 a fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hai haio silver! The Lone Ranger! Before this exciting adventure, a word from our sponsor. General Mills, makers of Cheerios, the ready-to-eat oak cereal that gives you go-power, and wheaties, the breakfast of champions, present by special recording, The Lone Ranger! Ever stop to think how much fun you can have with a blackboard? While you can play games, autumn, draw pictures, leave messages, practice spelling, all sorts of things. But here's the news. There's a blackboard on the back of the special wheaties blackboard package at your grocers right now. All you need to use on this blackboard is ordinary chalk, and you can wipe it off with cloth or a regular blackboard eraser and use it again and again. In fact, I think you're going to want several of these wheaties blackboard packages. You know, so you can let your friends join in with the fun, playing tic-tac-toe or having drawing contests. Or maybe you want extra blackboards so you can save your own best drawings. You see, there's no extra charge for the blackboard. Nothing to do, nothing to send in. You just pay the regular wheaties price. So look for the wheaties package with the sign on the front that says blackboard. That means there's one of these wonderful blackboards on the back ready to use. Be sure to pick up several. They're at your grocers right now. Ask for the special wheaties blackboard package. With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the daring and resourceful mask rider of the plains let the fight for law and order in the early western United States. 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 hoof beats of the great horse, Silver. The lone ranger rides again. Come on, silver. What's going on? Are you silver? Four men met in the back room of the Richland City Gazette. The three seated were Jack Brandon, young publisher of the paper, Oscar Graham, weather beaten cattleman, and Roy Stevens, land and cattle speculator. Elderly Denton Murdock, president of the local bank, was standing as he concluded the speech he'd been making. That situation here is becoming too much for even a good sheriff like Tom Morish. There's cattle wrestling, highway robbery, citizens being robbed in the homes, every crime imaginable. It has to stop, and we must see that it does. Young Brandon here was the one who called this meeting. He must have something in mind. Let's hear it, Brandon. I'll be glad to, gentlemen. Center's around this silver bullet I have in my hand. Silver bullet? Sure enough, that's what it is. What kind of nonsense is this, Brandon? It isn't nonsense, Mr. Stevens. When my father died last year, he left me this bullet. It was given to him by the lone ranger. The lone ranger? Is this a mass well that we hear about? What's it got to do with us, though? The lone ranger told Dad that if he or his family or his friends needed help, Dad could send this bullet in a message to a certain mission. And if he did that, the lone ranger would come and give help. View consent, gentlemen. I'll send this bullet in the letter to this mission. It was Roy Stevens, the speculator, who met in secret that night in the back room of Ace Willis' café. He was talking to Willis and sinister-looking Hampt Clifford. So they wouldn't get suspicious? I voted along with him and told Brandon to send his message. I had to. What's the matter, Willis? I don't like it. I've heard tell of that mask, man. He's plum poison, right, Hampt? Yeah. We got two jobs to pull off next week. Stagecoach and that gold shipment. Now, no, that Clifford, didn't I plan him? Don't worry about the lone ranger. We'll take care of him when he gets here. But how do you know when that'll be? If he does come, I mean. You said Brandon would meet him in secret. So let him. You just keep your men watching Jack Brandon every minute of the day from now on. Have him watch his cab in his office and follow him when he's on the trail. We'll know when and if this mask snooper comes and we'll be ready for him. Ace. Boss, wake up. Wake up, will you, Ace? Hey, what's the idea? Boss, it's happened. He's here. He's at Brandon's place now. Hey, who? Hey, wait, Reb. Who's at Brandon's? I'm ass man. The one you've had his looking out for. He sneaked in the back door of Brandon's house just a few minutes ago. This is bad. Just on the day when we're going to hold up that stagecoach. Reb, get over to Hampt. Tell him right away, quick. Yes, boss, I'm going. Tell him to meet me in back of the cafe and to make sure the other party's there. The other party? Who's there? Never mind. Just tell Hampt. Now get going. The other party, Roy Stevens, was unperturbed by the news. We won't worry about the mask man. Here's what I got in mind. Brandon's one of the few people who know about the stagecoach. The low rangers talk with Jack Brandon have been brief but informative. Now, less than an hour later, he and Tuttle were riding out of Bridgelands sitting into the hills that skirted the town. Tuttle, we'll find a campsite not too far away. Make plans there. You'll find things bad like young policy and letter? Worse, perhaps. That's why we're going to stay a while and see if we can't learn who the leader or leaders of these outlaws may be. You think maybe all one gang do what happens? There may be many gangs, Tuttle. But judging from what Jack Brandon told me, there's probably only one or two leaders at most. It's plain that someone with inside information is masterminding the robberies that have been taken in place. Give ID? Who? No, that's what we'll try to figure out. Come here! As the mask man and the Indian galloped into the hills, Kansas Thomas would have on watch if Brandon's house followed them at a distance. Take it easy, boy. We don't want to be seen. But Kansas Thomas was seen. In their camp, the lone ranger and Tuttle were discussing the rider who had followed them and whose trail Tuttle had picked up for a while after Kansas had ridden back to Richland City. He used steel glasses. See him go right back to town. He was riding a bay horse, huh? Ah, he picked up trail horse. Horse wears shoe with mark like star. Then you can trace the horse easily enough once you go into Richland City. Me think so. Tuttle, I'm beginning to wonder. Brandon's the only one who should have known I'd come in response to his letter. Yet from what he told me, three other men were aware that I might appear. Nobody else know but them three men? No one else was supposed to know. But after what's happened, I think perhaps we'd better find out more about them. The sun was high in the sky as the band of robbers satisfied their horses, shielded from the trail by the rugged terrain along the way. Ace Willis at the head of the riders wore a mask and hat that resembled the lone rangers. And a good thing us holsters out here have an idea how they downbreak justice. But it was him Clifford in a passable disguise of the Indian Tahoe, who sighted the stagecoach heading toward Richland City. Here she comes, men. Get your guns ready. And not too big a guard riding with it. None of my orders, you men. Don't get him a chance. Shoot him down. Shoot him down quick. Unless they start firing, too. Naturally. Make sure the passengers get a look at him and me and these get-ups. We won't ride too close to him, but we wanted to see us. All right, here we go. Now, come on. Guns ready. Alert as they had been, the stage guards were unprepared for the onslaught. Outnumbered by the bandits, they never had a chance. This way, gentlemen. This way. Let them see us. Let them see us and this white horse I'm riding down here. You see us all right? Now let's get away from here. At that moment in Richland City, Tatl, who had been mingling with the people on the dirt street since his arrival an hour before, saw a horse that looked like the one for which he'd been searching. Pretending nonchalance, he bent over to examine the big bay's hoof. Easy horse. Easy now. Let me look at you and find out. It's got a star mark there. What you doing, Red Skin? Not stealing that horse, are you? Tatl looked at the cowboy who had approached him. No, no, me not stealing a horse. Me got gold, think maybe me buy a horse. You'll never buy that horse, engine. That's Kansas Thomas' horse. And if Kansas sees you looking at this horse, there could be a dead Red Skin around here. You better vermoose. Well, maybe me show gold man sell horse. Where me find them? Kansas? It's probably in Ace Willis' place where he always is. But I tell you, he won't sell that bay. And you're wasting your time if you ask him, engine. He might blast you full of lead, too. You better vermoose like I said. Me go. Me not like that. The Lone Ranger received Tatl's report with interest. Kansas Thomas, huh? And he's one of Ace Willis' men? And he'll find that out after. In pretty bad fella. Oh, is Ace Willis Tatl? I think I'll do a little investigating of my own. At nightfall, I'm going to Richland City and talk to Brandon about Willis. Perhaps I'll talk to Willis myself. If I can get him alone. We'll see when the time comes. We'll continue our Lone Ranger adventure in just a moment. Jenny is ten, and is she good? She's skip rope champ of the neighborhood. She's so quick because she knows she's got go power from Cheerios. Yes, she's got go power. There she goes. She's feeling her Cheerios. Cheerios. Cheerios. That makes sense. Try Cheerios, the wonderful oat cereal that's shaped like a little letter O. And you'll agree. You like that delicious toasted oat flavor. And Cheerios is ready to eat. Just pour out a big bowlful. Add good fresh milk, dig in, and start getting your go power. Because a Cheerios breakfast is full of vitamins, proteins, and minerals. And those are the good things you need to help build red blood, healthy bodies, and strong muscles. So enjoy your breakfast every day with delicious Cheerios and milk and get that good go power. Then folks will say... She's feeling her Cheerios. Now to continue. The latest and bloodiest stagecoach hold up at Ra's The Citizens of Richland City to a new high of indignation. They listened with increasing temper as they heard the stagecoach driver and the other survivors tell of the wanton killings. There was 30 or 40 of them, Sheriff. They didn't give us a chance. Just come in, shoot in the air. They didn't give us a chance. Sheriff Tom Morley's eyes were smoldering. And you say they were led by a masked man? Not just a man wearing a bandana across his face? No, Sheriff was a mask, like we told you. He was on a gray, white horse. There was an engine with him. They were leaders. He's talking about the lone ranger there, too. The lone ranger in that engine parallel here. I always said he was a crook. But the lone ranger doesn't have a game. Listen to this, Sheriff. He'll believe in things like a big man. Driver, what do you think? I think Kansas is right. Now that it's clear. It was a ranger, all right? Let's find him in that engine and kill him like they killed those guards. Now, wait a minute, you people. We've been waiting too long for the law to do something about these crooks, Sheriff. We've got to take the law into our own hands. Jack Brandon was in a daze as he tried to refute the arguments of his three companions of the committee. They were in session in the back room of the Gazette, and Roy Stevens was saying... We've been too legal already, Murdoch. We don't try to act now. The lone ranger and his men will hold up that wagon train that's due tomorrow with a gold shipment. I don't think they dare anything. Stevens has got something about that wagon train. Suppose they hold that up. Ray, and no gang would dare. There'd be soldiers guarding it. A squad or two, maybe. No more, I'll bet. There was maybe 40 in that gang today, they say. Gentlemen, I'll tell you something only I and a few people on the other end have known up to now. That gold shipment won't be on the wagon train when it arrives here tomorrow. It won't. Even before this hold up today, the police might try to intercept the gold shipment. Really, everyone in the territory knows when it's due, but if it's not coming on the wagon train tomorrow, Mr. Murdoch, then how will you get it? Only regular stagecoach with just the ordinary number of Wells Fargo men is guard. No bandit gang will suspect it. They'll be looking for the wagon train if they're looking. But they'll never expect to find the gold on an ordinary stagecoach trip. That evening, unaware of what had happened during the day, the Lone Ranger managed to make his way to Jack Brandon's cabin. He let himself in the rear door, just as another door connecting with a front office opened. Jack Brandon stood in the doorway, amazement written on his features. Oh, how did you get here? With Passes all over the hills looking for you, how'd you get here? What are you talking about, Jack? Passes looking for me? I don't understand. Jack Brandon told the Lone Ranger everything that had happened that day. And he concluded... They've sworn in special deputies. They've been out in the hills searching for you. Todd and I saw horsemen from time to time, and we avoided them as we usually do. But I had no idea what they were doing. Everyone seems convinced it was you and your friend. Mr. Murdoch, Mr. Graham, Mr. Stevens, too. So strange all this had to happen as it did just on the day you arrived here. Yes. Do you know a man named Ace Willis? Willis? Of course. He's a bad one. He runs the cafe up the street in a gambling house on the end of town. Why do you ask? I'll tell you later. Just give me as much information as you can about his place and where I may find him. You'll have to play along with me, Jack. I know you will. The Lone Ranger is silent as the shadows in which he moved. Made his way to the open window of the office at the rear of Ace Willis' cafe. You could hear two men talking inside. The men were Ace Willis and Hemp Clifford. There's nothing like we did today when we beat the boys on the stage. It's going to be that easy. Good. Smart trick, isn't it? Transferring the gold from the wagon train to the stage. Figured nobody would do a thing like that. Yeah, it's smart, I guess. Good thing we got a boss who's in with the big shots and gets to know those things. Yeah, I wonder what the others on that committee would think if they knew about it. You'll never know. How about this job tomorrow? We tell the boys to wait for boys to come back. The wagon train passes the dock. The coach won't get there. Later that evening, the Lone Ranger returned and talked with Jack Brandon. When he met Totto in the hills later, his eyes shone bright by the campfire. Willis and Clifford outlined their entire plan for the whole up, but they didn't name the man who's their leader. You guessed, maybe? Maybe. This is not a matter for guessing. We must learn for certain. So Brandon, say him talk to Sheriff, like you asked. Yes, Totto. He was the goal immediately after I left him. I think Morley will believe Brandon, and I think he'll cooperate with us too. You will meet him in morning, Kimusabi? Yes, in the hills above Hanging Rock. If Morley can place his men before daybreak, I think our whole up men will have a surprise in store. We'll see. The wagon train had passed Hanging Rock on molested. Now shortly after high noon, Kansas Thomas ran quickly through the men hiding behind Hanging Rock. He went directly to Ace Willis, who was dressed once more in his imitation Lone Ranger outfit. Ace, it's coming. The stage is coming. Sit the hairpin turned now. It'll be here in about three minutes. Right. All right, men. Get on your horses. Stage is coming. All right. Ready, Captain? Yeah. Wait a minute. Get on this leg. You're the funniest looking engine I've ever seen. Yeah. All right, men. Get ready. This is going to be the easiest job we've done yet. Suddenly, Sheriff Tom Morley's voice was heard from the underbrushing back. Oh, no, it's not easy. But this is the last job you'll do. Hey, look. The sheriff. The deputy's all over the place. They're coming from the back. The posse came riding in, guns blazing above the heads of the amazed bandits. Get up your hands on him. Get up. Oh, no, you don't. Hold it, sheriff. I'm giving up. Here's my gun. Drop that gun, Willis. That mask doesn't hide you. All right. I've dropped it. How did you know me? I told him who you were, Willis. I told him about you, too, Clifford. You're a poor Indian now, and a dead one if you reach for that gun. Here comes the stagecoach now. Signal to it, Brandon, and stop it. Men, put the irons on those clothes. Hey! Put out your hands. Give me your guns. That's it. We were double-crossed. Hear that, Ace? We were double-crossed. I think we were. And you'll know for sure when we get to town, Morley. We're going to take you in and talk with your boss. Denton Murdock walked to the window of the Gazette office when he heard the stagecoach and the horsemen stop outside. The stage is stopping outside here. I wonder why. Oscar Graham opened the door. And look at that. Hey! It's the sheriff. He's got a whole pile of men all in handcuffs. Roy Stevens, who had been in the rear of the room, turned deathly pale. What did you say? You heard me. And look, here's Morley leading in a masked man and a ninja with handcuffs on him, too. And by Jiminy, there's another masked man and a ninja behind him, without handcuffs. What? Sheriff Morley led in the tight-lipped Ace Willis and the quivering hemp Clifford. But it was the lone ranger who stepped forward and looked at the three men who had been waiting. His gaze was such that each might have believed he was addressing them alone. Your plan was a good one, mastermind. We captured these two pretenders as we knew we would. Pretenders? Mastermind? What are you talking about? I'm grateful for learning about Willis and Clifford and their proposed whole-up of the stagecoach. You didn't think your boss would tell, did you, Ace? I didn't. I just... David's the boss, Stevens. You're in with him? These cooks? He's their leader. I think all the answers are there for you now, just in the way he looks. Right, Ace? He crossed us, did he? Yeah, he's the one. He's the one who planned every whole-up and every job. You said he sniffled and snickered. Take that gun! Take that gun, Stevens. That's it. Take him away, man. Did it kill him? I tried. Tell him that me like that. I didn't cross him. I didn't... Come along, Willis. All right. Take him away. Take their entire gang with him. We know we have the right men now, and the answer to all the outlaw in these parts. That's right, Chief. And I know that from now on, Richland City will be all we've ever hoped it would be. Yes, Brandon. Thanks to your friend. I... See, where is he? The Mesh Man? He's gone. Hey! I'm just getting an idea of what's going on here. Stevens and Ace and Hamper crooks. That's for sure. Killers, too. But who's the Mesh Man? You didn't know? That man is the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger. The copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated is produced by Tendl Campbell Muir Incorporated. The part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. Your announcer, Fred Boy. Listen to the Lone Ranger brought to you by special recording Mondays through Fridays at this same time.