In the state prison. Once again Joe Dalton tried to make up a plan to escape with his brothers.
“We must escape. I can’t stand it here any longer”, said Joe.
“How did you get that Joe? We get a meal three times a day”, reacted his brother Averell.
“Shut up Averell!”, his brothers Joe, Jack and William called at the same time.
Lucky Luke rode on the prairie on his loyal four-footed animal Jolly Jumper.
“What is life so beautiful when you can enjoy the nice scenery”, said Lucky Luke.
“What is he overreacting. I can’t enjoy the scenery because I carry him on my back”, Jolly Jumper complained.
As by a miracle the Daltons saw chance to escape. With them Ran Tan Tan split too.
“Long live freedom!”, the Daltons called out.
“Up to the full bank safes”, Joe grinned mean.
They rode a bit further until they got the scare of their bandit life.
“Oh no, there goes our freedom. There is that damn Lucky Luke”, Joe said angry.
He was so angry that he lost his balance and flew out of the saddle. He ended up just in front of Jolly Jumper.
“Gees, I knew that the Daltons had a screw loose but now I have it as well. How terrible”, said Jolly Jumper.
“Hello Joe. Have you escaped again? Or have you lost your way?”, asked Lucky Luke.
“Not at all. They have released us for over population in prison. You are going to work for us cowboy”, said Joe.
The others had come nearer too. Ran Tan Tan saw Lucky Luke and recognize him.
“I know him. I run into his arms”, said Ran Tan Tan.
He took a run an flew in to the arms of Lucky Luke. He licked the face of the cowboy.
“Ran Tan Tan! You have come along with them of course. I am going take you and them back to prison”, Lucky Luke said calm.
“In your dreams Lucky Luke! You are going to rob the bank in Virginia City us”, said Joe.
Lucky Luke couldn’t stop laughing anymore.
“And after that we are going to empty that safe of those Cartwrights”, Joe added to it.
“Would you do that anyway, Joe? Yu know how fond the Cartwrights are at your visit?”, asked the poor lonesome cowboy.
“If we go to the Ponderosa we must work harder than in prison. And we get nothing to eat”, reacted Averell.
Joe became already angry but William said, “For this time Averell is right.”
“Then we just only go to Virginia City”, Joe said with reluctance.
The company went to Virginia City. Quite soon the Daltons had found the bank. Lucky Luke recognized the horse of Adam Cartwright and thought quickly of a counter-plan.
“Luke, there is the bank and you are going to rob it for us”, Joe said sniggering.
“Alright, I do it”, said Lucky Luke.
He dismounted and hitched Jolly Jumper. Here after he went inside.
In the bank building by coincidence Adam Cartwright was waiting for his turn. He recognized Lucky Luke too and the friendship got resumed.
“What are you doing here?”, Adam asked curious.
“On the way to here I got forced to rob this bank by those 4 wasps as you call them”, said Luke.
“You mean the Dalton brothers?”, Adam asked for the security.
“I mean those. Is there a back entrance of this bank so that I can warn the sheriff?”, Luke wanted to know.
Adam knew that and with help from bank owner Simon Miller Lucky Luke went the bank out again to warn deputy Clem Foster about the upcoming bank robbery.
Meanwhile the Daltons became very inpatient.
“Where is that Luke? So much can’t be there in that safe?”, asked Jack.
“He must be keeping it for himself. Boys, we go inside and do the job ourselves”, said Joe.
They drew their revolvers and rushed into the bank building. Adam had kept himself aside and locked the door of the bank when the Daltons were inside. Clem and Luke too had come inside via the back entrance.
“Hands up Joe Dalton”, said the deputy.
The smallest Dalton was so amazed that he promptly surrendered, also because Adam was holding him and his brothers under gunshot too.
“Hello Adam, how it is going?”, Averell asked cheerful when he saw Adam.
“Fine, but it will be even better with me when you and your brothers are safe in prison”, he answered sarcastic.
“IT AIN’T FAIR!”, Joe stamping his feet while he and his brothers got tied up.
“Luke, they are all yours. This is a neat town and I want to keep it that way”, said Clem.
Lucky Luke took them down to the prison, followed by Ran Tan Tan to ride after that to the sunset on Jolly Jumper. Clem kept guarding the peace in Virginia City and Adam went back to his ranch the Ponderosa.