A horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty hi-yo silver. The Lone Ranger. General Mills, makers of Cheerios. The ready-to-eat oat cereal that gives you go power. And Wheaties, the breakfast of champions. Present by special recording, The Lone Ranger. Sheriff Sam is a boy of ten. He busts right in the robber's den. And gets his man because he knows. He's got go power from Cheerios. Yes, he's got go power. There he goes. He's feeling his Cheerios. Cheerios. Cheerios. That's Cheerios. The cereal shaped like little letter O's. And those O's stand for oats. The good grain Cheerios is made from. Every delicious spoonful of Cheerios and milk is real muscle-building food. Each spoonful contains vitamins, minerals, and proteins your body needs. Yes, those good things in a Cheerios breakfast do good things for your body. Help you have healthy nerves, good red blood, strong bones and muscles. You can see that Cheerios is made to give you real go power. So make sure you have a Cheerios breakfast every day. Then you'll hear people say... He's feeling his Cheerios. With his faithful Indian companion Tonto, the daring and resourceful mask 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 hoofbeats of the great horse, Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Silver. Let's go, big fella. I'm Silver. Hurry. Smoke signals and friendly Indians. The Lone Ranger and Tonto learned that two chiefs resenting the army's presence in their territory had assembled a big war party to attack Fort Phillips. The masked man and his Indian companion were close to the trail between Fort Phillips and Fort Laramie. The air was filled with sleet that stung the horses and their riders. Protecting his face with one hand, Tonto peered ahead. We see something, Kimasabi. Looks like dead horse. It is. It's partially covered with snow. And there's something beside it. Draw a hand. Hold it. Hold it. Easy. Get it, big fella. All right. We'll take a look. Easy, fella. Any animals die in this storm? Tonto, this is a soldier. Help me pull him out of the snow drift. Ah, ah, ah. Him, not frozen. He's still alive. The snow drift protected him. Ah. And what we do? Pull him beneath that tree. You do what you can for it while I build a windbreak and start a fire. A short time later, the Lone Ranger had a fire blazing behind a shield of evergreen branches. As a coffee pot simmered over the flames, Tonto continued his first aid to the soldier. Ah, him coming too. Gotta get on. Gotta get word to Laramie. Tonto, hold his head. Uh-huh. Here, soldier. Drink this. Word to Laramie. Can't wait. You'll be all right. What? What? Where am I? What? My eyes. Your eyelids are swollen, but you're with friends. We found you in the snow. Oh, I remember now my horse came out. I... I was headed for Laramie. I gotta go on. What's your hurry? The Indians. They've surrounded Fort Phillips. It's under attack. I've gotta... Steady, steady. Were you going for help? Yes, sir. I'm Corporal Gaines, 1st Cavalry. I'm one of four dispatch riders Colonel Carr sent out. Injures got the others. Can the fort hold out? Not for long. Last week, an epidemic of grip and pneumonia hit the garrison. That's bad. And what's worse, the colonel had to send half the able-bodied men to Laramie to get supplies for the sick. They're in Laramie now. That's a long way from here. Were you headed there, Corporal? No, sir. My orders was to try to reach the telegraph station on the Oregon Trail. It has a wire connection with the Army Post at Laramie, but now I've lost my horse. My friend and I will get you to the station. My... Why is it getting better? I can see now. Your mask... Don't, sir. Don't let my mask wear you. I've been of some service to the Army before. I know you're a colonel. You saved my life. I'm mighty grateful for that. Listen, get worse. There's a message in the right-hand pocket of my blouse. Signed by the colonel. Take it to the station, mister. I'll take the message, but you're coming with us. Help him to my saddle, Tonto. I'll get up behind him. Steady, Silver. All right, come on, Barbara. There. Silver's carried double before. Tonto, you ride ahead and break the trail through the snow. Easy, steady, big fellow. Easy, got it easy, fellow. Me savvy. Get him up. Come on, Silver. Besieged and assailed both by the elements and savages, Fort Phillips stood in the valley of the Powder River. As the Sioux tribesmen, some distance away on the surrounding hills, poured bullets into the stockade walls. Colonel Carr and his officers met at post headquarters to discuss the desperate situation. The colonel's face was haggard, his voice weary. Major Penton, I'm to blame for this. I shouldn't have sent that detachment to Fort Laird, ma'am. What else could you do, Colonel? We had to have medicine, special food, and more blankets for the city. We didn't suspect the Indians would become hostile. That doesn't excuse me. I'll be charged with losing this one. You'll be dead tomorrow, sir? Well, the rest of us. I don't suppose any of the dispatch riders got to go. I watched from the walls. There's a chance that Corporal Gaines escaped the Indian. If so, do you think he could reach the telegraph officer of the blizzard? No, sir. I don't believe in that. How many men do we have under arms? 61, sir. I include officers, civilian teamsters, and medical corpsmen. Some of whom have never fired a rifle. We have plenty of arms and ammunition. Then give revolvers to the medical men and the patients in the hospital. Very much. Every man will be on. We'll fight to the last ditch. As the men in Fort Phillips prepared for a last ditch stand, the Lone Ranger and Tonto forged on through the blizzard and bitter cold with Corporal Gaines. It was after dark when they reached the Western Union office. Oh, sir. Oh, brother. There's light inside. Yes. Hello there. Western Union. Anyone on duty? Man, open the door. Hi there. Are you the telegraph operator? Yes. Easy scout, easy. He helped Corporal outboard. Right, Tonto. Easy. All right, easy him down. I'll give you a hand. What's wrong with him? He nearly froze to death. We'll bring him inside where it's warm. Just a minute, operator. You have a more important job. Fort Phillips is under attack by Indians and can't hold out. Send word to Fort Laramie at once. I can't. My connection with Fort Laramie was broken an hour ago. Mine is probably down because of the storm. I was afraid that might be the case. Hey, are you wearing a mask? Yes, but save your questions until later. Will you take care of the corporal? Sure thing. I don't know. Right on to Fort Laramie. You'll never make it in this storm. We're going to try. Well, I'll get this man inside and try him out. You better come in. Operator, we have no time to lose. Easy, steady, big fella. Ready to go on, Tonto. Me ready. Come on, Tonto. Get up. Meanwhile, the early darkness brought on by the winter storm had deepened the despair of the defenders of Fort Phillips. At post headquarters, Major Benton reported. Colonel, the Indians are still firing down at us from the surrounding hills. This fort should never have been built in a valley like this. I always said it was the wrong sight. It was my hope, my last hope, that the blizzard and cold would drive the Indians away. A vain hope, Major. A stormy night like this will give them perfect cover for a mass assault. It will probably come just before daybreak. The Indians aren't over the walls yet, Colonel Carr. Here's the lieutenant who's been on the walls. What have you to report, Lieutenant? Bad news, Colonel. Snow is drifting high against the north and west walls of the stockade. The wind is... That's what I feared most of all. The drifts. The wind is making them higher every minute. Unless the storm dies down, the snow will reach the top of the stockade tonight. It will make a natural ramp. And if the Indians have snowshoes... They'll charge up over the drifts by hundreds. Drop down inside the fort. That'll be the end for us. Yes. The Sioux don't make prisoners of soldiers. But our wives... I've been thinking of that, Major. The savages will capture your wives. They'll torture them. The women will suffer untold horrors before death ends their misery. I'd rather have my family die with me. Where are they? In the magazine with the other non-competents. That's the safest place for them. It's underground. Thirty barrels of powder are stored there. They've been warned not to strike matches. I wasn't thinking of that. Sergeant O'Brien. Yes, sir? You're a good soldier. You always obey orders. Now listen carefully. Yes, sir. Go to the magazine. Attach a fuse to one of the barrels. Colonel. Gentlemen, I am in command here. Sergeant, you remain in the magazine with matches ready. There'll be no more bugle calls until the Indians begin to drop into the fort. Then the trumpeter will sound the call to arms. Yes, sir. When you hear the bugle, light the fuse. No. And God have mercy on our souls. Amen. And, Sergeant. Yes, sir? If any man tries to keep you from carrying out this order, you're authorized to act in accordance with the Articles of War. Yes, sir. Colonel, you're not married. The rest of us are. That's why I'm able to give this order. I give it out of mercy. But I've taken a terrible responsibility upon myself. I'll answer for it at the judgment seat. We'll continue our Lone Ranger adventure in just a moment. All over the country, in every direction. How you, how you do it is a question. And here's what the happy, happy people have to say. Eating all the weenies and the doo-doo. Doing okay. Okay. Doing okay? You bet the champs in good old New York are. Listen. Now, in New York, we wait for days to see a guy called Willie Mays. Because Wheaties keeps him leaping high to grab those line drives on the fly. And Yogi Berra's a Wheaties lad whose batting style makes pitchers sad. No matter how they throw the ball, that Yogi belts it through the wall. And look, both Willie Mays and Yogi Berra turn to Wheaties for extra energy because there's a whole kernel of wheat in every Wheaties flake. Wheaties, breakfast of champions. Keep on eating your Wheaties. And you'll be, you, you, you an okay, okay. Now to continue. As Colonel Carr gave his fateful order of the day, the Lone Ranger and Tonto guided their horses onto the ice that covered the Powder River. There, the relentless storm had a full sweep. The wind had shifted and was now at their backs. The river was free from snow drips, so they made better times. Come on, sir. Come on. It was a night of revelry at Coast Headquarters in Fort Laramie. In a brightly lighted room that ordinarily served as the officers' mess, the gallants and beauties of the frontier were gathered. The guests of honor at the entertainment were the officers who had led the detachment from Fort Phillips. In the midst of the gaiety, the door opened. Chilling air swept the scene of merriment, and a snow-covered figure crossed the threshold. It was the Lone Ranger. Who's that? A stranger, General. The Lone Ranger's mask was frozen to his face and so thickly coated with frost that no one noticed it at first. An aide stepped out to him. Where is the commanding officer? Right here. I'm Brigadier General Towers. What's the meaning of this intrusion? A message for you from Fort Phillips. You mean you came all the way from Fort Phillips through the blizzard? Not quite, but that's very important, sir. The message is a matter of life and death. Here it is. Thank you. Let's see. Ah, it's from Colonel Carr. Good heavens, Fort Phillips is being attacked by Indians. Gentlemen, listen to this. Carr says he can't hold out without help. I'll return a bunch of my detachment. I'll go with you and take every man we can spare from this garrison. Trumpeter, go to the door. Sound boots and saddles. Yes, sir. On the double. The Lone Ranger quickly told the general how the message had passed into his hands. Officers hurried to posts of command as the trumpet blared its summons. Take this man to the hospital. He must be exhausted. I'm all right, General Towers. Wait. What's that on your face? A bandage or a mask? A mask, sir. Please don't ask for an explanation. I'm as precious as I'd first like to report the condition of the trailer. Go ahead. That's information we must have. As briefly as possible, the Lone Ranger gave the general essential information concerning the trail and the weather, and finished by suggesting... You'll find it easier to travel on the river ice as far as possible. The snow is not so deep there. Glad to hear it. Now I'll rejoin my Indian friend, Toto. Your soldiers are looking after him and our horses. Wait. There must be something we can do for you. I want to start back to Fort Phillips as soon as possible. Back? Yes. Colonel Carr doesn't know his message reached you. You're right. It takes time to organize a relief expedition. Meanwhile, anything may happen at Fort Phillips. That's true. Colonel Carr should be told that help is coming. My friend and I will try to get through to the fort. If you make it, tell the colonel we'll be there by morning. The Lone Ranger and Toto left Fort Laramie after giving their horses time to be fed and rubbed down. They rode over the back trail they had followed, assured that a relief column would soon march along the same route. Though the cold remained intense, the blizzard was dying out, so their return to the Powder River District took less time than their previous trip. As they approached Fort Phillips and saw the fires on the high ground surrounding the valley, they drew rain. Hold on. Hold on. They'll be caught up. Many Indians from hills not far away. But no shots are being fired, Toto. The Indians must be getting ready for the big attack. We try to get past Indians. Yes, we must get past them. We'll ride to the hills on the north side of the stockade and leave our horses. I think we'll be able to slip through the narrow pass on foot without being seen by the Indians. All right, let's go. Come on, children. Let's go. Come on. It took a long time for the masked man and Toto to ride around the fires of the savages without being seen. But at last they reached a sheltered place to lead their horses. Come on, Toto. Then on foot, they cautiously made their way through a gully between two of the Indian camps toward the north wall of the fort. At the fort, Colonel Carr and Major Benton were on the catwalk of the north wall. The colonel was saying, I haven't heard a shot or a yell for an hour. The attack might begin at any moment. Colonel, look there. Someone's on the drift. Yes. Two men. They're crawling up. Shall I open fire? No. I'll stay here and watch them. You alert the boys in the corner blockhouse. Right, sir. His revolver leveled. Colonel Carr crouched behind the top of the stockade until the crawling figures were only a few feet away. Then he challenged them. Halt. Who's there? Friends. There's a message from Fort Henry. You sound like a white man. Come on in. Don't make any false moves. I'm holding a gun on you. You're Colonel Carr. I know your voice. And who are you? You'll soon see. We're letting ourselves down to the catwalk. Now, you see my face. Mask? Yours? Yes, Colonel. And I have good news for you. General Towers is coming with a relief expedition. Thank heaven. We were ready to die to the last man. The officer's families are in the magazine. I ordered it blown up if and when the Indians got into the fort. The sergeant is waiting to light the fuse when the bugler sounds to arms. At that moment, Major Benton ran back from the blockhouse. Tonto had descended to the catwalk a few yards away from the colonel. And in the uncertain light of the breaking day, the Major saw the Indian. He halted and raised his revolver. An Indian on the wall! Soldiers took the alarm to mean that the Indians were storming the fort. They began to fire blindly through loopholes into the semi-darkness. Indians south of the fort heard the gunfire and thought the attack had been started on the opposite side. They shouted war cries and opened fire as they advanced. Other savages followed suit and the attack became a reality. When the bugler sounded the call to arms, Colonel Carr cried out to the Lone Ranger. But bugle, the man in the powder magazine will light the fuse. That's not necessary now. Reinforcement's coming. You have a fighting chance. But the fuse is already lighted. There may be time to put it out. I'll try. The call to arms was repeated. And in the underground powder chamber, Sergeant O'Brien stood with a revolver in one hand as he watched the burning fuse. He glanced at the closed door to an inner room where the women awaited their doom. Better than letting them be taken by the savages. Sergeant, put out that fuse. Mask! Stand still or I'll fire! The bugle call was a mistake. Reinforcements are coming. I don't believe you. I'll put it out. Stop or I'll shoot! You think your guns are threatened this time? I'll take it! With lightning speed, the masked man gripped the sergeant's gun hand. Let go! Gripping the gun and struggling with the sergeant, the Lone Ranger found the chance to swing his fist. There! The sergeant dropped his gun and staggered back, while the masked man leaped to the fuse and pulled it out of the keg of powder. It burned harmlessly on the floor as the colonel rushed in, shouting, It's all right, colonel. No danger now. Thank heaven you got here in time. Colonel, I tried to follow orders, but the masked man... It's all right, sergeant. Knowing that help was on the way, the soldiers fought furiously. Their heavy gunfire slowed the Indian attack. And then... Here come the reinforcements! The tide of battle changed quickly. The Indians knew all hope of capturing the fort was gone and fled for their lives. As dawn lighted the victorious fort, the colonel and several others stood with the Lone Ranger and Tonto near the open gate. The colonel said, Thanks to you, sir, what might have been one of the greatest tragedies of history has been averted. Tonto and I were glad to serve the army. You two will never be forgotten. Thank you, sir. Now, adios. Adios. Adios. Colonel, I'm a strong man. But in the hands of that masked man, I was helpless. Who in tarnation is he? The masked man, sergeant, is the Lone Ranger. I'll do it! A copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger, Incorporated, is produced by Trandall Campbell Muir, Incorporated. The part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer, your announcer, Fred Poy. Listen to the Lone Ranger, brought to you by special recording, Mondays through Fridays at this same time.
