Family Affair

If this good weather keeps up, we're going to finish the first section of this tram ahead of time.

Hello.

Hi, Uncle Bill.

How's everything in Vermont?

That's good.

Everything's nice in New York, too.

Good evening, Sam.

Did you finish that ski tramp you were working on, Uncle Bill?

Because we want to take a ride on it.

Not a tramp, honey.

It's a tram.

It's not finished.

French, you still on there?

Yes, sir.

Listen, it's beautiful up here.

I want the kids to get a chance to enjoy it, too.

Now, just pack up a bunch of stuff and throw them all in the car tomorrow morning.

Come on up here for the weekend.

Neat-O!

Sissy, we're all going to Vermont!

Oh.

Hello, Uncle Bill.

Well, I'd love to drive up, but I've already made other plans.

And it's too late to change them.

I'm sure the children will enjoy it.

Do you mind?

No, no, that's all right, honey.

French, listen, get an early start in the morning.

The roads aren't too hot this time of year.

Oh, we shall leave promptly at 7 in the morning, sir.

Good.

I'll get you up here about 2.

That's right, sir.

Goodbye, sir.

Goodbye, Uncle Bill.

See you tomorrow, Uncle Bill.

Bye.

So long, kids.

What are you looking for, Pa?

That book of the maps.

I want to see where we're going in Vermont.

Cissy, how come you'd rather go out with that teenager?

With a funny haircut and a voice that cracks.

Children.

Why does she call us children?

I guess because we are.

Here's Vermont.

Mr. French, will you show us where Uncle Bill is?

Oh, yes, let me see now.

He's here, approximately 100 miles north of Bennington.

Bennington, we had that in American history last week.

Remember, Jody?

Uh-huh, where the Green Mountain Boys clobbered the British Redcoats.

Sorry, Mr. French.

No need to apologize, Jody.

I don't take it personally.

Mr. French, what's this squiggly line right here?

Oh, that's the Green Mountain Trail.

Uh, Buffy, I don't think your uncle would approve of you chasing an atlas.

See, the, um, Green Mountain Trail, Buffy, is a historic byway.

It's the path taken by the Green Mountain Boys during the revolt of the colonies.

Could we see it?

Well, it's on our way.

Slight detour, which wouldn't take longer than, well, an hour at the most extra.

Yes, we certainly can see it.

Now, children, it's time for dinner.

Mr. French, if the British Redcoats clobbered us, would we be British?

Yes, we'd all be subjects of the crown.

Come on.

Well, it's lucky we got that concrete poured yesterday, Bill.

Why?

Word just came over the radio there's a blizzard coming up.

Supposed to hit here late this afternoon.

Well, that's all we need is a blizzard, Uncle.

We didn't hear anything about a blizzard, Uncle Bill.

Mr. French and Buffy and Jody left about an hour ago.

Well, good, then they'll probably get here before it hits.

Snow's gonna be too deep to have much fun, though.

Well, if they hear about it on the car radio, they'll turn back.

Yeah, well, you call me.

You call me if they do turn back.

Because I'm worried about him getting caught in a blizzard, that's why.

I'm sure glad you didn't hit that deer, Mr. French.

Yes, so am I, Buffy, but I'm afraid in swerving to avoid him, I've done considerable damage to the car.

Yes, I would say the axle is cracked.

Uncle Bill won't mind.

We'll just tell him about the deer.

Yes, I know, but in the meanwhile, we have no way of telling him what's happened to us.

Well, maybe somebody will come by and give us a ride.

Yes, it's possible.

In the meanwhile, you and Jody get in the car and keep warm while I...

Where is Jody?

Oh, he just wanted to explore.

Can I turn on the radio?

Yes, yes, yes.

Jody?

Jody?

Jody?

Jody?

Here I am, Mr. French.

Well, from now on, remain together.

That is an order.

Yes, sir, Captain.

Captain?

I'm playing Green Mountain Boy, and this is the battlefield.

We interrupt this program to bring you the following news alert.

And now, the latest report about the blizzard sweeping New England.

Blizzards?

There's no time for blizzards.

Come out and play, Buffy.

You can be a nurse.

One moment, Jody.

The storm, bringing with it a heavy snowfall, high winds, and the lowest

temperatures of the year, is expected to last through the night and tomorrow.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

Oh, boy, Buffy, we can play in the snow.

Yeah, and all we have to do is just sit here and let the snow pile up.

Oh, sit, indeed.

You realize that the last farmhouse we passed is more than 10 miles back?

Much too far to walk.

We can sleep in the car.

Mr. French, when I was out scouting for redcoats, I saw a cabin over there.

You did, Jody?

Well, that's good.

Come, Buffy, perhaps we've found an abode for the night.

Better leave a note as to our whereabouts.

It's, uh...

Oh, the temperature's dropped 10 degrees in the last hour.

Well, that means the pleasure's gone ahead us pretty soon.

What time are they due?

About 2.

It's almost 4.

It's 4 now.

Well, maybe they heard about the storm and turned back.

No, let's just see what it calls if they did that.

They're trying to get here.

I just hope they're not stuck someplace.

All.

empty inside.

The door's locked, Mr. French.

It's a deserted cabin in the wilderness.

What a place to spend the night.

Jody, just let me try, will you?

Sometimes these primitive locks respond to... Oh, a penknife.

Let's go scout around.

I wish Uncle Bill was here, having all this fun with us.

Yeah.

I wonder what's in this box.

Look at that little door down there.

I wonder where it goes to.

Let's find out.

Buffy?

Jody?

Yes, Mr. French?

Through the wood blocks.

Well, dear me.

Not quite as agreeable as our New York apartment, but nevertheless quite cozy.

Oh, I'd hoped that we'd find a telephone here.

What do we do now?

I'm starting to get a little cold.

Oh, in that case, the first order of business is to light a fire.

Uh, yeah.

There we are.

Now, excuse me, Buffy.

Oh, and in the meanwhile, may I suggest that, um, well, you look for possible food

supplies and things like that, hmm?

I still got my candy bar, Mr. French.

I'm sorry, but I ate mine on the way.

Oh.

I'm gonna look on the shelves for something else.

And I'll look in the caverns.

Mr. French!

I found a lamp!

Lamp?

Very good, Buffy.

And some candles!

I found a potato, Mr. French!

But it's kind of mushy.

It is?

It's excessively mushy.

Inedible.

I found a potato.

I found some pots and pans, Mr. French, and some dishes, too.

Now all we need is something to put in them.

Mr. French, I'm getting hungry.

Me, too.

I hope we find something not so mushy.

I don't care what we find.

Uncle Bill says Mr. French can even make an old shoe taste good.

Well, I trust that won't be necessary.

Hey!

Hey!

Look at the snow coming down!

Isn't it neat?

Yeah!

It's almost six.

They could be holed up somewhere safe and sound.

I hope that's them.

Hello.

Hey, hello, Uncle Bill.