Ranger Headquarters

Ranger Headquarters
Big Pine National Forest, Knotty Pine

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Ranger Stumpy Jenkins - "The Old Timer"

I've been putting together some information on Stumpy. I started this discussion on Stumpy on Facebook, and I want to add to it here.
Joel has mentioned that Stumpy has a white beard. That's in Mystery Island, Mystery Man (RB183) which is about a Carribean cruise Bill and Stumpy take. In the Battle at Jenkins Manor (RB110) Stumpy hires Maggy Murphy as his housekeeper. Bill mentions there that Stumpy was married. Stumpy's wife Martha died of typhoid fever when they were married just 10 years. They would have been married 50 years.
Stumpy had been a ranger for 42 years in The Last Fire Call (RB138). He quits the service after having a hard time during a forest fire. Bill talks to Henry about how he met The Old Timer. And we all know that Stumpy often likes to tell bad jokes and play even worse on his harmonica. Horrible, Sweet Music (RB139) is the story where Stumpy and Henry get trapped in a cave and Stumpy plays the harmonica so they can be rescued.
In Old Faithful (RB088) Stumpy's horse Matilda breaks her leg out on the trail and Bill wants to put her out of her misery. Stumpy is losing his vision to cataracts in The Crisis (RB136). He doesn't want to have the surgery he needs so he rides off into the forest. Stumpy must try to save a freind from dying from a rattlesnake bite using his "part-time eyes."
Also in Prehistoric Monster (RB111) the boys hunt for an escaped rhino. Bill mentions the rangers' rifles in this one. The standard issue rifle for a ranger is the thirty-aught-six. But Stumpy likes his "Old Betsy" a bolt-action thrity-thirty with an extended barrel. Stumpy is the marksman at ranger headquarters and he prefers this rifle. Bill purchases a Weatherby Mark 5 460 caliber rifle that Stumpy doesn't want to use.
In The Donner Party Treasure, which isn't available any more, Stumpy dresses up as an old Alaska mountain man named Chillcoot, with Gray Wolf as his broken down Indian friend.

Other RB Stories about Stumpy
The Mountain that Moved (RB130) - Henry and Stumpy get caught in an earthquake while hikeing and climbing.
Civil War Junk (RB153) - Stumpy helps his friend Pete find recognition for his collection of civil war relics.
Marty Patton's Piano (RB173) - Stumpy tells about his troubles dealing with the noise of young Marty's piano playing while he was studying forestry in college.
They Killed Ranger Bill (RB177) - Stumpy and Henry must learn to deal with the grief of losing Bill when he appears to drown while trying protect some kids fooling around on the half-frozen Shady River.
Stumpy in the Movies (RB142) - Stumpy desperately wants to be part of nature movie being shot near Knotty Pine.
The Duck Call (RB185) - Stumpy is sure that a new expensive duck call will help him shoot the most duck he's ever bagged.
Stumpy Gets 30 Days (RB040) - Stumpy is gored and crushed by a buffalo bull and can't find the will to recover.
Old Three Toes (the cougar) - Stumpy and Gray Wolf must track a cougar that has returned to Knotty Pine and is killing farm animals.
Burning Sands (RB005) - Stumpy and Grey Wolf must go into the desert to track down their old friend Josh Webb before he dies of the desert heat.
and we can't forget this week's show as well:
The Cat in the Wall (RB065).
Please e-mail me at rangerbillclub@aol.com if you have any information to add about Stumpy or if you can think of other stories that focused on The Old Timer.

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