Hey Dude
Season #2
Episode #1: Battle Of A Hundred Bucks – A generous guest leaves
a generous tip of $1oo. The only problem is no one knows which “two helpful
staff members” It’s for. Lucy declares a contest to decide who’s the most
worthy. Mr. E. calls a meeting for the entire staff to train them in
firefighting so they can hold a potential fire at bay, until the fire
department arrives. Mr. E orders Buddy to turn on the hose which has a hole in
it and squirts him in the face. Lucy calls Brad, Melody, Danny, and Ted
together for a meeting. She has a note from a guest who checked out that states
“see that the two kids who made my stay here so nice get this and have some fun
with it.” The envelope contains a $100 bill. There isn’t any names mentioning
the two kids. He didn’t leave a phone number or address so Lucy can’t reach
him. Ted says it is his and Danny’s because they took the guest on a nature
hike last week and this must be their tip. Brad says her and Mel babysat his
kids while he was on the hike so the money, is for them. Lucy suggests
splitting the money four ways, but the kids will have no part of that. They all
agree that whoever comes up with the most fun way of spending the money (as
determined by Lucy) will get to keep it. Danny wants to buy cowboy hats, but
Ted says they need something more clever. Ted wants to throw a party, but then
they realize they would have to invite Brad and Melody which would defeat the
purpose of having won the money from them. Ted decides to spy on the girls and
see what they are planning. They hear the girls talking and Brad suggests
buying a cowboy hat as well, but Melody says it doesn’t sound fun enough.
Melody suggests a party, but they realize they would have to invite the boys.
Brad suggests spying on them. Ted and Danny race back to coral. Ted plans to
say that the girls deserve the money that way they will stop thinking and
whatever him and Danny suggest is sure to win. The girls sneak over and Ted
pulls off his plan perfectly. Mr. E rings his fire bell and says if this would
have been a real fire the ranch would have burned down. The kids practice
aiming with the hoses and Melody goes to shoot Ted who moves out of the way and
she hits Mr. E instead. Lucy comes by to judge the ideas. The boys idea is to
have a painter come to the ranch to paint them. The girls are speechless
because the boys pulled a fast one they only have the cowboy hat ideas. Lucy
declares the boys the winners. The boys tell the girls they knew they were
spying on them all along. Danny and Ted try to find a painter, but no one is
willing to do their picture for $100. Buddy tells them that there are two
artists staying at the ranch and he will talk to them and see if they will
paint the picture. Buddy says they will need the money upfront so he takes the
hundred and leaves. Danny and Ted are getting ready for the photo when Buddy
says to follow them. He also states they have to wear togas for the photo and
be blindfolded. The artists don’t want anyone to see them and if the boys don’t
agree with their conditions they will not do the picture. The artists who are
Brad and Melody throw a can of paint at them. Brad says since they painted them
the money is theirs and they used it to buy the cowboy hats. Everyone starts
fighting over the hats and Buddy suggests sharing them. They all agree to share
the hats. Mr. E tries firefighting one more time, but once again he gets wet.
Episode #3: Our Little Champion – Melody trains to become an
Olympic champion. Can she handle the pressure? Melody’s swimming ability is
called Olympic quality by a visiting coach. Mr. Ernst and the staff heap
pressure on Melody to win and be their “Little Champion.” Melody decides to
start training for the Olympics for swimming. Mr. Ernst of course sees a way to
make money off this, and begins to exploit Melody to benefit the ranch. Ted and
Danny ask Mr. Ernst for an advance in pay for upcoming dates. Mr. Ernst tells
them no so they check his sofa and find ninety cents that fell out of Mr. E’s
pockets while sleeping. The boys come to the pool looking for money. Ted tells
Mel this girl would only go out with him if she got a date for her friend hence
where Danny comes in. Ted confesses to Mel he didn’t actually see her friend.
Melody saves a little girl’s life while lifeguarding. She notices that a man is
staring at her and he quickly tells her that she’s a great swimmer and
introduces himself as Coach Daniels. He asks her if he could time her for speed
and she agrees. She does the test and the Coach is thrilled with her potential.
He tells her and Mr. Ernst about a regional swim meet coming up in two weeks,
and gives her a training schedule. Mr. Ernst is beside himself, plotting all
the publicity they can create to get more business for the Bar None. Soon, Mr.
Ernst puts up a big poster in the entry way saying, “Bar None Ranch, Home of
Melody Hanson, Future Olympic Champion.” At the lake, the boys only have $1.48
in the date fund and they are getting desperate for money. Danny has his doubts
because Ted refuses to tell him what his date looks like. Danny has visions of
a six -foot seven East German woman. When they learn of Melody’s training, they
sell personally autographed photos of Melody for $5.00 and T-shirts with her
name and face for $8.00. They give tours of her bunk, and Ted even sells pieces
of Melody’s salad for a dollar each. Melody soon tires of the training, having
to get up at 5:00am, eating only salads, and having to swim 30 laps with only
3-minute breaks. She tells Brad she’s sick of it, but Brad only tries to push
it off, saying she’s nervous. Melody tries to tell Mr. Ernst, but can’t because
she knows how much he’s counting on her. On the morning of the meet, Melody
talks to Ted, who is at the pool before anyone gets up to swim, and tells him
of her doubts about competing. Sooner or later she will lose and then everyone
will hate her… or so she thinks. Ted comforts her, telling her what a great
person she is. Suddenly, in the midst of their conversation, the rest of the
cast comes bubbling about the meet and all the rest soon to follow. Melody
explodes into tears and runs off crying, refusing to go to the meet. The next
day, Melody teaches the little girl to swim. The gang gives Melody their own
version of the gold medal. Then Ted and Danny push her into the pool as an Olympic
tradition. Finally, at the end, they both cancel the date, because the girls
had a restaurant more expensive in mind than Ted had. They instead donate their
money to the Olympic fund in Melody’s name.
Episode #4: Bunkmate Battle –Tension builds among the boys and
girls. Never a dull moment at the Bar None: Danny challenges Ted to go a week
without using anything the Indians gave the white man – taco chips, barbecued
ribs, soda pop, even the cotton his jeans are made of! Danny bets Ted that he
can’t go a week without using Native American items. Brad moves out of the
girls bunk into the lodge after a fight with Melody. Danny finds Ted on the
front porch, pecking away on his typewriter. Ted tells Danny how he’s writing a
little history lecture to tell the guests on rainy days. The problem is, much
of his concepts are based on old west stereotypes, particularly the part about
“the savage American Indian.” Danny, takes offense at that. Danny tries to enlighten
Ted about all the positive contributions of the Indians, but Ted has his
beliefs. Danny makes a bet with Ted: he can’t go a week without using things
the Indians provided. Ted agrees. Danny starts by confiscating Ted’s
just-opened chocolate bar. Meanwhile, Melody is preparing for her daily
exercises. Her side of the bunk is especially messy today. Brad comes in to
read, and she’s a little testy about Mel’s messiness. But Mel shrugs it off,
switches on her Walkman, and starts counting out loud while she sweats to the
oldies. Her counting gets louder and louder until Brad has to get up off her
bed and yell into Melody’s face. The two start to argue, but before it gets out
of hand, they grudgingly defuse the situation. They both resume their exercises
and reading. On the trail, Ted pulls aside his riding party for a rest and
pulls out some trail mix. Danny confiscates the whole bag and informs Ted that
there’s nothing in it he can eat, because the Indians grew it all first. Later,
Melody returns to her bunk and finds that Brad has arranged a schedule of
activities. Melody is immediately resentful. Then she reads the schedule and
really blows her top. Her “loud” activities are scheduled when she’s not even
around. Mel furiously tears down the schedule and suggests a better idea. She
strings a clothesline down the middle of the bunk and hangs a blanket between
them. There, private bunks. Mel cranks on her boombox. Until Brad yanks out the
plug. The only outlet is on her side of the bunk! They argue some more and Brad
storms out of the bunk. Upset, Mel chases after her. Danny and Ted, back from
the trail ride, are waiting in the food line. But as the chef starts filling
Ted’s plate, Danny tells him that it’s barbecue, and, you guessed it, the
Indians invented barbecue. And forget about the chips, hot sauce, corn on the
cob, chili, and soda. Ted is thinking that Danny is really enjoying this! In
the lodge, Mr. Ernst is on the phone peddling his ranch to a potential guest.
Just as he promises the friendliness of the staff, Brad and Melody storm in,
screaming that they hate each other. And from the other direction, Ted is
ranting that he’s fed up with Danny’s watch dogging. Mr. Ernest gives up the
pitch. Putting himself physically in the middle of the screaming kids, Mr.
Ernst calls for order. He has the kids each their tell grievances, and after
hearing them, Mr. Ernst decides the kids should creatively work out these
problems themselves. But the kids start up their arguing again. Mr. Ernst gives
up and hides away in his office. Brad tells Melody that she’s moving some of
her things into the lodge, where she’s sleeping tonight. Danny and Ted
tenuously agree to talk things over later at the coral. Then Buddy buddies up
to Ted and offers him some popcorn. Ted’s grateful, but he has no appetite.
Buddy cajoles Ted into just a little. Ted finally agrees. But just as he reaches
for some, Buddy yanks the bag away telling Ted he can’t have any because
Indians grew it. Ted angrily chases Buddy out of the lodge. Alone in her bunk,
Mel is reveling in her freedom to do as she wants. Or she tries. She cranks up
her radio and starts to boogie down. But it’s unfulfilling. So, she starts to
exercise, counting out loudly. Instead of satisfaction, all she gets is a sore
throat. So, Melody decides to mess up the room by throwing Brad’s clothes on
the floor. All the while, Mel is talking to herself… out loud. She starts to
delightfully chuck Brad’s framed pictures, until she discovers a photo of the
two of them during happier times. It jolts her back to the reality of the
situation. There’s a knock on the door and Brad pokes her head in. Brad admits
to Mel that there’s such a thing as too much peace ad quiet. Mel admits that
being loud and crazy isn’t fun without Brad to annoy. Brad tells Melody that
she’s her best friend, even though she sometimes wants to kill her. They agree
to make up. In the boys’ bunk, Ted has finally had his fill of the Indians
inventing something. When Danny finally gets to cotton underwear, Ted explodes,
thinking that Danny’s making half this stuff up. On the contrary, Danny rattles
off many more things he’s never mentioned, ranging from breakfast foods to the
U.S. Constitution. Ted is taken aback, wondering why he’s never heard of these
before. Danny tells him it’s because non-Indians wrote the history books. Ted
is gratefully enlightened. Back at the main lodge, Mr. Ernst is again on the
phone, selling to a prospective guest. He hesitates when asked about the
staffing, labeling them as “very spirited.” But the bickering pairs walk
through the lodge by Mr. Ernst. Except they’re not bickering, in fact, they
seem tighter than ever, laughing with each other and planning buddy activities.
Mr. Ernst happily returns to his pitch. “Getting back to what I was saying
about the staff. Let me tell ya, they’re the best reason there is to come to
the Bar None.”
Episode #5: Crash Landing – A small plane crashes on the Bar
None Ranch. Why is the pilot acting so strange? When a plane crashes at the Bar
None, Mr. Ernst, Ted and Buddy rescue the groggy pilot from the wreckage. Ted,
Buddy and Mr. Ernst witness a small Cessna plane crash near the ranch. When
they go to find the pilot, they get a little more than they bargained for. Mr.
Ernst, Ted and Buddy are in the main courtyard installing a sprinkler system;
even though the instructions clearly state: to be installed by professionals.
Mr. Ernst claims it to be a conspiracy between plumbers and manufacturers. Then
Mr. Ernst busts the hot water main with his pick ax. Ted hears a sputtering
engine, then looks up to see a small airplane approaching. As it gets closer, it
becomes obvious that it’s in trouble. The Cessna casts a shadow over them and
disappears over the horizon with a crash. The men rush right over to the crash
site. The plane is tipped nose first into the desert, with most of the doors
blown over by its rough landing. Approaching the plane cautiously, they find
the pilot, alive and conscious. But the pilot seemed more concerned about his
lost bag than anything else. He stumbles out of the plane, finds his bag, then
passes out. Mr. Ernst notes that the pilot is lucky he didn’t stumble or pass
out into the nearby thirty-foot deep mine shaft. They bring the pilot back to
the lodge. They lay him down on the coach while Mr. Ernst calls for an
ambulance. But Buddy discovers stacks of cash in the pilot’s bag. Suddenly, the
pilot awakens with his hand in his pocket. He points his “gun” at Ted, and
forces Mr. Ernst to hang up the phone. The pilot then proceeds to tell the guys
everything but his name. He even pulls out a recent newspaper article that
recounts his own exploits as the bank robbing airplane bandit. The pilot landed
his plane on Flagstaff’s Main Street, robbed the bank of $80,000 and then
escaped in his plane. It turns out the robber ran out of gas on his way to
Mexico. Meanwhile, Brad returns from her morning ride and meets up with Melody
and Danny. They’re each looking for one of the missing staffers, since they’ve
all been stood up. Resentfully, they figure out that they must be hiding out in
Mr. Ernst’s air-conditioned office. Mr. Ernst has a panic attack in the
mineshaft, having been in there for almost sixteen minutes. But they get their
wits together and climb up each other’s shoulders to the top. Buddy makes it
out and throws the rope down to his dad and Ted. Brad, Mel and Danny arrive at
the lodge just in time to see the pilot retrieving his bag of cash. Mel tries
to help him with his bag, but he’s obviously very possessive if it. The pilot
claims he’s a guest, and that he’s settled up with Mr. Ernst and he’s on his
way out. The pilot mentions that Mr. Ernst and his two kids went to feed the
pigs (which they don’t have). Melody tries to be nice, but Brad and Danny are
suspicious. Brad starts dialing the police, but the pilot returns and threatens
them. He figures these meddling kids ought to join their friends in the mine
shaft. At the mineshaft, Mr. Ernst jumps out from behind a bush and startles
the pilot into the mine shaft. The gang gets a special commendation from the
police. After paying the plumber $200, Mr. Ernst finally gets the sprinklers installed.
He checks his watch, and the sprinklers fire up on cue. As he watches his
handiwork from the office window, the sprinklers jam up and shoot high velocity
spray right into his office.
Episode #6: The kids tell ghost stories. It’s a rainy night at
the Bar None and the kids entertain themselves by trying to scare the wits out
of each other. The kids tell ghost stories in attempt to frighten each other.
Ted challenges the other kids to scare him. Its nighttime and stormy at the Bar
None, and the kids are playing Pictionary. Ted is angry because Buddy and Danny
can’t guess his drawing and they lose to the girls. Melody suggests telling
ghost stories. Brad says she hates ghost stories because she is never scared.
Melody goes first and tells a story that Brad heard. Brad says she heard them
all and it didn’t scare her the first time either. Ted says maybe she doesn’t
get scared because their just stories, but if she heard something that really
happened it would be different. Ted says he knows a real horror story, one he
wishes he didn’t. Ted says in 1863 his grandfather Jack was working in a saw
mill and they had very poor working conditions. Multiple people were losing
body parts and his grandfather wanted change. To teach him a lesson the mill
owners cut his right hand off. The owners were found strangled. Jack was the
prime suspect except that the killer used his right hand, which Jack didn’t
have. Ted says the hand kept killing and its been passed down from youngest son
to youngest son and he’s the youngest son. Ted shows them the hand and Brad
says it is a fake, but she is reluctant to touch it. She finally does and he
grabs her and she screams. Brad says it isn’t funny and Ted tells her it wasn’t
supposed to be it was supposed to be scary. Brad vows to scare him. Ted says it
is impossible he’s been hearing and telling ghost stories since he was 8. Ted
returns to his bunk and lies down. Danny reaches his hand up and grabs Ted’s
throat. Brad comes through the door wearing a hockey mask and carrying a hand
saw. Ted doesn’t flinch. Ted says she confused Freddy, Jason and the guy from
the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. At the breakfast table, Ted finds a glass eye in
his cereal bowl. He says he loves that gag, but that’s the problem it’s just a
gag. It’s funny not scary. He says its just startling someone. He says to
really scare someone create an atmosphere that is real and put in a twist at
the end. Mel wants to give up, but Brad will have none of it. Ted comes to the
girls’ bunk because Mel wants to speak with him. Mel asks him if he’s heard any
stories about a headless cowboy. A cowboy found a family murdered at a ranch so
he rode into town, but the Sheriff didn’t believe him and the cowboy was
accused of the crime. They cut his head off and the cowboy now rides through
the desert looking for a new head. Melody takes cover to show Brad’s head
covered in blood. Ted begins clapping and laughing. Ted tells them to give up
and leaves. Mr. E tells Ted a horror story about the previous owner of the Bar
None. He went insane because all of his employees were too busy trying to scare
each other they didn’t get their chores done. Lucy tells Ted and Mr. E a story.
A hundred years ago, they found everyone on the ranch dead in their beds and
all the doors and windows were locked from the inside. The mystery was never
solved. Mr. E tells Ted to put the tools away in case it rains. It is another
stormy and rainy night. Ted is awake and hears a banging noise. He calls for
Danny, but he isn’t in his bed. He opens the door, but he doesn’t see anything.
He calls for everyone to come out, but no one does. He checks under the bed and
in his trunk, but no one is in there. Ted tells them they win, but no one comes
out. He remembers Lucy’s story and figures out the killers must have come through
the doors. He hears a noise under the floors and goes to run out and finds Mr.
E. He screams not to kill him. Lucy comes in and says she shouldn’t have told
him that story. Lucy says the noise was the rake he left outside when he was
supposed to put the tools away and the sound under the floor was her putting
the hose away. Lucy says Danny and Brad are putting tarps over the hay. Danny
and Brad come in and tease Ted about being afraid of a rake. Brad says Ted was
right. They couldn’t scare Ted, the only one that could do that was Ted
himself. Ted pops out of the water trough dressed like a mummy, but no one is
scared. Brad tells him he confused The Mummy with the Creature from the Black
Lagoon.
Episode #7: Teacher’s Pest – Ted’s English teacher visits the
Bar None Ranch. Ted wants to crawl away and hide when his English teacher comes
to stay at the Bar None. Ted’s English teacher visits the Bar None and falls
for Mr. Ernst. Buddy and Ted plot to get them apart. Brad has to decide whether
to stay at the ranch or join her parents in France. At poolside, Brad tells
Melody that she received a letter from her parents who want her to join them in
France. Brad doesn’t really want to leave, but Mel is surprised that she really
has doubts about leaving. Brad says she belongs here. She’d miss everyone, even
Ted. Just then Ted and Danny jump off the diving board soaking Brad who is
nearby. The girls make fun of Ted who is ready comic books, but he claims he
doing research that way he’ll be in touch with Buddy when he asks him for
advice. Ted’s English teacher, “Old Lady Andrews” as he likes to call her
arrives. Ted questions why she is here. She tells Ted she won on a raffle
ticket and the grand prize was a weekend at the Bar None. She spots Mr. E and Ted
tells her he is the owner of the Bar None. Miss Andrews seems intrigued. Buddy
and Danny come by and Ted Tells Miss Andrews that they are his junior staff.
All three leave. Mr. Ernst and Miss Andrews lock eyes and Mr. E who is working
the grill is so out of it that he ignores Melody who is nearby. Mr. Ernst finds
Ted cleaning up at the barn and pumps him for more information on Miss.
Andrews. Mr. Ernst mentions that she is an attractive lady. Outside the
bunkhouse, Ted is telling Danny and Buddy that nothing is safe anymore. Danny
thinks Ted is talking about food, but Ted says he is talking about Miss
Andrews. Buddy states that she doesn’t seem too bad. Ted says with her here he
can’t be himself and since she thinks Mr. Ernst is a hunk she’ll probably stick
around the entire summer. In the words of Buddy “that woman is history.” At the
pool, Ted can’t believe Miss. Andrews is wearing a bathing suit. Mr. Ernst
comes by and Miss. Andrews tells him to call her Annie. She starts flirting
with Mr. Ernst while Buddy and Ted watch in disbelief. In front of the coral,
Melody tells Ted and Danny that Brad’s parents are making her come with them to
France, but she wants to stay at the ranch. Ted wonders why she would choose
the Bar None over France maybe because of him. Melody wants everyone to write
letters saying how much Brad is needed at the ranch and she will send them to
Brad’s parents and maybe they will let her stay. They agree to write letters.
Danny leaves to help Melody at the pool. Buddy comes by and asks Ted if he’s
seem Miss. Andrews. Ted says his father took her on a trail ride. Buddy doesn’t
understand why they are spending so much time together. Buddy has new cowboy
boots that his father bought and he has to soften them up with saddle soap. Ted
says he has a plan to solve the “Miss. Andrews problem.” Ted and Buddy are watching
Mr. Ernst and Annie getting to know one another. They go their separate ways, but
not before Mr. Ernst gets his foot stuck in a bucket. Buddy “bumps” into Miss.
Andrews and tells her he is really busy. He has to break in his father’s new cowboy
boots. Miss. Andrews volunteers to do it so Buddy tells her the “correct way”.
You dunk the boots in lots of mud, boil them in water, and lay them in the sun
all day. Buddy signals to Ted that the plan went perfectly. Brad spots Miss.
Andrews making mud to dunk Mr. Ernst’s boots in. Annie tells her that Buddy told
her the entire breaking in technique. We cut to Mr. Ernst in his office and a
really muddy looking pair of boots on his desk and Miss. Andrews sitting
nearby. He calls Ted and Buddy into his office. He says that his only son has
taken it upon himself to embarrass one of the guests with the help of one of the
staff. Buddy confesses that he tricked Miss. Andrews. Mr. Ernst asks why he did
it. Ted says he had a hard time seeing Miss. Andrews as a regular person. He
said at the Bar None he is Ted-Senior Staff and with her there he felt like he
was back in high school. Buddy says he got confused because his dad liked her
and he already has a mom. Mr. Ernst says the Bar None is an opportunity for everyone
to make new friends. Miss. Andrews is a like a new friend and even though he
and Buddy’s mother aren’t together she’ll always be his mom. Mr. Ernst laughs
at the boots on the desk and says he found those in the barn. His new boots are
safe because one of Ted’s coworkers stopped Miss. Andrews from ruining them. He
says Ted should thank her because she saved his job. Ted thanks Brad for stopping
Miss. Andrews, but Brad denies it was her. That night, Brad tells Melody that
her parents called and said she doesn’t have to go with them. She tells Melody
that she knows the letters were her idea. Brad states she is surprised that
even Ted wrote a letter.
Episode #8: Treasure Teens – When Ted finds clues leading to a treasure,
he and the other kids turn the Bar None upside down searching for loot.
Cleaning out the garbage in the back, Ted finds a map to a buried treasure. Ted
finds a treasure map, and causes a stir on the ranch when the staff tries to
find it. Mr. Ernst is outside trying to paint a sign that points to the craft
hut, but is interrupted by Danny. Then Brad interrupts him. She leaves and Ted
and Melody interrupt him. Mr. Ernst starts yelling that he doesn’t need any
help. Melody gives him a flower which makes him sneeze messing up the sign.
Cleaning out the garbage in the back, Ted finds an old map. He brings it over
to Lucy. He reads the cryptic clues to her. “On Bar None ground, I write these
clues. You won’t believe your eyes. Where many feet travel but no one walks, I’ve
hidden a surprise. When sunlight shines on Cactus Flat, Take steps of even
measures. Start beneath the gilded steps. Count three and find my treasure!”
Ted’s rich! He’s found the treasure, or, as Lucy reminds him, the map to find
the treasure. But Lucy isn’t even very sure of that. She tells Ted that note
could be who knows how old. The treasure, if it existed, may have been found
long ago. Maybe the whole thing is a joke. In any event, Lucy reminds Ted that has
chores to do, and he shouldn’t waste his time or anybody else’s on a wild goose
chase. She firmly tells Ted to drop the subject. But dropping it isn’t in Ted’s
nature. He’s shown the map to the other kids. They’re a little skeptical, but
Ted tells them the clues must be genuine because of its age. Brad, of course,
is the hold out. To her it’s just a smelly piece of paper. But Danny points out
that somebody worked very hard to make the poem. Melody’s excited by the puzzle
mystery. Ted cuts them in. They balk at the 10%, so Ted gives in and gives them
all equal shares. But Brad remains unconvinced. First, why would anybody write
stupid clues like that? And why bury money when you can spend it instead? Brad
chastises them for thinking there’ll be jewels or ancient treasure, when in
fact there is no treasure. Brad’s out. Don’t ask her to dig any holes in the desert.
“Guys, don’t quit now!” Brad has caught gold fever, and she’s furiously
excavating a pit with her shovel. The other kids are lying around, thrown aside
in frustration. But Brad has visions of jewels and ancient coins in swimming in
her head. Danny and Mel say give it up. They’ve been digging for hours with no
luck. Even Ted admits that the idea was pretty stupid. Buddy happens onto the
scene and after seeing the damage they’ve done, he makes a joke about digging for
treasure. Buddy offers his help as a “great detective”. Because everybody else
is tired of digging, they agree to cut him in for an equal share of the loot.
They let their new partner start by filling in all the holes. Mr. Ernst calls
Ted to the office. Mr. Ernst asks Ted to take some cartons out to the trash so
he can resume his sign painting. But when Mr. Ernst leaves, Ted notices that he
forgot his paintbrush. Chasing after him, he trips on the floor and bangs into
some gold horseshoes nailed on the wall. He picks up one that has fallen onto the
floor, and he’s about to angrily throw it out the door. Suddenly, Ted realizes what
he is holding in his hands. A golden horseshoe. Could it be a gilded step? He
turns around and sees a cactus tapestry. Of course! A cactus woven onto fabric
is “Cactus Flat!” Now the last part. “Where many feet travel but no one walks”…
under the floor! Ted has figure it out. The treasure is buried beneath the
floor I Mr. Ernst’s office! Back in the boys’ bunk! Ted convinces the others that
he has solved the puzzle. Melody suggests telling Mr. Ernst, but Ted balks at that
idea. Danny and Brad think that it’s only fair. After all, it is his office.
But Ted tells them all how Mr. Ernst loves publicity. He’ll call in the media,
and then donate all their loot to some museum. Since Mr. Ernst is already outside,
they decide that now is the time to act. Ted and Danny will do the digging and
it’s up to the rest to keep the boss out of the office. Outside, Mr. Ernst is
set to get going. But his paint can is empty. Grumbling, he starts back to his
office. Buddy frantically intercepts and tells him he has to look at the…
cactus! After some desperate stalling, Mr. Ernst tells Buddy the cactus is fine
and heads for his office. Then Brad tries to distract Mr. Ernst by asking if
she can switch chores with Danny, and so on and so forth. Mr. Ernst doesn’t
really care. He’s more interested in the sawing noises he’s hearing. Melody
stops Mr. Ernst from going into the office by trying to confuse him. She talks
in circles, saying that it’s easier to see outside. Mr. Ernst pets impatient,
and when he hears a buzz saw, he makes a move for the door. He finds Ted and
Danny sitting in his office. Ted is “playing” the handsaw, and Danny is keeping
beat by snapping his fingers. They fool Mr. Ernst into thinking his musical
skill is legitimate. Ted must practice in Mr. Ernst’s office because, until recently,
most people found his saw music annoying. Mr. Ernst tells the kids to clear out
of his office. But the distraction seems to have worked. Mr. Ernst can’t remember
why he even came to his office. Encouraged by the kids, he leaves the office to
retrace his steps. As soon as he leaves, Ted hurriedly pulls up the floorboards
and pulls out an old steel box. He lifts the lid to reveal… Poetry. Mr. Ernst
pokes his head into the office and tells the kids those are his poems. He writes
them to relax at night. He wrote the clues thinking it would be nice if someone
someday read them, but he changed his mind and threw them away. The kids all
apologize, but Buddy is distraught that his dad writes poetry. Mr. Ernst comes
up with some creative punishment. As Ted refills the holes, he and the other kids
are tasked with writing a poem of their own.
