Original subtitles

- [elephant sounds]

- What ever are you boys doing?

- Hi, grandma we're playing we're circus elephants.

- Well, you and Tommy certainly make a fine pair of elephants.

- Would you like to play too, grandma?

I mean after you come back from your store.

- Why, yes.

Oh, but what could I do?

- Well then you could be the lady who feeds us peanuts.

[theme music]

- Boy that's a lot of money to spend for a present.

- Nothing's a lot for my dad.

He's worth $0.85.

My dad's worth all the money in the world.

- So's mine.

- My dad's been giving me money to run errands all week.

And he doesn't know he's been helping

me to buy that new fishing rod.

Boy will he be surprised.

- Yeah, and I bet the fish'll be surprised too.

How much does a fishing rod cost, Dennis?

- I don't know.

But I heard Mr. Wilson say to Mrs. Wilson they're

having the sale of fishing rods down

at Finch's drug store starting today.

And he said they're dirt cheap.

Come on.

I want to buy a trout fishing rod

that he was talking about getting, the Angler's Pal.

- Oh, yes, he was in last week looking at it.

- How much is it, Mr. Finch?

Now let me see.

The price is and even $35.

- Boy, you'll have enough left over

to buy us a couple ice cream sodas.

- Don't you think you'd better get

your dad a less expensive present, Dennis?

- I've got to buy him what he whats.

My dad's helped me pay for it.

- Well, you're absolutely right, Dennis.

You're a fine-- You're a fine boy, Dennis.

I said.

And I'm not sorry.

- Could you please wrap it up like a gift in colored paper?

- Oh, no, non, Dennis.

I wrapped a gift package for you last week.

And I'm still in a state of shock over the shambles.

- But jeepers, Mr. Finch.

This is for my good old dad.

And he just loves to open pretty gift wraps, especially

the kind you make, Mr. Finch.

- All right, Dennis, but just this once.

- Boy, this is going to be some surprise.

- Now this paper is very nice.

- It sure is, Mr. Finch.

- But that paper up there's even nicer, gold paper, real gold.

- Dennis, this paper is very handsome.

All right.

Now this is the best gift wrap we have in the whole store.

- It's for my good old dad, Mr. Finch.

- I want your father to have a hilarious time,

even though I don't.

- I'll help you pick them up, Mr. Finch.

- Here's your gold paper, Dennis.

- Could you wrap it in this one instead, Mr. Finch?

This one has fishes on it.

- There.

There.

And there.

Here's your gift, Dennis.

- Gee, thanks, Mr. Finch.

And here's your money.

$0.37.

- $0.37?

- I guess you didn't know I knew there's $0.02

tax, huh, Mr. Finch?

- That costs $35, $35.

Have you got $35, Dennis?

- He's got $0.85.

And we were gonna have ice cream sodas with the change.

- Ice cream sodas with the change, yet.

- Jeepers, Mr. Finch, I didn't know you meant dollars.

Mr. Wilson said they're dirt cheap.

- Give me the rod, Dennis.

- What are you gonna do now, Dennis?

- I've got think how I'm gonna earn enough money to buy

that fishing rod for good old dad.

- You know, there's nothing like an ice cream soda

to make you think.

- Oh, here's a letter from Alice, Henry.

- Oh, thank you, Mother.

Oh, she says her father's improving

but it'll be several weeks before she can leave him.

- Well, I hope she'll stay just as long as necessary.

- Miss all of you very much.

[laughs] Especially Dennis.

She says the quiet here is almost more than I can bear.

What's that?

- An heirloom I had sent from home.

I thought you'd might like it.

- Oh, let's see it.

What is it?

- This is the very coat worn by your great-grandfather, Josiah

Mitchell, the one on the Confederate side.

- It looks like he fought the whole war by himself.

- Is that camphor?

- Oh, Henry, you should be proud to own something

that belonged to a hero like your great-grandfather.

- A hero?

Dad always said the great-grandpa Mitchell

was caught playing poker on guard duty

by General Lee himself and hauled off to the hoosegow.

- That's just merely gossip.

- Hello, Dad.

Hello, grandma.

Dad, I've got to earn some money fast on account of it's secret.

How much will you give me to tidy up my room?

- Well, I just came from your room, and it's very tidy.

- Well, I can fix that.

- Dennis, your grandmother just tidied up your room.

And I want to see that you keep it that way, young man.

- Jeepers, isn't that beautiful?

- There, you see?

Dennis, this coat was worn by your great-great-grandfather,

Corporal Josiah Mitchell in the Civil War.

He fought under General Robert E. Lee, a very famous general.

- You mean, my great-great-grandpa

was friends with a real general?

- Well, sure.

They even exchanged cards.

- Grandma, could I have this coat for my very own?

- Dennis, for Pete's sake, what will you do with that old coat?

- I want to wear it.

It belonged to a real hero, my own great-great-grandfather

who fought in the cereal war.

- Well, I'm glad somebody around here has family pride.

- Yes, Dennis, you may wear it.

- Boy, wait till I show this to Mr. Wilson.

- The way that smells of moth flakes,

if you walk into the Wilson house,

he's liable to hang you up in the closet.

- Oh, nonsense, Henry.

Now Dennis, you wait here and I'll stitch up the sleeve.

- Oh, and this cap goes with it.

I'll stuff it with paper so as it'll fit.

- Gee, thanks, Grandma.

When I walk into Mr. Wilson's house wearing this,

won't he be surprised?

- Stunned is the word.

- You know, Martha, I'll just bet Jerry Richman hasn't

another customer in town with an American coin

collection as complete as mine.

- George, you're not going to buy anymore coins.

- Why, certainly, my dear.

Richman just phoned me that he has a 1885 dime

from the San Francisco mint and in perfect condition.

And as long as he was going to be in the neighborhood he'd--

[doorbell ringing]

- Oh, that must be he now.

Hello, Jer--

- Hi, Mr. Wilson.

- Great Scott.

It must be Halloween.

- I bet you can't guess why I came over here, Mr. Wilson.

- No, I can't.

And Sherlock Holmes couldn't either.

- I want to buy my dad a trout fishing

rod for a surprise present.

But it costs an awful lot.

But you're my friend, Mr. Wilson.

And I know you'll give me some jobs so I can earn some money.

- Oh.

Well, Dennis, whatever are you doing in

that ridiculous get up?

- This is the uniform that belonged

to my great-great-grandpa who was a real hero.

And he was a friend of General Lee who was a real general.

- Well, if they dressed like that,

their friends couldn't have lasted very long.

- George, you can see the boy is proud of that uniform,

and rightly so.

- I sure am, Mrs. Wilson.

Dad says these are moth holes.

But I bet most of them are bullet holes.

- Well, if they are, you're descended from a sieve.

- George.

- All right, Dennis, you better run along home now.

I'm expecting a visitor.

- Now, George.

Let's help the boy.

What kind of a chore can I find for you, dear?

- Pew!

Camphor.

Martha, don't worry about moth-proofing my clothes.

Just hang Dennis up in the closet.

- Gee, Mr. Wilson.

How about letting me shine your coins with silver polish.

- Dennis, don't you touch those coins.

This is a rare and very valuable collection.

Why these coins are worth more than $2,500.

- They are, Mr. Wilson?

- Why yes.

Now for instance, you take this $0.50 piece right here.

Why this particular coin is worth more than $650.

It's Carson City mint.

- You mean they're worth a lot because they mint flavor?

- Dennis, a mint's the place where money is made.

- Then why're they worth so much, Mr. Wilson?

- Well, one reason is because they made so very few

of these coins in first place.

- Boy, I bet if they knew how valuable they were going

to be today they would've made a lot more of them then,

huh, Mr. Wilson?

- Well-- Oh, all right, Dennis.

You can go.

- Yes, Mr. Wilson.

[dog whining]

- Hey, Mrs. Wilson, how about letting

me earn some money for my dad's surprise

present by bathing Fremont.

- Fremont is not interested in surprising your father, Dennis.

The answer is no.

- George, Fremont needs a bath.

And it's a messy job.

- With Dennis doing it, it'll be more than messy.

It'll be catastrophic.

Maybe I should say dog-astrophic.

[laughs] That's rather good, isn't it, Martha?

- Very good, dear.

All right, Dennis, you can watch Fremont.

- Gee, thanks, Mrs. Wilson.

Hello, Fremont.

[dog whining]

- Jeepers, what's the matter with good old Fremont, Mrs. Wilson?

- Well, I guess if you're going to wash him,

you better take your coat off.

The smell of camphor is rather strong.

- Rather strong?

No moth in his right mind would eve fly near Dennis

without first making out his will.

- Here, Fremont.

[barking]

- Gee, Mrs. Wilson.

- Well, dear, if you're going to wash him,

I'm afraid you're going to have to go home and take

of all your clothes and even take a bath yourself.

- Gosh, Mrs. Wilson.

How much are you gonna pay me for Fremont?

- $0.25.

- And I've got to take a bath first?

Jeepers, Mrs. Wilson, it isn't worth it.

But for $0.50, you've got a deal.

- Well, this is a special occasion.

All right, Dennis, it's a deal.

- Gee, thanks, Mrs. Wilson.

I'll be right back.

- Oh!

Great Scott!

$2,500 worth of coins treated like pennies from a piggy bank.

- I'll help you pick them up, Mr. Wilson.

- Dennis, go home.

Better yet, go to Cape Canaveral.

They're just wasting their time there with rockets.

- Boy, I'll never earn enough money

to buy that fishing rod for Dad.

Jeepers, $50. Jeepers!

Grandma, Dad!

Look what I found in my coat, right inside the lining.

Great-great-grandpa used his sleeve for a bank.

- Why, Dennis.

- I know you gave me the coat, Grandma, but how about this?

Is this mine too?

- Yes, Dennis, that goes with the coat.

- I've never seen one of these before.

- Thanks!

- I wonder what the old boy was doing

with a $50 Confederate bill up his sleeve.

- Probably saving it to help some other poor soldier in need.

- If what they say about him is true,

he was probably saving it to bet on who

would win the Battle of Gettysburg.

- Oh, Henry.

- Here's your change, Mrs. Marsh, and your gift wrap paper.

- Thank you, Mr. Finch.

- Hello, Mr. Finch.

Can you guess why I'm here?

- Yes, it's a punishment of some kind.

Now you two boys have got to get out of here.

This is a place of business.

- But I'm here for business.

- Dennis is rich.

- My grandma gave me $50.

And I want to buy that fishing rod for Dad.

- Now look, Dennis.

I-- She did?

Well, you've got a good grandma, Dennis.

- I sure have.

I've got the best grandma in the whole world.

- I've got the best grandma in the whole world.

- I've got the best grandma in the whole world who

gives ya $50.

- Well, here's the rod, Dennis.

- Now you know just how to wrap it, Mr. Finch.

- I should.

It cost me 10 years of my life to learn how.

I'll have it wrapped for you in a jiffy.

There.

And there it is, Dennis.

- Thanks, Mr. Finch.

And here's your money.

- What's the matter, Mr. Finch?

Are you sick or something.

- Yes, I'm sick and everything.

This is Confederate money.

It's not worth a red cent, a blue cent, a pink cent,

or a purple cent.

Now here, go.

Get out of here.

- Guess you're licked, huh Dennis?

- No, I'm not.

- There you are, Jerry.

- Only $250 in these two quarters for that 1885 dime.

Oh, you've done it again.

It's got a real bargain, George.

- Well, I'm a hard man to deal with, Jerry.

Now I'll go write you out a check for this

and put this dime in the safe.

Oh, you little beauty.

- Hello, I'm Dennis Mitchell.

Where's Mr. Wilson?

- He'll be back in a moment.

I'm Mr. Richman, a friend of Mr. Wilson.

- Isn't it awful?

My great-great-grandpa was a hero.

And he was a friend of General Lee, and he made the Bull Run,

and all he had was this worthless old money.

Boy, I bet he had trouble when he went into a store

to buy jelly beans.

- It's from 1861, Jefferson Davis, no serial number.

Where did you get this?

- In his old coat.

- My boy, I'm going to help you.

Suppose I would give you a dollar for this.

No, $5 for this.

- But Mr. Finch said it isn't worth a blue cent!

- It is to me.

It brings back memories.

You see, I used to be a Confederate soldier.

- You were?

And any friend of General Lee is a friend of mine.

Here, Dennis.

- $5.

Gee, thanks.

Did you know my great-great-grandpa,

Corporal Josiah Mitchell?

- Intimately.

Now you run along, Dennis.

See Mr. Wilson later.

I have some business to discuss with him alone.

- Sure, Mr. Richman.

This coat was worn by my great-great-grandpa.

I recognized it the moment you came in.

- Goodbye, Dennis.

- Thanks, Mr. Richman.

You're a real friend.

- All right, Jerry.

There is your check. - Ah.

- Richmond 1861, no serial number.

Great Scott, Jerry, where did you get that?

- Oh, I-- I have my little source.

- Oh, why didn't you show it to me before?

- I didn't know you were interested

in rare Confederate bills.

- Oh, yeah, certainly.

What's your price?

And it's too much.

- Well, it's worth $600 in mint condition.

But seeing it's a little crumpled, $500.

- $400.

I'll make you a check right now.

But don't you tell Martha.

She's likely to secede.

- I forgot my cap.

Oh, hi Mr. Wilson.

Mr. Richman's almost a good a friend of mine as you are,

Mr. Wilson.

He gave me this $5 for that worthless Confederate bill

that Grandma gave me.

- He what?

- [chuckles] A child's imagination.

- Mr. Richman used to be a Confederate.

And he was a friend of General Lee,

just like my great-great-grandpa.

- Dennis.

- I know, go home.

- No, no, no, no.

Wait, Dennis.

Camphor.

Gerald Richman, I'm flabbergasted

that you'd take advantage of Dennis's ignorance.

- I'm full of ignorance, huh, Mr. Wilson?

- Quiet, Dennis.

$5 for this bill.

- Heck, Mr. Wilson, I didn't mean to cheat him.

- Dennis, will you be quiet, please.

- Well, if you don't want the bill,

I know someone else who does.

- Richman, if you don't give that bill back to Dennis,

I'll tell everybody I know.

You won't have a customer in this whole country.

- Well, if you're going to be stuffy about it.

- And close the door as you leave.

- Oh, I never!

- Jeepers.

I'll never be able to buy that fishing rod for good old Dad.

- Oh, yes you will, Dennis.

Yes, you will.

How much is that rod?

- 35 whole dollars.

- Well, that Confederate bill's worth

a lot more than Mr. Richman gave you.

Suppose I give you $35 for the bill?

- $35?

Jeepers, thanks, Mr. Wilson.

And you weren't even a Confederate.

- Well, it's really worth more than $35.

Should we say, $100?

- Jeepers, Mr. Wilson, you're the best friend in the world.

- $200?

$300?

Dennis, I'm going to give you what

this is really worth to a collector, $400.

- $400?

Jeepers, that makes me a millionaire!

I'll be able to retire like you, Mr. Wilson.

I'll be the youngest retired boy in the world.

- Well, if I were you, I'd wait a couple years

and collect my social security.

Now I'm going to write out a check for the money for you

to give to your father so he can put it

in the bank account for you.

- Would you give him all except $35, Mr. Wilson?

I want to buy him that surprise fishing rod.

And I want you to come down to Mr. Finch's store

when I buy it.

Because jeepers, Mr. Wilson, you're wonderful.

Hello, Mr. Finch.

Mr. Wilson's gonna pay for the fishing rod with my money.

- That's right, Finch.

- It's true?

It's really true?

- Sure is, Mr. Finch.

- I'm told the rod Dennis wants is worth $35.

Now here are two 20s.

- Oh!

He tried to give me a $50 Confederate bill.

- Well, you should have taken it.

It's worth $400.

- But they lost!

- That apparently is just a rumor.

- I'll get your rod, Dennis.

I haven't unwrapped it yet.

- Thanks, Mr. Finch.

And would you please give me my change in Confederate money?

- [laughs]

TV ANNOUNCER: And now ladies and gentlemen, I'm sure most of you

have read about the little boy who discovered

a rare Confederate bill worth $400

in the sleeve of his great-great-grandfather's coat.

And here is that boy, Dennis Mitchell and leading citizen

coin collector George Wilson, who

purchased the bill from Dennis.

Dennis, will you show us exactly how

you discovered that rare bill?

- Sure, I just put on my great-great-grandpa's coat

like-- Jeepers!

There's something up this sleeve.

- Why, it's the ace of spades.

- And here are two more.

- And they're ace too.

- And up his sleeve, yet.

Great-grandfather Josiah, the pride of the Mitchells.

[laughs]

[theme music]

NARRATOR: This has been a Screen Gems film production

from the Hollywood studios of Columbia Pictures.