 With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the mask rider of the plains led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. The stories of his strength and courage, his daring and resourcefulness have come down to us through the generations. And 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 out of the past in the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver, the Lone Ranger rides again. Come on Silver, very big fellow, come on Silver! It was almost noon and the sun was hotter than Ridge Lawton liked it to be. Ridge pulled a grammy bandana from his hip pocket and wiped the perspiration from his face and neck and tried to ease himself farther back in the shade than a woodshed. Hey Freddy, there'll be enough for now I guess. It's too hot to be working in the sun. Come on over here and rest a spell. I don't mind the heat, Uncle Ridge. Besides, I like the split wood. It's good exercise. You like the exercise? Sure. Great lad, Freddy is, mighty fine youngster. Kind of reminds me of myself when I was that age. Better knock off there and rest a spell, boy. Come on over and sit here in the shade. I was reading the book last week about Abe Lincoln. Did you know that he used to be a rail splitter? Who'd you say? Abe Lincoln. His real name's Abraham, but I guess everybody calls him Abe. Oh, Abraham, why'd you say so? They say he's so honest some folks call him Honest Abe. That's right. Good old Honest Abe. He was awful strong. I guess that come from splitting fence rails back in Illinois. One time he got in a wrestling match with a smart Alec fella and threw him clear out in the street. Of course that was before they made him president of the whole United States. After he got to be president he couldn't go around getting into wrestling matches and such. Oh, I ain't so sure about that. I recall one time old Honest Abe said to me, he said, Ridge always call me Ridge when a fella sees a job that has to be done. Jiminy, I never knew that you knew President Lincoln. Oh, sure, sure. I guess I just never thought to mention it to you. Was that why you were a United States Marshal back in Missouri? Yeah, seems like it was about that time. Of course in them days me and Abe had to work together lots of times. You mean catching outlaws and such? Well, sort of in a way. Of course Abe never took none of the risk like me. He was a lawyer, see. I know. It was my job to go round up the killers and train robbers and such like and bring him into town. Old Abe, he'd speak a piece out of his law books and I'd haul him away to prison. Yeah, but if you were the United States Marshal in Missouri and Mr. Lincoln was a lawyer in Illinois, I don't... Well, I'd say it wasn't that you're right, Melissa, I just heard. I didn't hear nothing. Well, I did. Reckon she's calling us to come in for dinner. Here, I'll put the axe away and you can lug that kindling into the wood box. That afternoon in the small town of Red Star, young Freddie Lawton was retelling the sterling adventures of his great Uncle Ridge. Yes, sir. And that is it all, Mr. Stanley. Uncle Ridge used to be a United States Marshal back in Missouri. Did you know that? Uh-huh. Uncle Ridge must have sure been a rips Norton Badge told her in them days, Freddie. At least from the way he tells it. What's so rough and ready, Ridge, been up to now, young one? You just better learn to show more respect for my Uncle Ridge, Pudgy Baker. Someday he's gonna come... Yeah, he's gonna come down here and skin me alive, huh? Just like he fought them 27 engines with his bare hands when he was special agent for the Union Pacific back in Kansas. Yeah, a lot you know about fighting, I'll bet. I'll bet you'd run if you saw just one engine. You better tell that warless phase uncle of yours to stop lyin' so much, else he won't never go to heaven, see? Don't you call my uncle a liar? You all outlaw? Dear, you're fresh breath. Now watch your language for a box of ears for ya. Let me go. I'll kick you right in the shins. Blast your height out. Turn me loose. Let the kid loose, Pudgy. Stop teasing. Yeah, well, I'll show this kid some manners. You... you let boy go pronto. Oh, sure. Sure engine. Maybe you'd like to take his place, huh? He not lookin' for trouble. Well, I am, seein' I'm mad. There's just one thing I hate worse than the red skin, that's a nosy red skin. Later we come back, get groceries. All right. Just a minute, you? You take hands off Pronto. Who are you? Yeah, now maybe next time you keep your nose out of my business. You ask for trouble and now you get trouble. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Golly, Pronto. You sure gave him an awful pasting. Where'd you learn to use your mitts like that, engine? Huh, me have plenty good teacher. You sure did all right. I'll bet even Uncle Ridge couldn't have done better. Yeah, look, Freddie. When you go home, you tell Ridge to come down here. Tell him I want to see him, you hear? All right. Where do you live, Freddie? With my aunt and uncle. About four miles west of here. Is your uncle a farmer? He used to be a lawman. But he isn't anymore. Well, he's what you might call retired. Yeah, and he's what you might call lazy. Huh? Oh, nothing. You just tell Ridge I want to see him next time he gets to town. Pronto and I are riding west as soon as we get some provisions, Freddie. If you'd like, you can travel with us. Sure. And if you want, you can stop at our place and meet my uncle. Oh, who are you? Well, I tell him what Pronto done to a pudgy baker. Oh, who bit you? Freddie, what kept you so long? Who's your friends, eh? This is Dan Reed. And this is Tonneau. This is my uncle Ridge I was telling you about. How are you doing? Boy, oh boy, you should have been down a Stanley store and seen what Tonneau did to a pudgy baker. What happened? Uh, pudgy was blown off steam and he called you a big old liar. He did? Yeah, and then I got mad and kicked him in the shins. Oh, what do you want to do that for? Because he got me mad. And I called him an old outlaw. And then he grabbed me and that's when I kicked him. And then Tonneau here, he told pudgy to let me loose. And then they got into it and boy, Tonneau sure gave him a going over. You, uh, you whipped a pudgy baker with your bare fists, eh? Uh-huh. Well, can't say as I wouldn't have done the same thing. He's a no count, Freddie, that's certain. But you shouldn't go around calling folks outlaws, Freddie. But you said he was an outlaw, Uncle Ridge. You said that your own self. Yeah, I guess I did. And for that matter he is. Someday I'm going to have to take care of that fella. Just like I did Clay Allison back in the old days in Calhoun County. Wasn't Clay Allison a notorious man killer? Yeah. In fact, there never was anybody notorious than him, that's for certain. But I run him into a hole and smoked him out good. Was that when he used to work with Bat Masterson? No, I was trailing with Wild Bill Hickack at the time. Uh, Allison Teller, him plenty fast gunfighter, huh? Oh, he sure was, Tonneau. And he's smart too. When I smoked him out of his hole and told him to either reach for his gun or come along peaceful, he showed how smart he was by coming along with me, peaceful as a kitten. Mm-hmm. Clay Allison, him some kitten. Tell him about the time you went after Billy the Kid. Are you in the Lone Ranger cornered him in that? The Lone Ranger. Oh, you know Mask Man, huh? Do I know him? Shucks. Me and the Lone Ranger were saddle partners for a long time, all through the Southwest territory. Now there's a fella to ride with. Why, boys, I could tell you things you just wouldn't believe about the places I've been and the outlaws I chased with the Lone Ranger. About the best friend they ever had. Ever wasn't a while he writes me a letter telling me where he is, sometimes asking for my advice and so forth. Oh, Dan, I've never heard nor seen the man. And, uh, what was your opinion of this Ridge Lawton, Tonneau? Oh, him plenty big windbag. But even the kind of lies he tells can be harmful. Yes, that's right, Dan. Ridge Lawton hadn't done so much bragging about his imaginary career as a lawman. There'd have been no reason for young Freddie to get into that argument with Pudgy Baker this morning. Oh, by the way, how old is Freddie? About 12 years old, maybe 13. Is that about right, Tonneau? Ah, young Tonneau just told enough him believe everything old windbag tell him. Actually, I suppose the old man figures he's just entertaining the lad with his tall stories. But at the same time, he's setting a bad example for the boy to follow. Well, let's get some supper. Dan, will you build a campfire? Sure. And I'll get some water from the creek. What do you think about Lawton's fellow chemist hobby? Oh, more or less harmless, I suppose. What I was really thinking of was a remark made about Pudgy Baker being an outlaw. Huh? There might be more than a little truth to that remark. Otherwise Baker wouldn't have been so quick to silence young Freddie. You think maybe you find out about Baker, fellow? We know that a bunch of night writers have been operating in these parts lately. I'm anxious to know if Mr. Baker can help us locate them. Oh. I want Dan to stay in camp tonight and get some sleep. You'd better stay with him. And what do you do? First, I'm going to call on our friend, perhaps I should say my friend, Ridge Lawton. Then I'm going to see what I can learn about Pudgy Baker. Lawton, him be plenty surprised to see you. I shouldn't wonder. Ridge Lawton, if you don't stop filling that boy's head full of lies, I don't know what I'll do. Oh, Melissa, ain't you got enough to fret about here in the kitchen without worrying so much about me and Freddie? Furthermore, if you'd get out once in a while and do a little honest work around here, then I would... Now you know good and well, I've got a weak heart, Melissa. Besides, man, my age... Weak heart. Your age. Nonsense. You ain't done a day's work in 20 years. I'll be still. Here comes Freddie. With the wood box filled, my ghost up the chicken coop and shut the barn door. Anything you want, Uncle Ridge? Now that you mention it, I reckon you might as well get a pail of water from the pump and fill up the kerosene can. I'd get it myself, only I've got my shoes off. If you wish to pump a pail of water, I bet the well would go dry. I'll get it. Only takes a minute. Who are you? How'd you know me? Is your Uncle Ridge at home? I ain't going to tell you, Mr. Outlaw. But I am not an outlaw. You see, I'm... Hey! Holy mackerel! Are... are you... you... Well, uh, you call your Uncle Freddie? Tell me something. Have you got a horse named Silver? Tell me just that one thing, have you? Yes. Oh, golly! Gee whiz! Oh, boy, we'd like it, Uncle Ridge. I'll be right back. Uncle Ridge! Uncle Ridge! Come here, quick! Hurry up and see who's here. Well, what in tongue is come over you boy? You know who you said was the best saddle partner you ever had? You know who helped you catch more outlaws than anybody else? You know who was with you when you went after Billy the Kid? You know? Whoa, whoa, now all I know is you're going to bust a blood vessel if you don't simmer down. Now, what's bothering you? Come here, Uncle Ridge, quick! Come here and see who's here. Who's here? Who's where? Where about is this? Who? Right outside the door and he wants to see you. Well, then, sick child, who is it? The Lone Ranger, that's who. Who'd you say? Your old friend, the Lone Ranger. Come on out and see. Well... well, what do you know? What do you know about that? Sure is a small world, ain't it? 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. To continue our story, no one around Red Star believed old Ridge Lawton to be anything but a liar, a loafer, and a windbag. Ridge had one listener to his tall stories, however, in the person of his young nephew, Freddie. And now, with the great Lone Ranger calling on his uncle, Freddie was almost beside himself with joy. On the other hand, Ridge Lawton remembering the brag he'd made about his friendship with the Masked Man had a decidedly uncomfortable feeling as he followed the boy out of the house. Gee, Uncle Ridge, it was only this afternoon you were telling about the Lone Ranger being your friend. Yeah, stop pushing me, Freddie. There's something all-fired strange going on here that I just ain't sure about. Melissa, maybe you and Freddie ought to stay inside here. This fella don't like crowds, see? Is that so now? Well, I guess after all the things I've heard about the Lone Ranger, I'm entitled to a good look at him, ain't I? Here he is, Uncle Ridge, see? A landfake's alive. It really is the Lone Ranger. Uh, uh, hello there. How are you, sir? I wanted to see you, Ridge, about a problem. I thought possibly you could give me some advice. What? The landfake's alive. Gee, uh, advice, eh? Problems, eh? Do you think you could spare a few minutes to advise me on a few things? The landfake. Well, I, uh, sure, I guess so. Now, uh, you want to see me private, I reckon? Please. Sure, sure, of course. This here is my wife, Melissa. How do you do? How do you do? I reckon you already met Freddie. Yes, that's right. How are you, Freddie? Gee, I'm, I'm fine, golly. Melissa, suppose you make up a pot of coffee. Me and the Lone Ranger's going to set out here for a spell. Freddie, you hustle around and get your chores finished up with you. Oh, all right, Ridge. Uh, you, uh, you wanted to see me, huh? Well, uh, you're a proud mask man. Are you? You haven't much reason to be, you know. Uh, well, what, what do you mean? The, uh, problem I wanted your advice on concerns you and Freddie. Huh? The boy almost got into serious trouble in Red Star today because of you. What? What do you mean, that argument at Stanley's store? How'd you know about that? The Indian and the boy Dan who were there. They're friends of mine. The, the Indian and Dan Reed? Oh, they must have been laughing at me when I was telling them. That isn't important. The thing that matters is that young Freddie believes everything you tell him. And someday people are going to be laughing at him for believing you. Oh. What's, uh, your advice on the problem, Ridge? Oh, now look, I admit you're right in, in digging me this way. You have a chance now to redeem yourself in the eyes of your wife and to justify most of the wonderful confidence that boy has in you. Will you take it? How you mean? When a man starts telling tall stories, he's liable to be, uh... Yeah, that's right, all right. I'm sure you do. Ridge, I want you to promise me that you'll never tell another lie to young Freddie. Hear you? What? Oh, you mean not never anymore? Not even little old harmless stories? They're not harmless. Freddie got into trouble today because a man in red star called you a liar. The boy was eager to defend you. Who do you think was right? Pudgy Baker or your nephew? Oh, of course. All right. All right, I'll promise. No more lies. Not, not even little old teeny ones. Well, shake your hand on that. Now I want to know how much you can tell me about... Oh, writers coming. Hmm, wonder who's heading out here this time of night. Were you expecting anyone? No. I didn't... Well, that sounded like two horses a minute ago. Hey, I'll see you later, Ridge. Hey, you don't have to leave, do you? Don't mention my visit here to anyone, would you? Why, of course not. I certainly wouldn't do a thing like that. Ho, ho, ho boy! Ho, ho there! Howdy. What brings you out this way, Mr. Stanley? Hi, Ridge. You, uh, very busy these days? Busy? Why, uh, no. Sort of. Why? I was wondering if you'd take a job for a spell. Oh, everything coming at once. What kind of job? Well, as you know, I opened up a government post office down to the store a few weeks back. But I ain't been able to find, uh, just the right man to carry the mail from Cooper's Junction. Well, I thought Cracker Benson was taking care of that job. He was, but Cracker's been kind of under the weather lately. More likely he's been under the table down the saloon. Ridge, I'd sure be obliged if you'd help me out for a spell. At least until I can find someone permanent. Oh, uh, you wasn't off on the job permanent then, eh? Well, that's different. I reckon I might help out for a little bit. Of course, you know, I've got lots of things to look after here to home now. The job won't last too long, Ridge. Well, glad to get that off my mind. When Jake Stanley rode away from Ridge Lawton's place, the old man remained outdoors in the cool evening to ponder the sudden development that had taken place. Suddenly a voice sounded close by. Ridge? What? Oh, I thought you had gone away. Who was your visitor? Jake Stanley runs a general store at Red Star. Friend of yours? Oh, Jake? Sure. He's everybody's friend. I understand you've made certain remarks around the town about Pudgy Baker being an outlaw. Well, he is. He's a mean devil. No good for nothing. Describe him, would you? Big Jasper? Kind of redheaded? Has he limped a little when he walks? Yeah, horse fell on him once. Crippled him up a bit. What did Stanley want of you? Wanted me to take a job carrying the mail from Cooper's Junction to Red Star. Just temporary, he called. I think the job would prove to be more temporary than you expect. However, it might have led to something quite permanent. Oh, no, no. I told Stanley I wasn't interested. Remember when Stanley came up the trail this evening? Remember we thought we heard two horses? Yeah, I was sure I... So was I. I investigated. The other rider answers your description of your friend Pudgy Baker. Baker? Well, what would he do around here? Finding evidence that would send you to prison for a good many years. What? I saw him sneaking into the barn while you were talking to Stanley. Here, this is what he left. Letters? Why, they're full of money. Why, they're totally loaded. The plan seems simple enough. Stanley hires you to carry the mail. Between Cooper's Junction and Red Star, you'll be held up and robbed. When you ride into Red Star and tell your story, how many people do you think will believe you, Red? Why, Shucks, why shouldn't they believe me? Because you've sort of drifted away from telling the truth. You'll understand, I think. Uh, yeah. They'll think you're lying. When they come here to investigate... Don't just Stanley fit into... Why, he must be right in cahoots with Baker. With a load down, double cross and whistle. Fortunately, we can change the procedure a little. I'll listen carefully and do exactly as I tell you. Tomorrow morning, you go to Cooper's Junction. He sure is fetching the mail. Come on, look at him come. My engines was after him. Here, look at him. Ho, ho, ho! Spoken up the trail, Red. So would you, mister, if you'd just been held up and robbed of the United States Mail? Just a minute, Lawton. It so happens that you were carrying our payroll in that mail today. Well, it's sure gone now, boys. Hold on there. Who robbed you? How should I know? You don't think the fella gave me his name or nothing, do you? Oh, but I think you're lying, like you always do. I'm just wondering if you've been helping yourself to that payroll. Oh, see you here, Pudgy Baker. Just a minute now. I'm Postmaster here, and I got just a man to take charge of this thing. And I say let's go out to Ridge's place. The payroll's been stolen. That's a good place to find it. You're right, Pud. Folks, this here's John Redmond. He's the United States Marshal from up north. Marshal, it looks like you got here just in time to go to work. Yeah. Lawton, come on inside. I want to talk to you. Later, maybe we'll just go out to your place and take a look, say, huh? Well, come on. Let's look in the barn. It's probably got a hidden aim out. You fellas are making a big mistake, Mr. Stanley. Yeah? But if you ain't done nothing wrong, you got nothing to worry about. Is that right, Marshal? Yeah, that's right. All right, you fellas, scatter out and hunt around. I'll see what you can find. Hey, here's a likely looking place. Yeah, it looks like somebody's been in here just lately, too. Make a good place out. Hey, look here, everybody. Look at here. Look what I got here. Well, a pack of letters. Ridge, I'm sure surprised. I've never been surprised at all. Yes. What do you mean by that? Here, Marshal, here's your evidence. Take a look inside them letters. Well... Place your hands, Stanley. You two make her quick. Let's see what you got under that tar pole in the corner there. Sure, sure. Just a second. Well, what do you know? It's Cracker Benson, the mail carrier. All wrapped up like a Christmas turkey. Ain't that the mail sack laying inside of them? Pudgy, what the place has happened? I'll see here, Marshal. I don't know what you're holding a gun on me and Pudgy for. You'll find out, amigo. Ridge, dehorn these two fellas. Well, Ridge there, he must have been in cahoots with Cracker, huh? What was in them letters in the mail? Only one of them says anything important, Pudgy. Says you and Stanley was conniving with Benson to rob the mail and lay the blame on Ridge Lawton. Uh, these other letters... Oh, shucks now, Marshal. You don't have to read them. Look at the dates on them envelope, huh? Look at the dates. Well, I say, these letters was written 40 years ago. Oh, and all of them are dressed to miss Melissa Crabtree. Yeah, Crabtree. That was my wife's maiden name. Ridge Lawton, knock all that low down. Now here, you give me back them love letters and be quick about it. Why, that very idea. See, will occurs, Uncle Ridge. Did you capture that owl on and bring him here for the Marshal of Fine? Did you? Oh, uh, Freddie, my boy. I'll tell you just how it happened. You see, when, uh... when, uh... Uh, yes. Son, I didn't have a blame thing to do with it. The Lone Ranger and Tonto took care of the whole job. Hell for the land sakes. Ridge Lawton, what has come over you? For you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.