Real Western Hero #73

Sheriff Hopalong Cassidy arrives in a newly opened territory to oversee fair land claims, only to find that a pair of shady outlaws, Murky and Weasel, are secretly plotting to burn down the claims office and destroy all records—so they can steal the best land by force. When a fire breaks out at night, the settlers scramble to save their homes, but the destruction of the records leaves everyone’s claims in dispute, sparking a dangerous showdown over a single contested stake.

Cactus Brain claims he’s hunting moose, much to the confusion of his friend, who points out there are no moose around. When the friend locks himself in his room, Cactus Brain tricks him into coming out by pretending to be a girl, then laughs at the ruse.

Sheriff Mike Shaw and his deputies pursue a gang of bank robbers who’ve fled to a showboat, only to be outsmarted when the criminals disguise themselves as actors in a play. The sheriff realizes the robbers used the long, uninterrupted scenes in the show to sneak off the boat, commit the crimes, and return to their roles—just as the final act begins.