with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. Before the coming of the railroad, supplies were carried to the settlers in the western United States by great canvas-topped freight wagons. The men who drove these wagons followed well-marked trails, but they were always faced with the danger of attack from hostile Indians or outlaws. Against savages and gunmen, their best protection was the masked rider of the plains. No one could match his strength and courage, and it was his daring and resourcefulness that preserved the vital lifeline of the early west. 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! We're heading for the Overland Trail! There's going to be trouble! Our story opens in the little frontier town of Coyote Run, a town on the Overland Trail between the Mississippi and California. Into the dusty main street raced a freighter with an empty wagon. He was a tremendous man, almost as broad as he was tall. He wore a black bushy beard and his eyes were sharp and cruel. The loungers in front of the Blue Star Cafe saw him coming. Brewster! Curly Brewster! Hey, you hombres, better run for cover. Curly Brewster just pulled up in front. Brewster? Yep, Curly Brewster. Bartender, you better get them bottles off the bar. You know the way Curly uses that bullwhip is. Yeah, mister, you don't have to stop. That's me, Curly Brewster. This here's my whip. Stay away from that bar. See that glass on the other end 20 feet away? Now watch. Busted the smithereens. Now I come here for a reason. You, Leach. Yeah, Brewster. Into the back room. Mortar Snake. You too, Calloway. Get moving. I want to talk to you hombres. Not me, Curly. Leave me out of it. I said trail along, Calloway. Go on. I said trail along, Calloway. Go on. Speak your piece. You ain't in town for nothing. No, Leach. It came for you, gents. I got a little proposition how we can all make some cash. I need men who wear their guns strapped low. Gunfighting men. I knew I'd find you. Cash, huh? Reckon that's agreeable with me. Sure do mean to. The telegraph company is lettin' out a contract to haul some freight out from the end of the line to where they're gonna make the next base camp. You're going after the job? Yeah, sort of. Well, that's different. That's different. I figured you was up to one of your crooked schemes. Oh, yeah? Well, I reckon I can handle a freight, good as next. If you have trouble with engines, I can shoot as well. We'll have trouble, all right, Calloway, but not with engines. Huh? And what's more, I don't have any scruples about whether a job's honest or not. Savvy what I mean? You said you... Somebody's already got that contract, Calloway. I aim to take it away from them. Oh. Like I figured in the first place. Well, what I said before goes, Brewster. Count me out. Now, wait a minute. I ain't waitin'. I'm leavin'. Then you better go for your guns. Huh? You're wearin' guns, Calloway. If you want to get out, shoot your way out. Why, you... He know, Brewster. Put down that bull whip. I don't have to put it down. I can hold the bull whip and draw with the other hand. I'm gettin' out, Curly. Try it. I'm gonna draw. I'm waitin'. You ask for it. Look out. My whip knocked the gun right out of your hand, Calloway. Oh, my hand. Host of that shootin' iron. No more talk of quittin', Savvy. You're goin' with me because I say so. Besides, Calloway, there's a little matter of a bank robin' back in Tucson, remember? Hey, you... Who told you about that? I got ways of finding out things, Calloway. I've been ridin' straight and narrow since then. Yeah, well, you do like I tell you or I might inform the marshal you're wanted, Savvy. That was a mistake. I never meant to pull any crooked teeth. You'll join up or you'll go to jail. All right, Curly. Reckon there's nothin' I can do about it. Yeah. Now you're bein' smart. All right, you gents. Now here's the proposition. Brewster, wait. Somebody at the window. I caught a glimpse of him. An injured. Yeah, there he is. Missed out the back. There he goes. He's out of range. Yeah, ridin' fast and far. We'll let him go. We scared him plenty. Get him up, Scout! Tonto, Silver. Come on, boy. What did you find out? Me come from Coyote Run. Me watch Brewster. What happened to your stirrup leather? A bullet? Ah, it come plenty close. You should have been there with you, Kemosabe. It's all right. Tonto and Scout get away fast. They poured lead after you. You must have learned something. Ah, me hear him. Yes? Curly Brewster. Him get men. Him say something about telegraph company. Go on. Something about contract to haul freight from men to wire to new camp. I see. What else? Not all. Then come shots. They saw you then? Ah. They're still good enough, Kemosabe. At least we have some idea of Brewster's plan. Him say him get contract for himself. And someone else has that contract now. Ah. And what we do? We're heading west for the telegraph company's camp. We'll find out more about this when we get there. Follow me. Hit plenty fire. And all the more reason for traveling fast. Come on. The telegraph company is near Irontop Mountain. Get him up, child. Come on, Silver. Got a string wire all the way over the mountain. Through that sage and brush and cactus. Whoa, boy. Whoa. Whoa there. Look at this telegraph pole. Why, that thing's shaky. Yeah. It isn't in solid. I'll have to check on that when I get back. Stevens. Huh? Don't reach for your guns. We're friends. Who's that talking? I can't see you none too... A masked man. We saw you in the light of the flares. We heard the men talking to you. And that's how we learned your name. Mister, if you're a road agent, you're the coolest outlaw I ever met. All I gotta do is let out a beller and there'll be a dozen men swarming down on you. Oh, we... we not outlaws. That's easy to say, Injun. I'd advise you not to meddle with the telegraph company. Stevens, all we want is information. About what, for instance? You're setting up an advance camp on the other side of Iron Mountain, aren't you? Yeah. Who's spreading your supplies out there? Mister, the contract's already handed out. To whom? Now, hold on. You think I'm loco enough to tell you so we can get together a band of men and rob the freight? That's exactly what's going to happen. But it won't be us. Did you ever hear of Curly Brewster? Yeah, I heard of him. He's a freighter and one I don't munch cotton to. I can tell you this much. It ain't Brewster who's hauling our freight. Stevens, Brewster intends to get that contract. All I want to know... All I care about is the telegraph line. Who you are don't interest me one bit. Outlaw or not. Just so long as you don't bother us. But Mister, you're coming mighty close to being bothersome right now. But you tell me this. Are you sending men to guard that freight? I can't spare them. We've got to string ten miles of wire a day and we're working every minute to do it. Um, that bad. Then you've got to believe me. Brewster has some scheme up his sleeve. You're sorry! What in blazes? That pole is coming down. Look out! Let go of me! Look out! Mister, you saved my hide. If you hadn't yanked my horse out of the way, that pole would have hit us square. It's that confounded rocky ground. Can't set him in deep enough. Stevens, I'm still asking for information. Huh? Oh, yeah. Yeah, the freighting job. Mister, I reckon I can tell you. Turnabout's fair play. You can count on us. I reckon I know that now. You came from the east? Yes. Keno, head back the way you came. Just beyond the town of Prairie, you'll see a set up. A fella named Rockwell owns it. He's the freighter? Yep, Rockwell. He's got the contract. But unless he delivers the goods in specified time, he loses it. That's all I want to know. You're leaving? Brewster may already be at that ranch. We'll have to hurry. Goodbye and thanks. Come on, boy. Adios. Get him up. Adios. Good luck. See the Rockwell ranch yet, Brewster? No, I don't. Well, there it is. Cross that gully. Rain up there. Calloway. Yeah? You and Leech are riding to the ranch. They're hitting Rockwell for a job, helping to haul freight. You already told us. I'm making positive you get it straight. I reckon there won't be no trouble about getting jobs, huh, Curly? No, I reckon not. Good thing we met those two freighters of his back in the town of Prairie. All I had to do was shake my bullwhip at them and they changed their minds about working for Rockwell. Yeah. The way they started traveling, they might be halfway back to Coyote Run by now. Took us two days. That's enough pow-wow. Get going. Come on, Calloway. And don't forget you two. Act nice and natural all the way out on the trail till the time comes, Savvy. Don't fret. We'll do it right. If we get the jobs in the first place. You'll get the jobs. There's the ranch. Go ahead. Man, there's two riders pulled up outside. This is Shorty and Tex. Did they come back from town? I don't know who it is. Let strings out. Come on in. We're looking for a man named Rockwell. Speaking. My name's Leech. This here is Calloway. Howdy, Mr. Rockwell. Howdy. We just come from Prairie. Met a couple of gents named Tex and Shorty. Said they used to work for you. Used to? Why, them ornery wardies they still do. Not when we saw them, mister. They were heading east. They told us something about how you might be needing two men to help you haul a load of freight. Well, I'll be it. Sure, them two skunks just pulled up and walked out on me. I'd never thought of them, Dan. Me neither. Just goes to show. You can't be sure of nothing. How about it? Was that straight? Do you need us? Mister, I sure do. Can you ride? Can you handle a gun? We can do the job. Don't worry. Yeah. Don't worry. Dan, it's the answer to your prayers. You won't be short-handed now. Well, gents, you're hired. By this time tomorrow, we'll be on our way. Get up there, horses. Get up. You're making right good time, Dan. I'd feel a heap safer if you hadn't insisted on coming along, Sarah. Now, you wouldn't have wanted me to stay back at the ranch all alone, would you? What could happen to the wagons, anyway? Yeah, I reckon you're right. Meach, Calloway. Don't like behind. We're with you. Yeah, we gotta move along faster. We'll fill this contract job. We're staying right behind you. Don't worry. We'll keep this wagon moving all right. Calloway. Yeah? Things are working out fine. By the time we get halfway around the mountain, Curly will be waiting for us. Yeah. With him and the gang attacking from the side and us working with him right in the wagons, won't be anything left of Rockwell's outfit. Mm-hmm. You don't sound overjoyed, Calloway. Why, it's gonna be a plumb-lined cinch. Rockwell won't be able to deliver. Curly Brewster gets the business for himself. Just as easy as it... Rockwell! Hey, what? Who are those hombres? A masked man and a redskin. I don't know. Beech. That masked hombre. He's the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger. Grab your gun. Here comes Rockwell. Don't say a word about the Lone Ranger, not a word. Rockwell! Beech. There are two gyms coming after us. One of them is masked. They must be outlawed. Yeah, shoot. Don't let them get close. Wait! Wait! Don't shoot! Rockwell! Him not knows, Kemosabe. What we do? Maybe shoot gun from hand, huh? No, Tonto. There's a woman with him. We'll have to find some other... Kemosabe! That man with gun. Him one of Brewster's men. What? Me see him through window back in town. That settles it, Tonto. We can't ride up on them now. It'll put the woman in danger. We'll have to find another way. Follow me! Get him up! Come on, Silver! 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. Now to continue our story. When the Lone Ranger and Tonto attempted to warn Dan Rockwell that Curly Brewster intended to wreck his freight wagons and take the telegraph company contract away from him, Rockwell fired as they approached. Rather than risk injuring Dan's wife, the Ranger and Tonto did not return the fire. Instead, they trailed the wagons from a distance. We're too far away to see them clearly, Tonto. We can mark Rockwell's position by the dust from his wagons. Him good driver, huh? He's making very good time. He has to. Otherwise, he loses the contract. Him head more south now. He's going around Iron Mountain. The new advance camp for the telegraph company will be on the far side. Ah. Any sign of Brewster? Tonto not see any. Yet he has at least one of his men right in working with Rockwell. That means Brewster got to Rockwell's ranch before we returned from the end of the wire. Wherever Brewster means to attack, he'll be aided by those traitors. That's right. We've got to locate Brewster, Tonto. We don't even know how many men he has with him. Three, maybe four. I was back in Coyote Run. He'd easily pick up a dozen more gunfighters on the way out here. We've got to know. We leave wagons? Yes, Kemosabe. We'll circle around them and ride ahead. We've got to find Brewster. We can stop here. It's dark, but there's enough moon to look toward the east. See those campfires winking way off there? Rockwell? Yeah, that's his night camp. If we can see his campfire, maybe he can see ours. Oh, I ain't that loco. We rode a little away from the camp, didn't we? We'll take a look back and see for yourself. I can't see our fires. Sure not. The curve of the mountain comes in between. How far away you figure Rockwell is? 20 miles? Near 30. This air is so thin you can see twice as far as usual. Yeah, about 30 miles. I reckon Rockwell ought to be right down below us about sundown tomorrow. About? Yeah. We got a dozen men, Braddon. Rockwell's got two beside himself. Of course, I'm not counting Leach and Calloway. Three against 15. You count them right. We'll let them camp, Savvy. My boys will stay well hidden. After a while, when Rockwell is getting good and sleepy and they ain't expecting nothing, we come riding down off this mountain whooping and hollering. Like Redskins. Yeah, yeah, Braddon, like Redskins. We shoot his horses, burn his wagons, and before he knows what hit him, we're gone, Savvy. He'll never know what hit him. Suppose he has time to reach his gun. He may reach it, but he'll never shoot it. Then I get that freighting contract. As for poor Rockwell, he had the misfortune of running the engine. It's a good scheme, Carly. It can't miss. Tomorrow night, let's get back to camp. Get up. Get up. You heard, Tonto? Yeah, me here. Fifteen men against three. Dan Rockwell's wife. Them not have chance. If we leave now, we can get to Rockwell's wagons just around dawn. It's a quiet, Tonto. We mustn't make any noise or Brewston will hear us. Who's that? Dan. Dan, wake up. Listen. Rockwell. Had you done. Stand still, mister. My finger's on the trigger. My hands are high. I'm not moving. Wait till I clamp her down. Clue's melted. You're mashed. Rockwell, you're in trouble. You were the hombre who tried to attack my wagons back on the trail. I'm not an outlaw and I didn't try to attack. Not true. Your engine part with you. Dan, he's got something to say. I got a feeling you better listen. Tonto and I rode all night to warn you. Colonel Brewster has a band of fifteen men hidden up on the slope of Iron Mountain ready to ambush you. Oh. What's that? What's more, two of your men are in with him. Dan, Leach and Calloway. I don't know their names, but I tell you. If it's anybody, it's them. They joined up at the last minute. Rockwell, you've got to turn back. You can't fight them. I can't turn back. You've got to. Brewster got plenty men and plenty guns. I can't turn back. Unless I deliver this freight on time, I lose the contract. I gotta go through. Can you go some other way? Get shorter, mister. Dan goes this way or you'll be too late, no matter what. I gotta take my chances. That's all there is to it. Woman go to? I've been married to Dan for fifteen years, Injun. We've been together all the while. I'm not leaving him now, least of all when he's heading for trouble. I know. There's no use arguing with you, Sarah. Marry a particle. Well, that's it. I reckon it's apt to be the end of the trail. Mister, we thank you kindly for the warning. We've got to go through. We'll try not to get beat, but come Brewster, Savages, Floods or Highwater, his freight goes through. All right, Rockwell. That leaves only one chance. It's a chance I have to take. Otto, you stay here, ride with the freighters. And where you go? I haven't time to explain. It's a long ride and I've got to make it. Keep an eye on Leach and Calloway. Uh, me watch them. Them not try anything. Go ahead the way you plan, Rockwell. Make camp tonight at the foot of Iron Mountain. As humanly possible. I'll be back there before Brewster attacks. Mask men. Mask men, where are you going? I'm going to bring help. I'm going to get the telegraph men. Come on, Silver. It's up to you, old boy. Faster, Silver. The great white stallion lunged across the prairie as Silver shod hooves thudding on the hard ground. The lone ranger leaned forward in the stirrups, bent low. Silver's wind-swept mane close to his grim face as he urged him on. Come on, Silver. Cover the ground, old boy. We're racing against time. Faster, Silver. Hi-yo, Silver. Away! The sun crept higher and higher as the great stallion responded to the urgings of his master. Faster and faster. On and on, without a stop, without a pause in the thunder of his hoops. Until finally, just at the telegraph, men were busy with their noonday meal. Stevens! What the? Stevens! Well, I'll be doggone you. Stevens! I need five men. I need them now. You got your nerve about your mask, man. I told you one. There's no time to argue. Brewster has 15 men hidden on the flank of Iron Mountain. Rockwell is going to be attacked tonight. You said it. I said it before, but now I'm positive. Rockwell only has three men to help him. And his wife is with him. His wife? You mean Brewster's gonna... Brewster doesn't care who gets hurt. He means to attack. Nothing will stop him. By gravy, mister, this makes things different. Did you stop Rockwell? Rockwell refused to turn back. He's got a schedule to meet. Concerned fool. Have you got horses? Have you got five men who'll go along with me? It can't be done, mister. Your horse can make it, but we ain't got horses can travel that fast. You can make it if we go over the mountain. Over... You mean straight over the top? Are you willing? It's the only chance there is. But we never tried climbing that mountain. Then we'll try it now. We've got to. What do you say, boys? Yes, of course. All right, masked men. You got company. Bring those horses. Take your guns. No, not all of you. Henning, Gilroy, Wheeler can print us. That's all. The rest of you keep springing that wire. That's only four. What about me? I'm not staying behind, mister. Not by a long sight. Already? In your saddles. Tip! Follow me! Over the mountain! Come on, horse. Over that rock! Up silver! This way! Around this side! It's getting on towards sundown. We're nowhere near the top yet. We'll make it. There's a cliff here. We can't go over it. Then we'll circle around it. We're getting over this mountain. Steady horse. Steady horse. Another couple of hours and the sun will set. Rockwell will start making camp. Brewster will be getting up right above him. Just getting ready to let it fly. We'll make it, Stevens. We've got to make it. Come on, silver! You see him again, Bretton? Oh, the wagons went behind that shoulder of rock. There they come. Yeah. Coming right below us. All right, Bretton. Back to the boys. Keep backing out of sight. Might start looking up the mountain. Rockwell's making good time. Yeah. He'd have that contract right in his pocket if nothing held him up. That's where we come in. He's got three wagons. He'll have none before I'm through with him. We got it easy. Ain't nothing to go wrong at all. Here we are. Me and Bretton just seen them, boys. They'll make camp right below us. All we gotta do is wait until just about dark. Why not try my plan instead of the one your part mentioned? No. We do what masked friends say. Why not make a break for it? Instead of stopping here, we drive right on through before Brewster knows what we're up to. No, Dan. The engine's right. Ah. You run, you'll not have chance. Brewster to him got hoarse. Go faster and wagon. Better we wait. Masked man said he'd be back. He ain't back by dark. We're done for this way. We can at least have a run for it. Dan, I trust the masked man. Him never fail a whore. It's always the first time, engine, but... Well, all right. I reckon we might as well play our cards out. What about Leech and Calloway? You'll not tell them. No, engine. They don't know they're suspected. Ah, you leave it to Tonto. Me and watch them good. Kino. And this is it. We're making camp heads. Stop the wagons. If you want it so, Rockwell, me and Calloway will scout around the firewood while it's still light. Hey. Yeah, Leech. Yeah, go ahead. All right. Come on, Calloway. You don't suspect a thing, Calloway. What about that engine? Just a wandering redskin, that's all. I ain't sure. That engine back in Coyote Run, the one we fired shots at, he had a paint horse, too. There's plenty of paint horses and plenty of engines. Besides, if this engine knew what we was up to, he'd have warned Rockwell already. They wouldn't let us wander around, would they? I don't know. You're just looking for alibis. Looster forced me into this. It's not my liking. But you'll do it, Sammy. Because if you don't, you'll die with the rest of them. Now, come on. Let's get that firewood and get back to the wagons. As soon as it's dark, Curly's gonna attack. And we gotta be around to help him. What's eating you, Calloway? You got kinda nervous. Huh? You're always looking around. Expecting trouble? Don't pay him no mind, Rockwell. He's worried about engines. No engine war party near here. Sure not. He's just worried. No. No, I've had enough. What in the world? I can't go through with it. Rockwell, you're gonna be attacked any second. Don't listen to him. Rooster's got men up the mountain. Me and Leach are supposed to help him wipe you out, so you can't get that... There. That's the signal. Why, you won't reach. You not move. You move and me shoot. Dan, it's Rooster. He's coming. The masked man nowhere in sight. Get your guns, Calloway. You gonna help us stand him off? We ain't got a chance, but I'll fight. Steady that fire. Dan, be careful. You might as well throw down your guns. You're elected as soon as Rooster gets here. I'm not here yet. We fight as long as... Listen. What's that? Buster, Silver. Buster. It's the masked man. Where is he? He got here in time. He's behind Brewster. Coming right down the mountain. Say, you hold again on this side, Wanderleach. I sure can. Not good. We go help Mask, friend. You scout him. Are you with us, Calloway? Yes, sir. Mister, you still have a finger now. Pull this trigger. Get him up. Get up there. We're coming, Tunnel. Close in. Brewster, run. Run for him. Run for him. I'll take it behind us. This way. Oh, you don't, Brewster. Oh, my gun hands. Don't shoot. Don't shoot anymore. You not move. You drop guns. Reach for the sky, Brewster. I like the gun clean out of my hands. I give up. I give up. I give up. Very smart. We got here just from the nick of time. Howdy, Stevens. Howdy, Rockwell. I guess we can take care of these crooks proper. We got a right good jailhouse back at our main camp. You came straight over the mountain, didn't you? We sure did. And you can thank the mask man for that. He led us all away. I should have known better than to take a hand against him. Why didn't somebody tell me I was trying to fight the Lone Ranger? The Lone Ranger? So that's who he is. The Lone Ranger. Stevens, someday I hope I get a chance to meet him again. I want to thank him for all he's done. Just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
