"Silver on the Sage" is one of the better Hoppys of the period. This time around he's up against twin brothers played by Stanley Ridges.
Lucky (Russell Hayden) and Windy (George Hayes) are bringing a herd of cattle from the Bar 20 to the Lazy J Ranch owned by cattleman Tom Hamilton (Frederick Burton) who has a young daughter Barbara (Ruth Rogers) , while Hoppy (William Boyd) is away buying breeding stock. Lucky and the boys head to town for a celebration whilst Windy stays behind to watch over the cattle.
While the Boys are in town, Windy is overpowered and the cattle stolen. When Lucky returns from town, Hamilton refuses to accept ownership of the herd because he had not as yet counted the herd and paid off the men. Lucky, Windy and the boys search for the missing herd and come up empty. Lucky accuses Hamilton of rustling the herd. He bars Lucky and his crew from his ranch.
In town, Hamilton's foreman Dave Talbot (Ridges) goes to warn his twin brother Earl Brennan (also Ridges) that the cattle they stole were from the Bar 20. Lucky sends his cowhands back to the Bar20. On their way they meet Hoppy who was coming to investigate several recent local rustlings. Hoppy proceeds to the town where he decides to go undercover as a gambler to investigate his herd's theft.
Talbot and Lucky tangle with Talbot attempting to shoot Lucky in the back. He brings Talbot back to Hamilton's ranch where Hamilton agrees to bring his foreman to the City Marshal (Jack Rockwell). Meanwhile, Brennan dresses as his brother an enters a poker game with Hoppy while Talbot, Lucky and Hamilton are coming to town. They are ambushed by a sniper. While Lucky chases the sniper, Hamilton is gunned down by Talbot.
Talbot has an air tight alibi because Brennan dressed as him is mistaken for Talbot therefore Lucky is charged with murder, Lucky manages to escape and flee with Hoppy, Windy and a posse in pursuit. Hoppy manages to have Windy hide Lucky near a desert water hole while he returns to town.
Resuming his poker game in which Talbot is now participating, Hoppy notices subtle differences in Talbot's mannerisms and becomes suspicious. Brennan has been warned by his henchmen Ewing (Roy Barcroft) and Pierce (Ed Cassidy) that the newly hired gambler is indeed Hopalong Cassidy. Windy, meanwhile, posing as the "notorious" Black Bart is tied up by Ewing and Pierce.
Brennan dressed as Talbot when the real Talbot arrives to warn his brother. A scuffle ensues, the Marshal is shot and Talbot arrested. Brennan and his gang bolt in the confusion and head out of town. Hoppy, Windy and the Deputy (Hank Bell) head up a posse and pursue Brennan. Hoppy and Windy break off from the posse and go to Lucky. Lucky decides to go to the Hamilton ranch to warn them that their cattle are about to be rustled. Hoppy decides to trail Brennan across the desert leaving markers to show the others his trail.
Lucky is tied up by Barbara and her hands and Hoppy's markers are found by an outlaw who was left behind by Brennan. Lucky is released when Windy and the posse arrive to warn Barbara. Hoppy meanwhile, has found Brennan's hideaway in an oasis in the middle of the desert but is left to face them alone. As his ammunition runs low.........................................................
Stanley Ridges gives a good performance as the evil twins. He gives each twin a distinct personality. Roy Barcroft, who was just emerging as a top "B" western bad guy, has a few comical scenes with Hayes with whom he would meet up with again at Republic Pictures in their Roy Rogers series. Veteran "B' westerner the mustachioed Hank Bell has a larger than usual part as the Deputy.
Lucky (Russell Hayden) and Windy (George Hayes) are bringing a herd of cattle from the Bar 20 to the Lazy J Ranch owned by cattleman Tom Hamilton (Frederick Burton) who has a young daughter Barbara (Ruth Rogers) , while Hoppy (William Boyd) is away buying breeding stock. Lucky and the boys head to town for a celebration whilst Windy stays behind to watch over the cattle.
While the Boys are in town, Windy is overpowered and the cattle stolen. When Lucky returns from town, Hamilton refuses to accept ownership of the herd because he had not as yet counted the herd and paid off the men. Lucky, Windy and the boys search for the missing herd and come up empty. Lucky accuses Hamilton of rustling the herd. He bars Lucky and his crew from his ranch.
In town, Hamilton's foreman Dave Talbot (Ridges) goes to warn his twin brother Earl Brennan (also Ridges) that the cattle they stole were from the Bar 20. Lucky sends his cowhands back to the Bar20. On their way they meet Hoppy who was coming to investigate several recent local rustlings. Hoppy proceeds to the town where he decides to go undercover as a gambler to investigate his herd's theft.
Talbot and Lucky tangle with Talbot attempting to shoot Lucky in the back. He brings Talbot back to Hamilton's ranch where Hamilton agrees to bring his foreman to the City Marshal (Jack Rockwell). Meanwhile, Brennan dresses as his brother an enters a poker game with Hoppy while Talbot, Lucky and Hamilton are coming to town. They are ambushed by a sniper. While Lucky chases the sniper, Hamilton is gunned down by Talbot.
Talbot has an air tight alibi because Brennan dressed as him is mistaken for Talbot therefore Lucky is charged with murder, Lucky manages to escape and flee with Hoppy, Windy and a posse in pursuit. Hoppy manages to have Windy hide Lucky near a desert water hole while he returns to town.
Resuming his poker game in which Talbot is now participating, Hoppy notices subtle differences in Talbot's mannerisms and becomes suspicious. Brennan has been warned by his henchmen Ewing (Roy Barcroft) and Pierce (Ed Cassidy) that the newly hired gambler is indeed Hopalong Cassidy. Windy, meanwhile, posing as the "notorious" Black Bart is tied up by Ewing and Pierce.
Brennan dressed as Talbot when the real Talbot arrives to warn his brother. A scuffle ensues, the Marshal is shot and Talbot arrested. Brennan and his gang bolt in the confusion and head out of town. Hoppy, Windy and the Deputy (Hank Bell) head up a posse and pursue Brennan. Hoppy and Windy break off from the posse and go to Lucky. Lucky decides to go to the Hamilton ranch to warn them that their cattle are about to be rustled. Hoppy decides to trail Brennan across the desert leaving markers to show the others his trail.
Lucky is tied up by Barbara and her hands and Hoppy's markers are found by an outlaw who was left behind by Brennan. Lucky is released when Windy and the posse arrive to warn Barbara. Hoppy meanwhile, has found Brennan's hideaway in an oasis in the middle of the desert but is left to face them alone. As his ammunition runs low.........................................................
Stanley Ridges gives a good performance as the evil twins. He gives each twin a distinct personality. Roy Barcroft, who was just emerging as a top "B" western bad guy, has a few comical scenes with Hayes with whom he would meet up with again at Republic Pictures in their Roy Rogers series. Veteran "B' westerner the mustachioed Hank Bell has a larger than usual part as the Deputy.