 With action and suspense out of the Old West comes the most famous hero of them all, Hopalong Cassidy, starring William Boyd. The ring of the silver spurs harrows the most amazing man ever to ride the prairies of the early West, Hopalong Cassidy. The same hoppy you cheer in motion pictures, and the same California you've laughed at a million times. Raw courage and quick shooting have built a legend around this famous hero. Hopalong is a name to be feared, respected and admired, for this great cowboy rides the trails of adventure and excitement. William Boyd as Hopalong Cassidy and Andy Clyde as California. Well Hoppy, what about our story? We call this one buckshot badman. California and I were a good three days ride from the bar 20, and anxious to cover the few miles that would take us to Pinto Springs. It was a hot August afternoon without a breath of air stirring, and the only sign of life was a few buzzards wheeling slowly over the trail up ahead. I'd tell you Hoppy, I'm so thirsty I believe I could drain the Rio Grande in one swallow. I know just what you mean, California. You've already drained both our canteens. You just have to wait till we get to Pinto Springs. Yeah, yeah, I know it. But the minute we get there, I'm going into these high saloons, take right up to the bar, and order me a whole bucket full of cespera. My, you do like to live dangerously, don't you? Oh sure, I... Hey, wait a minute, California. There's a horse over that clump of mesquite. Yeah, he sure ain't dead though, he even got a saddle on him. Come on, let's take a look. Let's go. Do you see what I see, Hoppy? Yeah, if you mean a man lying there beside the trail I do. I reckon he must have fell off his horse. Looks like he had a good reason for falling off. Eh, he's been shot. Is he dead? Yeah, he's dead all right. Somebody shot him in the back with a shotgun. Now back to Hop along Cassidy and our story, Buck shot Batman. Hoppy and California were riding toward the little town of Pinto Springs when they noticed some buzzards circling the trail ahead. Upon drawing closer, they saw a horse standing at the edge of the trail. Spurring up to investigate, they discovered its cowboy rider lying on the ground, dead. Shot in the back with a shotgun. The poor curse never had a chance, Hoppy. Whoever dry-gulched him sure wasn't taking any chances. Eh, what you looking at there? I don't know for sure. Looks like this fellow was trying to tell something before he died. Look at that. Well, it looks like he drawed an arrow in the dust. Yeah, sort of an odd arrow though. Got two lines below the inverted V and they curve away from each other at the bottom. Just sort of funny looking all right. But I guess if you're dying, you can't be too particular. Well, we better take him into the Sheriff's office at Pinto Springs. Right, Hoppy. I'll fetch his horse. You say his name is Jack Fulton, Sheriff? That's right, Cassidy. He was a rider for the Double D. Oh, I've heard of the Double D ranch. Isn't that the outfit owned by a man named Dave Daniels? Well, it was owned by Dave Daniels. What do you mean, Sheriff? Six weeks ago, Daniels was killed the same way as Fulton. He was found with a load of double O buckshot in the back. His daughter Helen's running the place now. Any idea who might have gunned him down? Well, I've got an idea too. That's about all. Daniels was in on a mining deal of some kind with Owen Ransom. He owns the big spread next to the Double D. Daniels was riding home from a visit to Ransom's the night he was killed. I see. Did you find out why he went to visit Ransom that night? Well, according to Ransom, Daniels went over to collect $4,000 that Ransom owed from the mine. He says he paid him the cash and Daniels rode off to home. Ransom claims he went right to bed and never left the ranch that night. Can he prove that? Well, Ransom's foreman, Duke Snyder, swears it's true that I wouldn't trust Snyder any further than I would Ransom. Where was Daniels found? That's another strange thing. He was found on his own ranch by his own foreman, a fellow named Will Banning. Banning claims there wasn't no money on Daniels when he found him. Well, there you are. Ransom given the money, followed him back and killed him so he could get the money back. Yeah, that might be it. And then again, it might not. You see, there wasn't no love lost between Daniels and Banning. So his own foreman might have done it himself. What was that trouble, Sheriff? Yeah, don't know if you could rightly call it trouble. But Banning was in love with Helen Daniels and they was wanting to get hitched. Daniels was dead set again at one of his daughters to marry somebody more important, I guess. Well, Sheriff, we're going to spend the night in Pinto Springs, but we might just ride out to the double B and pay Miss Daniels a visit. I suppose she could put us up for the night. Why, sure. Probably give you jobs if you want them. We'll need them if we don't get back to the bar 20 pretty soon. By the way, Sheriff, take a look at what I've drawn on this piece of paper. Ever see anything like that? No, don't know as I have. Looks sort of like a double shafted arrow. What about it? Jack Fulton drew something like that in the dust before he died. It was pointing due west from where we found him. West, huh? I would have been toward Ransom's place. Say, speak of the devil, here comes Ransom now. Good, I'm anxious to meet him. And, Sheriff, let's don't say anything about that little arrow for the time being. All right, whatever you say. Ransom? Meet, uh, Hopalon Cassidy in California, Carlson. Well, well. So this is Hopalon Cassidy. I suppose you're gonna help solve these mysterious shootings and bring the killer to justice, huh? Shall I consider that an invitation, Ransom? Sit yourself, cowboy. Just leave me alone, that's all. Yes, me, you'd best start right at the double D with Will Banning. Thanks, we will. Gosh, Hoppy, there's double D's white and spread, ain't it? Yeah, it looks pretty good. I don't see much signs of life around the house, though. Hello! That ought to rouse somebody. Well, it should, if anybody's in there. Come on, let's have a look. Hey, there's a pretty gal coming out on the porch there. Hello there. Howdy, ma'am. Are you Miss Daniels? Yes, I am. What can I do for you? My name is Hopalon Cassidy, and this is California Carlson, Miss Daniels. How do you miss? I have some news for you. You mean about Jack Fulton? You know already know about him, then? Yes, my foreman Will Banning was in town when Jack was brought in. He wrote right out to tell me. Are you the men who found him? Yes, I am sorry to say we are. My father was killed in the same cowardly way. I know. We got the story from the sheriff. Mr. Cassidy, what am I going to do? I don't know which way to turn. No, no, don't you worry. If you've got room in your bunkhouse for California May, maybe we can help out. I was interested in seeing this coyote smoked out of his den as you are. Well, that goes for me too, ma'am. Thank you. You can't know how much I appreciate it. Well, Helen, why didn't you let me know we had visitors? Well, they just arrived, Will. Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Carlson, meet Will Banning, my foreman. How are you Banning? How are you? What can we do for you? Mr. Cassidy's offered to help try to find the man who murdered Dad and Jack. Well, that's right, neighborly, Cassidy. But we wouldn't want to impose on you that way. I think we can handle this in our own way without any help from strangers. Will Banning, suppose you let me decide about that. Mr. Cassidy, you'll have to excuse Will. He's acting like a husband before we're even married. Oh, that's all right, Miss Daniels. Now that you two have decided things, I wouldn't want to be in the way. Guess I'll take a little ride to settle myself. Will, stop acting like a jealous schoolboy. I'm beginning to get the idea. He don't like her sugar. Oh, he'll be all right. Sometimes he's just like a spoiled calf. By the way, Miss Daniels, when's this wedding gonna take place? Two weeks from today. I see. The sheriff told me Will was the one who found your dad. Yes, that's right. He was returning from a visit to Ransom's place the night he was shot? Yes. Dad had told me at supper that evening that he was going over to collect $4,000 as a final share of the mine's profits. You see, the mine was all worked out and Ransom decided to abandon operations. Did anyone else know what your dad's plans were for that night? Well, yes. Will always ate with us, so of course he knew. Speaking of eating, I bet you met her half-starred. Oh, that we are, ma'am. That we are. I'm sorry. I'm afraid my hospitality isn't what it should be. Come along, though. We've got a wonderful Chinese cook who'll ruffle up something in a jiffy. Happy? They must be the best fiddlers I've ever had for quite a smell. Yeah, Miss Daniels wasn't kidding about her cooked naughty stuff. Oh, so Chung, blingy, more scambled egg, more fly potato, fill them up, Miss... Jump along Cossidy or Miss a California, plenty of okay. The name is Hop along Chung. And I think this will hold me for the time being. Yeah, yeah. And me, too. Say, Chung, Miss Daniels tells me you've been with the family here for several years. What are your ideas on the shotgun killing? Oh, he's very tellable. Poor Miss a Daniel. He's a very good man. Chung think maybe Miss a Lansom know more than he say. Miss a Lansom? Who's he? He means Owen Ransom, California. Oh, yes. Miss a Lansom. Chung, not Clustingsame, please. Any particular reason you don't trust him, Chung? As great Confucius once say, Leason not necessarily for avoiding poison snake. Well, Miss a Ransom doesn't seem to be too popular around these parts, does he? Oh, no. Well, the funny thing is going on around his lunch. Uh, what sort of funny things? Chung not annoying, but he a talking. Miss a Jack Fulton say monkey business go on at toolshed at far end of lunch. Maybe so, him hiding something. Toolshed, eh? Oh, he's a very strange. Why Lansom go and got toolshed out there? Well, nothing particularly strange about that. Lots of ranchers have toolsheds at far end of their spreads. We might just right over there tonight after the moon's up California and have a look around. Can you tell us how to get to this toolshed, Chung? Oh, can do. Chung, get a pencil or paper, draw a map, how to find. All right, Chung. Hoppy, sure we ought to go snooping around Ransom's play after dark. We may be sticking our noses in a hornet's nest. Oh, Chung's imagination's probably working overtime. But we better check all the angles if we're ever going to find out what this is all about. I noticed you didn't mention anything to Miss Daniels about stopping at the bank before we come out here. How come? I didn't figure it was too important yet anyway. The fact that Ransom deposited some large amounts of money lately doesn't necessarily prove anything. But if he ain't operating the mine anymore, where's he getting all that money? I don't know. I've got an idea. He is still operating that mine secretly. Quiet, here comes Chung then. Mr. Skipperong, here is a map how to get to Ransom's toolshed. Ah, let's see here. That's a pretty artistic map, Chung. Is this supposed to be the toolshed here? Oh, no, no. Toolshed up here. That is his signature. Chinese character for name Chung. Oh, sure, I should have known. Well, I don't think we'll have any trouble finding the place. We'll be up in an hour or two. We'll leave then. Oh, very good. Oh, by the way, Chung, let's not tell anybody where California and I go tonight, huh? Oh, yes, Chung keeps secret. As great confucius you once say, man who cannot keep secret, all the same. Cannot keep flint. That old boy had something to say about everything, didn't he? Sounds that way. Come on, California, let's go. It looks like he's head right ahead there, honey. Yeah, that must be it, all right. I'd hate to find it in the night with no moonlight. The place looks deserted enough. Can't see any lights, anyway. That suits me just fine, too. Let's tie up to this tree here. All right, hoppy. Come on, California, you got the lantern? Yeah, yeah, I got it. Want me to light it now? No, not yet. Wait till we see if we can get inside the shed. What do you expect to find if we do get in? Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe nothing. Hey, don't lightly... We could see any lights even if there was some. I don't think there's any windows in the shed. Well, here's a door anyway. Let's try it. Well, um... What's the matter? This door isn't even locked. Just bolded, shun. Well, what do you know? Come on inside and light the lantern. Sure. Wait till I strike a match. There's she been. Can you see now? Yeah. Bring the light over here. Looks just like any other tool shed ever saw. Yeah, I don't see anything unusual so far. Oh, my gosh. My gosh, they got me. Quiet, quiet. That was just the door. Oh. Well, looks like somebody wants to keep us in here, California. Keep us in here? Let's see if we can break it open. Come on. Okay, let's go. Come on. I'm afraid there's no use, California. That door won't budge. Well, there ain't no wonders. Guess all we can do is sit here till whoever locks us in shows his hand. I guess so. Listen. Looks like he's already shown his hand. This whole tool shed's been set afire from outside. Now back to Hopalong Cassidy and our story, Buckshot Batman. Poppy in California were told there was some strange things going on at an old tool shed on the ransom ranch. They rode out at night to investigate and found the tool shed deserted and with the door unlocked. While looking around inside, the door is suddenly slammed shut and locked from outside and moments later they discover the shed is on fire. Well, what are we going to do? The smoke's getting thicker and thicker. Yeah. It's getting a little warm, too. What you looking for, Hoppy? Well, this is supposed to be a tool shed. Maybe we can find something we can use to break a hunger wall. Looks like we're goners for sure if we can't. Wait, we're in luck, California. Here's an old hatchet. Hurry, Hoppy. I'm getting to California. These flames are getting my hands. I'd like to get my hands on the low-down polecat. Here, California. I think there's room enough to get out now. Hurry up. Here I go. Come on, Hoppy. I'm right behind you. I'm glad to get out of there. You all right? Yeah. Just scorched a little. Let's get out of the light more. Look here, Hoppy. Look. An empty kerosene can. Don't be your horse, California. Let's get that ombre. There he goes. Right north through the trees. Come on. We might still get him. Let's go, Hopper. Can you see him, Hoppy? Ah, no. He's out of sight. I'm afraid it's no use, Hoppy. We'd never find him in the brush at night this way. Ah, I guess you're right. Looks like he got away. Now, me fixie-missie, run along up plenty like new. Choong, bring a slivy medicine. Put same on burn. Yeah. Put a little on the back of my hand here. And the side of my nose feel kind of scorched, too. Oh, all right. I fixie. Oh, I feel terrible about all this, Hoppy. You might have burned- Now, don't you go getting all upset again. We're going to have this whole business cleared up in no time. Oh, so, have found a miserable person who'd do killing, please? Yeah, it looks that way, Chung. Say you want to help us? Oh, yes. Chung glad to be helping. Good. Now, listen. I got to go over to Ransom's place, but I want somebody to write in the pinned or springs and bring the sheriff back here. Can you do that? Yes, can do, can do. Can't you tell me what this is all about, Hoppy? No, not just yet. But when I get back here with Ransom, I want the sheriff to be here, too. Can do, can do. Good. You better get going, then. Chung, practically to pin those springs your leg. How's your hand now? Oh, fine. Feels much better, thanks. Well, I see you're all fixed up, Hoppy. Oh, it's just my luck not to get burned enough to need a pretty nurse. Better luck next time, California. Did you check on that little man I told you to, California? Yeah, but sure did, and you was plumb right, too. I thought so. Well, Helen, I think we're going to get a couple of things settled here right pronto. What's your plan, Hoppy? I want you to stick around here and sort of keep an eye on things, California. Chung's on his way in for the sheriff. And if I can locate Banning, he can write over to Ransom's with me. I got you. We should be back in a couple of hours. By that time, Chung and the sheriff should be here. Well, Chung tells me you wanted me for something, Cassidy. What's on your mind? Glad you came in, Banning. I'm about to write over to see you, Ransom. I figured maybe you'd write along, sort of keep me company. Well, I don't know. Will it be happy to go along, Hoppy? Wouldn't you, Will? Oh, yeah, yeah, I guess so. Good. Let's hit Leather, then. Well, I don't see any greeting committee. I guess they haven't spotted us yet. Come on, Banning. Smells like we're just in time for breakfast. That ought to bring somebody on the run. Yeah. Now, let's play this mighty careful. Yeah? Where do you want, cowboy? We'd like to see you, Ransom. You must be Snyder. Well, what about it? Stand aside. Don't you know it didn't good in manners to keep people standing outside your door? It's great, Hoppy. It's great, the opposite. I wouldn't reach for that if I were you, Snyder. What's going on, Duke? Oh, it's you, Cassidy. What do you want here? I come to take you over to the double D, Ransom. We've got a few things to straighten out, and I know you wouldn't want to miss them. I'm not going anywhere with you, Cassidy. If you've got anything to say to me, you can say it right here. Just give me the word, Boston. Shut up, Snyder. I'll handle this my own way, like this. No! All right, you asked for it, Ransom. How do you like it? Righta! Grab him, you fool! Keep your distance, Snyder. Are you big-wrapping lid? Come on, Ransom. Get on your feet. Well, I'll get you for this, Cassidy. I'll get you if it takes me to... Ah, save it. Get the guns, Vanning. We're heading for the double D. Get moving, both of you. Sheriff's right inside with Miss Helen, Hoppy. Good. All right inside, you men. See you later, California. Yeah, I got some business to tender. Hello. Well, Ransom, Snyder. What's going on here, Cassidy? How crowded is your jailhouse, Sheriff? I think you're going to have some new customers. Thank heaven you're back safely, Hoppy. Hey! What about me? Well, darling, I was so worried. There. So, chung, blinging coffee for everybody. That's fine, chung. Better pour a cup for yourself, too. Everybody have a chair. What I have to say won't take long. I demand to know why I was forced to come here against my will. Simmer down, Ransom. You're about to find out. Helen, the night your dad was murdered, he had ridden over to Ransom's to get a final payment for what Ransom claimed was a worked-out mind. Yes, that's right. Someone who knew your dad would be carrying that money and bushed him and stole it. Jack Fulton was murdered yesterday in the same way, because he must have discovered who the killer is. Go on, Cassidy. Ransom was lying about the mind being worked out and still producing, and he's been cheating Helen Daniels out of her share ever since her father's death. That's a lie, Cassidy. That's still Ransom and shut up. Maybe you can explain those big deposits you've made at the bank lately, Ransom, but I doubt it. All right. Maybe the mind is still paying off. But I didn't kill Daniels, and you can't prove I did. Luckily I don't have to, Ransom. Jack Fulton lived long enough after you were shot to help tell us who that mysterious buckaroo is. You mean double arrow he drew on the dust, Cassidy? Yeah, only it wasn't meant to be a double arrow. Fulton didn't live quite long enough to finish it. But he was drawing the signature of the murderer. What? What does it mean? Yeah, give me a pencil and a paper. Now these two vertical lines that curved away from each other at the bottom and the inverted V above them were only part of a chair. But with a little horizontal line across the others, it makes a... Very clever, Mr. Cassidy. Please put up hands, everybody. Why, it's a chunk. The cook. Had a gun under his apron. Better give yourself a peaceful chunk. You can't get away with it. Oh, not being too sure, Mr. Shaliff. Come here, Miss Helen. You go along. If you touch so much as I hear of her hands... Please, not getting excited, please. Gun might go off. Take it easy, banding. Let him play his hand. Most excellent advice, Mr. Cassidy. Say, and follow me, Miss Helen. We back out and get horses. Drop that gun, China boy, or I'll blast your part with your own shotgun. Now back to hop along, Cassidy. There, there, Helen, relax now. It's all over. Well, I just can't help it. I'm still scared. Oh, nothing to be afraid of now, honey. The sheriff's on his way into town with Chung, and there's nothing to worry about. We'll ride, Helen. And you won't have any more trouble with ransom either. The sheriff's giving him till six o'clock tonight to pay what he owes you. And from now on, he'll have to account for every penny he makes. Oh, I don't know how to thank you in California. Hoppy, I just... Then don't try. We know what you mean all right. You know, it's still hard to believe Chung is a murderer. How'd you ever find him out, Cassidy? Oh, I don't know, mostly luck, I guess. He seemed awfully anxious to get us out to ransom's tool shed for one thing. And when he drew us a map showing how to find it, I noticed his Chinese signature looked like something the Fulton had drawn in the dust. So he followed you out there and set fire to the shed after he locked you and trying to make it look like ransom's work. Yeah, but when we got here, I knew he was our man for sure. Hoppy smelled kerosene in Chung's hands while he was smearing that sav and he's burned. Yeah, but wasn't it sort of dangerous sending him after the sheriff? Or he might have made a getaway. No, I wasn't worried about that. You see, Chung thought he'd succeeded in making us think ransom was guilty, so I decided to play along with him. While he was tending to my burns, California found a shotgun under his mattress and the money, too. Poor Chung. I almost feel sorry for him, though. Well, don't waste your sympathy, Helen. He'll soon be taking a long, long journey to join his ancestors. And speaking of long journeys, California and I'd better be hitting the trail or we'll never get back to the bar 20. Yeah, a bit old buck will be fit to be tied when we get back, but Hoppy, before we leave her, don't you reckon we better store away a little grub? Well, you just ate an hour or so ago, California. Why do you want to eat again? Well, as the great cornfucius once said, cowboy with long journey travel better with full stomach. As the great confucius once said, man who guilty must pay. And thus ends Hoppy's tale about a couple of murders in a Chinese cook who turned out to be the Buckshot Batman. When we meet Hoppy again, he spins the darnedest story you ever heard. It concerns a poor defenseless woman and her daughter who are swindled by the town's banker. So remember to be with us for Hoppy's next exciting episode, Voss of Vinegar Bend. Off along Cassidy, starring William Boyd is transcribed and produced in the west by Walter White Jr. Buckshot Batman was written by Robert T. Smith. All stories are based upon the characters created by Clarence Mofford. Thank you for watching.