00:23Peabody here, with another serving of Instant History.
00:26The wayback machine's all warmed up, Mr. Peabody.
00:28Excellent, Chairman. Then we're off to a town named St. Joseph, Missouri.
00:32The year is 1860, and the historical event is the start of the Pony Express.
00:37In the twinkling of an eye, the wayback had deposited us inside the Pony Express office.
00:41We arrived in the middle of a hot debate.
00:43Now look, you claim you'll deliver mail to Sacramento, right?
00:46Right, but then deliver my message.
00:49What you're asking is impossible.
00:51Either you're gonna deliver it, or I'm gonna sue you for false advertising.
00:55Why can't you deliver his message, mister?
00:57Cause he ridded on a boulder, that's why.
01:00Hmm.
01:01Dear Fargo, we'll soon have the business signed Wells.
01:05But offhand, sir, I'd say that boulder weighs at least half a ton.
01:08Yep.
01:08And getting it to Sacramento's gonna be a problem.
01:11Decidedly so.
01:12The strongest horse in the stable was saddled, and the boulder, with much effort, was lashed
01:16to a rider's back.
01:17Think you can manage it, Charlie?
01:19I'll sure give it a try, boss.
01:22Charlie did try.
01:23He urged his valiant steed forward.
01:25The horse took one step, and the Pony Express stable had a new cellar.
01:28Isn't there anything you can do to help them, Mr. Peabody?
01:31Of course there is, Sherman.
01:33Sir, get me one stick of dynamite.
01:36Five minutes later, the express office shook with a resounding explosion.
01:40That boulder down there is nothing but a mess of pebbles.
01:43Exactly.
01:44Now, all you have to do is transport the pebbles to Sacramento, and then reassemble them into
01:48the boulder again.
01:49What a brilliant idea!
01:52Yes, isn't it?
01:54That afternoon, 50 Pony Express riders, each carrying a pebble, set out for California.
01:58However, one pebble still remained.
02:00It's this one with a period on it.
02:02We're plumb out of riders, and the message won't be complete without a period.
02:06And that is how Sherman and I found ourselves in the employ of the Pony Express.
02:11What we didn't know was that a tribe of Cherokee Indians was in the employ of Mr. Wells.
02:15Indian chiefs see them riders down there.
02:18Me want them them ambushed.
02:20Indian understand?
02:22Sure, we understand.
02:23You want those two guys knocked off.
02:25Right.
02:26Me pay them heap big wampum.
02:28Oh, knock off that wampum, Jazz.
02:31What we want is cash, cold, hard cash.
02:34Sherman and I entered Intercepted Pass, which was the only route to Sacramento.
02:37The perfect spot for an ambush was where the pass came to its narrowest point.
02:41What engine got them in sack?
02:43Rocks?
02:44No, these are Charlie Barnett records.
02:47Cherokee?
02:48Yeah, crazy, huh?
02:50You really dig?
02:51Well, what I'm gonna do now is dump them over the cliff and bury those two alive.
02:54It was a diabolical plan, and it would have succeeded, except that Intercepted Pass was
02:59infested with downdrafts and upwinds.
03:01The wreckers were poured out, but instead of cascading down, were caught by the winds
03:05and sent sailing up.
03:07Look up there, Mr. Peabody.
03:08What is it?
03:09That, Sherman, is the big disc jockey show in the sky.
03:13We navigated the pass without further incident and stopped at a small creek to water our horse.
03:18Now what engine do?
03:20This time we're taking no chances.
03:22See these?
03:22Hmm, tiny arrows.
03:24They're not arrows.
03:26They're 33 and a third long playing needles dipped in poison.
03:29That'll stop those two for sure.
03:33Did you hear that, Sherman?
03:34I sure did.
03:35What is it, Mr. Peabody?
03:37Indians with long playing needles, Sherman.
03:39I'd know that sound anywhere.
03:40Quick, pretend we're going to take a nap.
03:42Well, my boy, I think 40 winks would be appropriate.
03:46And how, Mr. Peabody?
03:47I'm tired.
03:48We got out the blankets, but instead of sleeping beneath them,
03:51we bundled them up to look as though we were beneath them.
03:53And after crawling off into the brush, we waited for the attack.
03:56It wasn't long in coming.
03:58Of course, Mr. Wells and the Indian chief were in for a disappointment.
04:02I'll be darned.
04:03They tricked us.
04:04Yeah, and what's more, look at those blankets.
04:06They're still alive.
04:08You mean the needles didn't kill the blankets?
04:10Right.
04:10I don't understand.
04:12Maybe they weren't poisoned.
04:13I dipped them myself.
04:15Are you sure?
04:16Positive.
04:16Taste one.
04:18It's all right.
04:21After dark, Sherman and I retrieved our horse and continued our journey.
04:25Two weeks later in Sacramento, our pebble was added to the boulder.
04:28This is a proud day for us.
04:30The mail got through, and now let's celebrate.
04:33We'd like to, sir, but Sherman and I have another job to do.
04:36Another job?
04:37Yeah, Sherman.
04:37I was just handed this onion with a message on it.
04:40I promised we'd see that it got to Chicago.
04:42But gee, Mr. Peabody.
04:44Now, now, now, Sherman.
04:45We assisted the Pony Express.
04:47The least we can do is to help Western Onion.
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