 of dust in the heart of Ohio Silver, the Lone Ranger. With his faithful Indian companion taught all, the daring and resourceful mask rider of the plains led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. Nowhere in the pages of history can one find a greater champion of justice. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From all the past, come a thundering hoopbeats of the great horse Silver, the Lone Ranger rides again. Lone Silver, let's go, Victor! I'm Silver! Dan Reed, the Lone Ranger's nephew, had ridden into the town of Eastville to buy supplies. Returning to camp a short time later, he was visibly excited as he reigned Victor to a halt. Whoa, move, Victor! Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Made a fast trip, Dan. Quick as I could, easy boy. Golly. Anything wrong? No, but I sure got some important news. Well, that's so. Did you get supplies? Sure. They're in the saddlebags. Here. You take them, Dan. Thanks, Tanner. Now, what's the important news? There's a circus playing in Eastville. It's not a very big one, but it's got real acrobats and clowns and trick riders, and there's one of those handbills that tells about it right here. Oh, let me see. One day only, the mighty monarch circus visits Eastville. See, death-defying acrobats, funny clowns, feats of daring horsemanship. Hundreds of other unusual attractions too numerous to mention. Come one, come all. Two complete performances afternoon and evening. Don't you think that's important? Yes, it is, Dan. And if it weren't for the fact that I'm going to be busy repairing saddle gear this afternoon, I'd like to see the mighty monarch circus. Oh, you're going to be busy? Yes, but you aren't. It is Tonto. So I'd suggest that both of you head for Eastville right now. Oh, Golly, did you hear that, Tonto? That's pretty good. Here, Dan. You'll need some money. Gee, thanks. I sure wish you were going with us. I'd like to go, Dan. That's impossible, so I'll do the next best thing. Hope that you remember everything that happens. Tell me all about it when you get back. Golly, don't worry, I'll remember. Ready, Tonto? We settle up right away. Although it was small compared to many other traveling circuses, the mighty monarch made up in spirit for what it lacked in size. The main tent was crowded and the afternoon performance had just started when Dan and Tonto arrived. They found seats overlooking the big sawdust ring and prepared to enjoy themselves. Gee, Tonto, I wonder what's going to happen next? I mean, I know. Big feller and ring, him make top. Going to slide down the wire hanging by his teeth. I never saw so many palominos at one time. Look at their long mains and tails, Tonto. Only the music is made with a lot of steam whistles. They're marching around the ring. They're marching to a breast and they're really keeping time with the music. Two separate circles, one inside the other. They've all spread out. They've turned and they're all heading for the Calliope. All standing up on their hind legs. It's the best one I've ever seen. Gee, I wonder who trained them to do all those things. How'd you like the circus, Joe? Great. A macro-batch or pre-vance. Well, I like the horses. Yeah, wish I could teach Mike how to use a few tricks like that. That's cool, baby. Gee, Tonto, I sure had a swell time, didn't you? I bet those palominos are the smartest trick horses in the whole world. You like them better than Victor, your horse? Gee, no. I wouldn't trade Victor for anything. I mean, I like the tricks the circus horses did. See, where'd we leave Scott and Victor hitched? In trees behind Big Tent. Oh, sure, I remember now. We came by this little tent right here. Must be where the circus people change clothes. We'll see about that. Look, Tonto, it's the boy who plays the Calliope, and that big fella's the ringman. You're supposed to do anything I tell you. Right now, I'm telling you to get over to the cook tent and go to work. Savvy, maybe a few cuts with his whip will change your mind. Tonto, he's using a horse whip. Let me stop him. Move along, engine. Mind your own business. That's it, Tonto. Good work. Gee, you knocked him cold. I didn't see... What'd you two come from? From the main tent. We've been watching the show. Why was he using that whip on you? He was trying to make me work in the cook tent between shows. He's a ringmaster. I know. You play the Calliope for the trick horses, don't you? That's right. I sure appreciate what you did, engine. But both of you had better get away from here quick. If he comes too, he'll start yelling, hey, Rube. Hey, Rube? What's that? Well, it's what circus folks yell when they want help in a fight. No sense in you battling about 50. Ross, about a system, my account. I'll be all right. Well, Tonto and I were on our way back to camp. My horses are hitched right over there in those trees. I'll walk over that way with you. Good chance for me to make myself scarce until time for the evening show. All right. Your name's Horace Taylor, isn't it? Yeah. I'm Dan Reed, and this is Tonto. Oh, I'm glad to know both of you. Tonto's got the greatest right-hand punch I've ever seen. He's just as good with his left. We sure enjoyed the circus, especially your act with the horses. Thanks. And the way you play that Calliope, I bet it took a long time to learn. Oh, not so long. See, I used to take piano lessons. Calli, you're the first real musician I've ever known. I'm not a real musician. I had any real talent. I wouldn't be trooping to the small-time circus out here in the West. Well, I don't see anything wrong with that. Well, don't misunderstand me. I like this part of the country. It's my home. When I left here three years ago, I didn't expect to come back like this. What do you mean? Don't your mother and dad are folks? Folks are dead. I was raised by my uncle Frank. He owns the Clover League franchise. It's five miles west of here. I've seen that brand, Clover League, on a lot of range stuff. Oh, it's a big ranch. I'd like to live there, but... Well, I wanted to take piano lessons, and that made my uncle mad. Gee. He wouldn't have a piano in the house, so I'd sneak over to the neighbor's place. She gave me lessons and let me practice. Did your uncle Frank find out about it? Sure. He said I'd have to either give it up or get out and make my own living. So you... I thought I was a great musician. I went back east, until I landed this job at the circus. No good at music, and never will be. Maybe you can go back home to the Clover League, I mean. Oh, no. Uncle Frank wouldn't let me set foot on the place. No chance of that. Horses! Horses! Golly, that sounds like the ringmaster. Oh, it is. I can't let him find me now, especially with you. After your engine, friend. I'll cut over to the left and you straddle your horses. We're not afraid of them, horse. You don't have to... You can save argument and trouble. Thanks again for what you did. Well, maybe I'll see you again sometime. Gee. I thought Horses' job would be a lot of fun. I guess I was wrong. Ah, young fellow, have plenty trouble. Steady. Steady. If I were a horse, I wouldn't stay with the circus five minutes. Well, better we head for camp now, Dan. The sky looked plenty black. Maybe rain come quick. Gee, you're right, and I don't want to get caught in a storm. Come on, Victor! Get him up, Scout! Frank Taylor, owner of the Clover League, was a hard-bitten old-time cattle rancher. He'd homestown his land and, through the years, had built it into one of the finest ranches in Antelope Basin. He paid high wages to his cowhands. In return, he demanded hard work. Perhaps that was the reason Duke Hewlett, the foreman, and Sash Willis, resented their employer's success. Hi, D. Oh, Sash. Storming outside ain't it? I got soaked to the skin riding back from Eastville. Look. Now, lay to five. The old man will be down here to the bunkhouse pretty soon. Yellen, he wants his herd of prize-herford cows brought back to the barn. Not me. I ain't playing nurse maid to a lot of cow critters in a night like this. A little rain won't hurt them, Herford. It'll hurt the longhorns. There's a lot of difference. Herford's a prize stock worth plenty of money. You want him, he's back to the barn. Aw, he's local. Ain't got any business trying to raise fancy cows anyway. Why don't he stick to longhorns like everybody else? I don't know. I'd like to have the cash that it hurt itself for. Say, Deke, guess who I saw at the circus in Eastville? Ah, what do I care who's in this circus? Oh, the old man's nephew. Remember Horace? The kid he booted out of here about three years ago? Well, Horace is playing one of them steam pianos with a circus. It's about all that spindly leg critter it'd be good for if he didn't. I don't know what he's looking around here for. Can't you hear that rain? Sure, boss. Get the crew together. Right now for the South Range. And Herford's stuck grazing over there. Can't stand with her like these. Bring him in. Well, the boys don't like that. I don't care what they like. I'm right with you. Let's get started. All right, boys. Skin into your barn. Show us the satellite. Then make it fast. These storms get worse all the time. It's really raining now. Yes, Dan. I'm afraid we made a mistake pitching camp out here on the flats. I'm sure they'll be getting a leak. Maybe better we arrive west to mountain lightning caves for camp. That's a good idea. Tonto, we'll... What's the matter? Listen. Ah. They've heard a cattle head this way. Crane cross creek when you're here. I know. The Adelove Creek's at flood stage now. Can't be forwarded. Ah. Maybe Puller, who heard cows, not know. Them come plenty fast. Well, we've got to stop them before they reach the creek. Here, Silver. Come, Scout. Wait, I'll get picked. No, Dan. Send a big puller. You wait here and keep the fire going. They need it when we get back. All right. Come on, Silver. Come on, Scout. Whenever there's any real excitement, we'll stay behind. The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone Ranger story. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue our story. Urging their horses forward through sheets of driving rain, the Lone Ranger and Tonto were soon abreast of the racing cattle. Here's a Hurford's tunnel. It won't be hard to handle. Ah. Right close to the leaders. Here's your guns. I'll do the same thing. Ah. Boys will make them swing east before they reach the creek. Let's go. One, two, three. Down. That's enough. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho. Hey, what's the idea, you crickets? Cattle's straight for Antelope Creek. They wanted to help you avoid it. Avoid it? Listen, those Hurford's belong to me. I'll afford any creek in my mind. They wouldn't. Oh, I'm amazed. The creek's an engine. Antelope Creek can't be forwarded now by you or anyone else. There must have been a cloud burst in the mountains this afternoon. The creek's at least six feet deep. Six feet? Sash. Sash, Willis. Yeah, boss? I thought you told me it wasn't when I wrote back from Eastville. You lame brain, half-witty. Geek. Yeah? Train your crew. Get those cows across the north region into the cloverleaf barn. Right. Take that, and we'll head to Sash, Willis, with you. Hadn't been for these smashes out on this engine. Pardon me. My whole herd would have piled up in the creek. Now, come on, Sash. Yeah. Ha! Hey, what a thank you, stranger. One, two, three. What's going on? What's going on? The engine has come through for 40 odd years. I've never seen our lutes like them before. Get in there. The rainstorm lasted for three days and nights. It forced the Lone Ranger, Dan and Tonto, to seek shelter in a mountain cave west of Antelope Basin. It caused Frank Taylor to curse the weather that kept his prize-herford stock from feeding on the open range. It forced the long wagon train of the mighty monarch circus to become hopelessly bogged down on a muddy trail just outside Eastville. Most of the circus drivers, tenders and rostabouts, exited their wagons and disappeared. Horace watched the Palomino Horses nozzle their empty feed bags, and he decided to visit his Uncle Frank. I didn't come back to stay, Uncle Frank. I came to ask you a favor. Begin, eh? Now that you've let that tanner play and make a tramp out of you, you want something? Well, not for myself. The 16 Palomino Horses were the circus. They hadn't been fed for three days because we're broke. What do you want from me? I want enough hay and grain to feed them. The trail will dry out now that it's stopped raining, and when we get to the next town and make some money, I'll send you cash for the feed bill. We live all the dead, blimmed nerve. The piano playing pipsqueak like you asking for it. All right. Sorry I asked you, Uncle Frank. Now, wait a minute. I won't sit by and see any animals starved to death. Well, you mean you can... Go down to the bar and see Dick, my foreman. Tell him to load some grain and hay into one of the wagons and drive you to wherever you're broken down circus your strategy. Oh, gee, thanks, Uncle Frank. I'll... I'm not doing it for you. I haven't changed my mind about you or the piano. Get out of here. We're going into Eastville and back early this morning, Den. Yeah, I thought I heard him dismount just after daybreak. Guess I must have been half asleep. You were. You went after supplies. See, we'll have to stay here in this new camp for a few days until our gear dries out. It's better than sleeping in the cave. Golly, yes. That sure was some storm. I'll bet the trail's awful muddy, isn't it, Tano? Oh, it plenty bad. Me past circus wagons, them all bogged down at the bottom of a hill. Gee, that's too bad. Uh, me hear men in town make talk. Them say ringmaster and circus run away. Take all money. Golly, I knew he was a crook. I wish it socked him harder, Tano. Well, evidently, the circus is stranded. I wonder what Horace is doing. He's had so many tough breaks already. Oh, just going to suggest something, Den. Why don't you ride over the circus wagons and invite Horace to camp with us for a few days? That's a great idea. Shall I go right away? I think you'd better wait till this afternoon. The mud on the trail will be dried out by that time. Sure. Then Horace and I can ride back in time for supper. Oh, okay. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Hi, Horace. Hi, Dan. I came to invite you to our camp for a few days. You can live there and still ride over here to take care of the horses. How about it? Well, thanks. Gosh, that's mighty nice over there. Come on, saddle up. It's almost dark. We'll get back to camp in time for supper. I'll have to put out the fire in the Cliope boiler. I kept the steam up so I could sit by the boiler and keep warm. Walk over there with me, Dan. Sure. Here comes the kid, Deke. There's another sprout with him. They're doing too much. Yeah. Grab him! Horace, Deke, kill it! You're Uncle Frank's foreman! What's the idea of this? Shut up, Mike. You two kids keep your trap shut and you won't get hurt. Otherwise... Otherwise what? We'll cool you off like we did those armies who were playing poker. An axe handle over their head. You want some? No, all right. Get some rope with a tie him up and I'll call the rest of the boys. How can I? Oh, don't worry. I don't think either one of them wants to stop and he led. Are you sure brave with a gun in your hand? Shut up. Get the ropes, Ash. Yeah. What we're gonna do, take the saddles off the horse you rode over here and each of you take one of them palominos over there at that picket line. Hurry up! All right, man. I still know, shall we? It's simple. We head for the South Range and herd every one of the old man's herford cowed critters through the Antelope Gap. There's a cinch to get him to Mexico and a cash buyer. Sure, but... Well, we heard him that way. We've got to pass within a quarter mile of Eastville. Somebody sure to spot us. You can't move 200-head of stock without being... That's why we're using the circus horses. They'll be recognized. Who gets blamed for the rustling? A lot of saddle tramps are used to work for the circus. Now, Deke, I gotta admit, you figured it out. Are you guys ready to ride? All right. Scramble one of these coyotes of sash. Yeah. Yeah. Come on. Do you hear that, Dan? They've been arrested by Uncle Frank's prize stock. Yeah, I know. There's no way we can stop them either. They're tied up like this lying on the bottom of a wagon. Our only hope is that my friends will wonder why we didn't show up at camp. It seemed like a year to Dan and Horace Taylor. Actually, less than an hour went by before they heard hook beats approaching the deserted circus wagons. Over here. We're over here in the wagon. Dan. We're tied up over here, both of us. Now, what happened? Help me with these ropes, hon. Thanks. Thanks a lot. You were in a mess. Never mind that, Horace. Tell them about Deke Huler, your uncle's crooked foreman, and what he's doing. There. What do you mean, Dan? A lot of cow punchers. They came over here to steal the Palomino horses. They're using them to help Russell, Mr. Taylor's, Herford Cattle, and it's the same stock that you... What's the idea of stealing circus horses to do it? So if anybody sees him, the circus will be blamed. Horace and I heard Deke and another man plan the whole thing. Let's see. Maybe we can stop them. I don't think so. There's 18 or 20 cow punchers and all carrying guns. They are outnumbered. There's no time to ride to Eastville and get the sheriff. I mean, they had a head start, so I guess I'll get away with it. The horses they stole. Horace, are they the same Palominos you used in the act Dan told me about? Well, yes, but... Good. And we may be able to do something. A long shop, but it's worth trying. What do you mean? The first thing to do is build a fire and the boil of your steam calliope. Well, there is a fire there now, horses. And we're in luck. The draft horses here are the ones you used to pull the calliope. I'm sure they are. Deke wasn't interested in stealing them. Come on. We'll have to work fast. I don't understand. I'll explain as we go along. Right now, we've got to hitch up the calliope and start driving toward your Uncle South Range. Dick Hewlett's rustling job was almost a success. Almost. Because neither Deke nor any of his cow punchers saw a steam calliope pulled by two heavy draft horses and flanked by a masked man on an Indian approaching in the darkness. Suddenly, the night air was split by the strangest sound ever to echo through antelope basins. Eighteen cow punchers discovered they couldn't control their Palamino horses. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. That's easy. Hey! What's that, what's that? It's the music contraption of the circus. I don't know how it got up here, but this critter I'm riding I can't hold him. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh, oh. Ah, good horse. Keep playing. It's not too long before every horse will throw his rider. Oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, silver homework. Oh, good. Easy big fella. Well, raise your hands, all of you. I'll shoot the first man who goes for a gun. What's that mask on, Bray? You're not seriously hurt. Anyone else want to try the same thing? All right, Toto, you and Dan ride into Eastville and bring the sheriff. Horses now keep these men covered until you get back. They do it. Ready, Dan? Get along with him. Gosh, I still can't believe this really happened. It couldn't have happened, Horace. Not a boy like you to train some circus horses Shoot the horse, I'm proud of you. He saved every one of my cows, gave the sheriff enough evidence to put their crook-deak in jail, in Hollywood's Scallowhead crew, too. I didn't do anything like a frank. Well, yes, you trained those horses, didn't you? You played the club, eh? Yeah, but it was a masked man who figured out that those horses would always respond to a music cue. Yeah, that reminds me. It was if you did sit on traveling to the circus, I am sure like to have you back here with me at the club. Gosh, it's nothing I'd like better. And you can have one of them pianos in every dead-blame room in the house. You know, I've been a stubborn old fool, John. I'm sorry. Will you forgive me? There's nothing to forgive, Uncle Frank. It's just a debt of thanks that we can never repay. Yes. What do you mean, Horace? To the Lone Ranger. Before you have just heard, there's a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.