very horse, the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. Immense natural resources of the western United States brought wealth and security to many of the early settlers, but to have was not always to hold. Outlaws robbed and plundered, and no man's life or property was safe. It was then that the masked rider of the plains rode in the cause of justice, and it was he, more than anyone else, who finally brought law and order to the frontier. Now return with us to those thrilling days when the west was young. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Old Ben Battle had been known for years as one of the unluckiest prospectors in the west. He had spent his life searching for gold, but though unsuccessful, he remained cheerful and active, his courage giving him youthful strength and hope. One day, the citizens of the town of Five Corners were startled to see old Ben ride down their main street, shouting at the top of his lungs. I found it! I found it! What's happened? What's that you're carrying, Ben? It's striking rich! Come on inside the cafe, fellas, and I'll tell you all about it. I don't want to know what it is. Right now, I'm the luckiest pillar in the state. Yippee, fellas! Look here! It's an able old Ben Battle. Say, what's the crowd for on you first? I struck it rich, Barkeep. You found a good claim? No. Then what do you mean? Just run your eyes over this. Oh! It's gold! You are gold. That's a chunk from a bar of gold. It's been smelted! Where in front of you, Ben, get that! Quiet down there, you fellas! Quiet down! You ain't been holding anybody up, have you, Ben? Not me. Here, look what's stamped on that gold. Let me see. What's it say? Go on and tell us here, Barkeep. Why, it looks to me like it's got two T's stamped in it. You mean, like initials? Uh-huh, but I don't... Leapin' Mavericks, T-T, treasure trove. I'll bet them initials stand for the old treasure trove mine. Treasure trove? Is that it, Ben? Yes, sir. Is that there's part of a gold shipment that's been lost for almost 50 years? I'll bet a thousand fellows have looked for it without finding it. And it took me to do it. I ain't never heard of no treasure trove mine. You ain't? Gosh, Barkeep, I thought everybody knew about that. It was owned by a fellow named Jake Adler. He used to smelt his own ore and then send up a mule train to the coast. Yeah? But once he sent a shipment, it disappeared. No one ever knew what become of it. They wouldn't figure anything, but maybe a landslide covered it up. Couldn't it have been Injuns? But there weren't no Injuns around at the time. And nobody ever seen hide in a hair of anybody that was with the gold? Not even one of the mules. And that's the gold you found, Ben? Yep. I was just coming back over the old trail from Custerville. Man, was it hot. My horse just mows it long. Doggone you lazy hide. Keep it going there. I get off and walk to make it easier for you, and you mows you along slower than ever. Now get along, Gretchen. And no back talk, neither. There, now. See what you went and made me do? Nearly broke a leg, all on account of... Now, what? Whoa there, whoa. Whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa. That's a funny-looking rock I just stumbled on. Queer sort of shape, now. Let me have a look at it. Hold still, won't you? Now hold still. First you want to stop when I want you to travel. When I want to stop, you want to travel. Now let me pick up that rock. Yeah. I wonder. Well, where's that hammer I had long? Oh, here it is. I'll just chip off some of the dirt on the outside. Well, well, I'll be... Jumping juniper. A gold bar. Huh. What's it say there? T-T. Treasure trove. This is part of the gold from the treasure trove mine, or I'll eat my picking shovel. Now we're heading for town, and we're moving faster. I'll lambaste your blasted stubborn hide. Now get up there. Come on. Get along there. You staked your claim, Ben? Well, uh... Well what? Well, uh, maybe I was a bit hasty when I said I'd found the whole shipment. What I meant was, uh, I found this here chunk of gold, and I'm darn sure the rest must be somewhere's bound. Well, that's a little different. The gold wouldn't belong to you anyhow, would it, Ben? And why wouldn't it? Well, this Adler, come on. Jux, he's been a long time dead. He never had no kinfolk. Oh, it'd be Ben's, all right. But where'd you pick up this chunk? Why, it was over by the... You darn fool. Huh? Don't be telling. Somebody'll beat you to it. Golly, I never thought of that. You already said too much. Come close to it, maybe, Sheriff. I was all fired, excited, I wasn't thinking, but, uh... You said too much. Because now, how are you going to go back without being followed? Oh, Sheriff. Every cook in the territory will be here to watch you. Sheriff, I wish you'd take a hammer and pound some cents in my head. I must have gone clean loco. Ben, you got a heart as big as a cow, and more doggone grit than any twenty other fellas. But when it comes to playing your cards close to your belt, you let every fella in the game read your hands. Oh, this is awful. You wait. When this news gets around, then you'll find out just how bad it really is. Come on, Ben. Tell us where you found it. Don't hold out, you friend. Where was your last trip? Ben, give us a tip. Hey, Ben. Come on. Come on, Ben. I ain't saying a thing. And I'll camp right here in town before I let some buzzard rob me of what I found. Where was you? Come on. Now, don't hold out. The sheriff had prophesied correctly. The news of Ben's discovery spread like wildfire, attracting the attention of honest men and outlaws alike. The Lone Ranger and his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, also heard the reports. They knew Ben deserved whatever good fortune came his way, and determined to help him if they could. In the meantime, however, an outlaw known as Smokey Joe had made certain plans. We see him now riding with some of his men. This is the only thing we can do, Hawk. That old fool ain't gonna stir out of town as long as he figures he'll be followed. Right him, Smokey. He'll wait if it takes a year. But I ain't gonna. He'll talk when we get our hands on him. I didn't want to do it this way, but we ain't got no more time to waste. Yeah. Only trouble is, if we make him talk, we gotta get rid of him. You can't leave him live to tell the sheriff who done it. That's what I mean. But it's worth doing something for all that gold. Uh-huh. Why do you figure on keeping Ben when you get him? We'll take him to that old cabin back in the woods. Yeah. And if he does any yelling, nobody will hear him. We're passing Ben's shack right now, ain't we? We just ride on to them trees, and he won't see us when he comes out from town. Just about do, ain't he? Yeah. How's this? It's good enough. All right, fellas, rain up and keep out of sight. Do the thing, fellas. Who, who there? Who, who, who there? Ain't he likely to hear the horses? Ah, not with them riding as fast as he always does. Smokey, there's somebody coming now. Can you make him out? No, it's too blame-tired. We'll know in a second. Keep quiet, you fellas. I see him, Smokey. That's that chestnut horse he rides. Get along, there, boys. Get along. Grab him, fellas. Get the race. Smokey Joe, stop your horse, Ben. He'll croak. He's out of that way. Watch it. He's going for his gun. I ain't a fair to pack a yellow outlaw. Put down that gun. Yeah. Oh, I winged him, boss. Blasher, maybe you killed him. He ain't hurt much, Smokey. Disgrazed his shoulder. I'll live to get every one of you. We'll see about that. Boss, let's get out of here. Maybe somebody heard the shot. He got his bridle? Ah, he won't get away. Let's travel. Get up there. The outlaws, with old Ben as their prisoner, raced to the cabin in the forest. Throughout the entire rest of the night, they questioned him, but he refused to tell them anything. They rested during the day, but the following evening, the brutal questioning began again. Talk, Ben. Paint. It'll be the worst for you if you don't. Where'd you find that chunk of gold? Here's the gold hit. Where's it hit, Blasher? Where's it hit? Talk, or we'll beat it out of you. You talk to me. You're wasting your time. Why, you stupid old fool. I'll see every one of you hung before I'll talk. I wouldn't tell you nothing, no matter what you did. You can hit me and you can beat me up. I won't talk and there's no way you can make me. Now, wait, boss. Let me handle this. What you want with the old maverick. I'll find a way to fix him. Go ahead. I'm riding back to town. Folks are most likely talking because Ben ain't been around. Yeah, uh-huh. I'll take the rest of the boys and show ourselves in the cafe so we won't be suspicious. Me and Hart can handle things. See that you do. We've been too easy on him. But we ain't gonna be no longer. We won't be gone more than a couple hours. Get your saddles, fellas. We're riding the town. All right, Ben. It's just three of us now. You dirty skunk. The boss is a might squeamish, but I ain't. And you'll find it out right soon. If I weren't tied to this chair... You'd do a lot, wouldn't you? I ain't so young no more, but I'd show you fellas a few tricks. Only it's us who's gonna show you a few things. I'm giving you one more chance. Where'd you find that chunk of gold? I ain't saying. Well, of all the stubborn mavericks I ever run up against, this fella takes a cake. We give him his chance. Get that poker. Yeah. Stick it in the fireplace. It'll get red hot. I'll do that. You beginning to get the ID, Ben? You'll pay for all this. I fixed it, Hart. Good. Now we're... What was that? Somebody firing at us. There he is. It's a fella on a white horse. We got to get him. How about Ben? He's tied up. He ain't gonna run away. Well, then, come on. Get your horse. We'll ride after him. All right, hurry up, Hart. Come on, get in the saddle. Are you ready? Yeah. Come on. Get it. Get it there. Get it. All right. Huh? Who's there? Me come. Help you. Gosh, you're red-skinned. White friend, get out long way. Tonto come. Get you. Well, you'll have to cut these here ropes. They got me tied up like a calf for Brandon. Huh? Me? Cut rope. But how'd you find me? Tonto follow trail. Find where bad fella get you. Then trail you here. And there. Now, you free now. I don't know who you are, but by golly, you and that friend of yours are sure parts of mine from now on. You hurry. Where are we going? Take you to find gold. Outlaw, not catch us. Here, pay horse. You mean we're going to try and outrun them crooks? Uh-uh. Payne horse, plenty fast. You, you mount them. Thank golly, I'll chance it. It's the only way I can ever get to that gold without being followed. That, that's right. Get him up, pay horse. Get him up. Ben's got away. There ain't no use chasing him. Look at that horse travel. Yeah. Oh, and look over there. There goes a fella we was chasing a boy. The curtain falls on the first act of our thrilling Lone Ranger drama. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. And now to continue our story. The Lone Ranger and Tonto, accompanied by old Ben Battle, who had found the treasure trove gold bar, left Hawk and his companion far behind. At the cafe in town, Smokey Joe talked with an Indian guide. Black Wolf, you're just the fella I need. Huh? I've heard all about you. They say you're the best engine trailer in these parts. Me fallen trail. Plenty good. And from what I've heard, you don't mind making yourself a little cash on occasion. You give him me cash? It just depends on you. What do you want him? I reckon you've heard the talk that's been going on around town, ain't you? You mean talk him gold? Sure. And I got a scheme to get that gold. Hmm? What do you say you throw in with me and my boys? You can trail old Ben when he leaves town to go back to where he found that treasure trove stuff, and we'll help ourselves to it and give you all the protection you need. What you pay him, Black Wolf? You'll get your equal share with the rest of us. Well, what do you say? Me not know. You gotta. Just think of all the fire water you could buy with your share, Black Wolf. More than you ever seen before. Black Wolf. Do him. Good. I thought you would. Let's shake. Hey, what are you doing here? He's got away. Blaster, keep your voice down. You say Ben ain't in the cabin? No, an engine in the mast fella got him. You blasted fools. Yeah, we couldn't help it. The minute I leave you, everything goes wrong. And they ought to get me some fellas I can depend on. Oh, but even... Shut up! We're riding out to the cabin. Black Wolf, you come on in after us. It looks to me like we can put you to work before we figured on it. Of all the blasted digits I ever seen, you fellas are the worst. Oh, but Smokey, how was we to know there was a redskin with that masked fella? You didn't have to know it. All you had to do was to stay with old Ben like he was supposed to. Let ourselves be short, Ed. I'm blamed sorry he didn't hit you. Ain't nobody seen nothing of Ben since he got away? Of course they ain't. Him and them other two fellas lit right out for the gold. What are we gonna do now, boss? We gotta get Ben back. Yeah, but if we don't, it means jail for us. Ben's seen us all. When he tells the sheriff who we are, we're done for it. We could light out of here. And let the gold go. Yeah, that's better than being jailed. Uh-huh. I got a better notion. What's that? You ever heard of Black Wolf? The Injun? That's the one. Well, what about him? That redskin's as good at trailing as anybody you can name. He can most trail a hawk if you give him half a chance. Why, Thunder, where's he at? I'm waiting for him now. Oh, yeah? I seen him in town this morning, and that's where I got the idea. You talked to him? Uh-huh. I talked to him and told him if he put in with us, he'd get his fair share. Yeah, what'd he say? What do you figure he'd say? That redskin would do anything for gold to buy fire water. Then we've still got a chance. And a darn good one. Maybe that's him now. Most likely. That you, Black Wolf? Me, Black Wolf. Walk right in. These are my pods I was telling you about. Oh, well, Black Wolf. Well, there ain't no use standing around here if you're ready to start out, Black Wolf. Black Wolf, ready. Then come on, fellas. Some of you bring our horses around, and the rest of us will show the redskin the marks of the horses them other fellas would ride. All right, boss. Let's come this way, Black Wolf. Me, come. Go and take a sight of trailing to follow them tracks now. Black Wolf, best brave all tribe. Black Wolf, see where other brave blind. Over there is where we found the tracks of the horse the masked fellow was riding. I kept the boys away so they wouldn't be spoiled. There you are, Black Wolf. You see him? Black Wolf, see like eagles. You figure you'd follow tracks like them? Me, follow. By golly, we ain't beat yet. Fetch them horses. Yeah, we're coming. We'll head after Ben the masked fellow without waiting. I'd like to get my hands on him. And I want to get my hands on the gold. Steady there. Black Wolf, good as he says he is. We'll do both. Black Wolf, not like pale face. Him not speak big word, do little deed. Him speak little, do big deed. Then now's your chance to prove it. Get up. Get on there. Come on. Get up. Get up. Get up. Get up. Get up. Get up. Get up. In the meantime, Ben Battle, the Lone Ranger, and Tonto had crossed the plains and entered the Hills. We see the old man and the Indian now in a sheltered camp, close to the spot where Ben had found the gold. Ben is speaking. Yes, sirry, Tonto. You and the masked fellow got anything beat ever see. Why you think that, huh? Well, first off, look at the way you fooled them crooks the night you found me at the cabin. Then take them horses of yours. I ain't seen that recall since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. Them plenty good. And it was the masked fellow's idea for you to go alone after the blasting powder we needed. He figured nobody'd be curious about a red skin. That's right. Then to top it all off, your part's gone back to see if they've been followed. He don't take no chances at all. Oh, it's not good take chance. You're two of the squarest fellows I ever met up with. You even say you don't want none of the gold for helping me out. No. Oh, you, you not pay us. Well, I don't know anybody else that'd feel the same about it, except maybe the sheriff. Him and me have been friends for close 30 years. Him, he good color. He is that. He'd do anything for me and I'd do anything. You look. Huh? You look there. It's smoke. White friend, send signal. You mean the masked fellow's making that smoke? Not right. But what for? What's it say? Outlaw. Tell her. Follow. You. We've been trailed. Isn't that right? Oh, golly, just when I was thinking we had things our own way. But them trailers. And there's close to a dozen of them and only three of us. That'd be all right. But what we got to... White friend be here soon. But what can he do? There ain't nothing left to do but run for it. Him make plan. He's got a plan, you say? Isn't that right? Well, he's done a plenty so far. But if he's thought of a way for three fellas to get the best of a dozen, then he's smarter even than I had him figured. The Lone Ranger, having sighted the pursuing outlaws, built signal fires to warn Ben and Tonto. Then he hastily mounted silver and raced to rejoin them. The outlaws, led by Black Wolf, who had followed the trail with uncanny skill, approached the spot where Ben and his friend had made camp. We're getting closer, ain't we, Black Wolf? Much sign now. Them not far. Good. I could even see the trail myself for the last hour or so. This is the trail the moon trains used to take when old Jake Adler sent his gold to the coast. Most likely there was a landslide somewhere around here that buried the whole shebang. Ben had to have the fool luck to stumble onto it. After everybody else had hunted it for years. He didn't find the whole works. He just found that chunk of gold. Well, it must have been a piece that happened to come uncovered. The rest bound to be somewhere close by. Yeah, I reckon so. There, camp. And someone's been here recently. By God, is that so? You can see the ashes. And there's prints all about it. Yeah. He's hoping we see them before they see us. I hope so, but... Who's that over there? See something? Look where the valley narrowed. That must be a pass. And by Sunday there's old Ben. And what's he doing? I don't know. But he ain't dodging us this time. Come on, get up there. Get up there. Get up there. He ain't seen us. Ain't well in a second. Where's the engine and the mast, fellas? They're blazing with them. It's only Ben we got to worry about. Get along there. Get up there. You seen us? We got you, Ben. Don't run for it. I'm holding my gun on you. You found me. Oh, hold that man. Let me be. Well, so you figured you got away, did you? You'll hold it. Smokey, he's been planting blasting powder. It's all ready to be lit. Now, ain't that real nice of you, Ben? So the gold is under these rocks, eh? No, no, it ain't. I was only trying... Did you hear that? Fellas? The gold ain't here, but he's setting off powder just the same. Figures he needs the practice, I reckon. Smokey, listen to me now. What do you think we better do, boss? That don't take no figuring. As long as Ben's got the blasting powder all set, we'll just let him light it first. I won't. You can't make me. You might just as well, Ben. We know where the gold is now. Just take a look at this shooting eye. You wouldn't shoot me, would you? You'll shoot if you don't do like I say. Oh, then I reckon I ain't got no choice. You sure haven't. Well, you'd better go on a ways so as you won't be hurt by the rocks when they fall. Yeah, but we'll be watching. And if you try any tricks, it'll be your last. Right, Sammy. Come on, fellas. Get up there. Hey, Ben, I'll be aiming at you all the time. You better hurry. I'm lighting it right now. I'll bet he's so mad he could bust us finding him just when he was all set to uncover the gold. Yeah. And watch out, fellas. The blast will be going off any second now. And we're safe here. Now let it come. The blast went off and great masses of rock and earth were torn from the side of the hill, blocking the narrow pass. The outlaws watched eagerly. Then Hawk shouted, There ain't no gold there. Where'd Ben get to? He run the other way when he lets the fuse. Then we can't get back the way we come. The rock's filled up the fast. And we'll just have to ride on and find another... We're blind canyon! Huh? We're pinned in! We can't go back! We've been trapped! Ben! Hey, Ben! Ben! Ben! Ben! With the outlaws imprisoned in the canyon, Ben Battle grinned and sat down to wait for the masked man and Tonto. Finally, they rode up with the sheriff, dismounted, and walked over toward the old prospector. Are they all in there, Ben? Can't you hear them, Sheriff? I sure can. And they don't sound sublime happy. Smokey Joe! Help us get out of here! Keep still and listen. What are you going to say? There's just a few things I wanted you fellas to know about. And the first is, I got some deputies coming to take you fellas to jail. Watch out! And Ben and the masked fella found the gold before you fellas ever got here. Ben just pretended to be blasting for the gold so as you could be caught. And maybe if you fellas ever get out of jail, you won't be so darned anxious to go again to Lone Ranger. Lone Ranger? Is that who the masked fella is? You never heard tell any other hombre that could do what he's done, did you? By golly, I want to talk to that fella. But I reckon you won't. Huh? What's the... Because he's on his way right now. That's how come I know for sure he's the Lone Ranger. He does what nobody else could do, and he never waits to be sang. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. you
