The Deep Country

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.

Horing 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. It's a bright sunny day in Naughty Pine. Henry and I are at headquarters, trying to clean up the continuous plague of paperwork that seems to find its way to my desk, somehow or other.

Stompy and Graywall, for our riding trail, which is the only place a ranger should be expected to be, everything is quiet and routine. Oh, yes. The name of this story is the Deep Country. Paperwork. Paperwork. Hmm, seems about all I get to do around here. I'm not an armchair ranger. I should be out on the

trail doing the work I'm supposed to do. Yes, sir. I think I'm going to move headquarters way out into the hills where the postman can't find it. That'll get rid of this pesky paperwork. Yes, sir.

First we make out a report and then we have to make out another report to tell what the first one means. Then we have to report on the report that we already reported on. And if we fill out the report incorrectly, we have to make six more reports telling why the report of the report in which we reported was wrong.

Then we have to make out a new report reporting again what we originally reported, but shouldn't have reported the way we reported it. Yes, sir. Yes sir, once more Henry Scott. Yes sir, I mean no sir.