Andrew Rines (0:00)

Foreign. Welcome to the Old Time Radio Westerns. I'm your host, Andrew Rines, and I'm excited to bring you another episode absolutely free. This is one of over 80 episodes released monthly for your enjoyment. Now let's get into this episode. A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty high. O Silver, the Lone Ranger. Before this exciting adventure, a word from our sponsor, General Mills, makers of Cheerios, the oat cereal that's ready to eat, Betty Crocker mixes and Wheaties, the breakfast of champions present by special recording, the Lone Ranger. Did you ever talk to your grandmother or your mother about what it used to be like to bake an angel food cake? Before there was a Betty Crocker angel food cake mix, that is, well, they used to have to take 13 eggs and separate the whites from the yolks. Can you imagine all that bother over a dozen eggs? Angel food cakes took hours then, and I guess that's why they only baked them for very, very special occasions. But now you can have big, delicious angel food cakes all the time. Mmm. It's so easy when mom used to uses Betty Crocker angel food cake mix. That's the mix with the whites of 13 farm fresh eggs right in the package. Mom just adds water and your favorite flavoring for a perfect cake. Angel perfect every time. Cake after cake after cake. A high light every day is party day kind of cake. And it's guaranteed perfect by Betty Crocker of General Mills, Minneapolis. I hope mom bakes lots of Betty Crocker angel food cakes at your house there. So melt in your mouth. Good. With his faithful Indian companion, Toto, 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 hoof beats of the great horse. Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Silver. Let's go. Big fellow, are you, Silver? Away. Thunder Martin, a former mule skinner, worked as top hand on Clarabelle Hornblow's ranch, located several miles south of Rock City in the mountainous part of western Texas. In a woods on the opposite side of Rock City, the Lone Ranger and Tonto, two good friends of Thunder and Clarabelle, had made camp. Tonto had ridden to the express office at the railroad station in town to send a package to the Lone Ranger's nephew, Dan Reed, who was attending school here. You are Indian this package will leave here on the train tomorrow morning. I wish I could say the same for the dynamite that's on the station platform. You know what dynamite is? Me here of it. It's a new fangled explosive, about 10 times as powerful as blasting powder. And there's a thousand pounds of the stuff on that platform. 20 cases. Enough to blow Rock City clean off the map. I'll sure be glad when it's moved. Howdy, Thunder. Thunder Martin. Well, sakes alive, you're a cypressauri. Where's your partner? Him camp north of town. Him say we visit Hornblow Ranch. Well, that'll be fine. Say, Pete, shake hands with my friend Todo. Todo, this is Pete Booker. How we already did business. Glad to know you, Tono. Clarabel will sure be glad to see you on your part. She's in town right now getting supplies and mail. I drove her in from the ranch. Oh, Clarabelle. Well, she's all right. Big and sassy as ever. But she's in trouble up to where he is. Oh, what wrong? Mortgage trouble. The bank's holding the past due mortgage on the ranch. And if it's not paid this week, well, she stands to lose the property. That's bad. Only $500. Budget might as well be 5,000. Oh, golly. Beating you, Tono? I got sidetracked. Almost forgot why I came here. Why did you come here, Thunder? I'm looking for John Grigg. Banker Hobbs said I might find him here. Maybe he'd buy my mules so I could help Clarabelle. Come to think of it, maybe he would. Peter, who is John Gray? I never heard of the jet. He's the engineer in charge of building that tunnel through Sawtooth Mountain. Why, that's near the far end of Gopher Canyon. That's a day's travel from here. Yeah, but Greg's been in town for the past week. Seems he ran into trouble on the tunnel job. Ran into more hard rock than he calculated and ran out of dynamite. Find out that there's 20 cases of the stuff on your platform. That's Greg's. He ordered it by telegraph and the railroad rushed it this far. But this is as close to the tunnel as the railroad can take it. Greg spent a week trying to find someone to freight the cases to his tunnel. What about Freighter Finch? He and Greg had a run in. Yeah, it's easy to fight the Finch. He's an ornery poker. He knew Greg was paying a lot of men who couldn't do a lick of work until they Got the dynamite, Finch Worth make the most of that. He did. He told Greg. What did it cost to freight this stuff. Greg called him a thieving bandit. That he'd be hanged before he pays such a price. Why, the whole shipment could be hauled in one strong wagon. That's how Greg figured. But he can't find anyone who tackled the job. Well, is everyone scared of dynamite? Everyone's scared of Freighter Finch. That weasel face little sidewinder. Finch has a monopoly on freight and Thunder. He hires some mighty tough armies to keep everyone else from cutting into his business. Well, why, 10 mules could carry those cases. That's probably what banker Hobbs had in mind when he told you to look up John Gregg. Oh, Mr. Gregg. See ya. Are you John Gregg? Yes. You must be Thunder Martin. You hit the nail right on the head. I met banker Hobbs on the street just after you talked to him. Yeah, he told me about you. Said you had a string of mules. What's your price to move that dynamite to Sawtooth Mountains? Well, maybe the banker didn't tell you, but I need $500. 500? That's more than Finch. Now, hold on, Greg. I've got to have that much cash. Anything less won't help me at all. Now, if you want to buy my mules at that price, I'll sell them and you can move your own freight. I could use them on the job. They could haul rock. Where are they now? At the Hornblue Ranch now, if you want to see. Oh, that's not necessary. Hobbs told me about them, so I'll buy them. Greg drew up a simple agreement, paid Thunder $100 and promised to pay the balance when the mules were delivered. As Thunder finished signing the agreement, Clarabelle Hornblow entered the station. Thunder, I've been looking for you. Right. Why, Todo. Well, I'm glad to see you. You two p. Howdy, man. Hey, Clarabelle. This is Mr. Green. How do you do, man? Howdy. Say, Tono, where's your friend? Him in camp at Clarabelle. He and Tano are going to stop at the Rash. Well, that's good. That's first rate. Say, I'll dish up a fancy meal to celebrate paying off the mortgage. Did you hear that, Thunder? What? I'm paying off the mortgage. You are? Yeah, but we don't. With what? With money. That'll bring galore. I wrote to the cattle buyer in Chicago asking for a cash advance on the stock I'll sell this season. And he sent it to me. He. He did? Yep. Here it is. A bank draft. It came by today's mail. Now I'll pay the bank and burn that mortgage. Oh no. Jay. What's the matter with you? Greg, our deal is off. You accepted my money inside an agreement. But I, I, I'm sorry, but I've got to hold you to it. Jay, what's he talking about? You and your mortgages. Right. Why in tarnation didn't you tell me you had ripped for a cash at hand? What's funer? I sold my mules to save that stove in rundown rats yard. Yo. What? Sold the 10 poor critters into a life of misery. Toting dynamite and hauling rocks. Listen to me. I'm sorry, Martin, but I have a big payroll. My men are idle until they get the dynamite. I hate to do it, but I need those mules. So I must hold you to the agreement. Maybe that agreement's not legal. It'll hold up in court. Remember, I have witnesses. But my mules. Martin, I don't care about keeping your mules. But I must have that dynamite. What? What do you mean? If you freight the cases to my office at the tunnel, I'll tear up the agreement. You. You mean you'll let me keep the long ears? Yes. And also the hundred dollars I've already handed you. That's a deal. I, I'll handle your freight. I. I'm wondering what freighter Finch will do if he starts anything. He'll wish he had. Word of Thunder Martin's plans spread quickly throughout the town and soon reached Frater Finch. The ruthless owner of the Star Freight Company immediately called two hard faced men into his office. They were gunmen known as Bull and Rook. Bull said Thunder Martin's got his nerve. Boys, you know I'll not tolerate competition. We'll take care of Thunder Martin. That's your job. But it may not be as easy as the dry gulf shooting of those two wagon drivers. Martin is tough. A bullet will stop the toughest man alive. John Gray plans to accompany Thunder Martin and the mules through the canyon. You know what that means? We'll have to kill Greg as well as Martin. Yes. Better take a third man with you. We'll take Lefty. He's been wanting a chance to earn some bonus money. They will. You want us to handle things the same as we did before. How's that? Leave footprints while we're wearing moccasins and ride unshot horses. So the killings will look like the work of renegade Indian? Yes. And I want you to start as soon as possible. What's the hurry? Martin isn't going to leave town till midnight. They won't reach the entrance to the canyon for daybreak. I know that. I want you men to ride through the hills on the north side of the canyon as far as Dog Leg Bend. I know where that is. That point. The walls are only about 20ft high. You'll have no trouble getting into the camp. Wait and ambush behind some boulders. We savvy, boss. We get Lefty and be on our way within a half hour. Meanwhile, Tottle rejoined the Lone Ranger in camp and told all that had happened. At the railroad station, the Lone Ranger listened attentively to the details of the monopoly of Frater Finch, the suspicion that the freighter was responsible for the murder of two wagon drivers and the deal that Thunder Martin had made. When Tonto finished his report, the masked man said, I've heard about tension his monopoly. Him plenty powerful, plenty dangerous. Only because he has gunman working for him. You think imply stops Thunder Martins? Yes, Tono. Unless he stops Thunder, you lose his monopoly and Thunder in danger. Both Thunder and John Gregg. Right. And another thing. If Finch prevents the delivery of the dynamite, he'll hold up work on the tunnel. That tunnel is necessary to the expansion of the railroad and Finch block railroad? Yes. When are Thunder and Greg leaving Rock City? Tonight, midnight. Im start then to reach Gopher Canyon by daybreak. Then him have daylight for a trip through canyons. That's a desolate canyon. The logical place for an ambush. What we do? I'm going to ride to the canyon entrance. Silver, I'll hide near there and watch to see if any men who might be ambushers enter the gap ahead of Thunder. Nico with you ride with me as far as Rock City. You go into town and keep your eye on Finch. If you learn that he's planning something, come to the canyon and tell me. Otherwise, join Thunder Martin and travel with him. Be savvy. I'll be at the canyon when you get there. Ready to start? All right, let's go. Easy, Big Fell. We'll continue our Lone Ranger adventure in just a moment. When Bill's at bath, the kids all shout. You can't strike that slugger out. He gets a hit 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. Sure, Cheerios. The cereal that's fun to eat because it's shaped like little letter O's. The only ready to eat oat cereal with this fresh toasted oat flavor and Listen, every delicious spoonful of Cheerios and milk is real muscle building food. Each spoonful contains vitamins, minerals and proteins your body needs. Yes, the good things in a Cheerios breakfast do good things for your body. Help you have healthy nerves, good red blood, strong bones and muscles. Yes, Cheerios is made to give you real go power. So every morning get going and keep going with Cheerios. Then you'll hear people say he's feeling his Cheerios. Now to continue. Easy, Silver. It was after dark when the Lone Ranger drew rein near the canyon entrance, found dense underbrush to conceal himself and Silver and began his vigil. At dawn the mule train arrived. The masked man greeted Thunder Martin and met John Gregg. Then he reported, so far no one's gone into the canyon. Then we needn't be looking for Ambui. Killers might ride after us. How do I stay here to watch? Anyone who starts at the gap will have some explaining to do. The Lone Ranger and Toto waited for some time. Then the masked man looked at his watch and said, I thought gunman would be here by this time. Maybe pinch, not try stop Thunder. I can't believe he'd let anyone challenge his monopoly. Let's see if anyone's in sight. Much brushwood come this way. The Lone Ranger and Toto headed north along the base of the steep slope. When they'd walked about 50 yards, the masked man said, when we reach the end of the brushwood, we'll have a clear view of the open plain between here and town. Ah, anyone come, we see him. Long way off. This will do. I don't see Otto. Look at these tracks. Ah, them come from direction to town. Three horses. It was before I started watching. Otherwise I'd have heard them. Them go up slope. The horses were unshod. That right? Maybe owned by Indians. Or by white men who wanted Indians to be blamed for murder. Remember the wagon drivers who were shot? Imasabi? Yes, maybe. Killers right through heels. Reach canyon, had a mule train wait in ambush. Back to the horses. We go after Thunder. Give him warning. I'll try to overtake him in time. He read a town for the sheriff. Me do that. Tell him what we found. And tell him there's a chance to catch the man who killed two wagon drivers. Me savvy? Easy scout. Easy fella. And tell him to hurry. Get him up easy. Steady, big fella. Mont. The floor of the canyon was rocky and uneven. But the sure footed Silver raced ahead as if he knew that human lives depended on his speed. Come on. After riding at a Grueling pace for some time, the Lone Ranger rounded a bend and saw the slow moving mule train. At the sound of Silver's hoof beats, Thunder Martin turned and the masked man shouted, stop those mules. Thunder. Stop the mules. What's up? Are gunmen coming this way? I think three gunmen are waiting. An ambush all right ahead of you. If I'm wrong, there'll be nothing lost. Apollo me. If you hear gunfire, you'll know what it means. Come on, Silver. Meanwhile, the three gunmen had left their horses at the top of the canyon and descended by using projecting rocks as steps and handholds. They sat on the ground close to a boulder large enough to conceal them from the view of anyone approaching from the east. When they heard the sound of an approaching horse, Bull peered past the side of the boulder and drew back quickly. Someone. Bull. Yeah, man just came around Dog Leg Bend. I don't know who he is, but I think he's wearing a mask now. Who's. Wherever he is, he's sure to see us when he comes abreast of this rock. And later, if he hears about the ambush, he'll remember it. You think you'd go to the law? I don't know, but we can't take chances. I'll give him time to get closer, then I'll plug it. Thunder Martin might hear the shot and suspect an ambush. Can't be helped. The Lone Ranger had never been more alert. After making the sharp turn at Dog Leg Bend, he thought he saw a slight movement at the edge of a boulder some distance ahead. He watched that point closely while he drew a gun and held it ready. When Bull's hand and gun appeared, the masked man fired. This way. Silver Quickly turning his horse, the Lone Ranger fired again. Monsoon. He fired several more shots over his shoulder while retreating at top speed. His bullets glanced off the rock kept the gunman from exposing themselves to shoot back. The Lone Ranger drew rein beyond the dogleg bend where he could not be seen by the men in ambush. In the distance, he saw Thunder. Martin, who had heard the gunfire, halted the mule train and ridden ahead to investigate. In a moment, the big man brought his horse to a halt at the Lone Ranger side. I heard you. The crooks are in ambush about a hundred yard beyond the bend. Let me add the pool Cat. Wait, Thunder, you can't hit them. They're behind the boulder. We've got to shoot it out if we expect to reach a tunnel. I know a way to capture those men, but we can't be bothered with prisoners. Now. Listen, to me, Thunder, the canyon wall is only about 20ft high. I can easily climb to the top from up there, I'll be able to see it. Though some time had elapsed since the shooting Bull still grumbled about the destruction of his gun. I'll kill that masked man if it's the last thing I do. I never saw such shooting. The way he fired from the saddle and hit you a gun. Luck, that's all it was. Well, you'd better forget your gun and decide what we're gonna do now. Wait right here for the mule train. What do you think we're going to do? Maybe the masked man warned Martin. Maybe the mule train won't come past here. It's got it. They can't reach the tunnel without passing here. I just hope I get another chance to drill that mask on break. Well, make sure you shoot first. We've only got one gun left. If he smashes that, we roll. Hey, we got there. Behind us, something blew up. Look at the smoke and the hole in the ground. That was Dinoboy. He's above us. Up there. Looking up, the ambusher saw the Lone Ranger on the rim of the canyon. He held dynamite in one hand and a gun in the other. This time I'll kill you. No. Oh, you plain fool. Did it again. Smash my other gun. Anyone else want. Don't shoot me. Please, mister. Stop your gun. Raise your hands and get out from behind that boulder. Listen, gunsling, I'll make a deal with you. If you're not out from behind that boulder within three seconds, I'll light the field on this dynamite and remove the boulder. No, no, not that. I'll do what you say. I'm moving. Come on, Bull. You're through, same as we are. We can't fight dynamite. The Lone Ranger held his guns on the three men until Thunder and Gregg rode from beyond the bend and tied the prisoner's hands. The masked man then descended to the canyon floor and called to Silver as he joined the group. Silver say these trucks are wearing moccasins. Yes, and the horses they left up above are unshod. You crooks plan to murder us, just as you did the wagon drivers have the Indians blamed for the crime. The marks of your horse's hoofs and your own feet will tie you into the murder of the wagon drivers. You three are gonna hang. No, no, not me. I wasn't with Rook and Bull on those jobs. Shut up, Les. Why should I hang with you two? I'm telling the truth. That's the only way you'll save your neck. Did Finch hire you to ambush Martin Gregg? Yeah. Finch hired us for this job. But he hired only Bull and Rook for the murder of the wagon drivers. I'll tell everything. I'll sign a statement. I'll testify in court. I'll do anything you say, but don't let him hang me. Wh. The sheriff will be here. He'll take your statement. Easy to be, Phillip. I'll go to meet him and tell him the killers are captured. But wait. We'll meet again, Greg Thunder. I'll see you soon. Adios, mister. Adios. Come on, Phil. That mask man saved our lives. Yep, and he saved your tunnel. Greg. Now you've seen for yourself that there's no one like the Moon Ranger. The Lone Ranger, a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated, is produced by Trendall Campbell Muir Incorporated. The part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer, your announcer, Fred Foy. Listen to the Lone Ranger. Brought to you by special recording Mondays through Fridays at this same time. This has been a presentation of otrwesterns.com and we hope you enjoyed. Please take some time to like and rate this episode within your favorite podcast application. Follow us on Facebook by going to otrwesterns.com and subscribe to our YouTube channel by going to otrwesterns.Com YouTube become one of our ranch hands and unlock some exclusive content. We want to thank the following ranch hand, Steve, who joined us recently. You too can join by going to otrwesterns.com donate send us an email podcasttrwesterns.com and you can call and leave us a voicemail 707986, 8739. This episode is copyright under the Attribution Non Commercial Share alike Copyright. For more information go to otrwesterns.com copyright have a great day and thanks for listening.