 a fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. In the early days of the western United States, outlaws made their headquarters in the badlands. Ranchers and towns people alike lived in fear of their sudden raids, and it was not until the masked rider of the plane started his great fight for justice that law and order were brought to the frontier. Courageous and resourceful, the Lone Ranger proved himself more than a match for any criminal, and in time drove them from the new territory. Return with us now to those thrilling days when the West was young. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver, the Lone Ranger rides again. Sam Whitby had made a handsome profit from the sale of his cattle, and while completing the transaction in the cafe at Middlefield, he could not refrain from talking about the soundness of his judgment. Count it out loud while you're paying me, Mr. Salters. Maybe when some of these smart gents see how much it comes to, they won't figure there's a dog gone smart after all. Gally, I sure wish it had the nerve to hold my cattle. But whoever figured the market would go this high. I sold at the bottom. And you all told me that if I held on, I'd lose my shirt. Go ahead, Mr. Salters. Count it. Well, if any of these gentlemen doubt that you did well, I'll be glad to inform them I'm paying you exactly $7,400. $7,000? There it is, Sam. All of it in paper money, just as you asked for it. That's satisfying. Satisfy me. Mr. It Plum tickles me to pieces. $5,000 of that just stands for the difference between what I got by selling now and what I would have got if I had sold before. And they called me loco. Well, who's loco now? Ain't you gonna stand and treat, Sam? Sam, you got money to burn and my throat's dusty as a desert trail. How's for some red? I can't stay around, fellas. It wouldn't be safe. I got to take this cash to the banker so as he can deposit for me in the morning. No, no, don't get excited. Because I ain't staying, it don't mean I ain't buying, does it? Well, that's the thing, Sam. Barkeep. Hi, Barkeep. What's your plan here, Sam? You see this? Sure. It's a $100 bill. Well, there she is. Put her away. Huh? Put her away and keep giving the boys drinks till it's all used up. I'm treating and I'm doing it right. $100? Leaving catfish. Sam, you're all right. Ain't nobody's gonna say Sam Whitby's cheap. Drink up, fellas, and have your fun. I'll see you all tomorrow. Good night. Good night, Sam. What's so fast? You ain't going nowhere. The hawk. Get her out and keep her covered, fellas. This won't take long. We blast the first one of them to move. You fellas can't come in my cafe. We can't. How'd you like that? That mirror cost me $300. And maybe that'll teach you to keep your mouth shut. What are you, fellas, after? What do you suppose? Hand it over, mister. Hand what over? Don't play for time or you'll get led right through your galuses. Hand it over. I ask you to help myself. I'll leave it going. Now, if you give it to me in the first place, it'll save us both trouble. Come on, fellas, we get out of here. You can't have it. That's near everything I got. You can't. Sam's knocked out. You dirty crooks. Maybe you killed him. You'll pay for this. He got just what he was looking for. And if you gents want the same, I just stick your nose outside the door. Therefore, we've got a way. Get going, fellas. We got what we come for. Don't slap leather, gents. Because we got it in trigger fingers and you might get through. Come on. The skunk, Sam. Are you hurt, Sam? No. He's coming around. Somebody should get the sheriff. Come on. The sheriff's out of town. And them pool cats rightly knew it. By thunder, hawk and that gang of his are getting some bull. They walk right into town to do their robin. They gotta be stopped. Maybe we should take after them. Not me. I aim to keep my health. They'll soon drill you and look at you. That's so. And every one of them a dead shot. Fellers, I'm a scared poor Sam's case. He's going for good. The following day, two horsemen, one masked and the other an Indian, directed their mouths toward a small ranch house. We'll buy supplies here, Sam, or if they have any to spare, it'll save us a trip into town. Ah. That is, we'll try to buy supplies if anyone's home. The place looks deserted. There, fella. Where? Him on step. Yes, I see him. Come on, Sam. Head up, Scout. Hello, there. Oh, so, oh, oh, Scout. Oh. You're too late. Too late? Might just as well ride on. Some other crook's got it up for you. What are you talking about? Come to rob me, didn't you? Well, I'm just saving you the bother climbing out of your saddle and holding me up. The hawk's got my cash. What's that? Sorry to disappoint you, stranger. But I reckon even crooks have to go without once in a while. They better drop back maybe in a year from now. I might have a stake again by then. You talk heap foolish. Foolish, huh? Well, look at me. Not a dime to my name. And look at the bunk house. Clean, empty. Had to let my crew go because I can't pay them wages. How'd you expect me to talk? Or do you think I ought to be sitting here singing a song? We're not crooks. Just sport that mask to fool your friends, huh? How much money did you have stolen? Curious to know how much you missed? Well, it was over $7,000. I bet that hurts you. You say the hawk got it? Yeah. Maybe you can persuade him to divvy up with you. When did this happen? Last night. Where? Hold on now. You ain't no lawyer and I ain't no witness. Just why should I be answering every question you feel like thinking up? Perhaps we can help you. That's a good one. The hawk shouldn't be hard to find. Sure not. But who wants to find him? That's the point. Him and that gang of his are contagious. That's what they are. Everybody that goes near him gets lead poisoning. So I've heard. Even got the law buffaloed they have. I bet you, dollars to donuts, you couldn't get the sheriff within 10 miles of the hawk's hideout. I'm not the sheriff. You ain't. I wasn't just sure. And I've got a pretty good idea just where the hawk's hideout is. Back in the Red River country from all I've heard. Right. You sound like maybe you was a part of his. Not exactly. We've passed the time of day, stranger. And we've exchanged what exciting gossip there is. Now, if you don't mind, I just assume you rode along. Maybe you'd be different, but me? Well, losing 7,000 in cash don't make me feel much like company. I understand how you feel, Sam. And I don't blame you. We'll ride along. Adios. And don't be surprised if we meet again. Come on, son. Get him up, scoundrel. I'll silver away. What was that he called his horse? And the engine. Oh, I'm the biggest idiot there ever was. That was the lone ranger, and I drove him away. Ignoring the question of supplies from the time being, the masked man in Tonto circled town and headed for the Red River district. Come on, Silver. Come on. Get up, scoundrel. Get over toward the river tunnel. All right. We'll have the most come of that. That's right. Fire. Sail. Get over there. Go away. Reaching the bank of the river, their course led them into rough country. Gullies became chasms. The ground was covered with treacherous boulders. Finally, the last man drew Silver to the stop line. Move. Move, Silver. Move, Scoundrel. Move. Move, Scoundrel. Why, why we stop? What's that between those rocks over there? Look just above them. It's smoke. I'm coming from just about the place we heard the hulk use for a hideout. Huh? He's getting careless. He's had too much success. It's about time he was brought to justice. Not right. What I'm interested in right now is getting back Sam's money. Ah. I'd rather make sure of that first than try to make a capture. The hulk has at least a dozen men following him. Something went wrong. And the money might both get away. Ah. What we do? We can take the horses a little closer without danger of being heard, I believe. Come on. Get him up, Scout. Come on, Silver. I have an idea, Kimasami. But I want to look over the ground first, huh? We ride as far as that clump of trees ahead of us and leave the horses there. Those trees will give them good cover. Then go and put. Right. Come on, old fellow. Never had a hulk in his men, then more overconfident. They receded about the campfire, chuckling over their hold up at the night before. Did you see the big fella at the end of the bar? He was so scared he was green. Every time I wave my irons his way, I could see him getting sick. And then some fellas were scared to go against the law. And from all I've seen up to now, the heap rather be against the law than for it. It's a heap safer. Just one reason. Yeah, hulk, what's that? We're safe as long as you fellas follow my orders. They'll never give nobody a chance. Show them right off. They stand to get drilled if they put up a fight. Kill a few fellas that ain't convinced easy. The rest of them begin to get the idea. Like the time you blasted the stage driver, huh, hulk? Yeah, that's the only time you can think of. Hey, hulk. Yes, Lash? When do we divide up Whitby's case? Why not give everybody his share now? Because I know you fellas. Money in your pocket and you'd be hitting across the border and staying there till it was all spent. Nothing doing. But now it stays in my saddlebags. Time enough to divvy it up after we've held up that bank we planned on. Oh, no, no. Jerks, don't get restless. It won't be long. Just recollect. When you do go, you'll have over twice the cash to throw around. I can wait. Hey, what cause that? What in blank? Horks, them stones didn't slide without somebody was there to start them. No, they just shut up. Maybe it's just some animal. Stay here, I'll have a look. You're loud if you see anything. There is somebody. Come running. Where'd the sound come from? Didn't get hit, did you, hulk? That wasn't it. That thing came so close I could hear it whistle. I seen the flash. Came from over there. Come on after the polecatcher. Hork, hold on. Hold on, we've been tricked with that. That mayor's fella back there at camp is in your saddlebag. Them shots was just to draw us away. Get away from there. He's got the cash. Shoot the polecatcher down. He's stuck on into the brush with the cash and all. We can get him. He's afoot. Aim into the brush, fellas. Double-A's this with him. Keep after him. Oh, my hand. He get you? He shot the gun right out of my hand. Ah, fix him up. Get him myself. Oh, my gosh. You don't seem to hawk. That's what I call real shooting. We'll have to rush him all at once. Hold on. What if he gets you? Don't you see the way he went? He's trapped. Behind him's the canyon. He can't get down it. Up at the river. If he tries to swim it, we can pick him off just as easy as hitting the side of a barn. And the only other way out is... He's right past us. Take it easy, fellas. Why get hurt? If we can't do nothing else, we'll starve the polecat out. 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. He threw the brush. Saw Tonto coming toward him. Tonto. They cut us off from the horses. We're trapped. Oh, that's bad. Well, we have the cash. No way to get out with it from what I can see. Let's have a look. Perhaps there's something we haven't noticed that'll give us a chance. There's a clearing. The river's just beyond. Maybe follow-followers. I doubt it. I gave them something to think about when I shot the gun from their hands. They won't risk their necks unless it's necessary. Oh, that's right. Then let's have a look here. See? Not bad. As soon as we got 10 feet out from the bank, we'd be in full view. If we reached the other side alive, it'd be a miracle. As for the canyon, that's out of the question. I've never been above it before, but I've ridden through it. I remember it well enough. A straight drop, lined by loose shale. Then get us. Not without a fight. Well, let's get back to the brush again, Tutter. I think we'll find that rise over there. We'll be in plain sight here. Might be best to head back for them without letting ourselves be seen or heard. Hope for the chance to break through them. Maybe we should. What happened, Tutter? Twist your ankle? Oh, my ankle, all right. Me, step and log. Log came in. It's rotted. It isn't as safe as it looks. Oh, come on, Whit. What matter? Log. That log. Tutter, I'm not so sure we're trapped after all. Hawkins stationed his men in positions commanding every possible avenue of escape. They held these positions patiently enough for the first hour, but when they were well into the second, they began to get him patient. Slash! What places do you think you're doing? Oh, just shooting at a bird, sitting atop that there log floating over there in the river. What's the matter? Ain't we supposed to make no noise? Didn't you see how that mask man could shoot? Oh, shucks. You'll get your full head blown off one of these days. Why do you think I put you there? Done it so you couldn't be seen. The mask fella sneaked back. He'd know right where you're sitting. I didn't mean nothing, Byron. Neither did the fella look into the barrel of his gun and pull the trigger. He was just looking to see if it was loaded or not. But how long are we going to stay here, Hawke? Are we ever going to do nothing? You'll get action fast enough if they make a break for us. I'd rather go after him. All right, Link. Just go right ahead. We'll find you afterwards. We'll bury him. But just to see him if we missed all of his bullets. We'd still be running the risk that they needed. You fellas follow my orders. Have you got notions I ain't bossy anymore? Well, we ain't questioning that. You better not be. Well, I can sit with the best of them if I have to. But I'm here to say I sure don't like it. Who cares what you like? Keep your eyes peeled, your mouth shut, or pack your war bags and get. Oh, no, Hawke. That's all I gotta say. I want that mask fell in the cash he stole. And no fools like you are going to stop me from getting both. Ever since Sam Whitby had realized if none other than the Lone Ranger he had ordered from his place, he'd blamed himself for the mistake. In the cafe at Millfield, he told his friends a whole story. And there I was talking smart to him and taking him for a crook. But maybe if I'd played McCard's right, he would have helped me out. Fellas, I oughta be took outside and kicked from one end the main street to the other. Gosh, the Lone Ranger. You sure it was him, Sam? I'd stake him an oath on it. Sad his saddle just as straight as any Texas Ranger ever seen. In fact, I've heard stories hint he was one once. That ain't proof that he's there. He called the engine with him, Tonto, didn't he? If you don't know Tonto's the handle of that engine part of his, then you don't know nothing. We could have called a red skin that just to fool you. Yeah. And I suppose you'll find horses like that and he was riding free for the asking. You never seen nothing like that horse. So big and powerful looking, you couldn't hardly believe it at first. And with a look in his eye, like he savvied every least thing was going on. A human look, that's what he had. If he didn't look smarter than some of the humans in here right now, I wouldn't claim much for him. Take nothing to laugh at. A man could kill to own a horse like that. Yes, sir, that ain't no joke. Why, sitting atop that horse and knowing he was yours would, would, well, it'd make even a dried up old fossil like me think he was something special. And by thunder, that horse would make me something special. Then it was the lone ranger you met up with Sam and no mistake. I've heard just the same thing. Do you think you're standing there sassin' him? Sam, I'll bet you feel like about two cents. With holes plugged through him. Gosh, if he only had been willing to help you out. Not a chance after all I said. Didn't you say he mentioned something about seeing you again, Sam? Sure. And that's just what I'm scared of. Why would he be wanting to look me up a second time? Lesson it was to get even for the sass I'd give him. No, sir, regents. I had him a chance and threw it over. If I see him again, it'll be just my bad luck. Hawke had been able to control these men throughout the daylight hours. But as darkness began to fall, they threatened the mutiny. Slish, contrary to orders, left his post and confronted his leader. Hawke, I'm through. I've had all the weight and I can stand and all I'm gonna stand. If you don't like it, it can't be helped. And that's the way it is. You look how we just... Yeah? We'll ask the other fellas if they don't feel the same. Maybe you're the boss, but we got some rights. You want to go in there after him? Well... After I pointed out how he might drill half of us before we got him? Erks, I don't hanker he'd get billed anymore in the next fella. But neither do I feel like sitting like a bump on a log for about 24 hours. Well, he's right, Hawke. So you're talking up to... As long as everybody's declared himself, I might as well join in. So I said just what I've been thinking. If I had, didn't have no more brains than you fellas that had been hung 10 years ago. This ain't a case of hanging. It's a case of doing nothing with nothing to show for. And besides, Hawke, after it's cleared dark, how do we know we'll be able to see him if he makes a break for it? What if he swims to the river, huh? It ain't easy to see a man again water at night. Then you all say we should rush him, huh? Ain't there no better way? There ought to be something we could do. You won't wait. You're scared to go after him. What do you want to do? Run away? Hand him that cash to keep? No, I... That doesn't ever... Hand what to do. Fellas, I got an idea. It'll work. I'll bet you anything it'll work. What's got into you? Is anything worth hearing? Let's have it. The brush. The underbrush runs almost to the river. It matches and set it afire. How's the mask, Fellas? Going to get away from that. He'll have to make a break for it and show himself or we can see him. Or stay in that little clearing by the bank of the river. And when the brushes all burn away, he'll be in plain sight anyhow. Doggone. Why couldn't somebody have thought of that before? What do you think, Hockey? Sounds all right to me. Right. It matches. Start the fire the whole way along here. All right. Whim's just right. The brush is dry and she'll blaze like kindling. They want it started. Keep your hands in your guns and don't miss a trick. We're shooting them down on sight. The outlaws lost no time putting their scheme into effect. Matches were hastily lit and applied to the surrounding brush. The flames spread slowly at first, then more rapidly. Burning always more fiercely until finally they made a roaring inferno, gassing their glow far across the night-shadowed wilderness. When their work was done on the flames erasing toward the river, the outlaws wedded tensely for the lone ranger to make his appearance. They stood with guns ready and... Don't give them no chance to surrender. Don't give them a chance to put up a fight. Leek, hi, Leek. I'm right here. What do you want? You keep your eye on the river. Mike's still trying to swim it. If he does, he needs to go on it. Slash. You have to. The flames ain't so high on your side. Yes, like the warrior, make his break. Don't let him get fired. Not if I have them. They're both guns, anyway. Don't worry about us over here, not at all. Good. Don, look at that fire burning. I wouldn't be on the other side of the river twice the cash he stole from us. Keep watch, fellas. He's going to make a break. He'll have to be soon. Or he won't have no more hide left out of him than a barbecued steer. The lone ranger did not appear. The fire marched steadily toward the river, and then reaching its goal slowly burned itself out. When the ground had cooled enough to be crossed, the puzzled outlaws began to search for the masked man. Oh, go on, if that ain't a funny thing. I sure can't figure it. Maybe it was burnt. Who's going to stand still and let a fire get at him when he's got a chance to get away from it? Well, they smoke might as smothered, isn't it? Link, if he got away, there's no one here to be blamed but you. Huh? Me? How do you figure that? He couldn't have got away except by the river. It was your job to watch the river. You wasn't watching like I told you that? Oh, that's so low. Well, dog gone, I never took my eyes off the river, even for one second. You can't blame this on me, paying no more of my fault than anybody else's. Well, so anyhow, whether it was burnt or got away, we're out the cash. Yeah, if we'd gone right after him at the first... I didn't notice you so blame anxious to go after him at the first or any other time. Well, just the same was what we should have done. I say he couldn't have got away. It just ain't possible. Hey, maybe... Maybe what? The cliff where the canyon is. Why couldn't he have fixed a rope somehow and hung over the side? He could be there now like... In the first place, he was a foot and never had no rope. Yeah, yeah, that's true. In the second place, I looked there already. He's gone, that's all there is to it. You hear that? Hey. Listen. What the? The horsemen. Sounds like a posse. They must be close to our camp already. Come on. Run for it, or they'll get us. Come on, just like we have the mask, man. We'll never make it. There they are, you can see them. What do we do? Wait it out. What, that's too many for us. Look, look there. The one in the lead, the ombre and the white horse. It's the mask, man. This? Up with your hands. Don't shoot. We're doing the sheriff's work for him and taking you rattlers to jail. Round them up, pal. Wait, wait, hold on. You there. Well? We had you trapped. You couldn't have got away. But you did, and I'd like to know how. Now it was done? You must have wings. He had some better wings. He had the sense to see a way out when he stumbled on it. Huh? Oh, what Sam means is that Tato stumbled on it. Stumbled? Exactly. He stumbled on a log. A log? What are you getting at? Tato and I escaped by the river. There, just as I told you, Link, it was your fault. You didn't keep watch. Wait until I've finished. We escaped by the river in broad daylight. Oh, you're cutting there, weren't you? Under the log over which Tato had stumbled. And it rotted, and we hollowed out the inside. We moved it into the river and got beneath it. There was an airspace in which we could breathe. We were entirely concealed. Well, I'll be hogtied. The ones we thought we weren't going to make it. One of your men fired at the log, and we thought you'd discovered our trick. That... Why, the log you mean must have been the one floating by when I fired at the bird. Perched on it. We couldn't tell why you'd fired. Anyway, we got beyond you, picked up our horses, and rode to town, bringing these men back with us. I wish I'd known you was under there. But you didn't. So there ain't much now that you can do about it. Captain, come along peacefully and take your medicine. The more I think of how the mask fella fooled these fellas, the more I got to laugh. Yeah? Well, Sam, it looks to me like he fooled you, too. Huh? You was the dog going, sure the mask fella was mad at you. And then he brought back your care. Ain't a word of truth in it. Me, think the mask fella was put out by anything I said? Sure. Anybody fool enough to think that? Just don't know the Lone Ranger. You have just heard of the copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.