A fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. The Indian companion Tonto, the daring and resourceful masked rider 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 hoof beats of the great horse Silver, the Lone Ranger rides again! Come on, settle there! Let's go, big fellow! Are you settle there? Hooray! In the early days of the West, the pioneers soon found that the great rolling prairies with their fertile vegetation were ideal for the raising of cattle. Cattle ranches accumulated large herds which roamed the ranges and grew fat and sleep on the lush grasses. But others, too, were attracted by the prospects the lands of the West offered. Many sheepmen migrated to this land of great opportunity. After a time, the cattlemen realized that when great flocks of sheep roamed the ranges, they cropped the grass off close or pulled it up by the roots, retarding regrowth and spoiling the ranges for the cattle. Soon there developed a bitter hatred between the cattlemen and the sheep ranchers, a hatred which in some places grew into open-range warfare. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, boy! Hey, Wilson! What do you want? I work for Jim Grayson. I'm here to tell you he's had about all he can stand of you and your ornery sheep. Now, look, you. This land between Grayson's spread and my place is open range. I'll turn out my flocks here any time I want to. Go tell Grayson I said so if you want. You and the rest of them sheepherders ought to be run out of the West. That's what I think. Maybe. Maybe. But it's going to take a lot more than you or Jim Grayson to run his art. I don't like cattlemen any more than they like me. But I mind my own business, which is more than any of you do. Now, get on out of here. I'm busy. All right, Wilson. But take fair warning. Things are coming to a head much faster than you think. You and the other sheepmen will be sorry you ever saw the West. Get a bear. Jim Grayson was a gruff, stubborn cattleman who owned a large ranch along the Powderhorn River, southwest of Frontier Town, just a few miles below Wash Perkins' old grist mill. His wife, Barbara, and his small son, Tommy, sat in silence as they ate an early breakfast one morning. Jim was upset and expressed himself in no uncertain terms. Something's got to be done. That's all there is to it. You know, it riles me every time I think of them sheepherders living south of my spread. No, Jim, be reasonable. They have a right to make a living. Then let them live somewhere else besides here in the cattle country. The rest of the ranchers hereabouts are just as riled up as I am. And we intend to do something about it. You can bet on that. Why are you mad at the sheepherders, Dad? Well, you wouldn't understand, son. But Bobby Wilson's father's a sheepherder, and I like Bobby a lot. What's that? Now, Jim, there's no use of... Hold on, Barbara. Tommy, where did you meet up with that sheepherder's boy? Oh, he goes to school with me. You mean to say Miss Wheeler's taking in a sheepherder's boy at the school? But why not, Jim? The school is open to everybody. Probably that kid's father, Hank Wilson, is the leader of that bunch of sheep tenders down yonder. And I won't have a boy of mine going to school with riffraff like that. They support the school the same as we do, Jim. Just because the boy is... We're having a meeting in Frontier Town about them sheepherders. That kid being in the same school with ours is another thing I'll bring up at the meeting. You can't keep Tommy home from school to the center. But, Mom, I don't want to miss school. Tommy, you heard what your father said. Maybe after he thinks things over, he'll change his mind. Now, run along and play while I do the dishes. It was late that afternoon when a small group of ranchers met with Jim Grayson in the Bright Lights Café to discuss their feud with the sheepherders. I say it's about time we had a showdown with them sheepmen. The land won't be fit for cattle raising or anything else if they keep bringing in them ornery critters. That's right, Jim, but what can we do about it? Let's get together and drive them out. That's exactly what I'm here to propose. But the law will be on their side, Jim. They own their land. The law is not doing anything to protect us cattlemen who were settled here first. Us ranchers have got to protect their own interests. And you can bet your boots I'm ready to do it. Well, Sheriff Taylor's liable to interfere. Sheriff Taylor can't buck all of us if we stick together. That's right. What do you propose we do about them? We'll send word to them sheepmen to meet us near the Padujorn Falls tomorrow afternoon. And if they won't listen to reason, we'll kill off their stock or burn them out. Or both. I'm with you, Jim. There's one thing more. What's that, Jim? Wilson's boy is going to Miss Wheeler's school with our children. I'm going over to Mother Willard's room and house this afternoon and tell Miss Wheeler our children won't go to school till young Wilson is put out. We're with you on there, Jim. She'll have to put the young'n out. I'll send one of my hands with a message to Wilson and his bunch to meet us tomorrow. Before I leave town, I'll have a talk with Miss Wheeler. Well, I'll see all of you tomorrow near the ball. All right. A short time later, Jim Grayson reined up in front of Mother Willard's rooming house in Frontier Park. Oh, I mean, lucky. There's that school mom sitting alone on the porch. Howdy, Miss Wheeler. Oh, good afternoon. I'll call Mother Willard. Nope, no need to, ma'am. Just sit down. You're the one I came to see. Oh, really? You're Mr. Grayson, aren't you? That's right, I am. Is Tommy in? He wasn't in school today. Nope, Tommy's fine. I made him stay home. For what reason, Mr. Grayson? Because I won't have any boy of mine sitting in the schoolhouse with a sheepherder son, that's why. If you mean Bobby Wilson, he's a very nice boy and a good student. He and your boy are quite good friends. Maybe so. But they won't be from now on. I come here to tell you that me and the other ranchers have decided that, uh, you have to put that Wilson kid out of the school or we'll take ours out. Oh, I see. Mr. Grayson, I'm not concerned with your differences with the sheep ranchers. Well, I'm here to teach school, and Bobby Wilson has as much right to an education as your son has. What you think doesn't have anything to do with it, ma'am. Doesn't it? I'll tell you what I really think, Mr. Grayson. We're all Americans, fighting to make the West a good place to live. There's no place for such intolerance as yours. Now, you listen to me. No, you listen to me. Those children are the future hope of the West and of our country. Sheep ranching is an honest occupation, and the children of those ranchers have as much right to the same opportunities as yours. I'm telling you, if you keep that boy in the school... I am keeping Tommy Wilson in the school. If he's the only child who attends, the other children like and respect him. You and your rancher friends could take a lesson from them on that score. Good day, Mr. Grayson. That same evening, Tonto, Indian companion to the Lone Ranger, reined up at their camp in the Enchanted Hills after a trip into Frontier Town. Oh, Scott. Oh, fella. Oh, fella. Late for supper, Tonto. I'll meet here talking cafe. Rancher named Jim Grayson tell other ranchers them drive out sheepmen down on Powderhorn River. I see. I have heard of Jim Grayson. Ah, him plenty hard. Him, others, meet sheepmen for talk near Powderhorn Falls tomorrow afternoon. That might develop into a range war. Ah, and that's not good. Then Grayson have talk with schoolteacher. Why? Well, let me ask Mother Willard. Her say Grayson tells schoolteacher her not to have Wilson boy at school. That must be Hank Wilson's son. Ah, him sheep rancher. Grayson say ranchers take their children from school if boy not leave. Oh? What did the teacher tell Grayson? Her say, her teach Wilson boy if him only one who come to school. Good for her. She has spirit. Grayson's bitterness against the sheep ranchers is blinding his reason. Oh, that's right. Tomorrow afternoon, we'll ride down near Powderhorn Falls and be on hand to see what happens. All right, come on, Tonto. Your supper is waiting. It was mid-afternoon of the following day when Tommy Grayson stood waiting on the river trail just outside the entrance to his father's ranch. Soon he saw Bobby Wilson on his pony coming down the trail. Hi, Bobby. Mommy. Dad wouldn't let me go. Gosh, there weren't many kids there today at all. Only a few from town. I know. How did you know? I heard Dad tell Mom last night that none of the rancher's kids were going today. But why? Because of you. Your dad's a sheep herder and they don't want their kids to go if you go. But honest, Bobby, I wanted to go because you're my friend. Why don't your father like sheep herders? I don't know. He just don't. My father doesn't like ranchers either. I heard him say so. Oh, grown-ups are funny sometimes. I was waiting for you to come by. I'm glad. But maybe your father doesn't... Oh, he just said he didn't want me in school with you. But he didn't say anything about me not playing with you. You want to see my raft? Raft? Sure. Where is it? Right down there on the river. I made it myself. It's tried to the rock on the riverbank. Gee, let's go play on it. Climb on it with me. All right. Get up there. My dad and some of the other ranchers rode down near the falls to talk to your father and the other sheep herders. What about? Golly, I don't know. My dad's awful mad. So's mine. Guess they wouldn't like it if they knew about us being together. Oh, they're too busy to bother about us now. Look. Here's the raft. See it? Gosh. That's a beauty. You don't go out on it, do you? Gee, no. I keep it tied up. The rapids are too strong to let it loose. Whoa, fella. Steady, boy. I made it myself, too. Out of a few logs and some rope. I'll pull it close in. There. It's close enough to get on now. You go ahead and get in the raft. I'll tie up my pony. All right. Oh, come on, fella. I'll tie you up so you won't leave. Bobby, the rope came loose. There's a risk for nothing out. Golly, jump ashore quick. I can't. It's too far. And I can't swim either. Looks like it's not moving now. It's tied on a rock. I hear it's straightened. Then don't move, Tommy. Don't move it all or it'll get loose and go out in the rapid. I'll take a shortcut and go down and tell your father. Hurry, Bobby. Get my dad. It might get loose any minute. Oh, golly. If it gets loose in that rock, you'll drift out of the falls, maybe. Steady, boys. Get up there. Get up. 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. While Tommy clung to the raft, which for the time being was caught and held by a protruding rock, Bobby raced on his pony to get Jim Grayson, Tommy's father. There was a large bend in the river between the place where the raft was and where the ranchers were meeting. Bobby rode a shortcut trail which saved both time and distance. Meantime, the Lone Ranger and Tonto had gone down along the river trail and were waiting behind some boulders for the ranchers to come along. Them come soon, maybe. Yes. We'll wait until they pass and we'll trail them to the meeting place with the sheep ranchers. What do you think happened? That remains to be seen, Tonto. We'll try to get close enough to hear and see what goes on. If Grayson is determined... Jim, Bobby. Ranchers come along trail now. Good. We'll wait until they pass. Here. All right. We'll go now. Easy. Easy, scouts. Come on, cylinder. Get them up, scouts. A short time later, Tonto and the Lone Ranger were within hearing distance in an arroyo as Jim Grayson and his followers sat on their horses waiting for the sheep men to appear. It's about time they showed up, isn't it, Jim? That's right it is. Maybe they got cool feet and decided not to come. Well, here they come now. Wilson's riding in the lead. Have your guns handy, man, in case they take a notion to finish things here now, eh? Yeah, that's a good idea. Ho, ho, ho, ho. Ho, ho. Easy. Well, Grayson, here we are. What's on your mind? Wilson, we came to give you sheep herders fair warning. Warning, huh? About what? Unless you get rid of those ornery sheep within three days and turn to raising cattle or crops, we'll kill them off and burn you out. You're here, right. I see. But, Grayson, let me tell you this. We don't intend to do any such thing. We like raising sheep and we're going to continue. And if any one of you bother us in any way, you'll regret it. Right, men? It's exactly the way I feel. Yeah, boys, you heard what he says. I guess the only thing for us to do is to take him. Hey, somebody riding down the trail. That's my boy, Bobby. He's a boy, all right. But why is your boy coming here? Mr. Grayson, what are... Whoa, whoa, boy. Bobby, what's the matter? What's happened, boys? It's Tommy Grayson. He's on a raft. It broke loose and now it's caught in a rock. What? If it gets loose from that rock, it'll go down the rapids and float down the river. May I tell me on a raft? Good heavens. If it gets into the rapids, it'll come down the river and go over the falls below here. My son might be killed if we don't get to him. For a moment, the news that Bobby Wilson had just brought seemed to stun Jim Grayson. And he spoke savagely. Wilson, your son is responsible for this. If anything happens to my boy, so help me... Hold on, Jim. Don't lose your senses. We've got to do something. Honest, I'm not to blame Mr. Grayson. It was on a raft Tommy built himself. He asked me to play on it with him. He got on and the rope came loose. I galloped all the way to tell you. Good for you, son. I guess we... Hey, look. I can see the raft coming down the river now. Nobody can get to him out there. The falls is only a short distance away. I can't swim. If one of you could think you should with anybody who can swim. I can swim. I'll make a try for it. Easy for it. You mean you'll go out there after Tommy? Somebody has to or the boy will go over the falls below here. He'll never be able to make it. Those rapids are too strong. He sure got nerve to try. Get ready in case he needs help, man. I wish him I'll never forget this. No time to talk now. I'll dive in from that rock over there. Meantime, from their hiding place in the Arroyo, the Lone Ranger and Tonto had seen and heard what took place. Wilson gone to help boy unwrapped, Kimo Sabe. I know, but even if he reaches him, they won't be able to fight the rabbits to shore at that point. They need our help. Easy, set up, big fella. Died down closer to the falls where the river narrows. One, two, three. The most count. Racing at breakneck speed with Tonto close behind him, the Lone Ranger reached the spot he had in mind within a few minutes. Hold on. Oh, he's just sitting. I'll leave my guns and boots with you. Tie your lariat and mine together, Tonto, quickly. Me soon have them tied. I'll loop one in under my arms and I'll swim out to stop the raft. Wilson doesn't succeed. The falls are very close, so it'll be up to you to help pull us to shore. There. That's all good. Me be ready to help. Me see raft coming around Ben. Wilson trying to pull it to shore. That's impossible. I'll go in now. Wilson can't seem to do anything. Here's that evening, Major. The best man swimming out toward the raft. Ah. Now you help with lariat on him get to raft. We don't know who you two are, Indian, but we hope he makes it. Look at him fight that current. He sure can swim. Poles is right close by, though. He's got to make it. He's got to help save myself. On him get to raft. You not worry. Hey, look. The raft's breaking apart. Oh, look at that. My boy. He's in the water now. Wilson's holding him up. It looks like. The masked man's getting close. The rafts are carrying him away from him. I can't. Look, I can't. He's got him. Look. Look. Him reach Wilson's and boy. Now you get hold of lariat quick. Grab on me. Now, we all pull. This will bring them in. Hey, it's slipping. Where are you? Tied them together. Uh-oh. Larry have come apart. They're corners now for sure. He can't fight the rapids with both of us. They'll be past this point in a minute. The falls are just beyond here. Kim a zombie. Go, summer. Go, father. The white sandal and he's going to him. I can't believe it. Hearing his master's voice calling, the great silver plunged into the stream and with strong, forceful strokes swam out toward the lone ranger. Come on, boy. Silver exerted more effort to reach the masked man and the two others who struggled in the swirling waters. Soon he reached their side. Steady, fella. Easy. You'll be all right, son. Take it easy. I can't go on. Save the boy. Don't give up, Wilson. Hold on to the saddle. I'll put the boy up in the saddle. How about you? I'll get back somehow. Get to shore, Silver. Go on, fella. Get going, fella. I'll swim alongside. Get going. On shore, the men watched breathlessly as Silver turned and struggled against the current with Tommy in the saddle and Wilson hanging on. The masked man's trying to make it alone. That horse is sure putting up a fight. They have to make it. They have to. Them coming to shore now be ready to help. Gradually fighting every inch of the way and with words of encouragement from the Lone Ranger, Silver swam nearer and nearer the shore where Jim Grayson and the others were waiting and watching. Slowly but surely they moved from the rapids into the calmer waters near shore. Tonto and the men rushed to meet them. I never thought they'd make it. Take Wilson and the boy. Willing hands reached out for Tommy and Hank Wilson and in a few moments they were safe on shore beside the Lone Ranger and the dripping silver. Man alive, that horse sure is a wonder. Yeah, so's that masked man. You see, I got a lot to thank you for. You and that horse if you were safe, my boy. Mr. Grayson, it would have been too late if it hadn't been for Hank Wilson. Remember that. Yeah, that's right. Hank, he'll turn me up until the masked man got there. I suggest we go to your ranch house and get dry, Mr. Grayson. We can talk later. Sure. Steady, big fella. Get to your horses, me and me. We've got to get Tommy into a bed and get dry clothes for our friends here. On further! Meantime, Miss Wheeler, the schoolteacher, had paid a visit to Mrs. Grayson at the ranch house. I thought that though the situation might have blinded your husband to what he's doing, Mrs. Grayson, you'd see things my way. I do see things your way, Miss Wheeler, but my Jim is a vindictive man. There's nothing that can make him change his mind about those sheep men. Perhaps not, but his attitude toward Bobby Wilson being in the school is ridiculous and intolerant. I realize that, too. Oh, boy, Tommy likes Bobby Wilson. They'll grow up and live here together as men. I tried to tell Jim that, but he said he's determined to make Tommy hate sheep men as much as he does. Well, I'll fight it all the way. You can tell your husband that for me. I don't like... Sounds like Jim and the men are coming back now. Oh, I didn't want to be here when Mr. Grayson came in. Come on in, men. I'll put Tommy on the couch here. Jim, Jim, what's happened to Tommy? I'm all right, Mom, but honest. You're all wet. What's happened? Pardon me, Mrs. Grayson, but I'll go along now. I guess I... a mask mask. He's a friend of ours, Miss Wheeler. I'm glad you're here. You better stay a while. Barbara, you know Hank Wilson, don't you? Howdy, Mrs. Grayson. Hank Wilson? I don't understand. I'm here, too. Bobby Wilson. This is really getting too much for me. I think Mr. Grayson will explain. Won't you, Jim? I'll be glad to, mister. You see, ma'am, Hank and me and Tommy and Bobby are going to be friends from now on. Oh, I'm glad. And all of us ranchers and sheepmen are going to be friends. And our children will be back in school in the morning. That's right, ma'am. Jim, please tell us how all this came about. And how did Tommy get so wet? Well, he was playing on the ride. He got loose in the river and almost went over the falls. Oh, nurse. Bobby Wilson's quick thinking in riding downstream to tell the ranchers and Hank Wilson's bravery in going in after Tommy is all that saved your boy, Mrs. Grayson. Oh, Jim, how could we ever thank them enough? Yeah, but what I can't get is why Wilson did it after what we were saying to him. Boys are boys to me, mister. Our fight had nothing to do with them. It might have been my boy who needed help. You have the right idea, Hank. Yes. Yes, he has. Well, I guess it's up to me to admit I was plenty wrong in my thinking. Hey, if anything had happened to Tommy, well, I... All fathers feel alike about that, Jim. That's why I just had to go in after him. I knew how I'd feel if it had been Bobby. Well, it seems to me some credit goes to that masked man. That's right. Well, I said before, your boy wouldn't be here if the Wilsons hadn't done what they did. I'll leave now and join my friend outside. Adios. Adios. Thank you. Thanks again. Bubbly, that masked man and this horse got to Hank and Tommy just in time. You should have seen him bring him through those rabbits. Oh, that horse sure is a marvel. And so is that masked hombre. It's wonderful that Tommy is safe, of course, but the marvelous thing to me is what it has done to open the eyes of you ranchers. It's like a miracle to me. Yes, maybe it is. Who's to say different? Tommy, son, your dad's been an awful foolish hombre. I'm sorry for saying some of the things I did. Oh, that's all right, Dad. Bobby and I decided that grown-up folks just act funny sometimes. We were going to go on being good friends anyway. That's right. I like ranchers. Sure, and I like sheep herders, too. Can you beat that? I guess us older folks can learn plenty from our own children at times. That's right, Jim. That masked gentleman seems to have done a bit of teaching, too. You all seem to have learned a great deal from him, whoever he is. Oh, he teaches everybody to do good and get along with other folks, Miss Wheeler. You see, he's the Lone Ranger. The Indian told me so. Well, I'm in the history. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
