Introduction[]
A fantasy shows Arthur and Brain racing a rally car against Francine and Muffy. The girls overtake the boys.
Francine: Yahoo!
The cars race over a rickety bridge.
Muffy: (gasps)
The cars race past an elephant.
Francine: (chuckles)
They race along a cliffside.
Francine: Whoo!
The cars jump over a ramp.
Arthur: Yeehah!
The girls' car gets stuck. The boys race ahead, when a policeman on a motorbike appears behind them.
Arthur: Huh?
The boys stop right before the finish line, while the girls rush past.
Francine+Muffy: (laugh)
The cop, who turns out to be D.W., walks up to the boys' car.
D.W.: No turn signals, license plate not visible and these big numbers create a distraction.
Arthur: But this is a race course!
Scene changes to Arthur and Brain, now wearing prisoners' uniforms, locked up in jail. D.W. slams the cell door shut.
D.W.: And obstructing justice!
She walks away. Brain looks at a skeleton in the cell.
Brain: I never knew your sister was so strict.
Arthur: Sometimes D.W. gets a little carried away.
Title Card: D.W. Blows the Whistle[]
In the public library, a fireman gives a safety lecture to a group of preschoolers and Miss Turner.
Officer Safety: And don't forget the ABCs of safety... Always Be Careful.
The kids and Miss Turner clap.
Miss Turner: Alright, now if everyone would please line up, Officer Safety has something special for each of you.
The kids line up. The fireman holds a whistle on a string.
Officer Safety: With this safety whistle, I hereby deputize each of you as junior safety officers.
D.W. has a fantasy in which people blow fanfares and the fireman, now dressed as a king, puts a tiara on her head.
King Safety: I hereby dub you... Princess of Safety.
People: (cheer)
D.W. waves as the people throw roses.
King Safety: And to assist you, great princess, we present you with your very own... safety pony!
He points to a pony wearing a bicycle helmet and knee pads. It neighs.
People: (cheer)
D.W. hugs the pony.
The fantasy ends. The fireman hangs the whistle around D.W.'s neck.
Officer Safety: Remember, safety is everyone's responsibility.
D.W.: Don't worry, Officer Safety. You can count on me.
She salutes.
***
D.W. and her mom walk out of the library. Mrs. Read pushes Kate in a stroller.
D.W.: Mom, can I take my safety whistle when we go see Mary Moo Cow On Ice next week?
Mrs. Read: Sure. As long as you don't blow it.
D.W. sees a small boy starting to cross the street while his mom puts shopping bags in their car. She then blows her whistle.
D.W.: Mommy! That little boy isn't crossing the street at the intersection.
Mother: Matthew!
She stops the boy as a car passes by.
Mother: Oh, my goodness! Oh, my! Thank you so much for blowing that whistle. You may have saved his life.
D.W. and Mrs. Read smile. D.W. looks proudly at her whistle.
***
Arthur is working on a soap box car with Brain in the garage as his mom and sisters come home.
Arthur: D.W. ...a hero?
He drops a wrench on his foot.
Arthur: Ow! Agh! Ouch!
D.W.: I'm a junior safety officer now.
Mrs. Read: How's the car coming?
Arthur: Almost done.
Brain: It's been designed for maximum speed and calibrated for low wind resistance and surface friction.
D.W.: You call that a car? It looks more like a pile of junk on wheels.
Arthur: Who asked you?!
Mrs. Read: Arthur, D.W., please.
D.W. blows her whistle.
D.W.: Mom, that car is not safe. It doesn't have any seatbelts.
Arthur: What??
Mrs. Read: I hate to say it, Arthur, but D.W. has a point. It would probably be safer if you put some seat belts in it.
Arthur: But... we’re almost done!
Mrs. Read walks off with Kate.
Brain: She's right. The design probably could benefit from some sort of additional biomechanical restraint system.
D.W.: Better safe than sorry. That's what I always say. Gotta go. I'm heading out on patrol.
***
Arthur sits in the bathtub and makes two toy cars race around the rim.
Arthur: Oh, no, look at all those bubbles!
The cars “fall” into the water.
Arthur: Augh... Glug-glug-glug-glug.
He hears the whistle and D.W.'s voice from downstairs.
D.W.: Mom, Dad's cooking over a hot stove! He could get burned! Whistle. Dad, Mom's reading a magazine without gloves on! She could get a serious paper cut.
Arthur: Aw...
Whistle.
D.W.: Arthur! Pal just went down the stairs without holding on to the handrail.
Arthur: How could Pal use the handrail?? He doesn't even have hands!
D.W. comes in.
Arthur: Hey!
D.W.: Mom! Dad! Arthur is taking a bath without using a personal flotation device!
Mr.+Mrs. Read+Arthur: D.W.!
***
Arthur, Binky, Brain, Francine, Muffy and Fern are setting up dominoes on a table in the classroom.
Francine: D.W.'s turning into a safety monster.
Muffy: Yeah, yesterday she actually told me that long hair is a safety hazard.
Binky: I got in trouble just for saying hi to her. She said I shouldn't talk to strangers.
Arthur: Just once I'd like to catch her doing something wrong.
Brain: We could always follow her around and see if she does anything unsafe.
Arthur: Yeah! Then we can blow the whistle on her!
Binky starts the dominoes.
***
After school, Binky watches through binoculars as D.W. comes out of the house. He is holding a walkie talkie.
Binky: She's coming out the front door. Wait a minute. I think her shoe's unbuckled.
D.W. fastens her shoe.
Binky: Never mind. She noticed. She's coming your way, Francine.
D.W. walks down the street. Francine and Muffy sit in the Crosswire limousine which is stuffed with monitors. There are a camera and a satellite dish on the car roof.
Francine: We got her on visual.
Muffy: Look, she's skipping on the sidewalk without a helmet. That's not safe!
Francine: Muffy, you do that all the time.
Muffy: That's true. Look out!
D.W. stops skipping and looks at the limousine. Francine and Muffy duck.
D.W.: Hm.
She walks on. Francine talks into a walkie talkie.
Francine: Okay, Brain, I think she's coming towards you.
Brain stand on a box behind a high fence and uses a periscope.
Brain: I see her. This could be it. She's coming to an intersection. Stand by.
Arthur is hiding in a trashcan near the Tibbles' house.
Arthur: What is she doing?
Brain: Looks like she's stopping. She's coming towards you, Arthur. AAAH! Oof.
He falls off the box. Arthur sees D.W. coming towards him.
Arthur: I see her. Hey, you guys, this might be it. Hurry up and bring your whistles!
Francine and Muffy come out of the limousine. D.W. sees an ice-cream cone on the sidewalk.
D.W.: (hums)
She looks around, Binky, Francine and Muffy duck behind a corner.
Binky: Er...
D.W. picks up the cone.
D.W.: This could be dangerous.
She drops the cone in Arthur's trashcan and walks on.
Arthur: Yuck!
D.W. talks to Mrs. Tibble on the Tibbles' porch.
Mrs. Tibble: Hello, D.W. Come on in.
Arthur looks out of the trashcan with the ice-cream cone on his head. The others walk up to him.
Muffy: Nice hat, Arthur. It brings out your eyes.
Arthur: This isn't working! D.W. has turned into the safest person in Elwood City!
Brain and Binky help Arthur out of the can.
Francine: Well, at least she isn't going to be at the Ratburn Rally tomorrow.
Arthur: That would be terrible.
In his imagination, cars are standing at the starting line and Mr. Ratburn is about to fire a starting pistol.
Mr. Ratburn: On your mark, get set...
D.W. blows her whistle and uses a megaphone.
D.W.: Stop the race! This Ratburn Rally is way too dangerous. Remain calm. The authorities will make sure nobody gets hurt.
Two firetrucks arrive.
A while later, the cars are well padded and the drivers wear helmets. They give D.W. angry looks.
D.W.: Alright, you can go ahead now.
Mr. Ratburn fires a cork gun that gives a small 'pop'. The cars crawl along an almost even racetrack. Two snails keep up with them.
Snail: This is my kind of race.
D.W. shouts at them.
D.W.: You two, slow down!
The fantasy ends. The kids look horrified.
Arthur: Don't worry. She won't be there.
***
That evening, D.W. blows her whistle in the kitchen and points at a steaming pot. Mr. Read moves it while the others sit at the table.
Arthur: What do you mean you want me to take D.W. to the race?!
Mrs. Read: We'll meet you guys down there. We have to drop off Kate at Grandma Thora's first.
Arthur: Couldn't you get a baby-sitter or something? She's just gonna blow her whistle at everyone!
D.W.: Am not! Not unless someone who's not being safe.
Mr. Read serves pancakes.
Mr. Read: You have been getting a little carried away with your whistle, D.W.
D.W.: But I'm just doing what Officer Safety said to do.
Mrs. Read: He didn't mean for you to be a tattletale, D.W. He just wants you to let people know when someone's doing something dangerous. Okay?
D.W.: I guess.
Mr. Read: Good. Now, tomorrow, Arthur, you will take D.W. to the race. And D.W., you will not bother Arthur.
Arthur gives D.W. a stern look.
***
Arthur, Francine and Muffy put on their gear at the starting line. They notice D.W. with her whistle looking down the hill to the finish line.
Muffy: What is she doing here?
Francine: Are you nuts?! She'll ruin everything!
Arthur: Mom and Dad made me bring her.
Francine: Well, if I hear that whistle, she's gonna be one sorry little tattletale.
D.W.: Wow, that hill's kinda steep.
The other kids approach her.
Arthur: D.W.! Just go over there and sit down and stay out of our way.
D.W.: You're not the boss of me, Arthur Read. I can do whatever I want.
She walks off and stands by the edge of the hill. Mr. Ratburn steps up on a podium and uses a megaphone.
Mr. Ratburn: Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Ratburn Rally. It looks like we have quite a few creative cars here today. So, without further ado, let the races begin!
Crowd: (cheer)
Mr. Ratburn: Will the first two racers please approach the starting line?
D.W.: I can't see! How can I tell if people are safe if I can't see?
She sees a tall tree behind her and smiles. She starts climbing it. From midway up the tree she sees the first two racers starting. The first two racers reach the finish line.
Crowd: (cheer)
D.W. climbs higher and two other racers start. D.W. holds on to the tip of the tree which sways in the wind.
D.W.: Ah-aah!
The next two racers start. A wheel breaks off of one car.
Crowd: Ooh.
The damaged car comes to a stop without further damage.
Crowd: (relieved sigh)
D.W.: (gasps)
She drops her whistle.
D.W.: Arthur! Help!
Francine notices her.
Francine: Arthur, look, it's your sister!
Crowd: (gasp)
Arthur: D.W.?
D.W.: Help, I can't get down!
Arthur: Hang on, D.W.!
Muffy: I'll go get Mr. Ratburn.
D.W.: Arthur, I'm scared.
Arthur: Don't worry, we'll get you down. Muffy's gone for help. Just hang on! Don't move!
***
A short while later, the “Officer Safety” fireman is raised on a ladder and reaches D.W.
Officer Safety: You're quite a talented climber. What do you say we get you down to safety now.
He picks up D.W. and the ladder comes down.
Crowd: (cheer)
The fireman puts D.W. down and picks up the whistle. D.W. and Arthur hug.
Arthur: D.W., are you all right?
Officer Safety: You didn't by any chance drop this, did you?
D.W.: My whistle!
Officer Safety: Be safe, now.
The Read parents walk up to their kids.
Mr. Read: Hey, guys, what's all this commotion about?
Arthur: Oh, some girl got stuck up in the tree. It was no big deal.
Mrs. Read: I hope she's all right.
D.W.: It was me. (sniffs) I was the one in the tree. I knew I shouldn't have gone that high. But I did. I'm sorry.
Mrs. Read: Oh, D.W., are you okay? Why did you ever do something so dangerous?
Arthur: Well, it was my fault, too. I told her to go away.
Mrs. Read: You both know better. Thank goodness you're alright.
Mr. Ratburn: Next up, Arthur and the Brain versus Muffy and Francine.
Arthur: Uh-oh, I'm up!
Brain and Arthur and the girls get their cars in position. D.W. notices that Arthur's bicycle helmet is not fastened.
D.W.: (gasps)
She is about to blow her whistle, but then walks over to Arthur instead.
D.W.: Arthur! (whispers to him)
Arthur: Thanks. I almost forgot.
Mr. Ratburn lowers his flag and the race begins.
Crowd: (cheer)