 It's Hapalong Cassidy With action and suspense out of the Old West comes the most famous hero of them all Hapalong Cassidy star in William Boyd The ring of the silver spurs heralds the most amazing man ever to ride the prairies of the early West Hapalong Cassidy This famous hero thrills his 60 million fans with action and dangerous adventure In the role of Hapalong Cassidy is the popular star of the motion picture series William Boyd And now another exciting story of the early West the plague of Parsons folly Many miles north of the bar 20 in the cool rolling hills rim in the town of Parsons folly The trails are steep and treacherous and a man is grateful for a sure-footed pony Lest they both become dust among the wildflowers But the game is as wild as the flowers and just as plentiful and you couldn't find a better place for hunting this side of Africa Yeah, we might as well pitch camp here on this little no california. It'll be dark soon. It suits me Hoppy hey, look, ain't that a church down there in the gully? Elapidated old place must have belonged to the early settlers. Why don't you wrestle up some firewood while I unpack? Good idea. My stomach's been crying for help for three hours But we ate only four hours ago. My stomach's got a short memory. I'll get that firewood While you're over there, see if you can find a couple of big rocks. We can use them I don't think so those shots sound as if they came from that old church. We better have a look Sound and all this time. Yes. There's only one way to find who fired those shots Oh, what do you mean? I'll make a run to the door of the church and you cover me But hoppy whoever did the shooting is still inside. Sure ain't seen nobody leave. I'm tired of sitting it out In a hoppy way Sounds like trouble California. I'm coming. I'll let the force it Over here California Don't try to talk old hammer get me some water He's pretty bad shape lucky we came when we did Easy now mine The band in mine. Well, what's he saying? He's trying to tell us something in mine You follow what mine old-timer? What are you trying to say? Then on wall Go We'd better get him to a doctor right away Why do you suppose an old fella like this would want to go and shoot himself? I don't think he did California but hoppy he must have we heard the shots And we didn't see nobody come out of this church. Well if the old man did shoot himself He's the first person I ever saw shot himself in the back Now back to hop along Cassidy and the plague of possum's folly On a hunting trip pop along Cassidy in California Carlson find an old prospect your land wounded in a ramshackle church on the outskirts of possum's folly He shot through the back yet hoppy in California heard the shots and saw no one leave the church The old-timer mumbled something about a mine, but collapses before he can explain Hoppy in California carry the wounded man out to their horses and set out for town This road should take us into possum's folly, California Just hope the old fella can hold out that long. There is a house through there at clump of trees Maybe we could leave him there while one of us went in to fetch a doctor. That's a good idea See if we can find hey, I felt the wind of that You're right. It's an ambush quick make for those trees Hurry get the old man down. All right. Let's put him over there I Blow California, they can't see us in the dark. I know if one of them might be lucky Now there they go make sure scary easy Who'd you say was here? You don't have any holes in you. Do you just in my stomach? Remember we ain't that yes Leaping bullfrogs a woman. Yeah, I never cross a woman with a gun, California I'm hop along Cassidy. This is my partner California Carlson. We were ambushed and took cover in these trees You all right. Yeah, but we have a wounded man with us. Who is a we don't know Why it's old sweet He lives in that abandoned church on the hill right back of my house. We found him there a few minutes ago He shot pretty bad. Well, then bring him up to my house and we'll make him comfortable By the way, my name's Martin folks around here. Call me the widow Martin leads to meet you miss Martin Give me a hand Understand why anybody want to shoot old speed He's a little soft in the head Nobody but a fool waste time in that old mine. What's mine, Mrs. Martin? Why ain't you hear the story of Parsons folly? Seems years ago a person named Billings settled here with his flock. They built that little church world sweet lives Yeah One day the person discovered what he thought was gold what happened go rush that in not right away The past minutes flock dug and dug and dug they even went underground and dug their way through the hills They found their gold. All right Fool gold was at the end of them soon after that They split up and the flock formed this town and named it Parsons folly the Parsons stayed up there in the church until he died Well, here's a kitchen There's a bedroom right off the kitchen put all sweet in there You folks make him comfortable. I'll go into town for the doc. Don't take too long hoppy remember We still ain't had any villas. Why you poor man? Why didn't you say so? Well, I just did I'll fix you something right away I bake some pies this afternoon. Do you like apple apple pie if I'm dreaming don't nobody wake me up Who's the sheriff in Parsons folly Connors if you can call a man who's afraid of his own shadow sheriff What do you want him for I'd better have a talk with him whoever drag ghost us out there may want to return and finish the job So that's the story sheriff we took old sweet into the widow martins house, then I came in for a doctor He's on his way out there right now Dad come at why do people have to kick up trouble? Well, this could be a fine job of people wasn't always robbing and killing each other Seems to me as a sheriff's job to deal with such people Well, they elected me before this gang started causing all the trouble. What gang is it? Who knows? They swoop down out of know where's robbing banks and stores and innocent people and Shooting anybody tries to stop them. Hmm. We tailed them a couple of times, but they got away from us Just seemed to vanish into thin air in the thin air Very interesting Yeah, why didn't they elect some other poor sucker sheriff for this town? Then I could tend to my pigeons in peace. Did you say pigeons? Yes, what is it? Thank goodness now, please be briefed down. I will share of my name is Alice Willingham. This is my husband Timothy Howdy and meet mr. Cassidy We came in on the stage tonight, we've been riding for weeks we came from Boston, Massachusetts Oh beastly ride simply beastly Mr. Willingham isn't used to this sort of thing. He's from England Yeah, well if you folks will kindly state your business of course Some weeks ago. I received an urgent letter from my uncle Ben Hansen. He's a prospector here Said he'd made a strike a silver strike Hansen Don't believe I know of anybody by that name dear The hotel they said you might be able to help me you see uncle Ben is very old as I am his only living relative He wanted me to share his good fortune. He sent me a map of his mind. See here. It's called Parsons folly Excuse me sheriff. Mrs. Willingham. Do you know if your uncle is known by any other name nickname perhaps? Why yes, as a matter of fact. He is you see the family was Swedish. I believe they call uncle Ben old sweet Old sweet. Yes, then you do know him sheriff By what's the matter you look so strange? Well fact is ma'am You and you tell her Cassidy. We do know your uncle Mrs. Willingham. He's had an accident quite a bad one and Accident you may as well have the truth. He was shot shot. Oh, how dreadful. I say who was the blighter who did it? We don't know that but we hope to find out I sent a doctor on a head We were about to leave when you came in you'd probably like to come with us. Yes. Yes, we would thank you If you'll just wait outside. We'll be right with you come my dear Tim Sheriff was there a stage that came in the parson's folly tonight, of course there was And chair mrs. Willingham say to come in on it, then I guess you're telling the truth Hey, what do you hint in that Cassidy? Nothing sheriff just asking. Well, if you're ready, let's go out to the widow martins I'm sorry mrs. Willingham. We all are I wish they'd been able to get here in time The doc did all he could for him hoppy. It's one of that gang's been causing all the trouble now You mark my words. They're the plague of parson's folly. Somehow they must have found out about uncle Ben's strike Why else would anybody want to shoot him? What was that about a strike? The old gentleman sent my wife a letter and closing a map of a deserted mine Seems he'd had a jolly bit of luck in the John Silver in it in parson's folly. Oh Impossible. Yeah, that's what I told him to witty, but mrs. Williams got the map I'm going to look into it first thing in the morning This year a deserted church gives me the heebie-jeebies what we have to come up here first Just call it a hunch. Oh you and your hunches. Let's see. Oh, sweet was land right about here Now do you recall what he said to us something about a mine? They ban in mine. He said whatever that means. There was something else, too Something about a rifle on the wall. You see a rifle on the wall rifle. I can't even see the wall What is it? There it is and this feels like a rifle to hand it to me. Will you it's resting on these pegs here you be What's that noise? California step back the floor is rising what in tarnation see that whole section there is rising There must be some kind of a mechanism connected to those pegs on the wall When you lift the rival off the floor started to come up Puffy someone's coming a whole gang of them quick put that rifle back on those pegs. Yeah What are we gonna do what the folks usually do in a church pray Now back to hop along Cassidy and the plague of Parsons folly Bright and early the following morning hoppy in California ride into Parsons folly to pay a visit to Sheriff Connors But I tell you sheriff I'm sure it's the gang that's been causing all the trouble around here the one that killed old swede We hid behind the pulpit and they went into that trap door. They've been using that old mine as their hiding place Oh, maybe Cassidy. I admit looks suspicious, but we don't want to rush into things make a mistake sheriff Began to look to me as if you don't want to catch that gang. That's mighty strong talk Cassidy That's nothing the talk that's going around town People are wondering if maybe it isn't time they had a new sheriff wouldn't hurt my feelings nothing and I'd have more time from a pigeon Putting an end to this gang is a lot more important than pigeons. You don't tend to do anything about it. We'll have to go our own way Come on California. Good luck Cassidy to get into any real trouble. Let me know The winner sure was right when she said that fella was appeared of his own shatter Why are we going now hoppy back to that mine? We're gonna make sure of our story and if we're right. We'll come back here and organize the whole town into action I reckon they've all taken off again hoppy horses was tied off out of sight in that ravine By the look of all these hoof prints some of their pals must have joined them last night after we left Yeah, all I'm hoping is that they stay gone step back California when I take down the rifle There she comes Took a man-sized brain to figure that one out. Yeah Carson must not have been so local after all All right, California. Let's go. Yeah, hoppy I was wondering if maybe you wanted me to take a ride down to the winters for some food She had a haul pantry full of them pies. It's no use, California We're going down here together But the winters places only down to the foot of the hill the empires sure are delicious. I'm not hungry. Yeah I'm sort of losing my appetite too Let's go dark down here dark as night Maybe I should go back for some candles. I brought some yeah have one. Hmm. Think of everything. Don't you? Yeah Look at those giant pulleys That explains how the floor goes up and down balance for those weights over there. Yeah Look at these footprints the ones here in the center of the tunnel. Oh, what about them? These weren't made by boots Are made by city shoes kind of an Easterner might wear Easterner. See what about that English-talking critter? We met last night willing him. Yeah And look at these other prints made by a woman's shoes his wife That settles it But how would they know about this tunnel? They just come in last night. So they said let's move on Better do as the man says California Now March straight ahead and no tricks You Might have known this would happen coming down into this hole sure and thanks. I hoped it would happen You want to stop mumbling you to keep walking? Sort of expected something like this. We knew somebody'd been nosing around last night The rifle on the wall of the church was the opposite way from how we've left Boys are more clever than I gave you credit for are you the head man? You'll meet the boss Is he expecting us stop asking questions keep walking all right now turn right into that cross-cut Looks like a room She hobby look at this will you? Not bad right cozy down here Looks like everybody has come to the party if it ain't mr. And mrs. Willingham. Oh, mr. Cassidy I'm so glad to see you are you see here. What do you mean by that? We're being held prisoner. How you know No, it's a matter of fact. I didn't know don't exactly see no ropes. You're holding you cut the jabberin I really give you something to squawk about what are you going to do with us? We've got some real interesting plan the same kind of plans you had for old Sweden maybe then you admit you killed my uncle Now if this ain't a sight hop along Cassidy looking as stupid as that rabbit-eared Pally now Oh, she figured can you Cassidy don't know if this dame and the limie are in on the deal or not Oh, I've gotten that far. All right. They aren't the type to crawl with a snake like you better watch you Yeah, that's better. I wish I'd never heard of the silver mine silver What silver mine do they have your map mrs. Willingham? Of course they do they took it from me last night What are you talking about? I don't know nothing about no map the man's lying. They took the map first thing You're crazy. I never even heard of it. Are you sure might be a good idea. That's the boss Maybe I would And you're coming along all of you we've got plans for you I don't like the way he keeps a shame that Cassidy you and your partner stand over there. I can keep an eye on sure We wouldn't want to leave now the party's just getting started be quiet You just let the embassy here of this my proud fellow They'll jolly world deal with you. Yeah, well, I'll run right out the center of an invitation Now you took it over there with Cassidy in this partner. We're going calling I got a hair trigger, so let's be careful about any false moves. Thank heavens. We're out of that dungeon. We've been like this Alice run for it. Hey, come back here. You won't catch me Rush him hoppy. Oh, you don't get back to all of you now line up life against that wall We'll find them in a few days if the rats don't eat them first nobody gets far through these cross cuts Now get going through that door down that hall Why the fancy arrangement did the boss plan this we all planned hey, who is this boss anyhow? When do we meet him? I know who it is last night shut up all of you up them stairs And I sure hope we get to where we're going soon. I'm plumb tuckered Through that door the boss is waiting If I have to open another door Hoppy look the stairs brought us up into a house. Howdy folks. This is a pleasant surprise Surprise, Mrs. Martin. Well, maybe I was expecting guests after all Fry my hide and snake greets the winner. It's like I said California never cross a woman with a gun You should have followed your own advice. Mr. Cassidy Where's the other one Fred? You run out the coward, but he won't get far Now I've got one to ask you Where's the map you took from the girl map? Well, I don't know what you mean Oh, no, she said there was a map belong to the old man map of a silver mine She knows about it right after the sheriff left She turned on us with a gun and snatched away the map that right with her well I know the boys are waiting down by the road for you and me to join him They'll be mighty interested to know you tried to double cross them Now look Fred, there's no use to get all excited you and I could make a deal. Yes just between ourselves Nothing doing. I ain't no double crosser But I know how to handle double crosses whether it's the boss or not What do you think you're gonna do? I don't have the map. I hid it way and never find it I am well, that won't stop me from dealing with you You planned a housewarming for these people after which we was gonna pull up stakes from this place Or me and the boys are still gonna leave only you're staying behind. No Fred. He wouldn't dare. I wouldn't huh? You just watch me now turn around all of you march into that bedroom friend You can't do this listen to me. I've listened to you long enough I'm tired having a woman tell me what to do from now on. I'm running things I get moving If it ain't too personal a question where in Tarnation are we going now into that bedroom? It's gonna be a house for me. He's gonna burn us. He'll set fire to the house and we'll be burned alive It's your idea with only you didn't expect to be in on this end of it, huh? Now get over there on the side of the room. Mr. Cassidy, isn't there anything we can do that six gun gives him a slight advantage That's right Cassidy and the winner can tell you it won't do any good to try to get out through the window She made sure it was boarded good and solid for just this purpose Fred I'll tell you where the map is you and the boys can have the silver I won't ask any share only. Don't leave me to burn to death Fred. Please too late with it We got all we need from our share of the loot without you to be even more. Oh, no, no Fred you can't I'm shutting this door now and locking it. It's a good strong lot too Any last words? Yeah You will end up in a lot hotter place than this before you're through You remember that in about two minutes Cassidy when the flames start burning your boots So long with us have a hot old time Ha ha ha Now back to hop along Cassidy Well, there must be something we can break through It's all solid to tell you these bricks here Don't pull them out. That's the oven in the kitchen. The flames with bread in here The oven has a chimney doesn't it? Oh, what are you thinking? I'd rather fry quick than roast slow But the flames are licking up the chimney Maybe I can't but I'll sure try Help me quick. They can't do this. We'll all die breathing fire I'm glad Kim got away. Just a little larger now. You can't climb into that. Give me a boot. Give me that rope there Hoppy hoppy. You'll never make it Feel better now Cassidy. Oh, sure. I'm all right. Gosh during your sure headers worried hoppy thought you'd never come around I do feel a little like a schoolgirl having to ask but What happened? Well, you'd pull down to set the chimney by the time the sheriff and I rode up And then you collapsed on the roof. Your pal here carried you down. Well, thanks for saving my neck, California And don't say it was nothing. I like my neck. Oh shiucks I went back into the house for three more rescue trips after that three more Well, there weren't that many people people heck I was rescuing them pies Tim got Alice the sheriff took the widow and I took three apple and two berry. How about a bite? I say he's rigidly common in emergency. What? Uh polite way of saying you're crazy, California Well, it was those pies that first made me suspicious of the widow I couldn't help wondering why she was doing all that baking. Hey, this ain't very good. What's the matter? And these apples taste like paper Let me see that Why why it's the map you found it. It was hidden in the pie. Well, I'll be horn swaddled Ha ha. I'm highly glad we stopped you, California. Huh? Otherwise you'd be known as the man who ate a fortune in pies Goodbye from hop along Cassidy We hope you'll be back with us soon when hoppy will again bring you more adventure and excitement Hop along Cassidy star in William Boyd is transcribed and produced in the west by Walter white jr The plague of Parsons folly was written by Howard Swart All stories are based upon the characters created by Clarence E. Mulford. This is a Commodore production