fiery horse with the speed of light, the cloud of dust and the hearty Hi-Yo Silver, the Lone Ranger. Those who traveled to the western United States with their mothers and fathers and grew up in the great new territory heard many stories of the phantom figure of the plains. No one was ever known to beat him to the draw, and his courage was only matched by his sense of fair play. The man who deserved a second chance always received one from the masked rider of justice. Return with us now 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. Come on, Silver! Hurry! Hi-Yo Silver! Our story opens in the cafe at Boonville, where Link Hamlin and Rusty Brennan are seated at a table. With them is young Neil Clark, who pushes back his chair and says... Well, I'll be seeing you fellas again, I reckon. Shucks, Neil. Stay on. Have another drink. No thanks, Link. I'd better be getting on hold. Still tied to your moss apron strings, huh? That ain't so. Oh, leave him be, Rusty. Neil's all right. He just ain't used to being growed up, that's all. And he's still got a notion everything his folks tell him is gospel truth. That is, Neil. I'm old enough to think things out for myself. And I do, too. Yeah? You just wait. You both got the idea I'm scared to tell my folks I'm going my own way, ain't you? Well, I ain't scared, and I'll show you. Well, now, young fella, that's the way to talk. Well, maybe he's got some gumption after all. I'm going on 18. I ain't a kid no more. Of course you ain't. Neil, of course you ain't. And when you get around to proving that to your old man in your mall, why, drop around and look me and Rusty up. Maybe we'll be able to use you. Say, you mean to let me throw in with you fellas? Sure, why not? And, buddy, if you do, it won't be just wages you'll have to spend. It'll be important cash. Oh, that's sure as well. You got... Gosh, I... I don't know what to say. We're your friends, ain't we? But I never fidgeted a... Well, don't start thinking in a while, fella. You ain't told the folks you're leaving the ranch yet. All we've said is that if you do strike out for yourself, then you can join us. But sure, that's to have you all right. Sure. But you'll see. I'll tell him. I ain't that scared of... You can't tell him before you see him, can you? But no, but I can tell... Then maybe you'd better be running on home after all. Huh? Oh. Oh, sure, yeah. Yeah, I reckon I better. But I said I'd be seeing you fellas again. And maybe sooner than you expect. Good night. Just a second. Huh? There's a storekeeper at the bar. He's been looking this way like he wanted to talk to you, Neil. Ezra? Where? Standing next to that tall stranger. Yeah. I see him now. Meddling old fool. Seems to give me some more of his advice, I reckon. Well, I'll show him where to head in. Don't take no sass off of him, Neil. Hi there, Neil. What do you want, Ezra? Just a word is all. Excuse me, stranger. Of course. The bar is kind of crowded. Well, Ezra, a word about what? Son, don't you think you ought to steer clear of fellas like Rusty and Link? They're my friends. Mighty poor friends to have, I'd say. Ezra, you ain't got no call to tell me what to do just because I worked for you when I was a kid. When you were a young'un? It seems to me you've aged mighty quick then. It wasn't more than three months ago you left me to work for your pa on the ranch, was it? You're making fun of me. Now, don't go flying off the handle, Neil. Taint that at all. I'm just trying to warn you of your own good. Then you can save your breath. Oh, shucks. Does anybody else but you, that's just what I'd do. But your pa's my best friend, Neil. We came to Texas together. Fact is, I've always sort of looked on you like my own kid. Well, that don't give you any rights over me. Neil, you look here. You're all right at the age when you can either grow up to be the right kind of a man like your pa is, or get off on the wrong trail and end up where Lincoln Rusty are over there. You talk like they're crooks. Well, ain't they? I've heard enough. And I'll thank you to mind your own affairs. I guess I'm old enough to take care of myself. Now, wait, Neil. Good night. Doggone young idiot. Hey, barkeep, fill up my glass, will you? Having a drink, stranger? No, thank you. I'm leaving. Hey, barkeep, I said fill up my glass. I can't stand around here no longer waiting for you. Rusty, you don't look like the storekeeper got very far with the kid. Oh, I noticed. What do you think? Figure the kid will join us? Sure he will. If you don't, that'll mean we got a blast open as we're safe. And I'd just as soon not take that chance. Ah, don't worry. Kid will join us all right. Only thing I'm worried about is, maybe Ezra's changed the combination since Neil worked for him. Why, should he? Well, he might have... He'd never suspicion Neil were robbing him, would he? I don't suppose. Of course he wouldn't. Shucks, Rusty, this is going to be the easiest thing we've ever done. Ezra's always been so doggone sure as cash could be got at in that safe of his, he's never bothered to take it home of nights. And we can force the back door without making enough noise to wake up a red scheme. And if Neil backs out and he learns what we're planning... Then what he won't do willing, he'll do with a pint of a gun. And if the kid does try to back out, I've got a scheme that'll make him wish he never got the notion. Yes? In that case, Rusty, we'll get the cash. And the law will get Neil. The next evening, Neil, with all his belongings loaded on a pack horse, rode to the corral where his father was attempting to rope a half-tamed Mustang. Pa! Hey, come here, Neil. Give me a hand with this bestie critter. Hey, what's the extra horse for? In the war bag. Aiming to take a trip? Whoa. Whoa there, boy. I know, Pa. I... Well, if you are, you can change your mind right now. There's too much to be done around here for me to spare you. Well, I... I ain't working here no more, Pa. What's that? I'm pulling stakes. You... Say, am I going roco or are you? Did I hear you say you was pulling stakes? That's the size of it. Now, hold on. Won't do no good to argue with me. I've plum made up my mind. To hear you talk, you've lost it. Now climb down off of that horse and put them things of yours away again and get to work. Nope. I'm leaving. You're doing no such thing. I'm almost 18. Uh-huh. And I've seen more idiots at 18 than any other age. Wait. Wait a second. I was in town this morning and I seen Ezra there. And I suppose he told you a lot of lies. It ain't like him to lie, but I don't know. What he said was that you've been hanging around with Link and Rusty. Well, what if I have? He wouldn't have nothing to do with this crazy notion of your leaving home, would they? No one tells me what to do. That ain't quite what I asked you. I know what you said. And what I want to know is what's wrong with Link and Rusty. Don't reckon you need to be told that. Sure. Everybody says they're crooks. What if they are? They've got nerve. If they go after something, they're gambling their lives on it. They're men. Real men. They ain't staying safe to home, wishing for things, but a fear to have them. Son, is that the way you see things? Oh, you've worked hard all your life. And what's it got you? This here ranch with a mortgage on it at the bank. It's got you the right to slave from morning till night. Well, that sun blisters you in the summer and blisters you in the winter. It's got... Ain't you got things of my twisted, son? Working hard is what made the banker trust me when things went bad for a spell and I needed the cash. And working hard is what gave your ma home. And you too, if it comes to that. I'll take care of myself from now on. And that's another thing. How do you figure your ma was going to feel about this? Well, I... I'll see you see where I'm right someday. Yeah? When I'm able to buy her things and help to make it easier for her. Neil, you do this and you'll break your ma's heart. I... I don't reckon that's so. Doesn't anything mean nothing to you no more? Haven't the things we've tried to teach you gone any deeper than this? Goodbye, Pa. I ought to... Get up, boy. Get up. Neil, come along. Neil, come back here. You hear me? Come back here. Goodbye, Pa. Why are you... Let him go, Andy. Huh? What? A mask mask. Where'd you come from? I was just over there near your barn. You heard what was said? I did. I was waiting to speak to you. That mask. Say, you're a crook. You put Neil up to this, I'll bet. I'm not a crook, Andy. And I'd like to help you save your boy. Huh? I was in the cafe last night and I heard the storekeeper talking to Neil. What's all this to you? I think Ezra was right. What'd he say? He said that Neil was at the turning point of his life. That his whole future depends on the decisions he makes now. That's funny talk from an outlaw. If I were an outlaw, I'd probably know the truth of that even better than you. But I've told you I'm not. Well, I ain't neither here nor there. I've got to go after Neil and bring the young idiot back here. Wait. Nope, I'm going to... Listen to me, Andy. Bringing Neil back by force isn't going to solve your problem. What am I supposed to do? Just stand by while my boy goes to the band? Neil needs several things. A good licking among them. First, he needs something to shock him into realizing what he's doing. The shock I got was when my pa laid on to me with a hazel switch. And he needs enough excitement to do him for a long time to come. He'll get it. He will, Andy, if you'll listen to me. Oh, boy. Oh, there. Hello. Uh-huh. How are you? You see, Andy? Yes, and he'll do as I suggested. Oh, me plenty glad to hear that. We've got to remember one thing, Kimo Sabe. As long as we've suggested this plan, we must see that no harm comes to Neil or Andy. Uh-huh. I learned where Rusty and Link live. They have a small shack just outside of town. I mean, no place. And that's where Neil will likely go. If Link and Rusty really want Neil for a partner, they'll plan something soon. Once Neil has stepped outside of the law, he'll have to stay with them. They know that, and we'll take advantage of it. What we do? We're riding to town, Tonto. It'll be late in the evening by the time we get there. Uh-huh. We may be able to learn their plans. Here, Scout. And, Tonto, I've got an idea if Rusty and Link do plan anything, they'll not stay clear of the law much longer. That's right. Let's go. Come on, Tonto. Get him up, Scout. At the same time that the Lone Ranger and Tonto raced toward Boonville, Rusty and Link heard a knock on the door of their cabin. Hey, Link. That would be the sheriff, would it? Yeah, what if it is? He ain't got nothing on us. Come in. Howdy, fellas. Well, howdy, dog. It's Neil. Why is it, Timmy? Well, we figured... I bet you never thought I'd get up the nerve relief home, ain't that so? You really pulled up stage? I sure did. I told Paul the way I felt about things, and by golly, he saw I meant it. Didn't he say nothing? Oh, he tried to argue me out of it, of course. But I soon put a stop to that. I just rode away and left him standing there. Well, kid, you had me fooled complete. But we're sure glad to see you with us. Ain't we glad, Rusty? We are, that. Matter of fact, Neil, I don't know just what we'd have done without you. I'd blame good of you fellas to say that. But I reckon I don't count for much compared to armories that can handle guns like you two. Shucks, everybody's got their uses, kid. Ain't likely you'll be long finding out, eh, Link? You mean you've got something planned already? Said we'd show you how to make big cash, didn't we? Oh, sure, but I didn't figure on anything real soon. You didn't cold feed? Well, of course I ain't. You just try me out. We'll do that. Ain't forgot the combination to Ezra's safe, have you? You mean you... We mean that's the first thing we've got for you to do. We're robbing Ezra's store, and you're opening a safe for us. Oh, but see, here, fellas... Josh, Neil, it ain't going to be hard to... Now, who's that? Come in. What? Say, what are you doing here? So you came after me, huh? Well, it won't do you no good, and you might as well know it now. I said I was throwing in with these fellas, and I meant what I said. Now, son, did I say anything about coming after you? Say, what is this? If you came here to make trouble, Andy, you'll find we can hand out a plenty. Shucks ain't nothing like that. Then what are you doing here? I just came here to admit that I made a mistake. A mistake? That's right, son. You see, after you left home, I got to thinking over what you'd said. You did? About the mortgage on the place, and working all hours, and getting blisters from the sun, and getting froze when it's winter. Right. I'm sorry. That ain't hard to understand. The more I thought about it, the more I got to seeing where you was right. No. Yes. So from now on, fellas, to blazes with ranching and hard work. It's cash the easy way for me. Shake hands with a fresh-made outlaw. 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. Now to continue our story. Shortly after Andy Clark surprised his son, Neil, and the two outlaws, Link and Rusty, by announcing that he, too, wished to become an outlaw, Lone Ranger and Tonto reined in their horses near the cabin. Oh, Silver. Oh, little fellow. Stay here, Silver. Come, Thunder. Oh, let me come. I don't know if we're going to be able to hear them inside enough, Kimosabe. It's as though the windows on this side are closed. Maybe window on the other side open. Well, look and see. Let's find out first if Neil and Andy are inside. You see him? Yes. He's sitting by the table. Neil's sitting alone over in that far corner. Yeah. The outlaw looks plenty mad. They're watching Andy as though they suspect he's up to something. Oh. I told Andy they likely wouldn't believe his story. That's why I thought we'd better be on hand. Not a good idea. Come. We'll circle the house and see if there's any place at all where we can wait and hear what's being said. While the Lone Ranger and Tonto waited patiently, the hours slipped by. One by one, the village lights went out. Then inside the outlaw's shack, Rusty spoke. Well, Link, I reckon it's about time we was moving. There ain't nobody awake in town now. Yeah. And look here, Andy. Huh? You ain't fooling us at all. You're up to some trick. What it is, I don't know. But I'm warning you, you'll make a false move and it'll be your last. Said I was going to be a crook, didn't I? Don't you think I'm old enough to know my own mind? Hey there, Neil. Quit sulking. Come over here. I've been thinking things over. Yeah? The way you've been sitting in a corner all evening without talking to anybody, I thought maybe he was mad at me. You can't do this. No? You can't just walk out in the ranches if it didn't mean anything to you. Did it, didn't I? And just wait till the banker comes around to collect the cash we owe him. He's going to find himself in the cattle business. But how about Ma? Well, what about her? You can't leave her like this. Can I? You don't see it how I owe her any more than you do. Don't you figure after 30 years of paying bills, I've done my share? Look at all she's done for you. Now, son, what's she done for me she ain't done for you. Well, I... What's right for one is right for all, Eden. Ma's done all kinds of things for you. That's right. And it seems to me I recollect her going without sleep for near a week just nursing you when you had the fever. And there was a time you broke a wheel on old Zeke's buggy and Ma took the blame so she wouldn't whop you. And I'll never forget as long as I live how she cried when you was born. She was that glad about it. What in the blaze is going on here? Let's see how they've shut up. Now, partners, don't mind my calling your parge, do you? I'm just trying to show Neil I got just as much right to turn crook as he has. Well, I ain't going through with it. Yeah, now, what's this? I ain't, I tell you. It's wrong. Pa, you're going back to the ranch and I'm going with you. And we're going right now. Just hold on. Now, let me handle this, parge. Neil's a mite excited. Maybe I can do more with him than you can. Pa, how can you sit there and talk like that? You ought to be ashamed. Son, you said yourself you wasn't a boy no more. But, Pa, don't you? And when you're a man growing, you learn that when you make the choice, you have to stick to it. And that's just what you're going to do. Pa, I never thought to hear you talk like this. Well, for the matter of that, I never thought a boy of mine would want to turn crooked. So that's it. Huh? You came here pretending to want to join us just so he could make the kid change his mind. Now, wait, Pa. Pa, Dave. Now then, take a look at these shooting irons. I see them. Then listen to what I got to say. You came meddling here where you wasn't wanted, planning on spying our scheme. Ain't you sort of jumping to conclusions? I savvy your game, but it ain't working. Neil ain't backing out because it's too late. If you pull cats figure I'm going to open Ezra's safe for you, you're local. You'll open it. What makes you think so? Or your pa will get shot. You wouldn't do that. I suppose you try us and see. Pa, what am I going to do? Neil, they're just bluffing. And you keep your mouth closed, Andy. Or Neil gets shot. All right, you two. Come along. We're heading for Ezra's store. And just keep this in mind. If either one of you try anything, it won't be yourself you'll be hurting. It'll be the other. Under the watchful eyes of Link and Rusty, Neil and Andy mounted and rode with the outlaws through the silent streets of Boonville. Finally, they reached Ezra Miller's general store. Keep watchin' him, Rusty. I'll try the door. I'm watchin'. You might keep still, kid, or if your pa gets drilled. It's locked. Figured it would be. Just give it a shove. That old lock won't hold nothin'. Door ain't barred. Yeah. Try again. Hold it. See if anybody hurt us. Reckon not. All right. Inside you two. You fellas will pay for this. Reckon we won't, Andy. It's you and Neil who's gonna pay. Huh? Watch out for them boxes. Thanks, Rusty. I've never seen him in the shadows, eh? Link, what do you mean? It's me and Neil who'll pay. Here's the safe. Curious, are you, Andy? You fellas don't think you can frame us for this, do you? Maybe. Open up the safe, Neil. Aye. And pronto. You'll get sure it's one of these days. Can you read the numbers on the dial? He'd better. We ain't lightin' any matches so that we can be seen. Gettin' it, kid? Now, just a second. There. Now, hand over that cash box in there. There you are. See, see what's in it, Link? Rusty, there's a plenty. More than I figured on. And most of it in folding money. Good. Hey, what'd you put that cash in my pocket for? It's just your pay, Neil. I don't want no stolen money. You don't get the idea, Neil. What we give you there ain't nothin' of what we're keepin' for ourselves. But when the sheriff finds it on you, he's goin' to be blamed, sure, you and your pa are thieves. Sheriff? See, what are you? Take the cash box and get goin'. I'll stand guard over these fellas. What'll happen when I tell the sheriff to search you two skunks? That's the best part of the whole thing, Andy. Rusty'll have the cash right in his saddle pockets when he's talkin' to the sheriff. But by the time you tell your story, he'll have the cash hid where nobody'll ever find it. All right, Rusty, on your way. I'll hold these cooks we found robbing us safe and you'll get the sheriff out of bed. There goes Rusty, Tato. Their scheme was clever, but they overlooked just one thing. What's that? There isn't time to explain that, Tato. We've got to act fast. You make outlaw foot cash back? I could have done that, Tato. But then there wouldn't have been a robbery. And there would have been nothing for which Link and Rusty could be jailed. My plan will clear Neil and Andy and convict those outlaws. What'd me do now? If Rusty's gonna hide his stolen money, he won't be able to come back with the sheriff. Isn't that right? I'm gonna call on the storekeeper, Tato, and you're going to follow Rusty. Let him tell his story to the sheriff. But when the sheriff leaves, hold Rusty till I get there. Ezra, open this door. Fine time of night to... Mass! You're getting dressed. Hot and thunder! Don't argue with me. You've got to get to your store before the sheriff. Now get into your clothes and I'll tell you what you're to do. The old storekeeper was at first indignant. But as the Lone Ranger explained, his indignation changed to excitement. He tumbled into his clothes, saddled his horse, and raced to the store. Oh, there! Ho, ho, ho! Is that you, Sheriff? I'm holding these phone cats. What's all the lights doing on in here? I made them light the lamps after I caught them, Sheriff. It ain't the sheriff. Ezra! Now look, Mr. Miller, we didn't... What's going on here? Blast it, Link. What are you holding a gun on them for? But I thought that they... And, Neil, I thought I told you and your pa to get the cash out of the safe and bring it right back to me. What's that? You told us what? My colleague, Rusty was telling the truth. I got the crook, Sheriff. One of them got away, but I caught these two all right. Andy, I never figured you'd turn crooked. You neither, Neil. But, Sheriff, I... Hold on a second. Is everybody loco in here? Sheriff, what are you doing here? I come here just as soon as Rusty told me about your store being robbed. Who's supposed to have robbed it? Well, Neil and his pa here. Oh, he didn't mean to, Sheriff. Shut up, Neil. Sheriff, can't I send Andy and Neil after my cash without rousing the whole town? You? You sent him here, Ezra? Of course I did. That ain't true. You sent him here, why wasn't the lights on when I caught him? And why they bust the door to get in? I told him not to light the lamps. Just so there wouldn't be a lot of fuss. And I broke that door myself this afternoon. That's what I wanted the cash for. I got to worry him. I'll hand it over, Neil. Well, I... This is all I got, Mr. Miller. There. I told you they were stealing. It was the fellow that got away who took the rest of the cash. Is this the man? What? The man? Here's your thief, Sheriff. He had the cash in his saddle pocket. Now, they was in on it. Neil opened the safe. He and his pa helped him. It was just because... Andy, don't you know enough to keep Phil at your age? But, Ezra... Wasn't it enough that took you and Neil to blame long to get back here with the cash that I had to come down here myself? Now, I don't want to hear another word out of you. That don't explain why Rusty roused me out of bed. But it does. These crooks figured you'd come to me. And I'd tell you I never sent Neil here. Then, if Neil said Rusty had the cash, you'd just believe he was a liar. Listen here. You can't blame me. Now, take him out of jail, Sheriff. I'll do that. But who in tarnation is this masked fellow? He's a friend of mine. And that's all you need to know. Maybe he's wearing a mask, but he ain't no outlaw. Ezra, your word suits me. And as for Link and Rusty here, I've been wanting to see them behind bars for so long, I just about give up hope for turning the trick. But that's where they're heading now. Get along, Link. You too, Rusty. Go on. Well then, Neil. You still want to be an outlaw? I've had enough of crooks to last me the rest of my life. But, Pa, you never meant all those things you said back in the cabin, did you? About leaving the ranch and Ma and all the rest? Of course I didn't, son. That was just part of the masked man's scheme to bring you to your senses. But, stranger. Yes? How did you get us out of this mess? I still don't see things quite straight. You're free, Andy, because, as I told Tonto, Link and Rusty made just one mistake. Yeah? What was that? Can't you guess, Andy? The masked fella knew you and me was friends. We always have been. Uh-huh. And, Andy, the masked fella knew that real friends don't never let each other down. Hi-oh! The one you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The Lone Ranger Incorporated. Thank you. The Lone Ranger Incorporated. Thank you. Thank you.
