Daktari (1966) s01e17 Episode Script

Of aII creatures on Earth, man can be the most crueI for onIy he can wantonIy destroy what nature has taken miIIions of years to create.
But, Connors, how can we drive this heard 50 miles off the reserve? Bendix, give me that rifle and load up, will you? Connors! What are you doing? You're insane! What? Will you? Listen here to me, Bendix, will you? lt was Officer Hedley that sparked the idea for me.
The wind's blowing to the north, those stupid beasts will run north.
They'll run off and into our pockets.
Like shooting fish in a barrel.
- Connors, you're crazy.
What are you? - Let go of me, will you, Bendix? In their greed to capture rhinos Connors and Bendix set the bush aflame endangering the Iives of every animaI and human in the reserve.
Marsh! Saw the fire about two miles back.
The main front's heading north.
l know.
L've given out the alarm.
PauIa and Jack were in the path of the fire.
I ordered them back to the compound, but PauIa disobeyed.
Intent on tracking a herd of buffaIo whose Ieader had been fitted with a radio transmitter.
She and Jack ignored my instructions an action that was to pIace their Iives in jeopardy.
Oh, brother.
We have to help the animals that are trapped.
Trapped, desperate, terrified animaIs of the reserve sought safety from the raging inferno which practicaIIy surrounded them.
Mike and I were hunting the arsonists, unmindfuI that PauIa and Jack were conducting animaI-rescue operations on their own.
As for Connors and Bendix, they ran out of gas.
But, unfortunateIy, not out of Iuck.
That's right, lad.
Now, next time, you might well be dead.
Who are you? - What do you want from us? l need your truck.
That's the only way we have to escape the fire.
Oh, l'm not an unreasonable man especially when it comes to a sparkling colleen.
You'll be coming with us.
After we leave the reserve, we'll do a bit of hunting.
We have to cross the border.
l have a feeling you two might come in very handy.
After that, we'll let you go.
On the other hand, if you cause me any trouble uh, you might meet with an accident.
Uh, a fatal one.
Well, we're keeping ahead of that fire very nicely.
There's no reason you can't let us go once we've crossed the river, is there? - You can keep the truck.
- Oh, l intend to do that.
But l'll keep you along with me also.
And next time, little girly, be sure that you bring a larger vehicle.
lt's a bit cramped for a full-sized man like myself in a truck like this.
Look, Connors, we humbly apologize.
Now, don't be sarcastic, lad, or l'll wipe that smile right off your face.
- All right Jack! Ha, ha! Hey, look.
Hey, she wants to hold my candy.
All right, all right.
Don't get sore.
Since you've asked so very nicely Hey, hey, Bendix, Bendix.
Toss it over here, will you? Let me see that.
Now, l wonder if she's got the brains to get this.
How about it, now? Would you like some of this? There it is.
Come on.
How about it, huh? Do you want it or don't you want it, huh? You really do want it? Ha, ha.
Come on, reach for it.
That's a start.
Here you are.
Up.
You get it now.
Catch it.
Oh, you missed that one.
Right.
Oh, you missed the second one.
Connors, cut the comedy.
Would you give her the candy? Try again.
Oh, you got it that time.
Hey there, can l have some of my own candy? Well, thank you.
She's got real nice manners.
Oh, yes, she's got real nice manners.
- Ooh, you - Connors, knock it off.
Oh, well, she's not really worth the cost of a bullet.
- There, see? She likes me.
- Yes, and why not? The two of you are very much alike.
Except that the chimp's a good deal easier on the eyes.
Come on, back inside the truck.
We'd better be moving.
That fire's moving a bit fast and we'd better do the same.
- All right, come on in.
Go on, inside that truck! They went this way, still heading north.
Yeah, along with everything else on the reserve.
- L don't blame them.
- L don't either.
Okay, hop on.
Hey, what's the big idea? Sorry, Mike, but take a look.
- See him? - A cheetah.
Yeah.
Hey, that's one of ours.
Sure, we treated this one a few weeks ago.
There's the mark.
He's one of ours, all right.
But the curious thing is, he's not running north.
Well, what's so curious about that? Maybe he, uh Well, that is, it could be, um You're right, it's curious.
Look.
The fire is a long ways off.
Uh-huh.
And you just can't pass up a puzzle as long as there's an animal in the middle of it.
Mike, this is more than a puzzle.
lf that cheetah stays here, he'll be killed.
No animal would take that risk without a very important reason.
Well, what's important to a cheetah? Food? Shelter? Another cheetah.
His mate, or cubs.
They mate for life, and l'll bet he won't leave her.
Oh, my.
Fun all over.
Now we get to rescue a frightened cheetah in the middle of a range fire with arsonists on the loose.
And l thought that studying zoology would be nice and peaceful.
Hey, wait a minute.
Mike, Mike, take a look.
Look.
Huh? - He recognized us.
- Well, we did treat him.
He wants something from us.
Right.
l think he's asking for help.
l never could turn down a polite request for help, could you? - No.
- Well, then let's go.
And, Clarence, you stay there and be good, huh? This could take longer than you think.
The arsonists could get away while we're being delayed.
How far can they go? Hedley's got their names, descriptions.
Besides, they've already done all the damage they possibly could.
There he goes.
Whatever that cheetah's problem is, l wish it was closer.
Yeah, this is taking longer than l thought.
Marsh.
Look, he stopped again.
Yeah.
A native pit trap.
l thought Hedley and his men filled them all in.
lt's an old one.
He probably never found it.
Now, relax, old boy.
We'll get her out.
And just how are we going to get her out? Well, she's scared.
She'd attack if one of us went down.
lf one of us went? Why don't we use a rope? - A rope? - Mm-hm.
lf she were a monkey or a chimpanzee, that would be another story.
But, um, what we need is a ladder.
Well, uh, l just don't happen to have one on me.
What about the log? Come on, give me a hand.
- Yeah, this will work.
- Yeah.
Give me some leverage.
All right, ready? One, two, three.
Ready? One, two, three.
Yeah.
Okay, stand back.
l'm gonna shove her in.
Okay, girl, up.
- Come on, girl.
Try it again.
- Come on, girl.
Come on.
You can do it.
Now, once again.
You can make it this time.
Come on, that's it.
Come on.
Try it again.
All right, don't worry.
Come on.
You can do it now.
Up you go.
All right.
You know, l believe he actually said thanks.
Yeah.
And then headed north.
And we'd better do the same.
Come on, let's go.
Well, the wind's changed a bit.
lt'll move more to the northeast now.
And with a little bit of luck we'll be out of trouble and pick up our rhinos in a few hours.
Oh, will you shut your mouth, you filthy beast? Stop chattering.
Oh, come on, now.
Will you be quiet across there? Clarence, were you getting nervous? Well, don't worry, we're on our way.
- Hang on to that, will you? - Uh-huh.
Oh, shut up, will you? Bendix, will you quieten that beast? Oh, she's just being friendly.
Aren't you? Get rid of her, Bendix.
- Come on, she's only a pet, Connors.
- She's a nuisance.
Throw her out or l'll throw out both of you.
- Look, Connors, she - Oh, shut up, will you, boy? Hey there.
Hey there.
Bendix, did you hear what l told you? Oh, all right.
Judy, get his hat.
Ooh, you limp-witted imbecile, Bendix.
Oh, come off it.
They just came busting out.
They just came busting out, did they? Well, in future, l'll do the busting.
Listen, you might not be able to help me find them but you might trip over them by accident.
Oh, Connors, can't we just let them go? They know which direction we're heading in.
They might put somebody on our trail.
Now, come along, will you? He's tracking us.
Yeah.
Have to do something to make it a little tougher for him.
We'll double back through the water.
Go on through there.
They doubled back.
Oh, let them go, Connors.
Look, that fire has turned.
Wind is shifting.
Ah, there's plenty of time.
Wait a minute.
Ah! Judy, you're absolutely right.
Come on.
He's coming closer.
With him down there, l wish l had a rock up here.
- Oh, no, you don't.
He's deadly.
- Oh, well, thanks.
l think you could allow for some possibility l might handle him.
Sure, if you were only bulletproof, you could handle that gun of his.
Well, you got a pretty valid point there.
Shh! All right, all right.
Come on down out of there, the three of you.
Oh, there you are.
Now listen, up there.
l'm gonna take a shot at that chimp first and bring him down.
Then l'm gonna send some more up there whistling around your ears until l shake you down out of that tree, do you hear me? Now, come on, be sensible.
Come on out of there.
Ah.
There you are.
That's good, now.
Very good.
Now come on down, little boy.
That's right, help the little girl.
Hurry along now.
That's good.
Ah, very good.
Help the girly down.
Sensible of the both of you.
You would've blown to death in that tree.
See how fortunate you are.
You can have the pleasure of my company again.
Now back to the truck.
Come on, snap it up.
Get inside there, will you? And, Bendix, get on the other side and drive this vehicle.
Look, Marsh, a truck.
- Lt's their truck, all right.
- Yeah.
- They went off on foot.
- Let's go after them.
Alrighty.
Oh, l think he's picked up a scent.
Come on, Clarence.
Go after them.
Ooh, l've got a bad cramp in my leg.
Come on, out of there, the two of you.
Come on, hurry up, will you? Now Hey, Bendix, give me that, will you? Let me look at it.
Well, what does this fascinating gadget do, shoot darts? Well, come on, girl, speak up when l ask.
And you, sit still and be quiet, will you? Now, come on.
L asked a question, l want an answer, girl.
lt shoots a hypodermic dart which puts an animal to sleep.
Oh, does it, now? Oh, how very softhearted.
Now, myself, l am no animal lover.
So that when l put an animal to sleep - it's forever.
- Connors, look at that.
- Lf anybody ever finds out who started - Oh, shut up, will you? You started that fire? Oh, Bendix, you always were one for shooting off your mouth.
- L didn't say anything.
- Shut up, will you? Look, Connors, you started this fire.
That's arson.
You brought us here at gunpoint.
That's kidnapping.
That's bad enough.
But But not as bad as murder, huh? l have no choice, little girl.
Judy, the keys! Bendix, get that chimp.
Run.
All right, hold it, or l'll shoot that girl.
Now come back here, girl.
Run! - Where's that chimp? - What happened to the other two? Don't worry about the other two.
We gotta get those keys.
l want that chimp.
l want that chimp.
l wanna get that beast.
Get around the other side and try and flush him out.
Oh! Man, that was too close.
Poor Judy.
She must be under the car.
Jack, we've gotta do something.
Yeah.
Look, l got a couple hypo darts left.
Maybe l can get a shot at them.
They won't reach that far, but l can at least startle them.
There goes the chimp.
Connors, let's get out of here.
The way that fire's coming, it'll be here in a few minutes.
No, that trick gun of theirs won't carry more than 50 yards.
We'll track them down and - But, Connors, that's murder.
- Use your head, will you? lf they're taken care of, nobody will know who started the fire.
We'll get off scot-free.
Look at that.
Fire will be here in no time.
lt'll cover all traces.
Oh, leave it to me, Bendix.
l'll take care of it.
Come on, Judy.
Hurry.
Hurry.
Come on.
Come on.
Judy.
Come on, Judy.
Come on.
Oh, Judy, Judy, Judy.
Judy, baby, l owe you a whole bunch of bananas.
Hey, Judy, keep low.
Uh-oh.
Look at the fire.
lt'll reach here pretty soon.
Or else Connors.
- Lf we only had some way to reach help.
- Well, with him after us we can't exactly run to the top of the cliff and yell and wave our hands.
We'll try to get to the other side.
Keep low.
Paula's bracelet.
Marsh, those are the jee The tracks from ourjeep.
Now, what would Paula be doing out here? l told her to go back to the compound.
- Wait a minute, the buffalo herd.
- Sure, she's following Winston.
Hang on to that.
Come on.
Let's get going.
Come on, Clarence.
Get in the back.
Come on, hurry up.
Look.
Oh, the buffalo herd.
Yeah.
There's old Winston.
He's still got the cliffs between him and the fire.
Maybe l better not compare lQs with him after all.
Oh, we got more to worry about now than just following buffalo.
Winston.
Jack, that's it.
- The radio.
- Right.
Tracy, you're a genius.
The Madame Curie of Wameru.
Sit tight.
Stay covered.
Connors! L found the keys! Connors, l found the keys! Connors? The wind has changed! Look, l've got the keys! We still have time to get out! Connors! Yeah, yeah, Judy.
L see him.
Don't worry, Judy.
He'll wake up in 10 minutes.
Connors! Connors, the wind's changed.
Let's get out of here before we're trapped.
l've gotta take care of those two kids.
Forget about the kids.
Listen, ajury would call them witnesses, not kids.
We're gonna have to take care of those two.
Connors.
Now, l'm not going with you.
No, you're right, little man.
You're not going with me.
Did you get it? Yeah.
Where's Connors? l don't know.
He's somewhere in the hills looking for us.
Oh, boy, am l glad to see you.
- Little nervous? - Nervous? L'm plain scared to death.
Well, here.
Now all we have to do is modulate the signal a little bit and start sending.
All right, Hedley, we're in the cliff area.
We'll be searching.
Out.
Marsh? Listen.
- Marsh? Listen.
- Mm? What's that? Oh, it's that buffalo with the transmitter on his horn.
But it sounds peculiar.
Maybe he's trying to rub it off against a tree or something.
Turn it down, will you, Mike? lt's distracting.
Okay.
Well, we've got another distraction and it's catching up to us fast.
Yeah, it sure is.
Connors is somewhere in this area.
Somewhere with Paula.
Well, let's get going.
Uh-oh.
The fire jumped the ridge.
The wind shifted.
lt's heading this way.
l hope somebody else gets here before it does.
Well, if Dad's in the area, he'll be listening.
l hope.
Oh - Let's get up higherjust to make sure.
- Okay.
All right, this is high enough.
Look, Connors.
He's still after us.
Come on, in here.
- You see anything? - No.
Hey, wait a minute.
- What is it? - Listen, listen.
S.
O.
S.
SOS.
ln cliffs with arso - Arsonists.
- The Dodongo Cliffs are straight ahead.
Batteries are shot.
Look out.
Oh, no, you don't.
Patrick Boyle Connors is not to be distracted by some beast.
Go ahead, throw your rocks.
Look, stay behind and keep me covered.
Ow! Ooh.
- What happened? - My ankle.
- You twist it? - Yeah.
Look, you'll have to try and walk.
The fire will get us if we don't get to the other side.
Come on.
Give it a try.
There you go.
Judy, come back! Judy! Oh, l can't make it.
Won't the fire drive Connors away? Oh, l'm afraid not.
We know too much.
Just have to keep out of his way.
And of the fire too.
Come on, we gotta try again.
Stay away from me.
Hey, stay away from me.
This isn't my fault.
Fire wasn't any of my fault.
None of my doing.
l Don't come near me.
l don't wanna hurt you.
l just wanna get out of here.
Why don't you put that thing down and come with me? You can't make it out of here by yourself, not in your condition.
l'm trying to help you out of here.
No.
You wanna kill me.
Just stay where you are! Just stay there.
Everybody wanted to kill me.
Everybody's always pushing me around! They're not gonna push me anymore.
The only thing that people respect in this world is strength.
When l've got something like this in my hand l'm as strong as anybody! Now, get out and leave me Leave me alone! Leave me Leave me alone! - Leave me alone! - Look! Look! Look! l'm not going to hurt you.
Will you come with me? L just want you to show me where your friend is.
Leave me alone! Leave Hey.
You're going back into the fire.
l'm sorry l had to do this.
l hope Marsh is having an easier time of it.
l can't.
L can't make it, Jack.
Okay, here.
Come here.
There.
Now, you stay right here in this crevice.
l'm gonna go up, see if l can spot something.
You're trying to keep Connors from finding me.
Oh, don't be ridiculous.
l'm not the heroic type.
Don't worry.
All right, hold it there, son.
Now back up, will you? Move on down.
Throw your rifle down first.
All right, now get ahead of me, will you? Move on down, l said.
l told you l wasn't the heroic type.
You were troublesome enough, though.
l'll hand you that.
Now, come on, move.
Over there, the two of you.
Hurry along now! Where's your buddy? All the physical activity wearied the poor man.
He decided to take a little snooze.
lf you'd like some of the medicine that put him to sleep l'd be glad to oblige.
The fire's driven all the animals here and it'll cover any evidence.
Clarence? That's the oldest trick in the world.
You okay? Yeah.
- You all right? - Oh, Dad.
Papa.
Well, you sure took your time, old dad.
Well, we couldn't understand your illiterate Morse code.
Well, it looks like Clarence and Judy have everything under control.
l'd say it was a miracle that we didn't lose more animals.
- Thanks to Hedley and his men.
- Hear, hear.
Hear, hear.
Well, plus a favorable wind change.
When l think of that Connors setting a torch to this jungle, it Well, we've got him and his accomplice safely behind bars where they'll remain cool for a long, long while.
l wish under the law there was a harsher punishment we could accord them.
Say, ahem, speaking of punishment, young lady there is a certain matter of your disobeying a parental order.
l plead guilty to an excess of scientific zeal, Your Honor with the recommendation of probation.
- Pretty please.
- You'll have to do better than that.
l'm really very sorry for disobeying your orders, Dad.
That's more like it.
l don't think you'll ever do it again.
Aside from almost giving me heart failure you really didn't do too much damage.
Marsh, we did manage to get most of that buffalo migration recorded.
Mm-hm.
And you had a chance to learn about range fires first-hand from an arsonist.
l never realized before how important fire prevention was.
lf l should ever smell a wisp of Fire! Fire! Judy.
Judy, what do you think you're doing? - What are you doing? - Oh, Judy.
Haven't you had enough fire for one day?