 with the speed of light, the cloud of dust, and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the masked rider of the planes 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 come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver, the Lone Ranger rides again. The whole up went off like clockwork. That is, it did at the start. Johnny Pickett and his partners rode into the little town of Colbert like any group of cowhands coming to catch their paychecks. At first they weren't noticed at all. There were plenty of punchers in town on Saturday afternoon. Johnny, being the youngest and newest member of the gang, was left outside the drover national bank while his companions went inside. I remember Johnny, keep your eyes peeled. I will. When we come out of here, we're gonna come or run. You understand? Sure. Sure. All right. Frank, Pete, let's go. It was Johnny's job to hold the horses until he and his partners were ready to leave, and he knew that would be in a hurry. He watched Ed Ryan, Frank Wilson, and Pete Marcus as they sauntered casually into the bank. Big, lean, hawk-eyed men with broad shoulders and cat-like strides. He waited for a moment for the sound he knew would come, the dull, coughing explosion of a .45. Instantly, Johnny swung the horses' noses from the hitch-rack and pointed them toward the street, and he waited again, nerves taut. The paralysis seemed to have seized the whole town. Nobody moved, and there wasn't a sound after those first two shots. Johnny found himself talking almost prayerfully. Oh, Ed, Frank, Pete, come around and come around and... The paralysis didn't last long. In the next split second, pandemonium broke loose. Then the big Ed Ryan appeared suddenly in the doorway of the bank. His two guns spurted smoke and lead. Behind him came Frank Wilson with a voicing canvas sack under each arm. They dashed across the walk with Pete Marcus covering the retreat. Help, Frank, with one of those sacks. Down here. But as he reached for the sack, Johnny heard the dull boom of a shotgun from across the street. He saw the outlaw stagger and gas. Ed, quick, kid. Get Frank onto your horse and ride. Pete and I'll cover for you. They were both in the saddle. Johnny had one arm around the wounded outlaw. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the other two men mount their horses, and he heard Ed Ryan shout. He got a ride for it, boys. Come on. They slurred their horses into a wild run down the street. They tore past a harness shop where Johnny saw a white-haired man level to Winchester, and Ed Ryan's .45 aboard, and the man curled to the ground. Well, they were opposite the Wells Fargo Express office, and a dozen rifles opened up on them. Johnny felt Frank Wilson rock and shudder and become a limp weight against his arm. The next moment, their horse stumbled and crashed headlong, and Johnny and Wilson hit the ground with stunning force. Ed Ryan and Pete Marcus had reached the end of the street for this time and were headed for the open country. Johnny lurched to his feet and tried to reach for his gun. They was too dazed and numb. Even when men came running toward him shouting, he didn't try to escape. He just stood there, staring down at Frank Wilson's limp body. Then a gun barrel was jammed into his back. Stick up your hands and hold him high. A few moments later, Johnny Pickett was facing the sheriff, who was leading through a batch of man-wanted circulars. What's your name? I said what's your name? What difference does it make? Twenty-one years old, ain't you? Black hair, five foot nine. Scar, on the side of your jaw. Knife do that? I don't remember. Kind of smart, ain't you? What do you want me to say? Four men were killed in that job you and your pals just pulled. You're dealing? I'll play whatever cards you give me. Yeah? If you want my private opinion, kid, I don't think you'll be in the game very long. And Joe? Yeah? Lock him up. The town of Covert was in an uproar. All afternoon, groups of men gathered on the main street and exchanged heated, ominous talk. By sundown, they seemed to have reached an agreement. The sheriff was dry-lipped and nervous as he watched them from the window of his office. He was so preoccupied that he hardly noticed two horsemen who rode up the hitch-rack in front of the door. One of them dismounted from a large white stallion. He was tall and deeply tanned. The upper half of his face was covered by a mask. His companion was a stoical Indian. They crossed the wall quickly and opened the door without knocking. What are you? Hello, Sheriff. A lone ranger. You look worried. This is one time when you came around too late. The drover bank was held up this afternoon. Yes, I know. Todd and I were on the bluff outside of town. We saw the whole thing. You were there? Then why did... We jailed the two outlaws who got away. Here? But did you find them? No, they doubled back and threw us off. Somewhere in Onyx Canyon. How about the other two? One of them is dead. The other one's back there locked up. Is it the boy? Yeah. That's too bad. Here? Well, how about this? How am I going to transport them over the county seat? You mean the mob that's starting to form outside? Yeah. Not that I blame them very much for being mad. Four men were killed. Sheriff, may I talk to your prisoner? Yes, you can if you want to. Thanks. Right here for me, Donald. Right through that back door. There's only one cell. You can't miss them. I'm over here by the door for a moment. I want to talk to you. A mask man. Who are you? You're not afraid of me, are you? No. I guess you must be an outlaw too, or you wouldn't be wearing that mask. What's your name? Why should I tell you? You don't have to tell me. Picket. Johnny Picket. Johnny, I saw the gun fight in a holdup. Yeah? So did a lot of other people. This was the first bank robbery you ever took part in, wasn't it? What's that to you? I saw everything that went on. You didn't fire a shot. All you did was hold the horses. How long have you been a bank robber? Why don't you go poke your nose in somebody else's business? I'm getting along all right. It's tough to get caught on your first job. Leave me alone. I've got nothing to say to you. Johnny Picket, I don't think you're half as tough as you pretend to be. Leave me. Leave me alone. All right, Johnny. A little coyote, isn't he? No. I think he's more scared than anything else. There's good reason for it. Where's my engine friend? He went out. Said he'd be... Hello. Me and him in talk. That pretty man, St. Lynch Boy. I knew it. I knew there was Lynch talk room. Is there a mob tunnel? Ah, I'm plenty big. What are you going to do, Sheriff? What can I do? I'm supposed to take the prisoner to the county jail at Blue River, but... They're coming, Sheriff. They're heading this way. They're going to take that kid out and string him up. Well, maybe it's just a few that want him. A few? Listen. It's a Lynch mob all right. I've seen and heard too many of them. Shut that door. Bob, I thought you were going to circulate among the boys and kind of cool off this Lynch talk. They won't listen. Bud Warren's the head of it. His brother was a bank teller. He was killed. Will you defend the jail, Sheriff? Defend it? Well, that's impossible. They don't... That mob will roll over us like a locomotive over a gopher. Oh, they won't. Here? I've got a lot of respect for you, Lone Ranger. But I can see you've never tackled a mob this Lynch crazy. You have the law on your side. Why put up a fight? More killing? Just trying to save a little coyote who'll hang anyway? He's entitled to a fair trial. Well, maybe he is. But the only place you'll get it is in Blue River. And I can't take him there. Why? They're almost here, Shadow. You want to know why? That's why that mob of bloodthirsty cow punchers out there. Can't you depotize some of them and hold off the rest? They'll drill me even if I mention it. And what are you going to do? I... I'm going to quit. I've got a wife and two kids to think about. There's a badger, the gun and the key. Wait a minute, wait a minute. Before you leave, make me a deputy. Now I'll take the prisoner to the county jail at Blue River. This is a badger, sir. You and anybody else can have him. I'll get none of you. Give me those keys, Shadow. Yeah. Yeah. Come here, Johnny. I need your help. You need me? I've got to get you out of here and into a cell in the county jail. Come on. To do it, I'll have to trust you quite a lot. Now, how about it? I don't know who you are, Mr. Bidaldo, anything you say. All right, we'll have to move fast. Over there on a hook are some shafts and a leather shirt. Put them on instead of the ones you're wearing. I will. I mean, yes, sir. Are they here, Tonto? No. Many men outside and they got rope. They won't use it if we can prevent them. Tonto, I want you to go in the back room and put on the clothes that Johnny takes off. Huh? Take a horse in the stables and wait there until I signal you. Come to do it. They'll follow you, but you can lose them. Huh? Please, Dads, don't fit very well. They're all right. Now, hurry, Tonto. Tonto, go. Now, Johnny, I want you to pin this deputy's badge on your shirt. What you mean, I'm going to pin it. And here's the gun the sheriff left. Remember, I'm trusting you, Johnny. I don't know why you're doing it, but I won't forget. Pin that badge up high so it can be seen. There. Now, come on. We're going outside. In front of them lynches? No, no, I can't. Come on, Johnny. Come on, be a man. Where's the sheriff? I'm the sheriff here for the time being. What do you want that murder you've got locked up inside? He's in the hands of the law. Where's the law when it comes to coyotes like him? I think you're in outlaw too. Why are you wearing that mask? I'm also wearing a badge that represents a law. Ah, let's rush him. I'm warning you, men. Come one step further and I'll shoot. We'll shoot too. You mean you shoot decent citizens to protect the bank robber and the killer? I'll shoot to uphold the law. There you are. He's bluffing. He's bluffing. Let's get him. You want me to kill him? Oh, Johnny, don't draw your gun. We can not defeat him. Johnny, we can't fool him much longer. Yes, we can. I've just seen a ton of... Son, who's a ton of... My Indian friend, listen. Look there, man. That rider. Go after him. Ah, that's a trick. Don't fall for it. Do you think the bank robber is still in jail? Here are the keys. Go in and find him. Ah, listen, stranger. I, for one, don't like the high-handed way you're talking. I don't think you're the sheriff. And I don't think the hombre who rode away is the kid we're going to lynch. There are the keys to the jail. Come in and look for him. That's what we'll do. But first, I... Oh! You're not hurt. They'll shut the gun out of your hand. Does anyone else want to throw some lead? Maybe. He's right. Maybe that was the varmint who rode out. Maybe we'll do that for the South Trail. We can hit him off the canyon. And what are we waiting for? Come on. They're really breaking up. Yeah, so far, so good. But it isn't far enough. What do we get? The white stallion, the paint-tied hitch-rack. Yeah? We'll walk over there and mount. But not fast enough to attract attention. Now, come on. What'll they do when they catch your Indian friend? I find out it's not me. I don't think they'll ever catch him. And here we are. You take the paint. Now, were you seen leaving town? Any big fella? Yes, Johnny. By that time, we'll have a head start. A good head start. Come on, Silver! Get on, boy! Come on! That's where you with him! Oh! 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 our story, when a Lone Ranger in his outlaw prisoner galloped out of Covert, they knew it would be only a short time until they were following it. The men of the posse would soon realize they'd been tricked. But what the masked man and the boy didn't know was that two other men had watched them block the lynch mob. Two men who had circled back from a canyon trail to wait in the shadows not far from town. It was Ed Ryan and Pete Marcus. They'd returned to Covert to help Johnny break jail. But now they were puzzled. What do you make of that, Ed? I don't know. Guess the sheriff thought up the stunts so he could take the kid over to Blue River. First time I ever saw a Lone and wearing a mask. Well, who else could it be? I don't know. Whoever he is, we've got to get the kid out of his hand. Yeah. What do we do? Trail him? No. They're heading for Blue River. We can take a shortcut and weigh them at Brighton. Masked man might recognize us. Yeah, we'll stop at the camp and change studs. Come on, get up! Come on, get up! Lone Ranger and Johnny Pickett rode steadily southward. They cut through a pass in the Comotie Range, an angle across a broad slope that lay directly back for a little mountain town called Brighton. But before they reached the village, the masked man rained up suddenly. Pull silver, pull silver, pull silver, pull silver. Yeah, this is where we stop, Johnny. Here? This is as far as we ride. We'll walk into Brighton. Well, why walk? Because it'd be a posse on our trail before morning. Backing horses might slow them up. You mean you're going to turn the stallion and the paint loose? They know what to do. Don't shoot silver. Wait a minute, boy. Come here. Ready now. I guess I ain't got any right to be curious, mister, but would you mind telling me why you're tying knots in that lasso? I don't know, Johnny. I'm writing a note to my Indian friend, Tano. Brighton? You mean those knots? We'll go back to our camp. Tano gets there, he'll see this rope and read the message. I told him what I'm doing and where we're going. Well, I'll be done. Bye, silver. Straight back to camp, old fella. You too, Scott. Now, Johnny, go ahead for town. Gosh, I... I've never known anybody like you before. Come to think of it, you haven't told me much about yourself. Where are you from? Croton City. Are your folks there? I haven't got any folks. My pa was shot for stealing beef. Oh, how long ago? I don't know, before I could remember. I was raised in an orphanage until I was 14 and then I ran away. Where did you go? I got a job on a spread down south. It was a hideout for horse thieves. I didn't know that. Did you leave? Tried to. They used a whip on me and a knife. That's where this scar on my face came from. And, uh, what have you been doing since then? Riding the back trails. No wonder. Alice and Johnny, don't run away this time. When we get to Blue River, face this thing out and get a new start. Yeah, at the end of a rope. Well, that's the verdict. Face it. It's no worse than coughing your life out in the dust like the outlaw who died this afternoon. Well, it's easy for you to say that. Once you're on the square, it'll be easy for you too. Nobody would trust me. I did. And so will anyone else. You'll let them, will you? I'll go all the way with you, Mr. Thanks, Johnny. Look, this is the road to Blue River. The stage will be along here any minute. I want you to hail it. Are we going to ride the stage? That's the last place the quasi will look for us. Our head comes now. You hail it, I'll be right behind you. This mask might give the driver the wrong impression. I never thought I'd be riding a jail in a stagecoach. Better than a lynch mob. And, uh, Johnny, you better let me handle that gun. Sure. Here. Hey! Hey, wait! Move the room for a couple of passengers at Blue River. You got more room than anything else. Climb in. Come on, Mr. Let's roll! The lumbering stagecoach pulled into the little mountain town of Brighton. Whoa! Whoa! It was an important stop because the express company shipped gold from Brighton to Blue River. And tonight, as usual, a heavily armed guard stood beside a strong box on the waiting platform. Just a minute, Dan, I'll help you lift it. You're a little bit late, ain't you? Yeah, I had to stop and pick up a couple of passengers. It doesn't matter, you get loads of them. No. Two travel amendments keeping me company. Where are they? Around here, some place. They're riding into Blue River with you. Well, they better show up because I'm pulling out pronto. Come on, climb up. I was just talking to them a minute ago. They've got room for two more in that rattle trap. Here they are. If you're going to Blue River, get in. I can't waste time talking. All right, Grandpa. Come on, Pete. Johnny Pickett stared in amazement. The two men who were getting into the stagecoach wore dark broad-claw suits and stiff hats. They might have been prosperous cattle buyers. They recognized them instantly. Ed Ryan and Pete Marcus. You all sit down there. Yeah, I'll sit. Get along, you gooders. The stagecoach rumbled along the winding road into the valley. Johnny Pickett's mind was in a turmoil. Ed and Pete have discovered that this masked man is taking me to jail, he thought. They're running an awful big chance to help me. What'll I do? After all, they are trying to help, and the man with the mask has taken me to jail. Several minutes went by as the stagecoach thundered along through the dark, and Johnny's mind was still filled with unanswered questions. I suppose he tried to warn the man who was sitting beside him. No, he couldn't do that. Ed Ryan was watching him like a hawk. Still, the masked man could draw and shoot faster than anyone he'd ever seen. Another question presented itself. Were his two partners on this coach to save him from going to jail, or were they after the gold in the express box? What did he do? Only one thing was certain. Whatever he did would have to be done quickly. Suddenly, the coach lurched forward, and Ed Ryan was thrown against him as though by accident. Oh, excuse me, I didn't mean to pump you fellas. That's all right. No harm done. And in that instant, Johnny felt a gun butt thrust into his hand. He hit it quickly at his side. Now he had a gun. There would be three against one. Why should he go to jail and maybe have his neck broken with a rope? Still, the man with the mask busted him. He had saved his life from the lynch mob. But what was that when he had a chance for freedom? Suddenly, Johnny Pickett realized what he must do. He thrust the gun firmly in his hands, steeled himself, and spoke quickly to the man beside him. Now look it over there. Somebody riding the headers off. All right, Johnny, I don't see. I'll say it was. Didn't expect us to show up, did you, John? Not exactly. You had to save your own, there. Hey, we never let a pal down. I saw you in this badge tour to get away from the lynch mob, and, well, we figured you'd come through, Brighton. Well, we were sure surprised when we saw you in this coat. So we ditched our horses and came along. And this is one time, Ed, that helping a pilot is going to pay off. That money box the guard put aboard is loaded with gold. Yeah. Well, what do we do now? Well, we get Grandpa to stop this thing, and then we get the money. We can unharness the team and use them for a getaway. Well, how about him? Him? You mean the lawman with the mask? Well, he looked pretty comfortable where he is, there on the floor. That clip on the head really put him away. Yeah. It did, didn't it? Yeah. Hey, let's stop this thing, Pete. Sure. Hey, pull up, will ya? Whoa, whoa, whoa, boy! What's wrong back there? My partner's sick. Can't stand this joltin' rattletap. Let's rest a minute. Ain't my fault, Bob. You either ride or walk. Make up your mind. But this man is sick. He's not able to ride. Oh, yeah. Oh, I'm feeling mighty bad. Sorry, strangers, but I've got a schedule to keep, and I'm... The only thing you'll keep grandpa is them flippers of yours. Up in the air. Dan, he's got a gun. It's old. I see you now. Another one will knock him off his perch, Ed. Yeah. Still wanna argue about it, grandpa? Why, just sit there and keep your paws pointed straight up. Johnny, climb up there and throw out that money box. I'll keep the old man covered. Pete, you better start unhitching that team. I'll have it done in a minute. What's the matter with you, kid? Climb up there! Climbed over the big wheel of the stage coach, a frightened driver is sat with his hands in the air, and Johnny's mind was working rapidly. He couldn't use his gun because Ed Ryan was watching him intently, and Ryan was a dead shot. There was only one thing to do. Jump backwards and jump fast. What the... I've got you covered, Ed. You make one move, I'll drill you. Hey, what's the matter? Have you gone plumb low? You're gone. They're on the ground. Kick it over this way. Oh, so this is the way you pay us back for keeping you from being hung. Kick the gun, Ed, or I'll shoot. That's better. Now I'll just... You'll grab a hand full of sky. Got him in a leg, Ed. Good enough. You should have killed the little coyote. We can take care of that later. Then where you are, both of you? The masked man. Oh, my hand! Sure that hurts. I'll have just knocked your gun away. Listen, are you really all right? I'm all right, Johnny. It's you I'm worried about. Shucks, one slug in my leg ain't nothing. Can you walk? Pretty good. I will continue our trip to Blue River. Two more prisoners. That is, if the driver's not hurt. I'm all right, stranger. Just am I scared, that's all. There's nothing more to be scared of. But maybe you don't understand it. It was me that clipped you on the head. Yes, I know, Johnny. I know why you did. Don't you remember? We're two men who trust each other. Oh, gosh, I... Listen, now there's no doubt that we'll get to Blue River. Well, who is it? Tonto with Silver and Scout. Oh, it's not over. Tonto! Don't come here, Tonto. What happened to the lynch mob from Covert? We lose them fast. Go to camp. Silver there, get message. That's good, Tonto. You got here just in time. You in trouble? Not now, Tonto. Johnny and I are right inside the stagecoach to keep an eye on these outlaws. You follow us with the horses. Huh? Open the door, Johnny, for two bank robbers. Get in, you two. All right, Tonto. Guard, he's hurt pretty bad, but I've got him back up in the box with me. Good. All right, driver. Come on, you traitors. That's wrong. Get up there! Are you the sheriff? Mashman, who are you? I have three prisoners for you, Sheriff. Bank robbers from Covert. Bank robbers? You receive papers on them in a few days. In the meantime, lock them up. Here's the bill. Well, do that. Wait a minute, Mr. I want to talk to you. Is that a big fella? Of course, Johnny. What is it? Well, I'm going to stand trial here. Whatever the verdict is, I'm going to face it square, just like you said. I'm glad to hear you say that, Johnny, but I knew you would. I don't think your sentence will be very hard. I'll talk to the judge. Tell me, how'd you know I was going to say that? Because I knew you were a man, Johnny, and a real man can be trusted. Come on, Silver, get him up the count. Hey, who is that man? And he the Lone Ranger? I don't know who he is, Sheriff. All I know is that he's the greatest friend a kid like me ever had. What you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.