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The Bad Hair Day

Album: 19: Passport To Adventure

Episode: 252

Lesson/Theme: False accusations; taking the law into your own hands.

Bible Verse: Proverbs 22:24-25

Characters: Harlow, Sam, Whit, Rodney

Writer: Phil Lollar

Sound Designer: Bob Luttrell

Original Air Date: December 11, 1993

Last Air Date: January 9, 2009

Description:
Henry is upset, his comic books are missing. He and Sam tell Whit about it, and Henry immediately accuses Rodney Rathbone. Whit actually defends Rodney. But there's no need because Rodney bursts in a few moments later with accusations of his own. He left his favorite pocketknife at the Wonderworld tree house. When he returned for it, it was gone. It appears Odyssey has a thief on the loose. Whit tells everyone to calm down and report the losses to the police. Later, Rodney has different ideas. He gathers the Bones of Rath and Henry. They all take off to find the culprit and punish the person. After hunting for a while, they come across Charles Thompson, whom they believe is the guilty one. Charles loudly professes his innocence, but Rodney does not listen. He starts to brand Charles's hair with blue paint. But when Henry acts nervous about Rodney doing that, Rodney threatens him as well. Rather than stand up for Charles, Henry backs down. Meanwhile, Sam and Harlow Doyle discover that the comic books and the pocketknife were actually taken by a scavenger raccoon. When Henry discovers this, he gets physically ill. He tells Whit, who also grieves for Charles. But Whit comes up with a unique way for Henry to make it up to Charles. And Henry does.

Questions:
Why were Henry and Rodney so quick to accuse other people of stealing their things? Why was Whit so quick to dispute both the boys' theories? What does the phrase "Innocent until proven guilty" mean? How could the boys have implemented that even while they were searching for the thief?