Barnyard Comics #24

Barney Rooster regales a group of Boy Scouts with tall tales of his days as the legendary "Two-Gun Barney," sheriff of Cactus County—so impressive that when their scoutmaster falls ill, the kids persuade him to lead them to a dude ranch out West instead. What Barney doesn't know is that his boasting has caught the attention of Coyote Pete, the region's roughest rustler, who's determined to test whether this "Two-Gun" newcomer is all talk or the real deal. As Barney scrambles to live up to his own legend, he'll need all the help he can get—from unexpected allies and his own quick thinking—to survive the West's wildest challenges.

Barney needs ninety dollars to buy a car, and his pal Hucky Duck cooks up a scheme: stage a fancy mansion using cheap movie sets and costumes, then pose as servants to convince banker Gottcash Gorilla that Barney's wealthy enough to repay a loan. When the gorilla arrives for lunch, the two pull out all the stops to maintain the illusion—but a simple mistake threatens to unravel their whole charade.

Prof. Bacon's marvelous strength machine seems like the answer when an eager young animal can't make the weight-lifting team—until the newfound power becomes a destructive curse, leaving him wrecking everything around town. Desperate to undo the chaos, he demands the Professor reverse the machine's effects and restore him to normal. A cautionary tale about getting what you wish for, wrapped up in 1949 funny-animal charm.