A hairy horse with the speed of light, the cloud of dust, and a hearty hi-yo silver, the Lone Ranger. The wagon trains that carried supplies to the settlers were the lifelines of the early western United States. But the freighters were often attacked by hostile Indians and outlaws. And it was not until the masked rider of the plains started his great fight for justice that the trails were made safe. It was he more than any other man who finally made possible the winning of the 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've got to hurry. Tonto's on the trail ahead. Come, Silver. It was nearly morning as the Lone Ranger and Tonto raced down the main street of Nebraska City. Not a soul was stirring. A clouded sky and a chill march wind made the night even more desolate. The masked rider and his Indian companion reined up in front of Jim Sheridan's home. Tonto wait out here. All right, Kimo Sabe. I won't be long. Jim Sheridan's a man I think he is. He won't fail us. He's asking a lot. It means facing dangers that a freight train has never faced before. I'm coming. That's Sheridan's voice. What's the idea? Mask man. Hello, Jim. That's Tonto out there. Come in. What brings you to Nebraska City? Well, Tonto and I have ridden all the way from Denver since Monday. Well, that's... No, I was going to say it was impossible, but not for Silver and Scout. Why, though? We hadn't been near the town before this winter. When we got there, we found a starvation camp. You mean that? Oh, it's a poor year for game. Those men out there aren't hunters anyway. Their food is almost gone. And now they're down to their last barrels of flour. If food doesn't reach them in a month, they'll starve. But you know as well as I do that our first train doesn't start until May. The lives of thousands are in your hands, Jim. You're asking me to get food to them in a month? I am. Drive a freight train across the prairie just as the frost is getting out of the ground? Why wouldn't we go two miles without bogging down? The creeks would be torrents. How could we cross them? There's only one man in the worst who can do the job. That's why I've come to you. You have plenty of supplies here in Nebraska City. Of course. Your wagons are in good condition. And you have plenty of men and oxen. Yes, but don't you see... I know the difficulties, Jim. The question is, will you take a chance on overcoming them? You'll have to let me think. Figure ways and means. If Denver is to be saved, you must start in less than a week. You must get there in less than a month. How many wagons? Twenty-five at least. From here to Kearney, it shouldn't be so bad. But afterward, along the Platte and into the mountains... You can take the southern route from Kearney. Well, that might help. It's longer, but... Maskman, will you act as a scout for the train? You and Tonto? You can depend on us. I guess that's all I've been waiting to hear. We'll start loading the wagons in the morning. Good. You don't have to be told what's needed. No. Tonto and I will camp outside of town. We'll be waiting for you when you're ready to start. In three days, Maskman, you have my word. And so, men, my decision is made. The wagons are in good condition. All we have to do is load them. We start the day after tomorrow. Seems to me, Jim, you might have talked it over with us before you made your decision. I don't like that, Corby. We never start out before May. It ain't safe. Are you afraid? I say it won't do you any good to start now. You just take two months for the trip instead of one. If that's the way you feel, then you aren't the one to be my second in command. Where's Bill Rogers? I'm right here, boss. Will you take Corby's job? I sure will. Now, wait a minute. You can't fire me like that. I'm not firing you. You can come along if you like and take the charge of the commissary. Take orders from this young squirt? Or you can wait until our second trip before you take a chance on the trail. Yeah, boss, I was only thinking of your interests. Money isn't a consideration in this trip. Well, it should be. You're running a business. You got a big investment. Why should you lose it for a lot of mangy miners? They're human beings and they're starving. They need our help. Just the same. It's your own investment you're thinking of, Corby. What do you mean? You bought a half interest in the Prairie Bell Cafe this winter. That ain't so. Now, don't lie. You don't want me to take all these men away from Nebraska City because you'll lose money. You got me wrong, boss. Young Bill here gets your old job. If you want to work under him, that's up to you. I... Well? Do I have to decide right now? Yes, Corby. All right, I'll take the commissary. You can depend on it. That part of the train will be run right. You're a good man on the trail. I never said you weren't. How about the rest of you? Are you with me? You got me, I'm good. Well, I'm glad to hear that. There's no doubt it'll be the hardest trip you've ever had. But I have some good news that I saved till now. What's that? The Lone Ranger will meet us at our first camp outside. He'll pick your trail and be your real leader. That means we'll get there, men. We'll get there in time to save Denver. Go to work. Come on, boys. Only five miles today, Bill. Well, a lot of the men had trouble with their oxen. Most of them are half wild after the winter. I know. They'll get used to the yoke in a few days. Well, I almost wish the sun hadn't been so hot. We can't hold back the spring, boy. The thaw's sure to come in a week or two, and the ground's sure to get soft. We could only make the mountains before then. I will try. Wasn't this the place where the masked man was supposed to meet us? I'm expecting him. He said outside of town. If he doesn't show up, the men are going to be awful disappointed. He's never broken a promise yet. Look, riding tortoise. Where? The sun's in our eyes, but... Yeah, a big white stallion and a paint gym. It's them. It's the Lone Ranger and Tonto. The boys, the masked men, the engines! Hi! You kept your word, Jim. We're on our way, all right. How are you fixed for ammunition? Plenty of it. I'm afraid you're going to need it. We've had word that Red Fox has broken his winter camp and is riding north. Comanches, huh? Yes, but there are hundreds of miles to cover before we have to worry about them. Can you give us any idea how the trail is between here and Kearney? Get along, man. Please, mister. Let me stay with the train. I can drive a team just as good as any of your men. Hey, look what I found in one of the wagons. A boy? I'm not. I'm 18. Tell the truth, son. Well, I'm almost 18, masked man. I'm 16. When the boys started yelling the Lone Ranger was here, he stuck his head out and that's when I caught him. We're only five miles from town. You better hit the trail back home. Oh, please let me go with you. Well, what about your family? It was only my uncle. He died last month. I got to find a job where I can earn my keep. Can you ride? Sure I can. We can't be bothered with kids. The train stretches out for a long way, Jim. It might save you a lot of riding if you had somebody to carry messages. What do you think, masked man? I say no. It isn't a bad idea at all. He's husky enough to stand the trail. You're hired, son. What's your name? Oh, gosh, mister. Thanks. It's Bud Travers. You won't be sorry. Sometime... Well, sometime I'll find a way to pay you back. All of you. The wagon train started out again the next day with the Lone Ranger and Jim Sheridan riding at the head. Eight miles were covered before sunset. The next day it was ten, and then a steady average of fifteen from dawn till dusk. The weather turned warm. The trail turned to mud. The streams were swollen by the spring rains, and still the men drove on. At last, Fort Kearney was reached. We'll make it camp here, man. Right and left into the big circle. Right and left. We're going to leave you for a few days, Jim. It's time to talk about it and find out more about Red Park. A few days? Well, how many? Three or four. But you can't go wrong. After you get past Kearney, just follow the plat. It's shorter to cut south. But it isn't safer. You don't want to fight for the Comanche if you can help it. You're right there. We'll find out where they are so you can be sure and avoid them. Ready, Tonto? Ah. Come on, Silver. Get them on the count. At the first camp beyond Kearney, Corby sat alone by his campfire long after the other men had gone to sleep. Suddenly he raised his head. The faint sound of hoof beats reached his ears. Better get away from the fire. Might be him. I thought I'd see him in Kearney. Must be somewhere around. Sure hope it ain't the masked man of the engine coming back. Who's there? That's you, Corby? Yeah. Keep your voice down. How's everything? Not good. I hear Sheridan put a kid over here. I'm taking over this wagon train, Marty. You're what? I'll get to that later. First, I got some questions. Yeah? Where have you been? South. Did you see anything of Red Fox? I sure did. Spent a week with him. He wants me to put him on the track of a wagon train that's got some ammunition. He'll turn all the golden supplies over to me. All he wants is guns and bullets. Marty, this is the wagon train you're looking for right here. I say yes. You're following the plat. That's too far north for Red Fox. He don't want to come close to Julesburg or Kearney. Just listen. The Lone Ranger was with us till yesterday. Won't he be coming back? In a few days. All the more reason for Red Fox to steer clear of him. Hey, listen. We're following the plat because those were the orders the masked man gave to Sheridan, see? Yeah. But you're going to come riding into camp tomorrow morning with a message from him. I never even saw him. What difference does that make? You're going to tell Sheridan to cut south and head for St. Francis. That sets everything up for Red Fox. He can attack the morning after, just as we're yoking up. The supplies and the wagons go to us. But what good will they be if we got nobody to drive them? You know Sheridan and Bill Rogers. Oh, that's the kid, yeah. You can point them out to Red Fox. Just see they're killed off and I'll be in charge. I'll parley with the chief and give him whatever he wants. So then you drive on to Denver, is that it? That's it. The town's rolling in gold dust and starving at death at the same time. I can get any price I want for those supplies. We'll be rich, Marty. Just keep the gold. Who's to stop me with Sheridan out of the way? How do you like the idea? Yeah, fine. There's just one thing I don't like. Yeah, what's that? The masked man. What if he comes riding back? We'll miss him if we head south tomorrow. When he finds out where Red Fox is, he'll head north to meet us at the Platte. But he can catch up with you afterwards. By that time, I'll be in charge. On your way now. Get back here at the crack of dawn. Yoke up, boys. Jim Sheridan. That's me. I got a message from a masked man. A message? He says to cut away from the Platte and head southwest for St. Francis. How do I know he sent that message? Well, I guess you got to take my word for it. If I was you, I wouldn't pay any attention, though. An army that wears a mask must be an outlaw. What else did he say? Something about the Comanches being a lot farther north than he thought. You're sure of this? That's what he told me. I didn't see any engines. Adios, gents. Get up there. What do you think, Bill? I don't know. Corby? Well, that hombre didn't care whether we believed him or not. Where would he get the story about a masked man if he hadn't seen the Lone Ranger? Well, he must have. Boys! Swing your teams away from the river. We're heading south to St. Francis. Bill, why didn't the masked man come back himself? Never mind, bud. The boss is giving an order. Get those wagons rolling! Come on, boys! 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. I'll continue our story. Just at dusk, on the same day that the wagon train swung south toward St. Francis, the Lone Ranger and Tonto reined up in a grove of trees on the side of a hill. Below them was the Comanche camp. And they are, Kimosabe. Oh. Seems to be a fresh camp. That's right. And if they're on the move, they might go as far north as a plat. They'd meet the wagon train. And bad. Big flight. Plenty men killed. If we knew for sure, we could have the wagons cross the river early tomorrow morning. Them lose time that way. I don't want to make Sheridan do it unless it's absolutely necessary. Tonto find out. How? Comanche not know Tonto. Him go to camp, ask Red Fox, which way Indian travel. So, Tonto ask and go with them. You might not be able to get out of the camp again. Well, night come. That easy. All right, Kimosabe. I'll be waiting here for you. Indian, make big dance. You fight soon? Find the wagon train. Fight. That good. You go north, Tonto go with you. Fight with you. You stay in camp. Tomorrow you go north. Lone. Comanche, stay here. Many soldiers by river. Better Indian, wait here. White friend, come. Maybe him bring big news. Howdy, Red Fox. Who's that stand beside you? Him, Indian. Go north. Say, I know him. That's Tonto. Yeah. It's the friend of the Lone Ranger. Lone Ranger. Yeah. I don't know what kind of a story he was handing you, but he's here to find out what your plans are. Marita. That's all right. I got him covered. You come from Kearney? Yeah, close to there. I'm all ready to make a little deal, Red Fox. That good. There's a wagon train coming this way. Plenty of guns and ammunition. They're all yours if you just get rid of the leaders for me. Red Fox do. When wagon train come. Tonight, they're camping 15 miles south of the river, about 20 miles east of here. Now, the best time to attack is dawn, when they're yoking up the oxen. They got plenty of men, and it ought to be a cinch. Yeah, Comanche, do what you say. One gun, plenty bad. I know. And you won't have much to fight for them, either. Not if you pick off the two men I point out to you. The Tardo here. Lone Ranger close. What about him? He don't even know the wagon train's heading this way. But if he does get mixed up at it, it wouldn't hurt my feelings if you put a bullet through him, too. What do we do with Tardo? Well, I know you don't like one of us to kill an engine. No matter what tribe the engine belongs to. Well, I guess I'll leave that up to you. What's that? Somebody coming. White horse. Men wear masks. Keep us on me. Come on, Tardo. Come on, Silver. Don't wake up. You shoot. They found out what they're planning to do, but that won't stop them. Them not wait for morning, maybe. The dance is still going on. We have a little time. Me ride. Worn wagon train? That isn't enough. Red Fox has over 200 braves. Even if they were warned, the men couldn't hold them off for long. It's too far to bring help from Kearney. There are troops at St. Francis. That's plenty far, too. Not too far. What I can't understand is why Sheridan turned away from the river. Oh, Tonto not know. We'll have to find that out later. You warn Sheridan, and I'll bring the troops from St. Francis. Get them up, Scalm. Come on, Silver. Do you mind if I stand guard with you, Mr. Corby? What's the idea? You ought to be sleeping. I just couldn't. I got a feeling something's going to happen tonight. That so? Do you think we made a mistake? What kind of a mistake? I'm taking that hombre's word this morning. If the Lone Ranger sent a message by him, why didn't he write it out? Or why didn't he send one of his silver bullets, too? Then we'd have known. You mind your own business, kid. Sheridan's the boss of this train. Let him do the worrying. I got a hunch he is worried. He's sleeping, ain't he? Yeah. I went by his wagon just now. If he's sleeping, he ain't worried. You forget your local ideas and roll up in a blanket yourself. Listen. Now I hear him. One horse. With this moon, we ought to make him out as soon as he gets over the rise. I got my rifle ready. Take it easy. Yeah? It might be the Lone Ranger or Tano. It is, see? That's a painting. Tano's... Corby! You shot him! You shot Tano! Shut up, you little fool! Corby! What's wrong? Nothing, Bill. I just saw a coyote. Took a pot shot at him. He'll wake up the camp. Sorry, it won't happen again. I'll make you keep quiet. Get you inside the wagon. Then I'll take a look at the engine. Still alive. I'd like to finish him off, but I can't risk another shot. Tie him up and stick him in the wagon with a kid. Huh? That's the Lone Ranger I gotta shoot. Corby! Good, it's Marty. What's happened here? I was standing guard. Saw the engine coming and let him have it. Didn't want to take any chances. Well, that was smart. He knows everything. He was on his way to one shed. What about the mask man? We had the engine a prisoner. It was the mask man that got him away. If he ain't here, there's no telling where he is. Red Fox ain't backing out, is he? Nope. And he ain't waiting till morning, either. How long? He ought to be here any minute. That's why I rode on ahead. Hmm? Dark like this, we won't have a chance to pick off Sheridan and Rogers. The whole train's gotta be wiped out, see? Yeah. You better grab a horse and ride out to meet the chief with me. That's the only way he'll be safe. I'm with you, Marty. Bill! Bill, wake up! Wake up! Oh, man! What? Well, you're hurt, kid. It's nothing. That shot, it wasn't any coyote. Don't doubt it was riding into camp and Corby shot him. What are you saying? It's true. And then he hit me over the head with his gun, but to keep me from yelling. Where's Corby now? I don't know. When I came to, I was inside his wagon. I had to tell you. Come on, we'll find Jim. Get that horse saddle, Corby. I'd like to know where the kid is. Never mind. Hurry up. There! That's him now! Get up there. Come on! Corby, stop! The ombre with him is the one who brought the message. We made a mistake, boys. There's Scott at the top of the rise. Tonto must be lying near him. Come on, let's hope he isn't dead. Pretty sure that Corby's a crook. But what's he up to, Jim? I don't know. I wish the masked man was here. No more than I do, son. There's Tonto. He isn't moving. He isn't dead, though. Give me a hand with him, Bill. Yeah, I'll turn him over. Tonto. Well, it's only a scalp wound. He's got a chance. We'll have to get him back to my wagon where I can take care of him. End him. He's trying to say something. What is it, Tonto? Comanche. Come soon. Comanches? I'll bet Corby tipped him off. We've driven straight into a trap. Bud, get the men out of here. Yes, sir. I'll take his head. Bill, you take his feet. Right. Oh, roll out of your flank. It's injured. Follow me, Colonel. We've got to hurry. Men, you have plenty of ammunition. You've built up barricades under the wagon so you'll have plenty of cover. I want to warn you that when you first see the Comanches come over the rise, you'll think we don't have a chance. There'll be hundreds of them. But we do have a chance if we hold out. I haven't been able to get anything more out of Tonto. He's unconscious. He knew about this attack, though. And that means the masked man knows, too. Wherever he is, he's trying to help us. Don't give up. Keep fighting to the end. Here they come. To your post, men. Open fire. Open fire. Faster, Colonel. Faster. The attack's already begun. Forward into charge. I'm told. Come on, Silver. Put the gun, Bill. Get Tonto rifle, too. Tonto, you shouldn't be here. Me fight. Hold off Indian. Mask friend brings soldier plenty soon. Soldier? But they're closing in, Tonto. I'm afraid he won't get here in time. Look, there's Corby and that other crook. They're riding with the Indians. Throw on your gun. You ain't got a chance. I got an answer for that. You missed him, Bill. I'll get him the next time. Don't give up men. Listen. The Lone Ranger's coming with the troops. The Indians had drawn a tight circle around the train, and as the cavalry swept over the rise with a lone ranger and the colonel at the head of the column, they drew a larger circle around the savages. Red Fox was caught between two fires, but Corby pleaded with him to keep up the fight. You can break through. You can't let yourself be taken, Chief. No chance now. Maybe Red Fox died. Save people. They got her. Money, too. They got her. The Indians followed their chief's commands and threw down their arms. The soldiers made Corby, Red Fox, and Marty prisoners, and as the column rode off toward their distant post, the Lone Ranger reigned up in front of Jim Sheridan. You won't have any more trouble with him, Jim. The colonel will see to that. You brought the soldiers just in time, mask man, but I got some bad news for you. What do you mean? Tonto's been wounded. You'll find him in my wagon, and I'm afraid... Isn't as bad as old lad, Jim? Here he is. Gee, Musabe. Oh, Tonto not hurt bad. He won't be able to ride for a while, but by the time we get to Denver... You'll be back in the saddle, old friend. Well, the engine's got us up early, boys. Let's take advantage of it and get the wagons rolling. Pike, speak, or bust? That's it. That's Denver, bud. Oh, at last. You're looking at Pike's beak, and we haven't busted. The miners are coming out of the town to meet us. Listen to them cheer. What are those bags they're holding up? Gold dust. Yeah. We'll take their money, but we can't take their thanks. They belong to the masked man in Tonto. Can you still see them on the back trail, bud? Just. There they go. The Lone Ranger. Gosh, Bill. There's nobody like him in the whole West. In the whole country, I bet. That's the way I feel about it, kid. There wouldn't be a West without him. I don't care! Away! You have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
