Synopsis:

The Schooner Bay Historical Society has decided that they will present the town with a statue of a famous citizen in the town square. Miss Elvira Grover, the president of the society, takes it upon herself to choose the person without the help of the whole society.

The members of the society are invited to her home, as is Carolyn Muir, who is to write an article on the event. Captain Gregg accompanies her to the meeting, sure that he will be the chosen subject.

When Miss Grover has the sample statue unveiled and tells everyone she has chosen her ancestor, Captain Horatio Figg, a hero of the Mexican War, Captain Gregg grows angry and throws an antique teapot at the display. Of course, Carolyn gets blamed for the incident since no one can see or hear the Captain.

After making things right with Miss Grover, who insists that Carolyn still write the article, Carolyn borrows the journals of Captain Figg to make sure her facts are accurate.

Captain Gregg insists that his former Captain was far from a hero but rather a coward who demanded his crew let him off the ship before the Battle of Veracruz and that Figg did not die at sea but in Schooner Bay. Captain Gregg even goes so far as tosteal Captain Figg's medals to try to prove them fakes, but he is unable to do so and only succeeds in getting Carolyn in more trouble with Miss Grover.

The Captain finally convinces Carolyn to come with him to Captain Figg's burial site and she agrees. He leads her to the old Figg homestead where they come to the burial ground of the Figg animals. There, among the tombstones, lies the grave of Captain Figg with the epitaph 'When Duty Called He Did Not Hesitate,' the same motto that is displayed under his portrait in Miss Grover's home.

Carolyn still will not believe Captain Gregg about Figg's cowardice, but does go to the historical society and tells them that the grave of Captain Figg has been discovered.

The next morning as the society is gathered at the graveyard a sudden rain storm causes them to run for cover, a rainstorm that is over almost before it starts. As the members once more look at the tombstone, someone notices that the ivy along the bottom of the stone has been removed and there is more to the epitaph. A number of the members begin to snicker and Miss Grover collapses in a dead faint, as we hear Captain Gregg's voice ring out reading the words, "When duty called, he did not hesitate. He ran like hell."

Favorite Moments: The scene where Captain Gregg takes Carolyn to the graveyard and then disappears, giving her quite a fright, is priceless.

The Captain's praise to Carolyn for raising such a fine son after he hears Jonathan say the Captain's statue should be put in the town square.

Favorite Quotes:

From Carolyn "Captain? Captain Gregg where are you? Oh there you are, for a minute I thought you were a . . . never mind."

Carolyn furious at the Captain: "You made a spectacle of yourself!"
He says, "Dear lady, it is impossible for a specter to be a spectacle."
And she fumes, "All right, you made a spectacle of ME."

Least Favorite Whatever: Nothing in the show to really dislike. It is a good episode, not exceptional or bad.

Notes of Special Interest:

Mabel Albertson who guest starred as Miss Grover was perhaps known best in tv-land for playing over-protective mothers. Her best-know role was as Darrin Stephens's mother on Bewitched.