 a horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty high old silver, a lone ranger. Music With his faithful Indian companion, Tato, 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. Come on, Silver. It's dangerous on the trail ahead. I'll Silver! The trail between the base of a steep mountain and the quicksand was narrow. Tato and Dan riding side by side were close together, traveling slowly. Now look at Victor, Tato. Seems to know there's quicksand right next to the trail. Ah, him no danger. He's keeping away from the edge. He's never seen quicksand, has he? I mean, not think so. Well, how does he know it's dangerous? Oh, horse no many things him never taught. It's hard to understand, isn't it, Tato? Take fire, for instance. Victor probably knows fire is dangerous even though he's never been burned by it. That's right. Same way, him no bad snake danger. Golly, Victor's sure a smart horse. Hey, you think he knows we're going to join the lone ranger and camp? Maybe him no. Now, Dan, you look, look upside a mountain. Yeah? From here, wait, rain up. Hold it. Hold it. What were you going to say? Well, from here, you see wagon trail on top of mountain. You see line of trees. Yeah? Trees, border trail. So that's where the wagon trail runs, huh? Ah, that road to Barnsville. This trail makes shortcut. Oh. It's good trail to know. Apply me sure to you. You remember it? Sure, I remember. Might be handy to know a shortcut from Barnsville to... Wait, look. Hey, there's wagon up there. Something's wrong. Wagon, heavy loaded. Look at it come, Tato. It'll be killing me. Tato, that thing had hit us we'd have been done for. Dan, you do good job. You keep tight grip on Victor. Keep him from getting scared. Ah, sure. That was the thing to do, wasn't it? Ah, now watch wagon. See how quicksand suck it down. Oh, golly. But, Tato, there weren't any horses hitched to it. That's right. And that's plenty strange. The wagon couldn't have started over the side of the hill by itself. If it had gone over through an accident, there'd have been horses. Dan, wait. Yeah? You see boxes on wagon? Sure. You see what boxes say? I can just about make out the writing. It says... Damn. Get him close. Great day. Stay close to the side of the hill. That shot was fired at us. That's right. Hit the rock. Someone on wagon trail shoot. You stay close to the side of the hill. Wait, Tato, don't... Let me see who shoots. Tato, that came closer. Tell us some place on top. You may not see him yet. Yeah, but he can see you. He'll show himself for next shot. Come to see him then. Why would only one want to shoot? Tato. Tato, fall. Tato, you're falling. Try to save him. Get him up scot. The man was lost, didn't he? Yeah. Tato did his level best, but that would-be killer came down hill too far away. Tato couldn't get to him in time. We pitch horses here. They're too fine horses, Tato. At least they didn't slide down the hill into the quicksend. Tato had me follow the trail alone, leading scot. He went up the hill to look around, found the horses. Nothing else there, Tato? No, no other sign. I'll drive wagon-long trails, stop near Swamp on hitchhorses. I see. Then give wagon shell. You don't know what the wagon held? Oh, yeah. What do you do? It held barrels and cases. They were labeled property of the United States Army. Oh, I see. They held powder and cartridges. Powder and cartridges. That sort of goods could be going to only one place. Where's that? Fort Carter. Oh. A few miles beyond Barnsville. Why follow sand wagon into quicksend? That chemo sabay remains to be learned. Oh. Was there any indication that more than one man was on the wagon? No. All right. Here's silver. You saddle up? Yes. Steady there, boy. Then, Tato, we're going to divide forces. What can I do? Skirt south of Barnsville, Dan. Steady silver. South of Barnsville. Yes, sir. Take this silver bullet. Here. Catch. You go west. After you cross the bridge at Caney Creek, watch for a stockade on an unbroken plain. That's Fort Carter. Tell the guard at the gate to give this bullet to the commander. Well, you know what the bullet means? Who said it? Captain Martin's in command. He'll recognize the bullet. Ask him if he expected ammunition. If he did, tell him what you just told me and meet me here. Yes, sir. You make the fort before dark. Stay there tonight, and I'll look for you here tomorrow night. All right. Now, on your way. Get up, Victor. Hello. What do you want me to do? All right. Let me watch Dan till he's out of sight. He's going, Kimosabi. Filling out. Ah, him plenty fine boy. How did he conduct himself? Oh, him show good horsemanship. Victor ready to bolt when wagon come downhill, but Dan keep him under control. Good. Out huddle, Chief Thunder Cloud and his friendly engines know all about things that happen around here. Ah, him north of here. You could ride to him in a short time. And me, Savvy. You see, someone wanted to keep that ammunition from the army. They were ready to kill you and Dan, prevent their plan from being known. That can have just one meaning. Big things are happening. Ah, you go. Now. Get him up, scout. Now, Silver, we'll see what we can learn in Barnsville. Is that it, big fella? Come on, Silver. As the Lone Ranger rode toward town, he removed his mask and tucked it beneath his shirt. He drew a battered hat from a saddle bag and replaced his clean stetson. With practice fingers, he affected a simple disguise that concealed his own clean-cut features. When he rained up before the store in Barnsville, he dismounted in the easy, careless way of a ranch hand. He sauntered toward the store, then suddenly... Captain Martin. What's Captain Martin doing here? I have to wait a little, stranger. I'm taking care of the captain right now. I don't mind waiting. We're all through, Jim. That delivery hasn't come here. We'll just have to wait, that's all. Captain Martin? I suppose it's real urgent, ain't it? Oh, no, it doesn't matter a bit. We have an ample supply of ammunition. I'll send word to the garrison as soon as it comes. Yes, sir, just as soon as I can. Thanks, Jim. Now, stranger, what can I do for you? Oh, here's a list of things I want. You'll get them together, and I'll stop back. That's a sizable list. You got the cash to pay for them? You can take it out of this. But I got to have time to sum it up. You want to wait? I'll change when I come back, Jim. Suit yourself. But you shouldn't be so trusting. You won't find many storekeepers as honest as I am. Oh, Captain. Yes? I'd like to speak to you. Well, I'm something of a very... My horse lost his shoe. I want to make sure the Smith does a good job. I'll walk there with you. Well, I... Come on, Silver. Follow along, boy. Wait. Yes, Captain Martin? You call that horse Silver. I sent a message to your garrison. A Silver bullet. I knew you'd be here in town. I've never seen you unmasked. There are times when I use a disguise. That's what I thought. The ammunition you're waiting for will never arrive. What? Are you sure? Yes. It's been destroyed. Exploded? Burned? No. Lost in quicksand. Oh, the fiends, the devils. They're cunning. They're treacherous. Who? Sitting crow. Not really. See nearby? Too near. He knows Barnsville as a wealthy community. He knows the people here made a lot of money in gold for jewels and liquor and silks that were brought from the east. He wants those things. Sitting crow. A half-breed Indian leader. He also knows that as long as Fort Carter stands, he can't attack the town. And he's the one who destroyed the ammunition. Must have been. He probably knew our supplies were low. Captain Martin, let me tell you just what happened. The Lone Ranger outlined briefly what had happened. Meanwhile, far out beyond the garrison, sitting crow, a half-breed, who had enlisted the aid of scores of renegade Indians, sat with his men around him in a valley. He addressed Butch Larson. You needn't be concerned, Larson. I made sure of the faction. And how can you be sure that ammunition won't get to the fort? I know the man I paid to destroy it. All right for that. But what about the supplies on hand in the fort? You're dead sure they ain't got much powder there? I'm sure. Well, you better be. If we attack them troopers when they got a good supply, we'll get licked. I know what I talk about. That's enough. You know, sitting crow, the fact that your port engine makes you just the right sort for this kind of job. I know. You can get along with those savages you got lined up. And then at the same time, you can talk white man's lingo just as good as I can. We act soon. How soon? The sooner the better. That's what I say. Tonight. Tonight? Good. That's great. We must creep quietly up to the fort, get our men placed in ambush, and the plan is to draw as much fire from the troopers as we can. Make them spend their shots. I get it. And when they're out of ammunition, we can storm the place. I'll get the red skins ready right away. As soon as it gets dark, we move. When Dan learned that the commander, Captain Martin, was not on the garrison, he at first thought he'd start back at once to meet the Lone Ranger. Then he realized that the masked man wouldn't look for him until the following night. He might not even be in the camp. That's right, youngster. So you might just as well stay here till daybreak. I'll show you around the place. We have some mighty fine horses here. I should say you have. I saw some of them. I'll show you all of them. You know, Dan, I was just a little older than you when I joined the troopers. You were? Hey, you think I'm old enough to join? You're about 16. Well, I'm 14. No, is that so? You're big of your age. Now, here are the gates. They swing wide open when we have wagons or a lot of horses to move in or out, see? Yeah. There's a little door here for a man to use. Needs a little grease. It's all right, Guard. The order of Captain Martin, no one is to enter or leave. That's right. And between the two of us, kid, I don't like the things that darkness is concealing. What do you mean? Generally, the frogs and crickets over yonder make a lot of rumpus at this time of evening. Tonight, they've been silent. That means someone's near them. You know things, huh? You better keep a sharp watch, then. Kit! Errol. Don't jerk it out. It might be barbed. Leave it there. Just shoulder inside. Hurry. Corporal of the guards! Kit, let me help you. Here, lean on me. I'm all right. We'll let the sergeant take it out. Here, I'll slap it off like this. Tom will show me. Dan, you're all right. It's a doggone shame you had to be caught here. Because now, Dan, we're in for it. The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone Ranger story. Before we continue with the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments to continue our story. Darkness hid the outlaw Indians who surrounded the stockade at Fort Carter. One of the barracks, Dan Reed, sat beside his newly made friend, Kit, while spasmodic gunfire sounded outside. Don't be concerned about me, Dan. The stall bonus fix the arrow wound up first rate. How long do you think those Redskins will stay on the job? Hard to tell. If we had powder and cartridges, we'd doggone soon to get rid of them, but we haven't. What? Oh, golly. There's some on the way, but no telling how long it'll be before it gets here. Kit, I'm afraid it won't get here at all. That's the reason Lone Ranger sent me. Lone Ranger? Great Scott, you know him? He's my best friend. He sent me to tell Captain Martin about the ammunition being lost in quicksand. That accounts for it. For what? The Redskins. I wondered if they'd come. Somehow they'd learn that we were low on ammunition. Is that why the cannon isn't being fired? Sure. There's enough powder to fire the cannon a half a dozen times, but that's all. I suppose the lieutenant will save it till the final rush of the Redskins. No use throwing it away while they're scattered and then hiding like they are now. What Indians are they, Kit? Renegades. A breed by the name of sit and crow whipped them in line. He wants to raid Barnsville, but he knows he don't dare while his garrison stands. He's got to wipe us out first. Well, he won't do it. No, he's crafty. He'll deploy his men to draw out fire until we're out of ammunition. Then he'll storm us. Yeah, but the Lone Ranger can help. Dan, did you give me the true facts about being sent here by the Lone Ranger? Of course I did. And if Captain Martin went to Barnsville, the chances are the Lone Ranger will see him there. I don't know. You don't know what? What even the Lone Ranger can do? Is there any ammunition in Barnsville? No. There's no place nearby where there is. Kit, where is it? Oh, there you are, Reed. Yes, sir. The lieutenant sent me. Yeah? You'll not be able to leave in the morning as your plan. Oh, but I got... We're surrounded by the Redskins. It'll be death to try and leave here. But I've got to go. I'm going to meet my friend tomorrow night. Sorry. Those are orders. Yes, sir. No choice, Dan. Orders are orders. Where do things stand, Melt? Pretty bad. How long will the ammunition last? Around 24 hours at the present rate of fire. Orders are out of fire only when a Redskins is clearly seen. But they're tricky. I know they are. They're setting up dummies to draw our fire. They know about our lack of powder. They didn't. They sure suspected from the way we're firing and the fact that we're not using our cannon. If I could only get word with the Lone Ranger. If only he knew about this. Hey, maybe Victor could get me through the Redskins in the darkness, huh? No chance, Reed. Sorry. Well, maybe I could fasten a note to Victor's saddle. I could go straight to Silver if I told him to. Forget it, Dan. But maybe the Lieutenant would let Victor out. He didn't see anything about a horse leaving. Dan, here's what had happened. They'd kill your horse and get your note. Oh. Then they'd get not only us, but the Lone Ranger as well. You want to risk that? Golly, Kit. The Lone Ranger's just got to know about this. Unless he could make powder and bullets out of thin air, there'd be nothing he could do. Yeah, but Kit, you don't know the Lone Ranger. The half-breed and his companion were shot from the gunfire, watching the occasional burst of rifle flame from the stockade. Larson, there's the answer. Sure it is, Sitting Crow. Those troopers would be blazing away like gold get out if they had the cartridges to spare. And if they had part of the spare, they'd use their cannon, huh? Right. It's just a matter of time, that's all. With daybreak, we make use of several schemes to draw their fire. Wait. What is it? You hear anything? A couple of horses coming this way. Come on, we'll sneak over to the bridge. Maybe troopers are returning from time. If they are, we can drop. But my place is with my men. Captain, Dan Reed is in that fort. My friend, the boy of just 14. And I'm responsible for him. He's there because I sent him there. Yes? He's sharing the danger with your men. I own inclinations to try and reach his side, just as you want to join your men. I feel the greatest chance for his rescue lies concerning Tatto and Chief Thunder Cloud. You're not a soldier. There are times when duty must be served, even though it means death. A garrison may fall if you don't do as I say. That doesn't alter things. I must try to reach the garrison. Come on, boy. Get up. Captain, that rock. Silver, they got him. He's fallen. Come on, boy. Live, Silver. We'll get him. We'll stay, boy. He'll count your shots when your guns are empty. At that time, we'll be out of here. We'll come back. Come on, big fellow. The wind, the lone ranger, held the wounded captain with one hand and provided Silver with the other. In the shelter of a small camp near Barnesville, he rained out. Oh, Silver, oh, fellow. Oh, oh. Oh, me glad to see you. Tatto, you're back sooner than I thought. What happened? They left the fire and examined the captain's wound. Trouble has already started at the garrison. Oh. Here, ease him to the ground. Let me take him now. It isn't bad. There. Let me take a look. Daddy, big fellow. Now I've got some water. What about Thunder Cloud? Let me see him. The troopers need help, Tatto. You'll have to go back and tell Thunder Cloud. Ask him to send his brave to help fight the renegades. Thunder Cloud in Bali alone. All and other Indian gone. Gone? Ah. You squaw in Papuson village. All brave, all hunter, gone on big buffalo hunt. Not come back for many days. And they'll be too late. I guess there's not much use fixing my wound. Now let me fix it now. Keep me alive. The only survivor because I wasn't with my men. I don't want to live. You've got to live, man. You will live. That wound isn't serious. You'll live for what? Captain, how long can your men hold out with the ammunition they now have? One attack, that's all. If the Indians attack, it'll be the end. They will attack. They will? Unless your men have ammunition. Which they haven't. There's no place to find it. Hemisabi, I'll be back. Where are you going? I'll be back before daybreak. And Captain, I'll need you. I'll you lie back. Be fixed. Steady big fella. Come on, silver! Daybreak found the troopers inside the garrison, hollow-eyed and tired after a night of constant readiness for the attack they knew would come. How much ammunition's left? Mindy little. Enough to give the skunks a few good volleys if they try to storm the fort. A few good volleys. Then it's hand-to-hand. That won't last long. We're way outnumbered. Kit, you man this cannon. There's powder for four shots. That's all. I'll handle it. Let me help Kit. It's better than just sitting and waiting. It might as well. You're knocked down by a bullet, Dan. You'll be better off to the men that survive for hand-to-hand fighting. What about the other guns? Each of the cannon has a share of the powder. When they've been fired a few times, we're at the mercy of the red scheme. Sitting Crow in the hour just before Don had been gathering his men in a tightly packed mass ready for the final instructions before the attack. He turned to Larson. Wait a few minutes more and fire the signal. Why do you wait, Sitting Crow? Until the sun is over the horizon, then it will be in the troopers' eyes. You don't miss a trick. The snakes will probably come from out of the sun. We can look for an attack from the east. I reckon the lieutenant figured the same. He's got most of the cannon pointed that way. Guards, keep sharp watch from now on. Fire only when you see the target. Make every shot count. If we only had a good supply of cartridges. If we only had plenty of powder, these old cannon would tell those redskins where to go. You wait, kid. A lone ranger will do something. You can't make powder out of thin air. Silence fell as the sun rose in the eastern sky. It was silence that seemed grim. Impending doom hung like a shroud over the hand full of brave men on the stockade. Sitting Crow and Larson had leers of anticipation on their evil faces as they saw the horde of savages beside fast ponies ready for the charge. Now, you men, hold that battering ram. You've been taught to use it. You men keep close to replacing it in the fall. Smash the stockade and get aside so the others can go through. Those troopers still have some ammunition, Sitting Crow. They'll use it fast when we attack him. Ready? We're moving three minutes. Here's your son. All right. I suppose they'll storm the gate, huh? Probably all three of them. Some of the men heard them cutting trees in the night. That means battering rams. Only the lone ranger knew. The tension increasing as each moment passed, the troopers waited, determined to give up their lives only after bitter fighting. And then from far off, the sound of a ringing cry floated on the air. Dan. Jeff, I heard it too. I thought it was my imagination. Reed, I heard a shout. It's the lone ranger. No one else would call out that way. Let me look. Jeff, look to the creek, the bridge. There he is on a wagon with Tunnel. The captain is with them. They've barricaded themselves with barrels and boxes. They're coming here. Stand ready to throw up in the gate. The wagon drawn by the mighty scout and mightier silver crossed the bridge as gunfire broke out of the ranks of the savages. The bullets spat against heavy cases and barrels on the wagon, without harm to the three men who rode. A cry of surprise broke from the lieutenant from the fort. Those are ammunition cases. I knew we'd do it, Jeff. Did I knew the lone ranger, Tom? All those gates wide open. Hold them. Hold them. Hold them. Hold them back. Here's your commanding. Let them have it. Fire at will. Yippee! Back at gunfire, pouring from the fort, the leaders of the savages knew there was no hope. Right away. Get out of here. I got the ammunition. I thought you'd prevented that. Something slipped up. Right. Get up there. See, sparring. They're on a rain shower. Did you see them skedaddle, sir? When they realized we had plenty of powder and ammunition. Maybe we'd better break up those cases. We've spent all the stock we had on hand. Golly, get that, kid. Dan, out of... Out of... You and I are going to tell Chief Thunder Cloud what happened. Yes, sir. Captain Martin, what about the cases? Should we unload? No, Lieutenant. But give Tom to a hand and unhitching his horse. Detail the squad to return the wagon to the store in Barnesville. Yes, sir. It was a lone ranger's idea, and it worked. In a few days, we'll have Chief Thunder Cloud's men to help us round up those crooks that survived. Now they have committed a crime against the government. We can attack. Yes, sir. But the ammunition. Cases are filled with dirt and stones. No ammunition? None. But sitting crow thought there was. That's all it was necessary. Great guns. Mada-tada. Ah, if they'd attacked instead of retreating, they'd have had us. Soldiers would have attacked. But those cowardly crooks are not soldiers. The lone ranger had them figured right. Men, I want to publicly acknowledge our deepest gratitude to the lone ranger. I'll send the boys! The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the lone ranger incorporated.