The Daltons (Joe, Jack, William and Averell) had succeeded once again. Via the well know tunnel they had escaped from their cell in the state prison.
“We are free again. Long live the freedom”, called Joe.
He was clearly very glad.
But Averell knew to blow the happiness of his brother by saying, “Joe, Lucky Luke will find us quickly again.”
“Ah”, Joe called hysterical.
The prison director, David Morris, looked into his prison administration how many time the Daltons had escaped.
“Oh no? That this has to happen to me”, he said to himself.
A guard came in and asked, “What is the matter?”
“The Daltons have escaped for the 10.000st time. We are going to celebrate this with a big party. Just send a telegram to Lucky Luke”, said David.
That happened and the poor lonesome cowboy Lucky Luke was at first not really pleased with the content of the telegram.
“Jolly, you won’t believe this but the prison director gives a big party because the Daltons have escaped for the 10.000st time. And we may bring them back again for the from the 10.000st time”, Lucky Luke said to his loyal stallion Jolly Jumper.
“Indeed. I don’t believe this”, was his comment.
They went on their way to find the escaped ones. That wasn’t so difficult because the Daltons left a clear trace of bank robbing behind. Besides the stupid prison dog Rantanplan had escaped too. Or better said: he had followed the Daltons. Averell was the 1st one who saw the dog and let that show very clearly.
“Joe, we have gotten company from an old friend of yours”, he said to his smallest brother.
Joe first looked amazed and asked then, “That is not Lucky Luke, is it?”
“No, because then we would have been in prison all along”, answered Averell.
Rantanplan ran into the arms of Joe and licked him extendedly.
“Go away rotten dog!”, said Joe.
“He is a sweet doggie”, said his tallest brother.
“Shut up Averell!”, Joe, Jack and William said at the same time.
The news of the 10.000st escape spread like wildfire across the country. Everywhere hung banners where was to be read: ‘WELCOME DALTON BROTHERS’. There was even a brass band waiting for them. Each bank manager stood ready to give them a big bag of money.
“This way it’s no fun anymore to rob a bank”, said Joe.
“They can better give us food because I am hungry. In jail we get bean soup”, said Averell.
Joe had to admit that he was right for this time so that he said, “Averell, I must admit that you are right this time.”
Instead of a bank the Daltons went to rob a restaurant. Joe occupied the cash register, Jack the booze and William the weapons. Averell tucked in to all the food in the kitchen.
He let hear a few hard burps and said, “Sorry.”
“Boys, we go home”, Joe called when everything was gone.
The Daltons ran to the exit. But who stood there waiting for them? Exactly: Lucky Luke. Joe remained standing as 1st and his brothers bumped up against him so that they all fell down.
“I have never been able to arrested you so easily”, Lucky Luke said after Jolly Jumper had thrown his lasso around the brothers.
“With my lasso of course”, Jolly Jumper remarked.
“Are you going to bring us to prison?”, Averell asked innocent.
“Yes, and there will be a big party organized specially for you because this is the 10.000st escape from prison from you”, answered Lucky Luke.
“What are we good”, sniggered Joe.
Lucky Luke continued, “Jolly Jumper and I have the big honor to bring you for the 10.000st time to bring you to prison.”
They went with Rantanplan back to the prison where the party was already going on in fully. At the court yard hung a big banner ‘CONGRATULATIONS DALTONS’. There was more than enough to eat and drink where especially Averell tucked in. what nobody saw was that Lucky Luke and Jolly Jumper slipped away quietly with the thought: ‘We know that they will escape soon again.’
Lucky Luke sang while he sat on Jolly Jumper, “I am a poor lonesome cowboy far away from home.”