a cloud of dust, and a hearty, how silver, the Lone Ranger. In Tonto, the masked rider of the plains, led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. The stories of his strength and courage, his daring and resourcefulness have come down to us through the generations. And 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! There's danger on the trail ahead! I am Silver! The double-deck sternwheeler, Missouri Queen, was tied snugly to the dock at Council Bluffs. She wasn't exactly a new boat, but her white superstructure and twin stacks contrasted proudly with the muddy Missouri upon which she rode. Captain Claiborne leaned on the port rail near the gangplank and surveyed the busy scene below him with an experienced eye. It was the usual crowd of travelers, dockmen, traders, and freighters, who always gathered to watch the Missouri Queen cast off and head downstream towards St. Joe. Some of them would be passengers. They'd hurry up the gangplank at the last minute. Others were shippers, supervising the loading of their cargo. Captain Claiborne noticed Angus, his engineer, and Hank, the first mate, loading cordwood onto the aft deck. Hank! Oh, Hank! Aye, sir! Better let Angus finish loading that wood. Before we shove off, I want you to get hammer and nails and fix that aft rail on the top deck. Aye, sir, do it right away! And so, Captain, it's a one-man loading crew I'm supposed to be, eh? I want Hank to fix that rail. We're shipping passengers this trip. If one of them should bump into that rail, he'd fall into the wheel. It's passengers you're worrying about, but I'm the man that must worry about the steam in this packet. We're shorthanded, Angus, you know that. Now shove the rest of that wood aboard. We'll have enough steam. Well, I hear me toots. I hear me toots. Suddenly, Captain Claiborne noticed a weather-beaten one-horse buckboard pull onto the dock, was driven by a fair-haired young lady who tossed the reins aside quickly, then jumped from his seat and hurried through the crowd toward the Missouri Queen's gangplank. The captain recognized her. It was Elsie Todd, daughter of Benjamin, an old-time mining prospector. He wondered what the girl was doing here in Council Bluffs. Captain Claiborne? That's right, miss. I, uh, I want to book passage to St. Joe. Of course. I have a nice starboard cabin. I'm sure it'll be comfortable. Miss Todd? You, you know me. Well, I've known your poor too long not to recognize them blue eyes like white hair. You're the image of them. Oh, thank you. How is my old friend Benjamin? I haven't seen him for two, three years. Still prospecting over Denver Way? Not, not anymore, Captain Claiborne. My father's dead. He died three days ago. No, sure, sorry to hear it, Miss Elsie. Was he sick very long? He wasn't sick at all. He was murdered. Murdered? What's that you're saying? Shot down in cold blood. I can't believe it. It's true. But you, uh, I mean, if something like that happened, why... Why did I leave him out there? Why am I going to St. Joe? Of course, that's your own affair, child. I don't want it, but you... I don't mind telling you, Captain Claiborne. You were a good friend of Dad's. I've heard him talk of you many times. I'm here on your riverboat because the last thing Dad asked me to do was to get to St. Joe's as soon as possible. What do you mean by that? I'll tell you. As you know, for the last ten years, Dad's been prospecting near Silver Creek in the mountains outside of Denver. I heard about it. Three days ago, he came back from his mine and he was very excited. Elsie, Elsie, where are you, child? Dad, what on earth is wrong? Nothing's wrong. It's right. Everything's right. Here, look at this. What is it? Oh, our silver ore, the lassie, $500 a ton. I'm sure of it. Dad, that means... We're rich. I finally struck it. But the claim, you only have an option on it. It's not really yours until... There's a week yet before that option falls due. I'll go to St. Joe and buy the claim from the owners outright. Oh, Dad, this is wonderful. Oh, sure is. If Matt Lynch doesn't find it out. Lynch? You mean... The double-dealing crook who tried to get this option the same time I did. He's had some men hanging around town here for the last few weeks. They've been snooping on me up to the mine and... Are you sure? Well, no, I'm not sure, but... Let's see who it is, will you, Elsie? There's no one here. Thanks, how are you there? Who is it? I don't know. Oh, someone's shouting from behind those trees across the road. Well, I'll see what they want. If you want to see me, why don't you come up here at the door? I'd be afraid. It happened quicker than I thought it would. You're hurt. No, not much, child. It doesn't hurt. But I won't last very long. Why did they shoot you? Who was it? Somebody working for Matt Lynch. I'll get the sheriff. Well, there won't be time for that, Elsie. You have a more important job to do. Job? It's like I told you. Lynch don't want me to take up the option. There's still a week for you to do it. All the papers are in my trunk. Go to St. Joe. Give the owners the money and you'll own one of the richest silver mines in the West. Lynch and his gang will probably try to stop me. Of course they will. You'll have to beat them. I wish I knew where to locate a certain friend of mine. He'd help you get to St. Joe. What friend, Dad? The Lone Ranger. Who's he? I don't rightly know, Elsie. Nobody does. He's a tall man. Wears a black mask. Rides a white stallion. How can I find him? You can't. But the best thing for you to do is head for Julesburg. From there to Council Bluffs. Take the riverboat to St. Joe. They'll see. Yes, Dad. I'll do it. And then he died. To keep my promise, I left Silver Creek that night and drove all the way here. Well, Ben. May you rest in peace. Well, Elsie, we'll sure see that you get to St. Joe, all right. I hope so. I've heard of this Lone Ranger your pa told you about, but I've never seen him. I won't need his help now. The worst part of the trip is over. That critter that did the murder, any idea who he was? Not the slightest. Well, the best thing for you to do now, Miss Elsie, is go to your cabin and rest a while. It's number seven, starboard site. Thank you, Captain Playboy. You'll be shoving off just as soon as a car goes loaded. You the captain? I am. I booked passage on this, Ted. When are you going to leave? When we get through loading freight, let me see your ticket. Captain, cabin number 12. That's upper deck forward. Thanks. Slimy looking critter if I ever saw one. Here comes another one. Ain't any better. Silk Struthers. Well, good afternoon, Captain. You don't seem to be very glad to see one of your best customers. If I had my way, Silk, there'd be a law to keep you gamblers off this boat and every other packet on the river. Well, then I'm glad you're a boat captain and not a lawmaker. Gamblers have to earn an honest letter in some place. Honest? You never turned an honest card in your life. Well, that's a matter of opinion. I don't confine my work entirely to gambling. I'll bet every trick you do is as crooked as a dog's hind leg. Who's aboard? Several honest people. Oh, then I guess the man I'm expecting to meet hasn't shown up yet. Here, see you later, Captain. Dirty sidewinder. Captain Claiborne would have been even more disturbed at the sight of Silk Struthers, the gambler, had he known about a conversation Silk had had with a man named Matt Lynch a few hours before. Got it all straight now, Silk? Sure. The 5th Cavalry ship in an army pay chest on the Missouri Queen. All I have to do is keep my eye on it and wait till this Gabe Capper introduces himself. That's it. You see, the 5th Cavalry is downriver taking care of some pony engine raids. And I happen to know that just before she sails, a chest will be put aboard the Missouri Queen. The captain will get official army instructions on what to do with it. You mean put it to the shore at Eastport? Yeah. But I'm gonna see that there's more engine trouble, so the 5th Cavalry won't be at Eastport. Who's this Gabe Capper? A smart hombre. He's been handling a little deal for me out in Colorado. In fact, that's the reason he'll be on the Missouri Queen. He'll work both jobs at the same time. You're there to help him. What's he look like? Tall, kind of lean. Don't worry, he'll let you know who he is. Gabe generally wears a mask when the fireworks start. That's why the lawmen haven't any record on him. Well, we'll get together all right. Oh, say, Matt, how much is in that Army pay chest? $42,000 in gold. I, uh... You'll get your share. I'm sure I will. I'll see you at Eastport, man. Yeah, at Eastport. Me and the rest of the boys will be waiting there to welcome the Missouri Queen. Hank! Hi, Captain. That wooden box there in the dock, is that some of our cargo? I don't know. What's the label say? U.S. Army, 5th Cavalry. The soldier just brought it up. Where's it consigned? Doesn't say. All it says is canned goods, Missouri Queen. Must be a case of hardtack. Well, stow it aboard. We've got to shove off. I was going to fix that after a rail like you told me. Too late for that now. Stow that case aboard and tell Angus to get some steam up. Aye, sir. For his momentary peace of mind, it was probably just as well that Captain Claiborne didn't know what the Army chest contained. Or that Colonel Martin of the headquarters post had talked to the Lone Ranger early that morning. You sent for me, Colonel. I got here as quickly as I could. I'm very grateful. The Army needs your help. What's the trouble? 5th Cavalry's been down the territory handling an Indian uprising. Tomorrow is the first of the month. I'm shipping their payroll. How? By boat. Missouri Queen. That's the only way it can be done. Chest is very heavy. Are you sending a guard? Unfortunately, I have no men available. That's why I sent for you. I'll be glad to help. There's a complication. Well, I've tried to keep the shipment a secret. I'm afraid the word has leaked out. Thieves might try to take the chest off the Missouri Queen. I'll do everything in my power to protect it. The captain of the boat is unaware of the chest contents. It's marked Cangoods. Where would the cavalry meet the boat? Probably at Eastport. That's about halfway between here and St. Joe. However, that depends upon the Indian situation. If they're not in Eastport, they'll be camped further downriver. I see. You understand that in a venture of this sort, secrecy is important. If you board the Missouri Queen as you are now... Don't worry, Colonel. No one will know I'm a board unless it becomes necessary. Well, I'm on my way. Adios, Colonel. Got that box of board, Hank? She's stoned away, sir. All right. Wait, wait. What's this coming up the gangplank? Can I book passage for a friend of mine? Is that him wrapped up in the blanket? Yes, sir. Must be a pretty sick man if you and the Redskin have to almost carry him. Do you have a cabin where we can take him? Sure. Number eight, starboard side. Are you going along? Oh, no, sir. Then hurry up. I'm going to pull up this gangplank and shove off in about two minutes. Yes, sir. Come on, help me lift him, Tom. Oh, he helped. Poor hombre. So sick he can hardly walk. Hank! I'm going up in the wheelhouse. As soon as this Redskin and the Kid get ashore, tell the boys to cast off. Something is wrong aboard this packet. 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 to continue our story. The Missouri Queen steamed majestically down the broad channel of the river. It was a night that was dark and moonless. The big boat's doleful whistle and the rhythmic churning of her huge stern wheel were the only audible sounds. However, on the porch side of her upper deck, the door of cabin 12 opened and closed quickly. A tall, masked figure hesitated a moment then walked swiftly toward another man standing in the port rail. Silk? Silk Struthers? What? The mask. Now you are silk, ain't you? Sure. You must be Gabe Kepner. Yeah. Matt told me you worked in a mask, but I didn't think it worked until children started. Didn't Matt tell you you were supposed to help me? Something like that. Then don't worry about what I wear. Did the pay chest come aboard? It's on the lower freight deck forward. That's good. Boys can snake it off when we make the east port land. Sure. But we've got quite a while, yeah. Time enough for the other job. There's a girl on board traveling alone. I want you to find out what cabin she's in. Girl? Is she the other job you're talking about? I've trailed her all the way from Colorado. Had to take care of her old man out there. That's why I'm wearing this mask. You might have seen me. I'll talk to Playboy and the captain. Maybe he'll tell me what cabin she's in. No maybes. Find out for sure. I'll wait here till you come back. All right. What do you want? I'd like to talk to you, Peter. Passengers aren't allowed up here in the pilot house. Least of all, gamblers. Get below. I'm kind of lonesome. Can't find anybody to talk to. That's good. Why don't you try a game of solitaire? See if you can get through it without cheating yourself. I saw a good-looking girl come aboard before we left the bluffs. What cabin is she in? She wouldn't have any truck with the likes of you. No harm in asking. She happens to be in number seven. But if you bother her, I'll chuck you overboard right here in midstream. Well, in the face of a threat like that, I'll take your advice and play solitaire. You'd better. Now get out of here. I'm busy. Under cover of darkness, the Lone Ranger had left his cabin and inspected the Army pay chest, which was lashed to the freight deck. Finding everything intact, the masked man then headed for the pilot house. The sound of approaching footsteps made him pause a moment. Thought you were going to wait for me. Found out what you wanted to know. Girl's in number seven. Is that right? What are you trying to do? Change your voice when you put on that mask? Maybe. Listen, Gabe, I told Matt Lynch I'd help you on the payroll job for an even split. I'll work with you, but not for you, understand? All right. When we get opposite Eastport, Atlanta, I'll take care of Claiborne and the pilot house. Somebody will have to steer this turbine. Naturally. Oh, uh, the girl from Colorado. Want to see her now? Might as well. Well, if you need any help... No, I'll handle it alone. I'll wait here for you. I don't wait too long. May I talk to you for a moment? Your own safety, it's important that you answer some questions. But I... This open doorway makes both of us excellent targets. In the meantime, Tonto and Dan Reed, a stride victory and scout and leading silver, reined up the horses on a riverbank trail. Who's got a horse? Oh, my horse over. The lone ranger said to be careful when we got this close to Eastport, Tonto. Is he... I guess we'd better ground hitch the horses and go ahead on foot, huh? Ah, not right. If Crook here, we see him first. Come. Gee, Tonto, I don't see how you can follow a trail when it's so dark and all this fog. Oh, when Indian not see trail, him feel it. Feel a trail? Golly. Here's somebody make talk. Yeah, right up ahead. There's some men around a big bonfire. Ah. This Eastport Landon. We go close. Now, keep quiet. Come. Fire, Jack. Keep it going big. Sure. That Missouri queen ought to be poking her nose around the bend, Matt. She's overdue. Fog must have slowed her up. She'll be here. Hey, you obby's wearing those army uniforms. Stand on this side of the fire. Whoever's pilot in that tub to think this is an army camp. The 5th U.S. Cavalry. Come on, Dan. Cook tried to fool Lone Ranger. Make him think this real army camp. Gee, if that boat docks here, there are enough of those men to take anything on it. How can we warn a... Say, I know, a signal fire. Oh, no, that's no good. You've already got a bigger fire than we could start. No, no. We do better. We start three fire. Where? Up high, on bluff. Yeah, but how we get up there, Tonto? Is there enough time to? We climb and climb past. Come. There's evidently a man on this boat named Gabe Capper, and he wears a mask just as I do. If he asked for me, he must be one of the men Dad talked about. He's followed me. And from what he says, Matt Lynch has some sort of plan to steal the army payroll. What can we do? Isn't there some way I can help? Yes. Go up to the pilot house. Explain everything to Captain Claiborne. Tell him to watch out for a large bonfire on the west bank of the river. Yes. That'll mean the army's camped there. I'll do it now. Wait. Better leave here first. Look out behind you. Because you ain't going anyplace, hombre. Make one move and I'll split your spine with a hunk of lead. Now reach. Silk. Yeah? This is a payoff. We're near enough to Eastport. Get up there and plug the old kudu steer in this town. What'll you be doing? Don't argue. Get going. All right. Well, mister, I heard all that gab of your hand of the girl. Knowing all about our play won't help you. All right, Elsie, duck. No! What the? Don't get it, the captain. Drop me, will you? I'll show you. Silk, I told you to stay out of here. What's that? Same thing you're going to get, Grandpa. Captain Claiborne! Say what? No, I've got that gun. No, there's more where that one came from. Good work, Elsie. I'm sorry I broke the window. I threw my shoe. It's the only thing I could find. It's all right. What's that hyena Silk trying to do? He and another man are trying to steal the army pay chest. Pay chest? It's the box in the main deck that you think is canned goods. Well, I'll be told. And I think the other man is the one who killed Dad out in Silver Creek. You can't varmint. I still can't understand how an army pay chest got aboard without... There. See that big bonfire on the west bank? That's Eastport Landing. The army's camp there. Head for it. Sure I will. Hank! Oh, Hank! Aye, aye, sir. Did you and Angus hear all that gunfire? We've got a couple of murderers aboard. Break out some guns and come up here. Aye, aye. And tell Angus to give me more steam. We're going to buck the cross current into Eastport. Hurry, please, hurry. He can't dodge both of them forever. He'll be killed. Who are you talking about? The man was trying to save us. He's somewhere on the upper deck. Listen. With the supple agility of a mountain cat and aided for the darkness, the Lone Ranger had escaped Gabe Capper's bullets by swinging himself to the upper deck and dodging behind the Missouri Queen's smoke stacks. Now it was a duel in air. Breaks of orange flame laced the foggy night as the Lone Ranger tried to fend off the outlaw's bullets. He knew that Elsie had reached Captain Claiborne to help the big boat suddenly alter its course and fight its way out of the river's main channel. He could see the large bonfire on the west bank and was about to breathe a prayer of relief when he noticed something else. High above river level and shining like three bright stars, there appeared three signal fires. The masked men knew that the boat was heading into an outlaw trap. Tonto and Dan were telling him everything in the triple signal of danger. Some way, he must get to the pilot house and change the Missouri Queen's course. He bent low and raced for the upper deck's port rail. There he is, let him have it. I'll go forward and hit him off. We'll nail him up here and then take care of the captain and the girl. My gun's empty. So's mine. That makes it even. There's plenty of room on the deck. Come on out and fight. Come on, sir. Here, Hank, you hold this wheel. He'll go hard to the right. Aye, sir. The shooting's stopped. How wonderful. That's what I'm going to find out. I'm going with you. There they are. Three of them, all tangled together. Two against one, you mean. I'll get them. No, don't shoot. You might hit him. Look at that man punch. I've never seen anything like it. Neither does anyone else. How do you like that, you? Wait. Watch out. He knocked him clear across the internal length of the deck. That critter's going to back into that aft rail. It's right above the stern wheel. He fell into the wheel. It sure took all a fight out of silk struthers. Look at him. Stretched out coal. Nothing, Claiborne. I don't know who you are, stranger, but I... Jim, of course. Get back in the mid-channel quick. But Elsie told me that bonfire meant the army was... I thought so, too, until I saw those three signal fires on the bluff up above it. Friends of mine set them. What does it mean? It's an outlaw camp. We're heading right into more trouble. See what I mean? Change the course. The army must be camped further downstream. I'll change it. And so it was that less than an hour later the Missouri Queen pulled him to shore near the real army camp of the 5th Cavalry. The pay chest was delivered safely and the gambler's silk struthers was placed in the hands of military justice. I told the troop commander about the men at Eastport Landing. He's sending a detachment of cavalry to capture them. That's the best news I've heard in 10 years. And, Miss Todd, I'm sure you'll reach St. Joe in time to keep the promise you made to your father. Yes, thanks to you. And I'll rejoin my friends. Adios, Captain. I'll say... Wait! Where'd he go? Where'd he come from? That's just as much of a mystery. Who is he? Do you know? A man my father trusted above anyone else in the world. Now I know why. He's the Lone Ranger. What you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger, Incorporated. What you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger, Incorporated.
