The Legend (7 Mar. 1959)

This is an odd story. Josh is hired to find Mexican gold in the desert.

The story starts with some punk trying to shoot Randall, but Josh subdues him. He finds a wanted poster - $1,000 for Josh Randall, wanted by Sam McGarrett - inside the guy's hat. The thug (and a partner) aren't bounty hunters, just some greedy guys who want money. Anyway, Josh investigates and finds out McGarrett (Victor Jory) just made up the poster to so that someone would bring Randall to him. Josh has a good reputation and the man wants to hire him. It seems a Mexican boat full of gold 100 years ago had big problems and the gold wound up in the desert.

McGarrett keeps upping the ante until he gives Randall an offer he can't refuse, $5,000 to lead them to a cave where the gold supposedly is stashed.

Josh, the old man, his son (played by Michael Landon!) and daughter head out into the desert. The woman wimps out early on so they leave here at some ranch and the three of them go on. There is tension between the father and the son, one of those deals where the kid can never measure up in the father's eyes. You just know that will change by the end of the episode.

The final part is action-packed as the good guys are followed by the thug and his partner and are ambushed. How they fare, and whether they got the gold.....you'll have to watch.

Overall, nothing super but a decent episode and a different-kind of story. Warren Oates is also in here but they didn't put the "e" on the end of his name on the ending credits. I guess Oats is more appropriate for a western!