 Of course, with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hockey-hio silver! The Lone Ranger! 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! Boxer Ben fights hard and fair, so in the ring you kids beware! He's dynamite because he knows! He's got go-power from Cheerios! Yes, he's got go-power! There he goes! He's feeling his Cheerios! Cheerios! Cheerios! Cheerios! The cereal everybody loves! No other cereal looks like Cheerios! It's shaped like little letter-os! No other cereal tastes like Cheerios! It's the only ready-to-eat cereal with this fresh, toasted-out flavor! No other cereal is like Cheerios! You see, Cheerios is made from oats, and every delicious spoonful of Cheerios and milk is real muscle-building food! Each spoonful contains vitamins, minerals, and proteins your body needs! Yes, the good things in a Cheerios breakfast do good things for your body! Help you have healthy nerves, good red blood, strong bones, and muscles! Have Cheerios every morning! Then you'll hear people say... He's feeling his Cheerios! With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the daring and resourceful masquerader of the plains led 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 hoofbeats of the great horse Silver! The lone ranger rides again! Come on Silver! What's going on? I'm Silver! It was late afternoon when Greg Stacey, a lean, shifty eyed man, entered a cafe in the town of Madora, located on a bank of the Upper Missouri River in the Dakota Territory. Inside the door he paused, looked around the room, then approached a white-aproned man at one end of the bar. What'll it be, stranger? Nothing right now. I'm just looking for a gem named Hudson. You mean Pete Hudson, foreman of the Maltese Cross Range? He's the one. He's in the back room. I'll go tell him you're asking for him. What's your name? Never mind, I'll go myself. Greg Stacey was unknown to lawmen in that part of the country, but south of the Dakota Territory he was wanted for many crimes, including cattle and horse stealing, highway robbery and murder. Greg! Howdy, Pete. I got here as fast as I could. The boy's mad to come all the way from Wichita. I'm glad you made it. I was sure surprised to hear that you've been working steady on a rain. I'm top-hand on the Maltese Cross. So you said in your letter? I took the job so I could line up plans for making a real haul. Cattle? Yep. So that's it. The man I work for is a mighty big operator. He owns two ranches. The Maltese Cross, which is near town, and the Elkhorn Ranch, about 20 miles downriver. I've heard of the Elkhorn, a man named Ferris owns it. Yeah. He also owns the Maltese Cross, and I'm foreman there. We just finished the round-up, so all the best market cattle is herded. That makes it mighty convenient to rustle. How many cowhands are on the place? Right now, there's only a couple of men to stand guard and watch the fences. Oh, where's Ferris? As far as I know, he's at the ranch house. He planned to spend the afternoon there working on his record. He'll have to give him the same as the guards, a bullet. Yeah, but not right away. We'll need his signature on papers to sell the cattle. Yeah, that's right. We'll have to hold him prisoner. Any of the men with you know about the old shack near Chimney Bute? Three of the boys have been there. Good. Send two of them to the ranch house to capture Ferris and take them to the Chimney Bute hideout. Right. Ferris is alone in the house, so they shouldn't have any trouble. Now, there's just one other thing, Greg. What's that? I didn't know this when I wrote you. Ferris sold part interest in his cattle business to an easter. What about it? The easterner's coming here. He's due to arrive on the train tonight, and he's expecting Ferris to meet him. Ferris can't meet him. I'll meet him. He's never seen Ferris. I'll call myself Ferris, and he'll never know the difference. Then what? I have plans for dealing with the easterner. I'll tell you about him later. Right now, you better send the boys to capture Ferris. Yeah, I'll send Gunner and Joe. Tell him to take Ferris to the hideout and stay with him. We'll join him there. Tonto, the Indian friend of the Lone Ranger, watched Greg Stacey leave the cafe, mount his horse at the hitch rail, and ride away. It was after dark when the Lone Ranger, who had camped in a woods near town, heard the hoof beats of an approaching horse. A moment later, Tonto rode into the small clearing lighted by a campfire. Oh, scum, oh, fella. Easy scum. Easy scum. Did Stacey's gang stop in Maduro, Tonto? Ah, and run horses into public corral at Ender Street. Men stay there while Stacey go to cafe. Did you follow Stacey to the cafe? Ah, may follow him. He meets someone in private room, caught little wilds, then come out and ride past to corral. He walks from distance. He talks to five crooks. Then two gang ride away. Did you follow them? No, Kimusabi. You say keep on Stacey. That's right. What did the Stacey and the other three members of his gang do? All go to cafe. Three crooks at a table, ordered big meal. Stacey, go again to private room. That's when we leave and come back here. Well, at last, Tonto, we've caught up to that gang. It's been a long trail from Kansas. That's right, Kimusabi. Now we go to Lohmann, tell them crooks in town. You said two members of the gang left town. That's right. But Stacey and three others still there. All of those crooks must be captured. Ah, and what we do? Well, I'm trying to decide. I wish we knew who met Stacey in that private room. Well, me not know that. From what you said, it looks as though Stacey's parning something. If he is, Tonto will wait and watch. They'll give Stacey and his gang rope enough to hang themselves. In town later that night, Tonto located the outlaws, then reported to the Lone Ranger, who waited with Scott and Silver in the darkness behind a row of buildings. Leading the horses at Ground Hitch. The two men moved to a place where they could remain unseen, while they watched Greg Stacey and three members of his gang across the street, near the Madora Railroad Station. Buckboard stopped at the station. The driver is talking to Greg Stacey. You know him? No. No, we never see the driver before. I'm afraid we will scare horses. Those horses are too nervous to be hitched to a buckboard. I think you sure got a mighty spirited team to draw that wagon. Yeah. That's what the man in the livery stable said. Want me to be careful? Said these horses were gun-shy. Good. Soon as the easterners aboard the wagon, you boys know what to do. Just haze the tender foot. Well, you know what this is. We'll set up a commotion. It'll start a runaway that no one can hold back. That'll be all right, as long as it looks like an accident. Hey, quiet! Hey, the pilot, the leader! Hey, man, quiet! The one passenger who prepared to leave the train at Madora was a dynamic man in his early 20s. He had a quick smile, a friendly manner, and an abundance of energy that found outlet in strenuous sports like boxing, wrestling, riding, and hunting. He was a man whose later years were to be claimed by destiny to fill important pages in the history of America. A man who would one day occupy the White House as President Teddy Roosevelt. All right, Mr. Oldville, Mr. Madora. Bullies! Good trip conductors! Good train! Well, thanks, sir. Want some help with the luggage? No thanks, I'll manage. The arrival of the train with a tiffing steam and flying sparks sent the buckboard horses into a frenzy of fear. Pete Hudson, standing near the team, pulled hard on the reins and shouted, Hog down, you crazy fools! Hog down, I tell you, take it easy! Use the whip on them. I'll cut up a ribbon so they don't come down. What's going on here? Can't horse them. They'll break their spirit. Hold on, don't use that whip. The horses are frightened. Whipping won't help. Give me the reins. Stand aside! Now, quiet. Easy. Take it easy. You're all right. No one's going to hurt you, fella. Holding the reins firmly, the man from the east touched the necks of the horses with a steady hand and spoke in a friendly manner. I gotta use quiet in those critics. You see, a soft word is sometimes more effective than a big stick. It applies to people as well as to horses. I reckon you must be Mr. Roosevelt. That's right. I'm Ferris. You are? Hey, glad to meet you face to face. Well, I'm glad to meet you, Mr. Roosevelt. These are some of the boys from the Maltese Cross. Glad to see you. Howdy. Well, Greg, you put Mr. Roosevelt's luggage on the buttboard. Right. I wasn't sure you could handle western Bronx, Mr. Roosevelt, so I've got a buttboard for you. Just follow the road straight ahead. Good. Here's the reins of Mr. Roosevelt. There you go. Now, boys, give the tender foot a hasten. Whoa! Hey, look at him go. That's what I call a runaway. We'll continue our Lone Ranger adventure in just a moment. Hello. This is the Lone Ranger speaking. You know Americans have the reputation of being always on the go. You can see how we got that reputation when you think back on the exploits of men like Daniel Boone, Lewis and Clark, David Crockett, and many others. They had to cross the rivers, climb the mountains, break the trails from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Today, Americans are still full of energy, and the important thing to remember is that we are a free nation. We eat more energy-giving wheat by far than any other grain. It's one big reason why we are still on the move exploring new frontiers. Keep on eating your wheat and you'll be doing okay. Okay. Now, to continue. The Lone Ranger and Tato, who watched from across the street, saw the outlaws deliberately panic the Buckboard team. The mask man said, Come on, Tato, get our horses. We must stop that runaway team before the man on the wagon is killed. Teddy! Teddy Roosevelt was no novice in handling horses, but it took all of his skill and strength to keep the wildly racing team from overturning the Buckboard. Teddy! Suddenly, he was aware of a man riding a big white horse at great next speed to overtake the careening Buckboard. As the white horse came close to the driver's seat, Roosevelt saw that the rider's face was partly covered by a mask. The mask man urged his mouth ahead until by leaning farther beside, he could grasp the bridle of the nearest runaway horse. Roosevelt was fully aware of the risks taken by the mask man, the slightest miscalculation, or a sudden unexpected turn by one of the horses, might cause a fatal fall. But gradually, the team slowed, then stopped. Teddy Roosevelt, joy! I'll help you steady those horses! Roosevelt jumped to the ground and hurried forward to aid the mask man in calming the fighting team. Oh, steady, easy, easy! Meanwhile, Tato caught up, who reigned and dismounted. He did. Oh, me. We never see horses handled better. Nor did I. By Gadbury, I've never seen anything more daring than what this mask man did. We talk about what you did. Tato's right. They're expert stage drivers who couldn't have handled the runaway as well as you did and kept the wagons from tipping over. This fella makes plenty good stagecoach drivers. Thanks, Indian, and thanks to you for helping me. I've heard of masked outlaws in this part of the country, but I didn't expect to owe my life to one. I'm not an outlaw. Then why are you masked? Who are you? Many people call me the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger, I've heard of you. Yes, indeed, this is a bully adventure. Do you mind telling me your name? Certainly not. It's Roosevelt. Theodore Roosevelt. Mr. Roosevelt, Tato and I saw the men at the station deliberately panic the horses. Ha! Hazing me! Trying to test the metal of a tenderfoot. That's why they did it. Are they friends of yours? One of them is Sylvain Ferris. I've bought an interest in the cattle business he and Merrifield operate. We own the Maltese Cross and Elkhorn Ranch. Some of the men who are at the station are outlaws. More than Kansas. But they're cowboys working at the Maltese Cross. They're cattle thieves and killers. It must be mistaken. I'm sure Ferris wouldn't hire outlaws. He may not mow their outlaws. He must have eaten. Men come this way. We'll leave before they arrive. Beyond guard when you're with them. Yes, indeed. Easy said it. Roosevelt watched the masked man and Tato right away and admired the great horse, Silver. Then he turned as Pete Hudson who called himself Ferris and the outlaws who had been identified as ranch hands approached and drew rain. Are you all right, Mr. Roosevelt? I'm just bullied. Boys meant to start the team at a fast clip just to sort of haze you. Didn't mean to start a runaway. All right, Ferris. I don't mind a little action. We saw two men here with you. Who are they? One of them is the... I didn't get his name, but he stopped the team. Oh. Well, maybe I'd better drive the team the rest of the way. Nonsense. I'll drive. You and the men ride ahead. I'll follow. All right, Mr. Roosevelt. I'll see you at the ranch. After reaching the ranch house, Roosevelt talked for a long time with a man who posed as his partner, while the real Sylvain Ferris was held prisoner in the shack near Chimney Butte by two members of Greg Stacey's gang. The rest of the gang and Stacey himself slept in the Maltese Cross bunkhouse. The following morning, the outlaws were saddling their horses in the corral when Pete Hudson approached. Oh, Greg. Yeah? Take the voice of Chimney Butte as fast as you can. Drive off the soccer squirrel there. Take it to Painted Rock Canyon. You know the place? Yeah, but I don't... Take Sylvain Ferris with you. I'll join you later. What's wrong? Roosevelt asked too many questions. Here he comes. Out of bed and rest for a riding. Remember what I said, Greg? Move the cattle as soon as possible. Morning, gentlemen. Morning, sir. Bully day for riding, huh? Oh, it looks to me like Storm's heading his way. Storm nonsense. I want to see this ranch, Ferris. Sure thing, Mr. Roosevelt. Especially the cattle. If you said in your last letter, it would be corraled at the time I arrived. Well, we... It was a natural land formation that made a fine corral. Chimney Butte, I think you call it. Oh, well, uh... Mr. Roosevelt, I don't like to take you there when there's likelihood of a hard rain. You see, the place gets flooded, isn't it? Ah, that's strange. In one of your letters, you said it was a bully place to hold cattle because it was well drained. Oh, well, I must have been thinking of another place. Ferris, would you mind going back to the house with me for a few minutes? I want you to sign an extra copy of our partnership agreement. Uh, sign my name? Yes, if you have no objection. Greg, you should come barrel on them. I said... What did you say, Ferris? He told me to do this! Oh! That's it, Greg. Rich Eastonuck can be knocked out as easy as anyone else. He knew we were up to something. Yeah, and he knew he'd trap you when you couldn't sign your name to match the Ferris signature. Take him into the house, tie him, gag him, and we'll head for Chimney Butte. You said two men were guarding the cattle there. As we get Ferris and the boys who are with him, we'll gun the guards and then move the cattle. We'll be a long way off before anyone finds Rose. Roosevelt regained consciousness soon after Pete and the outlaws left the ranch. He found himself lying on the floor of the house with a gag in his mouth and strong ropes around his wrists and ankles. He fought hard for nearly an hour to free his hands. Then he rested for a moment. He had just begun a new effort. When he saw the door swill open, the masked man and Toto entered the room. Toto, Roosevelt, tie him, gag him. He got gunned. Remove the gag. I'll take care of these ropes. No. Thanks. I don't know what brought you to here. We were camped in the woods near here and saw the man who met you at the station riding past. He went with him, so we came here to find out why. Did you see all of the men who met me? There were six of them. And the man who calls himself Ferris is with him. There. Don't you think he's Ferris? No, I think he's an imposter. And I think there's a reason why they don't want me to go near Chimney Butte. The men we saw were headed that way. We'll go after them. I'll go with you. Are you sure you feel well enough? I've never avoided a fight in my life. Just give me time to get my guns in the bedroom. Very well. Otto, Roosevelt looks like a fighting man. He can handle guns as well as he handles horses. He'll make a great partner in battle. Ah. In a moment, the Easterner returned to the living room buckling a cartridge belt, from which hung a brace of six guns as heavy as those of the Lone Ranger. I'm ready. Let's catch those crooks. We'll ride a rough shot. At the corral, Roosevelt selected a big powerful horse. While helping saddle the animal, the Lone Ranger said, You'll have a hard ride, Roosevelt. I've been here in Chimney Butte. The ground is mighty rough. Ha ha. Can't be too rough for me. I like rough riding. It's exciting. All right, rough rider. Let's go. Easy. Get a big car. All right, rough rider. Let's go. Easy. Get a big car. Get up there. During the fast hard ride across the uneven ground, Teddy Roosevelt handled his horse with skill and daring and was admired by the Lone Ranger and Tato. Presently, the three men saw a massive formation that towered above the rock-studded country. From a distance, it resembled a short, thick chimney. That's the place. That's Chimney Butte. That's where the cattle are corraled. A moment later, the horsemen were near enough to hear gunfire. They saw bursts of smoke from two guns fired by guards who were fortified by rocks in the narrow gap that opened into the area where the cattle was held. The guards were returning the gunfire of attackers who were crouching behind massive boulders. The eight outlaws were well protected from the gunfire of the guards, but they were in plain view of the hard-riding masked man, his Indian friend and the Easterner who shouted, Those are the men from the ranch. The outlaws. We draw a rain. Get back a rock. Don't draw a rain. No, no. Don't draw a rain. Charge! With his reins wrapped around the saddle horn, Roosevelt spurred his horse, drew both guns and opened fire. For the Lone Ranger and Tato, there was just one thing to do. We'll stay with him, Tato. Let's go. Let's go. The three men rode a breast firing with devastating speed and accuracy. They were like three musketeers of old, ignoring the odds against them, riding to battle with no thought of personal safety. It was the kind of charge that Teddy Roosevelt, a few years later, led up San Juan Hill to turn the tide of a war with Spain. Several of the outlaws dropped in their cracks. Others had their weapons smashed by bullets. The rest threw down their guns and raised their hands. Hold your breath. Hold your breath. Give your hands up. After your side, the wounded will be cared for. Great work, Roosevelt. You plenty good fighting man. A bully fight! A short time later, Sylvain Perez, who lay tightly bound and gagged in a shack, heard the creak of an opening door. He turned on his bunk, expecting to see one of his captors. Instead, he saw a brisk man who drew a hunting knife as he said. Have you free in no time, Perez? First, the gag. I have lots to tell you. About a gang of crooks. A crooked foreman. That takes care of the gag. Who are you? Me? I'm your partner, Roosevelt. Well, thanks. Oh, don't start panking me, Perez. We're both obligated to the mask man who is going to bring the marshal here to take charge of the crooks. And now your hands are free. A mask man? That's right. He calls me the rough rider. And I call him the Lone Ranger. The righted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated is produced by Trendl 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.