 with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty hi-o silver, the Lone Ranger. With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the masked writer of the planes fought crime and criminals throughout the early western United States. No one could match his strength and courage, but it was his sense of fair play that made him the great champion of justice the frontier ever knew. Anyone who deserved a second chance could depend on help from the Lone Ranger. Return with us now to those thrilling days when the West was young. From out of the past, from the thundering hoof-peach of the Great Horse Silver, the Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Silver! We're heading West to Mustang Bay! Job Hopkins, proprietor of the general store in the tiny village of Sweetwater, was too busy waiting on a customer to keep an eye on the ragged boy who had entered a few minutes before. Is, uh, anything else, Miss Wheelie? Got some new ginghams in the other day you might look at. Might be pretty. Nope, I think not. Need anything for the kitchen? No, I... wait. Reckon I could use new dish pan. Got just what you want. Uh, let me see. Where, where's they put? Oh? Look there. What? Where the only little thief? Hey, I seen ya. Put that grub back where you got it. You got a blade. Hold on there! Get away! I got ya. Let me go, bless. Let me go. Oh, still! Look there, Job. Look at his pockets. Stop blumb, fool. Those finger little coyote. Here. Let's see what you stole. You want me to go? Can of peaches. I'll fetch, I'll fetch ya. Cookies. They got hands on you. And here's a can of tomatoes. Hey! What's this you got hid under your shirt? That's mine. Well, I'll be... a gun. Don't do it. You stole it from behind my counter. Miss Wheelie, you go for the sheriff, will ya? Tell him I caught a thief. Just hold on to him, Job. I never seen you before. Have I? Who are ya? Where'd you come from? Ain't none of your business. Well, the sheriff will get it out of ya, I guess. Oh, my ankle. You kicked my ankle. Young thief, I'll... What's the matter with Mark, didn't ya, mister? Well, that's fine. Catch me. Hey, come back here! Come back and tell ya! Thief. Well, he ain't going to get away with this. He's going to get a lesson he won't never forget. Less than an hour later, the Lone Ranger and Tonto were riding near Sweetwater and the mask man suddenly drew back on his reins. Tonto, what's that? What's the matter? Just a moment. He's out of sight. I think he's running down that Arroyo. No, there he is. See him? Ah, him boy. He's certainly traveling. Ah, seems strange to see anyone afoot in this part of the country. I wonder what he's running from. What's that? Where? Look that way. That explains it. I'm chasing him. Two horsemen. They must be after the boy or they wouldn't have cut away from the trail. That right. He's got a good lead on them. But he certainly hasn't a chance to escape while they're on the saddle. Tonto, what do you say we look into this? That good idea. There's the boy again. Come on, Tonto! It was not long before the boy discovered that the sheriff and Job were not the only ones trying to overtake him. At the sight of the Lone Ranger and Tonto, he redoubled his speed, scampering over the prairie like a frightened rabbit. But the mask man and the Indian were soon within hailing distance. Hold on there! Cannot stop. We'll be up to him in a moment. Wait. He sees he can't get away. He's stopping. What's that he's doing? In depth stone. He's going to throw it. Drop that stone! Brother, I'll let you have it! Did you hear me? Drop it! Oh! Hold it! Hold it! Hold it! He's going your way, Tonto. Grab him. Let me get him. Don't hurt him. Don't hurt him. Hold him. Hold on, Tonto. Look here, young fellow. What's this all about? Oh, I can't believe I fell all alone. Hey! You're mad! Never mind that. Who are those fellows chasing you? What do you care? Come on, talk. You've got time. They can't get here for a minute or two yet. I ain't going to talk and you can't make me. Well, that's pretty big talk for a lad your age, isn't it? Mind your own business. Oh, huh? Isn't that one horseman the sheriff? Huh, not him all right. You were running from the law, huh? What have you been up to? Well, let me go. Give me a chance to run for it. Why? They soon get you. And you didn't hope to outrun men on horses, did you? I can take care of myself, I reckon. In the appearance of things, it looks as though maybe you're mistaken. Well, here they come. You won't explain. Perhaps they will. I reckon I won't be the only one in trouble. No? Weedle the sheriff starts asking about that mask. I reckon then you'll be sorry for Medlin. We'll see. Don't let him go, Mr. Be safe. Oh, boy. Oh, there he is. Oh, there he is. Oh, there. Well, a masked hombre. Narechki. Don't mind them, sheriff. Rest that kid. I want him jailed. What's he done? Huh? Rob me. That's what? You're the storekeeper in town, aren't you? I am. You really want a youngster in this age thrown into jail? How old are you, son? Thirteen. Going on fourteen. Where's your home? Ain't got none. Never had none. No? He's lying. What makes you say that? Huh? Well, there'll be no difference whether he is or not. Sheriff, will you stand there for a while? Why don't you do something? You've just been trying to figure these two hombres. That's all. You've been thinking of arresting us too, were you, sheriff? Might not be such a bad idea. You've got nothing on us. You're a masked? And I wouldn't advise you to try it. Ah. Well, neither one of you answers the description of anybody I'm looking for. I guess there's no reason for us crossing each other. But these young ones are different piece of goods. What's your handle, kid? I ain't talking. I said, what's your handle? Oh, Tommy. Tommy what? Just Tommy. Ain't got no other name. Well, you're likely lying about that, too. Where'd you come from? No place in particular. Ah? I've been all over. All over, eh? Yeah, I'll bet you've done some traveling. You know, Joe, if I ever seen a young man on his way to grown into a full-fledged crook, this is it. He's a crook right now! Oh, stop it, won't you? You're going to jail me. Go ahead and quit talking about it. I don't want to... But they're not, Tommy. What's that you said, stranger? Sheriff, when this boy says he has no family, I believe he's telling the truth. What if he is? It's easy enough to see he's had a hard time of it, and it's easy to see he's on the road to trouble. But jail isn't the remedy. No? He's most likely no worse than nine out of ten youngsters would be who had no homes. What's that got to do with your saying I wasn't going to arrest him? The surest way to make certain he'll develop into a criminal is to throw him into jail. Don't listen to him, Sheriff. Do your duty. Why are you so anxious to see him arrested? What did he take from you? He was trying to steal grub. Well, I'm not excusing him. The jail won't cure his stealing. If that won't, what will? A chance to live a normal life. The opportunities any other boy would have the right to expect. Bosh. Yes? Sentimental, boss. A thief's a thief, and it don't matter none what his age is. He stole from me so it deserves to be punny, same as anyone else. What do you think, Sheriff? Don't matter to me. Joe was the one that's complaining. If he says to let the kid go, he can go. If he wants him jailed, I'll jail him. Well, then that's that. Come on, kid. Get up. My horse there. Sorry, Sheriff. What the... He drew on you. Right. I said the boy wasn't going to jail and I met it. He stays with me. Now, on your way. Look here, stranger. On your way. You'll be sorry for this. Come on, Joe. Ain't you gonna do nothing? With them guns staring me in the face? Joe, if you'd ever been alone and you wouldn't ask that fool question. But he tried to... He ain't done with these fellas, though. Remember that, stranger? I will. Get up. Get up there. Get up there. Get up. Get up. Now what do? Looks as though we've got a problem on our hands, Tanner. I suppose you're expecting me to thank you. Well, I ain't gonna. I hadn't thought of it, Tommy. Well, you're needin'. Tanner, I've got an idea. What that? Yeah, Tommy. Help with you. See? Tanner, I know just where we're taking him. Where is that? To the one person we know who'd never refuse anyone in trouble. The Mustang Meg. Come on, sir. Give it up, sir. I am Silver Hoey! At the ranch owned by Mustang Meg and managed by Old Missouri, the lone ranger met with the reception he'd expected. Well, I should smile. I'll take him in. Foundation, the idea of jailin' a youngster like Tommy. Just wait till I see the sheriff. I'll give him a piece of my mind. And rather you didn't, Meg. No, why not? For the present, I don't want the boys whereabouts known. Well, if you think that's best. Don't be in the mask, man. All us know best, Meg. Missouri, you'll keep shot. Where's the boy now? Outside with Tanner. You bring him in here. He's going to be difficult to manage, Meg. Ain't I a managed Missouri? Anybody can do that, can manage anybody. Very well. I'll leave him here. Keep the boy busy. Don't pamper him. What he needs most of all is a good, healthy, active existence. Sure. Active? When Meg gets ordering him around, he'll be scootin' like a low-goat steer. Don't talk like an idiot. Tanner and I are leading this part of the country for a while, Meg. We may be gone for several months, but as soon as we can, we'll be back. It was two months later that Tommy, having spent an hour chopping firewood for Mustang Meg, dropped his axe and slowly made his way toward old Missouri, seated on the steps of the rear porch. Oh, Missouri. Well, all finished. Are you coming? Uh-huh. All but carrying the killin' in. Would you mind if I sat down beside you? Why, that'd be fine. Here. Sit down right here. Thanks. What's the matter? You act like maybe you got something troubling you. Missouri, I've been pretty awful, ain't I? What young strain? If he wasn't, he'd have something wrong with him, I reckon. I mean, like when the mask man first left me here, and I kept trying to run away. Sure, at your age, I'd run off from home a dozen times. Always got drugged back, though. Meg's swell, ain't she? You don't come no finer. But if you ever tell her I said that, I'll walk you good. Aw, she knows you like her. She'd never admit it. Gosh, when I think of all you and Meg have done for me, and how good you've been to me, and then get to thinking about the way I've behaved, I wish somebody'd kick me. Well, there's no denying you've come a long way since the mask man brought you. Uh-huh. I'll bet he thinks I'm awful. Him? Don't you believe it? You can just lay to it if they hadn't seen some mighty good stuff in you. They'd never fetch you here. Do you think they'll be coming along this way again soon? I don't know. Hard to tell about them, Tommy. They're likely to be most anywhere, especially when you least expect them. But they ain't forgot you if that's what you mean. Honest? How do you know? Well, that just ain't their style. You know why I'm so anxious to see them again? Why? Because of the way I talk when they brought me here. I don't want to apologize. Well, you'll be getting your chance one of these days, then. Huh? What's the matter? I got to see Meg. Hey! Well, I'll be done in a while, Tommy. Oh, oh, oh, howdy. Just turned in here to see if you'd mind a water and a hose is here. Any objections? Help yourself! Trough's just the other side of the crowd. Thanks. Come on, Jet. Oh, say, yeah, I thought I'd seen some kids sitting with you when we come past the house. What happened to them? Just went inside! Why? Oh, nothing. Nothing. Come on, Jet. This chai with some I could drink the real drive. The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone Ranger drama. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue our story. The two strangers who had watered their mounds at Mustang Mags Ranch continued on their way when they'd finished. But that night, when Tommy left the ranch house on his way to the well, I mean, Jet, you've been waiting to get a look at you. What's up? Babe. In your time. Well, who'd ever think we'd meet up again way over here. What do you want? Well, first of all, we'd come back to make sure it was you we'd seen this afternoon. And how do we see it is? Well, it'd be kind of nice to talk over old times. You clear out and let me be. Hear that, Spadey? Funny way for Tommy to talk after he was all such good friends once. You ain't no friends of mine. No? You're just a pair of crooks. Well, I'll be door-gorned. Ain't we gettin' proud, though? And after we fed them and given pocket money for most of the year. Of course you could use me in your crooked schemes, that's why. You sure got a suspicious, plumb, ungrateful disposition, Tommy. Oh, look, fellas. Can't you just go on and pretend you never even seen me? I don't see why I always have to. Maybe. Got a good thing here, you're scared to spoil it? Well, the folks here have been swell to me. I'm all through being crooked. They know about you, do they? What do you mean? About you stealing them things. They do? Yeah. Well, that's interresting. Then I suppose you've told them about how the three of you used to work together back in Kansas. Well, ain't she? No. Then there's some things they don't know, huh? They know that I want to do what's right. It wouldn't make any difference if you told them. Well, they must be fine, folks. Come on, Jet, let's find out what they'll say. No. Wait. Don't tell them. Please don't tell them. I'm not so sure how they take it, as you claimed, huh? Well, Tommy, I don't see where it's necessary for us to tell what you'd rather keep a secret. You won't tell them? Well, guys, thanks. Thanks, honey. Just a second. Huh? You never get nothing without paying for it, kid. You ought to know that by now. So if it's worth something to you for us to keep still, you ought to be willing to pay up. Pay up? What do you mean? We've got a little job we must figure out over to Sweetwater. Stealing. Don't use such hard names. You've got sense, kid. I reckon the three of us can get together. That same night, not far from the town of Sweetwater, the Lone Ranger and Tonto drew their horses to a stop. Who? Who? Who? Hold on. Well, this looks like a good place to make camp, Tutter. No one's likely to happen along here. We're close to both Sweetwater and Mustang Mag's place. Not right. I wonder what luck she and Missouri have had with Tommy. We'll find out soon. I'd like to have gone on and gotten there tonight. We've got other business to finish up first. Until then, we can't let the news get out that we're in the neighborhood. I'm not right. Spade and jet ever learned we'd been trailing them. Any chance of trapping them would be gone. From the way they've been behaving, I've got an idea that Sweetwater is the next place they'll strike. We get them. We have to keep on their trails for the next six months. Here, give me a hand with the settles. It was late the following day that Mustang Mag looked up at the sound of the door and saw Tommy leaving his room dressed to go outside. Uh, Tommy. Hi. Going someplace? Just after a little walk. Well, come here first. But I said come here. You want me to do something, man? Oh, I just wanted to talk with you. But gee, I figured you'd go outside. You said that already. But you were just going out for the air, wasn't you? Uh-huh. Well, there's no hurry. Sit down. Huh? Sit down. Gee, what's wrong? It's just what I aimed to find out. But gee, there's no... You've got something on your mind. Me? Uh-uh. You sure? Gosh, Meg, I wouldn't lie to you, would I? I hope you wouldn't. I'd be mighty disappointed in you if you did. I've been getting round to the part where I'm right proud of you. I don't know what could have made you think anything was bothering me. Missouri said so. Did he? And Missouri is seven kinds of an idiot when they want to be, but it can read folks like print. What did he say? He said you've been moping around all day. Said every time he wanted you to do something, he had to tell you a second or third time before you heard him. According to him, he ain't smiled once since morning. And if all them things are true, I ain't got no reason to suspect that they ain't. Why, they sure add up to trouble. Now, if there's something you should tell me, get it off your chest. I can promise you'll feel he better afterwards. But gosh, Meg, there ain't... Well, how does there ain't... He just imagined all them things. Missouri ain't got that much imagination in this whole system. But if I ever give you a reason to think I'd be cross with you, if you'd done something wrong... No. Well, I might give you a talking to, but it just before your own good wouldn't make me think any less of you, or was supposing you were sorry about it. Can't you believe me, Meg? Gosh, you've got things all wrong. Get up. Uh-huh. Now, look me in the eye. I'm sure. Now, tell me again that you ain't keeping something from Missouri and me that ought to be told. I ain't, Meg. Tell me this the first time you're fibbed to me. No, I... Don't make it worse. You can go on out if that's what you're set on. I won't keep you no longer. Oh, Meg, don't feel bad. Tommy, you get going before I start saying things. It'll make us both feel a whole heap worse. A few minutes later, Tommy drew rain where the trail from Mustang Mags Ranch met the main trail to town. Oh, my, oh, oh, oh, there. You kept us waiting a whole half hour. What delayed you? Nothing. Have you squeezed up? I didn't, fellas. I left just as soon as I could. Well, come on. We've wasted too much time already. Get up. Get on there. Get up there. Well, that was them, Tello. I know the horses. Uh-huh. And who are they, fella? The third man with them? Uh-huh. I don't know. They must have had a confederate waiting for them. Well, it doesn't matter. It just seems that we'll bag three crooks instead of two. Uh-huh. They're far enough ahead. Come on. Get them up, Scout. Come on. Come on. Get, Spade, and Young Tommy did not draw rain again until they'd arrived inside of Job Hopkins' general store that stood on the edge of town. Then, however, they took cover in a small grove of trees. Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. We're in time. You ain't locked up yet. I'm lucky for you, kid. Well, as I don't want to go through with this. Always to what you wanted. Climb one of that saddle. Now you can see where we stopped here. You look right into the window there and see Hopkins moving around. And you can see he's safe. We know when he unlocks it to put his cash away for the night just as good as if we was in there. There. You ain't forgot how we used to work this in Kansas. Have you, kid? No. You start running just the second that safe is open. Holler just as soon as he can hear you. Holler anything. Tell him his house is afire, or somebody's dying, or anything else you can think of. But make it strong enough so he forget all about luck and that they're safe again. I know. When he's out of the store, your part's done. You can vermoose. We'll take over. Uh-huh. Just like always. I'm the only one that'll be remembered afterwards. You skunks get the cash and disappear without even being seen. Sure. That's what's slick about her scheme. Well, yell at Colin. Shut up and keep your eyes peeled. Can you see him yet? Yeah. What's he doing now? Looks to me like he's counting the cash in his cash drawer. And it's all him most time. Watch him, kid. I am. Now he's finished. He's walking towards the bank. Yeah. I can see him now. Get ready, kid. He's leaning over the safe. Now? Not quite. All right. Get moving. Mr. Hopkins. Hello, Mr. Hopkins. That feds to me. Stand up and look it around. Now, we can get ready to... Mr. Hopkins, watch out. There's two tweaking around. What? Did you hear that? A tiny little double-crosser drill. Let's get it. Come on. You missed him. Hurry. Let's do that. After him. We'll do them. Grab the cash of their moves. Get up and save your breath. Hey, stop. You've got both guns. Pull up. Mass. And that's a risk, kid. It's a long range here. Hold on to those guns before I blast them out of your hands. My hands. Oh, my hands. Blast you, you're dirty. Take it. My hands. My hands. Smash them. Don't shoot again. You've got us. Don't shoot. Inside the store quick before the crowd gets here. Go ahead and march. Open the door. Then raise your hands. We won't try anything. Keep going. Are these the men, Tommy? Are these the ones? Yes. Are you rotten little squealers? Will you let it? Careful. I told you I wasn't cooking anymore. I told you and you wouldn't believe me. I wish I'd have done this before. Hey, what's going on here? Close the door and come in here, Cheryl. Hey. You're the masked man me and Job run up again a couple of months ago. And this is the same kid Job brought to jail. These are the fellas you want this time, Cheryl. Okay. Quiet. You've been charged them with attempted robbery and attempted murder. They planned to rob Job and did their best to kill Tommy. Is that what happened, Job? Just like he told it, Sheriff. Jail the polecats. I will. Me and the one of you, hombres, make some move and you'll get drilled. How about the kid here? Still making a charge against him? You rest, Tommy, Sheriff. Now I'll see you run out of town. Huh? But I thought that you wanted... Purchase what you thought. This young and a risk-getting drill to warn me. From now on, he's welcome to help himself to anything I got. Remember what I told you that other time, Cheryl? Huh? That Tommy needed nothing more than a chance to make good. He got it. He's been within a few miles of here ever since that day. Mustang mag took him in. Oh, well, I'll be switch. You know, Sheriff, if the mask fell it let us jail a boy that time. I'm willing to bet plenty. I'd be out a couple thousand dollars in cash right this minute. Maybe it would have been Job. Funny how things work out, ain't it? Uh-huh. Hey, stranger, come back here. Adios, sir. What's his hurry? Couldn't he even wait to be thanked? Job? Huh? I got a notion that like you took to the boy here, it was all the thanks that fella wanted. Adios, pal. You have just heard as a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.