The Story Line

The normally easy duty of raising the cuartel's flag turns into a problem for Sergeant Garcia when he discovers that Zorro has substituted a flag with a large "Z" for the army's flag. To make matters worse the flagpole has been greased to prevent the soldiers from removing it. Monastario publicly reprimands Garcia and then realizes he can profit from the situation by secretly ordering the sergeant to pretend he was thrown out of the service in disgrace. This, he hopes, will make the people of the village take Garcia into their confidence and thus unwittingly betray Zorro.

Monastario has also sentenced two peons to hard labor in the tar pits to punish their obvious enjoyment of the flagpole incident, and Zorro decides to end this cruelty by tricking Monastario with Garcia's unknowing assistance. He accepts the sergeant's offer of help and tells him they will meet outside town, knowing that Monastario and the lancers will follow. He sends them off on a long ride into the mountains, then rides to the tar pits, where he forces a lancer to load tar to help the peons. His work isn't done, though, as he tricks Monastario into chasing him back to the tar pits. There, the hapless commandante and his men end up deep in the tar.

Production Notes

• The wardrobe department had an unexpected surprise when it received the lancers' uniforms back from the cleaners after the scenes in the tar pits. The combination of tar and cleaning fluids had shrunk the uniforms to the point that they had to be replaced, and filming had to be rescheduled until duplicates could be obtained.
• Sharp-eyed viewers will spot that one of the soldiers drops his sword in the rocks as the lancers chase after Zorro.
• The Bell Ranch, located in the hills between the San Fernando Valley and Simi Valley, was used for the location scenes. Vast expanses of empty land can be seen below the hilltop during the chase; today that area is completely built up.
• Nestor Paiva had an uncredited role as Gonzales, the innkeeper. He reprised the role in a number of other episodes. Eumenio Blanco is seen as the Alcalde but is also not in the credits.