up of a 10-story building, which to us is a skyscraper. The other day, Ranger Ralph Carpenter and I were talking at the man working high up, just like the rest of the sidewalk superintendents.

I just can't believe that Naughty Pines going to have a building as large as this one. Yeah, a real giant for us, all right? Of course, to make city fog this 10-story job wouldn't even write a second look.

I guess it wouldn't. That must be tedious work to set all those steel reinforcing rods and wire them in place so they'll stay right there when the concrete's poured. Well, it's like everything else. There's an art door, you know.