[all clamoring]
Now, now, calm down, folks.
Everybody just calm down.
We are not gonna cancel the Cactus Gulch rodeo.
-But, Mayor Scrubmouse, I've seen him. -[all clamoring]
Are you mice or scaredy-cats?
The Creepy Cowboy's just a legend of the old West.
[horse whinnying]
It's him!
-[stuttering] It's the Creepy Cowboy! -[all screaming]
[cackling]
[shrieks]
[Creepy Cowboy wailing]
I'd never believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.
The Creepy Cowboy's not a legend, he's real!
♪ Who's the mouse who's fun and witty Scoops the news for New Mouse City ♪
♪ Geronimo ♪
♪ He's amazing, he's terrific Watch out, world, he's cheddarific ♪
♪ He's out of sight and in the know ♪
♪ Go! ♪
♪ He's the one we call Geronimo ♪
If anyone can find the truth, it's you, Geronimo.
Anything for a friend, Jebediah, and I love a good story.
Saddle up, everyone. There's a mystery in Cactus Gulch.
Yee-haw!
The tourist attraction that's the best of the west.
Yeah, with most of the dust, too.
Don't worry, Pandora. It'll be more exciting than it sounds.
My old college buddy, Mayor Scrubmouse, claims there's a problem with a ghost.
Now that's a mystery.
-I'll believe it when I see it. -Heh. My sentiments exactly.
Come on, Trap. We're meeting Thea at the Meta Mouse.
-You're not afraid of ghosts, are you? -Nope, just didn't wanna miss lunch.
Take your seats, everyone. We'll be landing soon.
If you plan on listening to music, I hope you brought headphones.
This isn't for playing music. It's my new Ghostblaster. [chuckles]
Everyone knows that ghosts hate loud noises, so...
-[Ghostblaster screeching] -[all yelling]
[screeching stops]
See? The Ghostblaster works.
-Wow, this place is really dead. -That's because it's a graveyard.
[Jebediah] Geronimo!
[Geronimo] Jebby!
♪ Balahoo, balahey Walla-Bing-Bang-Bung ♪
♪ Skittle-doo, Skattle-too Wacka-fing-fang-fung ♪
I hope this isn't what Geronimo meant by exciting.
You've come just in time. Things are bad in Cactus Gulch.
-Real bad. -Let's get into town and check things out.
But without the Ghostblaster.
Fine, but when the ghost gets you, don't blame me.
Now you look like real cowboys and cowgirls.
Jebediah.
-Where is everyone? -Gone.
The Creepy Cowboy scared the tourists away and even the townsfolk have left.
What can you tell me about this Creepy Cowboy?
Well, it all began long ago with my great-great grandpappy...
Sagebrush Scrubmouse, he started the rodeo back
when Cactus Gulch was a one-cactus town.
Wily Whiskers won the bull riding contest,
but there was a problem.
Glue? Wily Whiskers, you're a lowdown, double-dealing bushwhacker.
Disqualified.
-[crowd booing] -Wily was a cheater.
One day, Scrubmouse, I'll return and destroy this whole town.
And a sore loser.
If you can't stop the Creepy Cowboy, no one will come to the rodeo.
Cactus Gulch will be ruined, just like Wily Whiskers promised.
There's a logical explanation for this Creepy Cowboy.
[yelps]
-Are there any suspects? -Hardly anybody left to call a suspect.
But talk to Wade Whiskers.
He's Wily Whisker's great grandson, he's still around.
Great grandson, huh? Revenge could be a possible motive.
Wade runs the Double W Ranch.
Just outside of town. I've got it on the GPS, let's go.
I'll go with you. Six eyes are better than four.
I'll check the town for clues.
Start with Bernard the Blacksmith.
-Does he have a motive, too? -No.
-He's one of the few people left in town. -Okay, thanks.
You ready, Trap? Trap?
[stammers]
Uh... What'd I miss? [chuckles]
I don't know whether the ghost is real or not.
All I know is, he's bad for business.
Can't sell horseshoes if no one's left in town.
Geronimo, that's it!
-Got something? -Do I? Horseshoes are lucky,
and ghosts stay away from guys with good luck.
Sorry, the horseshoes in that box aren't for sale.
[Trap] Oh!
This one feels very lucky. I'll take it!
Like I said, those aren't for sale.
How about some lucky horseshoe nails instead?
Thanks, but they're not as lucky as horseshoes.
Send the bill over to the hotel.
[chuckles]
Hmm. Seems Bernard isn't the only one left in town.
[grunting]
Come on, git.
-Let's see what he's up to. -[grunting]
[beeps, then locks]
Coast is clear.
[grunts] It's locked.
That's the most modern thing I've seen since we got here.
I wonder what he's hiding.
[all yell]
Looks like Wade Whiskers just lassoed himself some trespassers.
-I don't see him. -He couldn't have gone far.
Yeah, no one in this place ever does. Heh.
Come on.
[yells]
[both grunt]
Well, what have we here?
[sighs] I think our luck just ran out. [chuckles]
[Geronimo grunts]
-Thank you, Mister...? -Grimbleton.
Cactus Gulch's gravedigger.
Why would a gravedigger need a box of dynamite?
To scare off the ghost, good thinking.
[chuckles]
It's for digging graves.
The soil around these parts is dust on top of a whole lot of rock.
Uh... Oh.
My name is Geronimo Stilton.
I'm here to figure out who's behind this Creepy Cowboy business.
I can tell you who's behind it.
And who might that be?
Wily Whiskers, that's who, back from the dead to get his revenge.
And if you were smart, you'd get out before Wily's ghost rides again.
[snickers, then clears throat]
Thanks for the advice, but we're not concerned about ghosts.
Are we?
Nope, not with my lucky horseshoe to protect us.
[clanging]
[shrieking]
Ow. Okay. Ow. Okay. Ow. Okay.
[busy signal on phone]
Hm. No answer from Benjamin. I hope nothing's wrong.
[Wade] The only thing wrong is you cheese slickers.
[whinnies]
-Benjamin, Thea, are you guys okay? -Do we look okay?
-We were bushwhacked. -What's this? I demand an explanation.
I don't like snoops or the friends of snoops.
Keep their furry tails away from my property, or else...
[whinnies]
The Whiskers were silver miners, but the mines tapped out long ago.
Has he ever been in trouble with the law?
Nope, heh-heh, but every year he tries to win the rodeo
to bring his family respect, and every year he loses.
If he wants to win, scaring away the contestants would do the trick.
Mayor Scrubmouse, he got him. The Creepy Cowboy's got him!
Now, calm down, Grimbleton. The Creepy Cowboy got who?
Bernard. He was on his way to see Wade Whiskers,
and he rode up and grabbed him.
The Creepy Cowboy gave me a message for Mr. Stilton.
He said if you don't get out of town by sundown, you're next.
Uh, it's sundown now.
[Creepy Cowboy cackling]
Here he comes! Stand brave.
Look out, G!
Phew. That was a close--
-[screaming] -Trap!
[Trap stammering]
Ghost or not, you really need to learn some manners!
[cackling]
[screaming]
-[cackling] -[horse whinnies]
Quick, after him.
Somebody call for a taxi?
Come on, let's form a posse.
I was hoping to chase after the Creepy Cowboy on something safer!
-[whimpering] -Hi-ho, Trap, and away!
[Geronimo grunting]
Trap, where did you learn how to ride a donkey?
The merry-go-round.
I can also ride an elephant, a zebra and a tiger.
-Duck! -What? [grunts]
Hey!
[both grunt]
[Creepy Cowboy cackling]
[groaning]
-We lost him. -Yes, but he left us a clue.
That's the ranch brand of Wade Whiskers.
-[beeps, then unlocks] -[gasps]
I thought I told you cheese slickers to stay off my property.
We just wanted to ask you questions.
Grimbleton said Bernard was on his way to see you
-when the Creepy Cowboy grabbed him. -So?
I don't know anything about Bernard or your Creepy Cowboy.
If that's true, then how come the Creepy Cowboy was wearing your hat?
That's your ranch's brand, isn't it?
And what if it is?
That hat used to be my great-great grandpappy's,
but I'll show you who it belongs to now.
[gasps]
[screams] The Creepy Cowboy!
Make some noise!
[chuckles]
-It's just a scarecrow, isn't it? -If it's the scarecrow's hat,
how'd the Creepy Cowboy get it?
Probably trespassed on my property and stole it, just like you rats.
-He's the Creepy Cowboy. I know it. -Yes, but how do we prove it?
We need to keep him busy, so I can get in his barn.
[gasps] That's it.
Why don't y'all get, while the getting's good
and leave me alone.
Okay, we'll leave you alone.
We'll leave town, but only if you beat Geronimo in a bull riding competition.
That's right. We'll leave town if you beat Geronimo in a-- What?!
-Beat me in a bull riding competition? -[chuckles] Let's do it.
[whimpers]
[bellowing]
-I can't do this. I'm allergic to bulls. -You are not.
Maybe not, but I don't react well to being tossed by a beast!
Oh, you'll be fine, and it's not like you have to win.
Just keep Wade busy.
Yes, but why can't Trap ride the bull?
Because I am the rodeo clown.
[yelling]
Ow!
Sorry, mayor.
[sighs] I hope I can ride a bull better than Trap can juggle.
I was wondering if you cheeseheads were gonna show up.
-We're not afraid of you, Wade Whiskers. -Yeah.
We're afraid of the bull.
Heh. You should be.
Snortin' Mad is gonna turn your friend into Swiss cheese.
Snortin' Mad?
[whimpers]
-[snorts] -[yells]
Couldn't we have a tea-brewing competition instead?
Bernard, are you in there?
-Can you crack the security system? -I can try.
[beeping]
[growling and barking]
Nice puppies.
[yelps]
Coz, here's everything you need to know about riding a bull.
-[bellowing] -[screaming]
Just hold on!
That's all you need to know!
[panting] Hey, maybe I'm not so bad at this after all.
[screaming continues]
Hey, Snortin' Mad, look at the amazing juggling Trap.
Check it out, coz, Snortin' Mad isn't snorting anymore.
-[bellows] -Phew.
Looks like this ride is over.
Trap, stop trying to help me!
[grunting] Somebody get me off this bull!
I think we lost them.
[barking]
[all scream]
You wanted excitement. Is this exciting enough for you?
I hate the Wild West!
[all yelling]
[screaming]
I've got you. I've got you.
[Geronimo grunts, then groans]
-[bellowing] -[Trap stammers]
Hot dog, Stilton. That was some sweet bull riding.
Maybe I got you figured wrong.
[groans] Well, you certainly wouldn't be the first.
Oh, what a piece of junk.
The paint's scraped off my lucky horseshoe.
Hmm.
-That's no ordinary horseshoe, Trap. -It's made of silver.
Where'd you get that?
-From Bernard. -Why would someone make something
as commonplace as a horseshoe out of valuable silver?
[gasps] That's it.
-[crowd clamoring] [Creepy Cowboy wailing]
[horse whinnying]
[bellowing]
That's not good.
[Geronimo] Run!
[barking]
What is this place?
Looks like some kind of old abandoned mine.
That looks like silver.
It must be worth a fortune.
Huh. The lamps are still lit.
Someone's been down here recently.
This way, I see light up ahead.
[Benjamin] That mine shaft leads to the graveyard.
-We better tell Geronimo what we found. -I hope he's doing okay.
[gasps] I don't think he's riding the bull anymore.
[bellowing]
[all yell]
Hey, bulls, check this out!
Olé!
-Heh. That should keep them busy. -Oh! My days as a bull rider are over.
-Am I sore. -Look, Geronimo, we found silver
-in a mine underneath the graveyard. -Bull feathers.
There hasn't been any silver under Cactus Gulch in 50 years.
-Tarnation. That's silver all right. -If my suspicions are correct,
this is the final piece of the puzzle.
Now we just have to find the Creepy Cowboy.
[rattling]
Quick, before they get away!
Ah! We'll never get them now.
I wouldn't be so sure, Thea.
Trap, may I borrow your Ghostblaster remote, please?
[remote beeps]
-So long, Stilton! -And good riddance, Cactus Gulch!
[cackling]
[screeching]
[both yelling]
[screeching stops]
[both groaning]
Will someone please tell me what in Sam Hill is going on?
With pleasure, Mr. Whiskers. There's still silver under Cactus Gulch,
and Grimbleton discovered it when he was digging graves.
He was using the dynamite to blast the silver from the mine walls.
And like any good thief, he wanted to keep it all for himself.
They were melting the silver into horseshoes and painting them black,
so they could smuggle the silver out.
But with all the tourists coming to the rodeo,
somebody would stumble onto their plan.
What better way to scare everyone away than the Creepy Cowboy legend?
That's right, Pandora.
If everyone left town, the silver would be all theirs.
All it took was the costume and silver dust
-to make him glow like a ghost. -What a bunch of rats!
-Tell us what you did with Bernard! -He's right here, Trap.
Bernard faked his own kidnapping to throw us off the trail.
So, the only mystery that remains is, what are you hiding in your barn?
[grumbles] Well, I got tired of losing the rodeo every year,
so I decided to give up and try something different,
flower competitions.
This here's my prize Hybrid Gallica rose.
Very nice, indeed.
-Why all the secrecy? -I didn't want anyone stealing my secrets.
And besides,
growing flowers isn't exactly a tough cowboy thing to do.
But it sure smells better than a bull.
[bellowing]
[crowd cheering]
Heh. The rodeo is certainly a hit, Jebby.
It's the best one we've ever had, thanks to you and your family, Geronimo.
Good luck, Mr. Whiskers. Hopefully you'll finally win this year.
Well, I just might. I've got a new riding technique I call:
"The Stilton."
[all laughing]
Hey, look, I've finally got this lasso thing down, see?
-[bellowing] -No, problem! [screams]
[screaming]
The Old West isn't so boring after all.
Down, boy, down!
[screaming]
Sit, sit!
Oh, please.