 With action and suspense out of the Old West comes the most famous hero of them all Hopalong Cassidy starring William Boyd Thing of the Silver Spurs heralds 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 left 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 and declined as California Now hoppy what about our story? Well, it's one called gunfighter and short pants and began one morning as California And I are on our way back to the bar 20 after delivering some brood mares to a rancher near Albuquerque, New Mexico We'd crossed a range of low mountains and stopped to water our horses at the headwaters of Yaki Creek California was proving himself a giant in the field of tall tales So far I'd listened to his exploits with Wild Bill Hickok Wild Earp and Bat Masterson Then he worked up to Sheriff Pat Garrett hoppy Hey, you'll never believe it, but Pat and me was closer than two armadillos in one shell Why a patry depended me plumb total. How do you think he could his reputation well shooting Billy the kid helped a little Yeah, sure sure it did only who do you think really shot the kid? Wait California me California Carlson that's who two gun Carlson in them days deadliest gunslinger west of the people Oh Sit tight you two We're all put the next one in the seat of grandpappy's britches grandpappy, but grandpappy why I'll show you how I'll Hoppy well, you're gone. It's just a boy. Yeah Hey son aren't you a little young to be so unfriendly? I'll be 14 come spring Why are you here? Oh, we were just watering our horses and getting ready to move on you're ready yet Young and you're acting mighty smart smarter than you. You're whiskered old armadillo armadillo Why why I'm smarter. I got plenty of brains. Yeah, which head? Why I'll have on your stop it good thing One more move toward me and out of board in grandpappy armadillo which Hoppy a man's got to draw the line someplace not one of rifles pointing at these breakfast he doesn't Say you've been crying. I'm your son ain't been crying only woman crying. I'm a man now you get Where are you? Oh? You two stick man needs help on a woman's around What are you doing with that rifle for these men? How many times I got to tell you my name's beans and I reckon pappy don't need his rifle now So it's mine beans I'm sorry, but you should be home. I ain't no kid Stop fussing over me like an old hand miss. I'm half a long Cassidy. How do you do? I'm Lord Alan This is California Carson. Is there anything wrong? Maybe we can help No, I guess not. Oh, this is Beasley beans Donnell well his father was Passed away a few days ago, and I've been staying to take care of things happy didn't pass no place He was killed by that double Drago bean. It's true, and I don't care if Drago has been sparking you He swore to get pappy for something on the headwaters of yaki Creek. So we shut him in the back Pappy was a good man. Oh, he's treated me fine never even made me go to school. No, I don't cry beans Maybe we can help you. I ain't crying. I know no cause she ain't poor little kid I didn't shabby. You know what you can ride my horse back to your house I'll do worse than kick next time now back up all of you son waving that gun around won't bring your dad back Maybe it won't mr.. But I guess that that I'm the only Donna will left now Not very old, but I'm big enough to see that Drago don't get away with shooting my pappy But that's for the law to handle son now put the gun down I ain't arguing the point you all stay put until I'm out of sight Got no reason to shoot you sure will if you try and stop me beans What are you going to do? I'm gonna take my rifle and pappy's binoculars and pack into the hills where I can watch Drago's house You can warn him for me the first time I catch and riding alone. I'm going to bush whack him Now back to hop along Cassidy and our story gunfighter in short pants Poppy in California stopping to rest their horses at the headwaters of yaki Creek We're confronted by beans Donnerwell a 13 year old boy whose father had just been killed by an unknown assailant They try to calm down the angry boy, but keeping them with the point of his rifle beans runs off Intent on taking his own vengeance on Drago the man. He believes responsible for his father's death Hoppy here. We're gonna chase that little monster. He might shoot someone That won't help matters to have the kid taking shots at us No beans just needs time to cool off and we can make him understand it's wrong to take the law into his own hands Well, this is just dandy a fine pair of men afraid of a little boy with a great big gun Yes, that rifle's man-sized and I reckon his corpses would be too hoppy is right miss Maud Did Drago threaten Donnerwell? Well, yes But Donnerwell was deliberately trying to cause trouble Settling on this quarter section around the headwaters of yaki Creek He told Drago he'd damn off the creek the first time Drago made him mad the creek feeds the entire range below Drago on it practically, but Drago's no back shooter Hmm if Donnerwell wasn't a position to ruin him I'd say the kid was right Drago kill to save his water supply He didn't oh you're awful both of you first. You're afraid to trail the boy now. You're accusing an innocent man Oh now look miss Maud we weren't I heard you and you'd better ride on before Drago here's a thing You ain't giving us a chance to explain all I want to hear. Hey wait. Come back It'll be dangerous to trail the kid while he's riled up. I wonder when I'll learn not to argue with women Ain't you sort of unconcerned about being called a coward? Oh the girls excited. We'll do something more practical We'll warn us mr. Drago to keep his nose in door for a few days By that time maybe beans will be hungry enough to come home Offing you hope this Drago is more gentle than the rest of the people in this country if a boy in the gallery is Unfriendly as we found them what's a man gonna be like? We'll soon know Drago should appreciate being warned. Anyway, I hope you're right. I hate being buried. There's a mistake Here's his ranch house one of his home Hello in there What's your pleasure? We have a message for mr. Drago you in nope But you can tell me sorry. I'd like to see Drago personally. Oh You the law nope You got nice guns on the dodge. Where's Drago? Maybe you're riding grub line and maybe we're a patch. He's in the war pair there, but we ain't Well lawyer, what have we here a gunslinger and a stove up cowpoke Tramps by my guess. I'm hop along Cassidy. This is California Carlson. If you're Drago, we got a warning for you Advanced cards for the nesters, huh? Get rid of them lawyer. You got the wrong burn to your saddle We're not familiar nesters, but a kid who's waiting to bushwhack you you don't hear so well Drago wants you to leave way Go on Cassidy. Who's the kid you can guess beans down a well. He thinks you shot his father beans You mean No, you're warning and me about a kid in short pants Me Drago being threatened by a dirty-faced brat say that's a rich one Say on much you bellow like a sick buffalo Are you yelling gets annoying after a while? I don't know why I stick around you like to eat. That's why Cassidy Carlson my nephew junior Holland. I already know my pleasure gentlemen I'm holding a bilage tomorrow night Cassidy. It's junior's birthday. I reckon you've earned an invite Thanks, but all we came for was to be sure you wouldn't go riding where beans might take a shot at you No ragtail kid is scaring me into a hole. I ride where and when I please But you can tell him I didn't pot as old man What did I hated the cuss for get me over the barrel? Why did he settle up there? Even if he did have you where he wanted you he couldn't take advantage of it He couldn't but the nesters that he was the leader of could he was gonna force me to let them settle part of my ranch Well, it's open range. They could settle it anyway not without a whale of a fight. They couldn't Old Donnelly knew I'd run the nesters off unless he had a way to keep me still All right. Come on, California. We have to warn a boy about a man Hoppy we've been looking for that kid for five hours. It's getting dark and I'm so plumbed to my bad temper Yeah, we got a fine in California. Drago acting bullheaded. We have to get the boy I only hope he doesn't shoot before we can talk to him real inspiring company if we're lucky This mount find cover. Oh Don't shoot we're friends. I keep your head down. No, I'm glad you thought of that and put that gun up We're not shooting at scared boys. I was just a half-knit for comfort. That's all hey He's a quit wait a minute. Maybe he's reloading Beans beans No answer. Maybe he's mad at us. I hoppy your arm your head. It's just a place wound. I'm all right I guess our friend is left for good one way to be sure though Hoppy get down. You turned it in. He's gone looks like we won't get to talk to beans blasted here Oh someday you're gonna give me heart failure. You're pulling a trick like that and what you're gonna look out for behind us Hi fellas Hi flowers. How did you hear him? He empties a winchester at us and comes in to say hi flowers I didn't empty no Winchester. I heard the shooting and came to see was doing it beans Are you sure well if you didn't who did if I'd emptied my rifle you two would have been dead Honest mr. Cassidy. I Ain't really a gunfighter The only embryo I'd shoot at the man who shot happy ever think you may be hunting down the wrong man beans I can't say I like Drago much, but he doesn't look like a cowardly bushwhacker. I got proof I ain't short at the nobody, but I got it Look at this. I found it next to Papi's body Go watch from Drago's name worked in it Yeah, that's pretty good proof. I guess no look here Yeah Someone slice through that soft gold. It didn't break off. It was planted by someone. It still could have been Drago Yeah, it could but does it figure that a smart umber like Drago would leave his signature like this? Maybe so maybe not. What's your interest anyway? Let's say I like seeing the law handle things. It's the only right way Will you give us a couple of days beans? You're gonna investigate Papi's death. That's right. They'll leave me son We're on your side. I understand how you feel. I Think maybe you do You're about the first man. It didn't treat me like dirt cuz Pap is was a master just two days And when we find the bushwhacker, we'll talk about how he should be punished with a promise. I promise I Won't nothing for for two days. Good. Now you go home and get dried off Let's go, California Here comes Carlson evening this mod well what yes the black eye should have taken your advice and not trailed bean Well, what happened? I caught him tried to take his gun away. And he poked me one certainly right. He was pretty worked up Did I hear you mentioned beans Donnell well, yeah, why I just caught sight of him hanging around outside What I'd better find Drago quick. Well, he's on the terrace The side porch to you. I've heard the word Well, I was afraid English was becoming the new dead language. Stay here, California I'll find Drago. Tell Miss Mord how you shot Billy the kid Billy the kids Drago you better come inside a minute It's not safe out here Drago back to hop along Cassidy and our story gunfighter in short pants Hoppy obtained young beans Donnerwell's promise to do nothing about Revenging his father's death for two days while hoppy investigated But the next night beans were seen outside Drago's house shortly before Drago was shot by someone out in the dark Fortunately Drago was only wounded when the bullet glanced from a silver concho on his vest And now in his bedroom hoppy is talking to him You're a lucky man Drago. How do you feel? I'm all right except for a sore side What is all this nester talk Donnerwell was the leader of a bunch of Tennessee farmers Oh, not enough to be dangerous to me at least not until he took over the headwaters of Yaki Creek Someone tipped him that I'd never settle that piece of land where the nest is now over at the county seat Or the sheriff can protect him. I reckon they'll be moving in on me pretty quick I'll get a warm reception. We'll take care Take a little ragamuffin in the Cedarville and lock them in that old jail then send a Donna Anna for the sheriff Court I'll see pace for putting that slug into me. Hey get away from my coat. Oh, what? Oh, I'm sure sure Cassidy if you try to cross me Sick my whole outfit on you Here's the old jail, and you know what to do, California. Sure. I ought to run like blazers Hoppy, I'll never get to be 40 you're traveling with you If you see 40 again, you'll back up to it But you saw how someone stirred up a drunken mob to lynch beans before the sheriff gets here Yeah, funny how easy this to stir up hate. Oh, it was as easy to make folks love Life would be a heap more peaceful. Oh stop grumbling the stand guard. I'll get the boy Sure, sure, stand guard just to rescue that shin kick and gun totem on real little porcupine Morning miss Maude. Goodbye miss Maude. Mr. Carlson, you look nervous anything wrong? No, no, no, no, of course not I know You're worried about the boy It's all mine He hasn't a friend in the world. I wouldn't say that exactly ma'am, but it's true the way that mob is shouting up the street Someone should take the boy out of town to Donna. Oh, no sane man would try a stunt like that Goodbye. Goodbye, mr. Carlson Be careful. Sure. I'm a trying as best as can California coast clear. Yeah, but hurry I had to tie up the jailer. Come on beans. Here's your horse quick coffee that mob spotted us That's right What's your stopping for hoppy up ahead a bunch of wagons and riders coming this way it's Peppy's friends They're coming from Donna Anna. We've lost the gang back there. You wait here. I'll check up ahead That's stranger I'm kind of hard. Aren't you my name's hop along Cassidy from that star on your vest I'd say you were the sheriff of Donna Anna County. Yeah You need a one. Yeah, I got a prisoner back there the little one It looks like about a half prisoner. That's beans Donner. Well, why that's are these nesters chef Mm-hmm Planning on settling in yucky Valley. Drago's gonna fight to keep them out They'll have guards posted Drago's mental slaughter these farmers. I reckon that's why I'm riding with them I aim to see they get a fair shake. They don't well. I'll speak my peace I have an idea that might prevent this war if you can give me a little time Listen, it's a good hunch Drago. I'll take over Cedarville and make you stand You'll figure to try and trap What you're looking for hoppy wide we circle town often this know all I can watch how Drago's stationing his men Oh, oh there goes Drago himself into the hotel. That's what I wanted to see come on Hey, what about me? You ought to stay here beans. This is a two-man job And now we try to draw Drago's fangs. That is his man We just ask him polite like to quit Drago, I suppose. Oh, here's the plan We'll split at that building you want the alley behind one row of buildings I'll take the other so far as I could tell all the Drago's men are on the rooftops except those in the hotel So far I'm with you hoppy, but I get the feeling you're about to lose me You take one side. I take the other and behind each building you stop and yell So a man or men's station on the roof can hear you yellow what? Boo, you pretend you're one of Drago's men talking to someone you yell something like this gold They found gold on Yaki Creek. I'm on my way Sam. Let those other suckers stay here and fight if they want to Oh, yeah, yeah, I get it, but hoppy when they look down they won't they'll see nothing You duck around the next building as soon as you yell meet you at the hotel. Yeah Yeah, oh, well, I have had a good life up till now Don't get edgy lawyer We don't shoot all the nesters have been warned and their families are out of range. Oh, you told me a dozen times that The heck with it. I've had enough psalm singing. I'm going up in the roof where I can have some privacy Hello, I Seize to me. You aren't very happy about this chance to get rid of the nesters. Maybe I'm not but I can't back down now Oh, it won't be long now. Look up the road here. They come Wish there was another way Just real quiet Covered California our collector hardware Hey, what's the idea? I'm not carrying a hideout. I my rifle's there against the wall Just had to search you and make sure now you drag oh There's mine. Don't bother to search me You fools if you're thinking of your man forget it. They're gone. What? Yeah, you're bluffing am I then this should bring them running Greg look like he ran. I'll be I think he settled just come on since I go it's my hunch. You're a tough but misguided ombre You want to listen to how you've been the intended victim all along. I'm hardly in a position to argue cowboy Well first Donnerwell was tipped to come in and settle on the source of Yaki Creek Giving you a good motive to kill him to Donnerwell was killed in your watch fob planted by him beans found it and kept it secret Three failing to get you hung for Donnerwell's murder the killer tried direct action Taking advantage of the boys being seen outside the house still trying to say the boy didn't shoot me Huh, he didn't when the killer found he'd only wounded you he again tried to plant a clue pointing to you Isn't this a little roundabout just to get me yeah, it is and it's what gave the killer away There's only one person who stood to profit so obviously by your death that he had to make sure no one could suspect your air I never even met Donnerwell Drago take a look in juniors coat pocket, huh? Sure But it's silly to What's this? Donnerwell's wallet, but how? Cassidy, why you put it there? Yeah when I searched her it was a dirty trick wasn't it a stupid trick if you ask me There you have no proof no You never met Donnerwell. How did you know it was his wallet? It's unmarked. I why why why you said? You dirty snoop if you kept your nose out, but I won't take all the blame He's been shot. Who did it? Serves the sniveling skunk right He was smart enough to have the ideas, but I had to do his dirty work for him. You can't get away Greg I'll get away, but first I'm gonna kill the three of you. They're such up for good Now back to hop along Cassidy You all right, Mr. Cassidy? Thanks to your disobedience and quick shooting beans. Did you kill him? No, I Kept thinking about what you said. You know the law taking care of it and all I just put a slug in both his arms so he couldn't shoot another in his leg to make him sit down some shooting Someday, I'll tell you about how I shot Billy the kid Oh, he was a fair shot itself and spunky just like you beans. I owe you an apology I Accused you of what my own nephew was guilty of I I'm sorry son Reckon I made the same kind of mistake. Mr. Drago We can both thank mr. Cassidy for setting us straight. Well, he sure can Beans you have any plans me no Guess I'll try and get me a job some words come over here with me beans. I think you've got a place to go Maybe after more than I am married. You might even like to try us out as your new folks She Hoppy, where'd you get Donna Wells-Walt junior planted and Drago's coat the night he was shot I saw it and thought I'd return the favor Hey, hey, what was the shooting? Oh, what's this? Well, it's the wall over Where's Drago's man? Hello, sheriff. You can stop worrying Drago. Let the nesters settle in peace I'll tell you about it in a minute, but first meet my partner California Carlson He's the one who really shot Billy the kid, you know, oh How interesting I thought it was Pat Garrett. That's cause I let Pat take the credit We was part of Pat and me was yeah, what's your moniker sheriff Garrett? Pat Garrett sure glad to meet Hoppy hide me Looks like this time California's tall tales have caught up with him Just like hoppy caught up with the bloodthirsty schemer after the gunfighter in short pants Hoppy in California hit the trail next for Santa Fe on a somber mission to fulfill a promise made to a dying man and To keep a date with the songbird of Santa Fe Up along Cassidy starring William Boyd is transcribed and produced in the West by Walter white junior Gunfighter in short pants was written by Herb Purdom with original music onto the personal direction of Albert Glasser All stories are based upon the characters created by Clarence E. Mulford. This is a Commodore production