the fight for law and order in the early western United States. The stories of his strength and greater champion of justice. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past, from the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse, Silver, posed, and Wilbur had meekly accepted. She had led him around by the nose to such an extent that in the Texas mining town of Nugget City, he was laughingly known as Henpeck Wilbur Skink. Following Molly's order, Wilbur sank wearily into a chair in the living room of their small farmhouse. Wilbur, don't sit there staring at the floor. I'm waiting to hear what you have to say, and you better not make up any fancy story either. Do you hear me, Wilbur? Yes, dear. You see, I left here... You left here early today to take a load of chickens and pigs into Nugget City, less than ten miles away. Now you come crawling in long after supper time, looking like a beat-down kitten, as usual. I'm telling you, Wilbur Skink, if you spend as much as one nickel of that money, I... Wilbur, you should have been home long before sundown, and you know it. Without me hearing, and then come sneaking into the house with a... Well, it's not, Molly. I... I didn't come home in the wagon. You didn't come home in the wagon? How did you get home? Where's our wagon? What you been up to? Talk. Now, now, wait a minute, Molly. I'm trying to tell you... I've waited long enough, Wilbur Skink. Now talk before I lambaste you with this broom. Yes, dear. If you'll only listen, I'll tell you the whole... If I'll listen, ain't I asking you to explain, ain't I? Yes, dear. Yes, dear. Yes, dear. Is that all... I mean, no, dear. Molly, I ran into trouble on the way to Nugget City today. You see, I was held up. You see, I was well on my way to Nugget City, reckoned about halfway or thereabouts. I was driving along the trail, and I saw some riders coming toward me. Now, who can they be? Stranger. Well, what do you want with me? Rosa, look, you wouldn't be much use to anybody. How about that boy? You sure are right, boss. Look, Pete, that little runt's about to shake himself right off of the wagon, see? The one thing we can use are them chickens and pigs he's toting. That'll give us plenty of food to hide out with for a while. Now, look here. You ain't aiming to steal my load, are you? I wouldn't dare go home. Oh, Ray, Jim! Did you hear that? You wouldn't dare go home if we take us chickens and pigs, ain't that? But you don't know Molly. She'd skin me alive if I were... Shut up and climb down off that wagon. You can't do this. Get down before I put a bullet into your wizened-up little hide. Yes, yes, I'm getting down. All right, Ray, get up there and drive them nags. We'll bring your horse along. Sure, boss. But what about me? Get up there, Ray, hurry up. Yeah, yeah, right. Well, we need them horses for farming. You can't take my wagon and horses, too. We are taking them, weasel face. Get going, Ray. Get up there. Get up there. Hey, I have no way to get home. Hey. Use your feet, run. That's what you got feet for. Get up. Come on, boy. What am I going to do? I'll have to walk all the way home. And Molly will be mad at me in the bargain when I get there. What happened, Molly? I had to walk all the way home. Why, uh, stop them. But, Molly, they, they was outlaws. Then why did you waste time walking all the way home? Why didn't you walk on into Nugget City and tell the sheriff what happened? Of all the miserable weaklings I ever heard tell of, you're the worst. Walk every step. Molly, I, I ain't there since noon. Get up out of there. I'm leaving right now. You're leaving. He saddled the horse and set out weary and disheartened for Nugget City. Meantime, the Lone Ranger and Tonto were following another trail which led into the same town. We'll ride into Nugget City tonight, Los Kimasabi? No, Tonto. We've trailed Pete Brewster and his men into this territory. He's too smart to appear openly in town. See the sheriff there as a... Nugget City. Not finding the sheriff in his office, Wilbur, after much hesitation, decided to go into the cafe in search of him. I was just looking for somebody. I guess he ain't here, though. Oh, Wilbur, don't tell us you have to run right home to your wife. Hold on, Jake Turner. I said I wanted... All this will do you good, Wilbur. I guess I'll have to give it to you. Oh, oh, oh, my. That'll teach you to take a drink when you're asked. Why, you must wish I was dead. Ah, it's not right they treat you like that. Hear me. I was looking for the sheriff. That's why I came in. Why, why you want sheriff? To tell him about the outlaws. Three of them. They took my wagon and horses on the trail to town. They stole my chickens and pigs, too. Molly, she ran me out and told me to get to the sheriff. Maybe it better you... Maybe him help. Nobody ever wants to help me. You come. I'll go with you, Tarno. Maybe your friend will be able to help. Good. You get on horse. We go now. Camp just beyond town. Though odd, but the masked man, Wilbur told what had happened in the cafe and told about the outlaws who'd stolen his wagon that afternoon. Then, realizing he had at last found a sympathetic listener, the meek little man related his troubles. One of them was tall. I think I heard one of the others call him Pete. He was the head one. What about the others, Wilbur? One had red hair, was short and stocky, and the other was rangy looking like. What am I going to do? You mean you want me to go along when... Wilbur, I'm going to give you a chance. Anything I could do, I can do whatever you tell me. Continue our story. Early the next morning, Wilbur had the Lone Ranger and Tarno to the place where the outlaws had taken his wagon. The three then followed the wagon tracks for some distance along the trail. Finally, they reined in their horses. Oh, Silver. Oh, what's going on? The trail, Tarno. I'm afraid I won't be much help to you two. Maybe I'd better... That king... What makes you think I'm... ...to treat me like I'm... ...being with you and being scared? Cover their trail. Not like that, Kimasabi. Their hideout in that camp. A posse with just a couple of men placed at that narrow pass. Kimasabi, little man hit, Wilbur. Are you all... I'm all right. They killed my horse. They rode into a trap. They'll help shield us. And they've asked for gunplay. Horses toward the pass. For others are waiting. Oh, that's not good. Maybe we'd get help from Sheriff at Nugget City. You'd be exposed to their gunfire getting away from here, Tarno. Kimasabi. What is it, Tarno? Wind blow back toward trail. It'd burn quick. Make much smoke. It'd move fast to trail. We follow and scout. Smoke hiders. Oh, it might work, Tarno. Oh, I'll hold the attention of those on the hills until you get away. Oh, me do it. You get through to the Sheriff. Have him bring a large posse. Ah. Me start firing now. All right. I'll keep their attention. Good luck, Tarno. Steady, scout. Steady, boy. Adios. Adios. Get him up, scout. The Lone Ranger kept on the alert for any movement behind the rocks on either side of the little valley in which they'd been trapped. His one thought was to prevent Brewster's men from closing in. Suddenly, Wilbur gave a cry of a... It's coming this way on both sides. Yes, the wind shifted. Flames will drive those men back, but we're right in the middle. This is behind us. What do I do? I haven't any horse. You ride with me. Come on. Steady, Silver. Wilbur, give me your hand. Will he be able to carry us both? We'll make it. Come on, Silver. Silver leaped forward, straining every muscle in his magnificent body to outrun the on-rushing flames which were fast closing the only avenue escape for the Lone Ranger and Wilbur. Disregarding his instinctive fear of fire and smoke, the brave white stallion raced onward, responding instantly to the urgent bringing fire his beloved master. Come on, Silver. Faster, boy. Faster. With a mighty effort forward as the angry flames narrowed the way before them, with a final burst of speed, he sprang through to the charred ground beyond and the flames closed in behind them. Come on, Silver. Come on, fella. Come on. Easy. Come on, big fella. We got through. Yes, thanks to Silver. Well, we'll rest a few minutes. Then we'll go around to the left of the rim of the canyon. Those men have been driven back to the pass by now because of the fire. What do we do up there? We'll find a way to help the posse when they get here. I think I know just how we'll do it. At the point on the rim of the small canyon, the Lone Ranger had had the opportunity to observe the movements of the outlaws without being seen. He'd made plans accordingly. For his masked friend, superseded his fear. And he stuck close to the Lone Ranger, hoping to be of help. What are you aiming to do when the time comes? Keep your voice down, Wilbur. Now, it's only about a 20-foot drop to the floor of the canyon. There's the outlawed shack almost below us. See my wagon, too? Yes. Twelve men, then, I reckon. He's in the shack with poss... It's the plan you have. I won't be much help. Wilbur. I guess you could get me to do... The Lone Ranger explained in detail what Wilbur was to do. The little man was nervous, but willing. As soon as darkness set in, the Lone Ranger tossed the end of his lariat over the edge of the canyon, tying the other end to a small tree. Then, he and Wilbur let themselves down, hand over hand, until they stood in the darkness behind the shack, waiting. Inside the shack, in the dim glow of an oil lamp, Pete Brewster sat talking to Ray. Well, I wouldn't be surprised to think of it. I want to go to the pass. Well, what about it? Two men could hold that pass, and Tenney ought to be able to routin' out an army. Now, go on back up there, Jim. Keep the boys on their toes. All right. Just thought you'd like to know. Yeah, this place is better than a four-weekend. Horses are out of the corral and headed for the pass. Somebody's stampeding them. They'll run our men right out of the pass. Well, come on. We've got to get after them. Who's that? I can't see him out there. I don't know, but I'll... Move my head! All right, you. Drop your gun, or you'll get the save. Hey, Pete. That sounds like the half pint we got the wagon from. Well, I'll be... Get him down, Ray. Yeah, no weak-kneed runt like him is going to get away with this. Ah, get him, Pete. Got me right in the shoulder. Lie down, that bunk over there. Both of you. I ought to give you both some more for stealing my wagon. I can't believe it. Why didn't he shoot like that yesterday? I wasn't in the mood. Now get to that bunk. Jim will come back here and get that runt. What do you call me? Nothing. Jim's lying right outside here watching you two till the posse comes. They'll be here. You know, you outlaws ain't so tough after all. They're all... That's nice. This is my house. James Nisterski. Gee, man, you got for a husband. Chris captured the toughest outlaw in the territory single-handed. The posse are getting the rest. Learn to shoot like that. I just gave the orders, and the shooting sort of took care of itself. Over my shoulder, you might say. I sure got mad at them outlaws for stealing my wagon. Well, you didn't get mad at me. Or just...