Mickey Rooney as Sam Evans popped up unexpectedly as one of the said "greenhorns", originally from Philadelphia. He plans to start a weekly paper in Sacramento. He is accompanied by his Aunt Em (Ellen Corby). Byron Foulger plays Humphrey Pumphret, fellow greenhorn, who is accompanied by his young son and grown daughter, Melanie.
This episode works on two interesting levels. On one level it talks about many things - almost like a documentary - that the members of the wagon train must do and learn in preparation for their journey across the continent. Too many supplies and they must scatter extra food and maybe even precious belongings as their horses will not pull that much weight. Not enough supplies and they could starve to death. They have to learn how to handle their horses and their wagons as an individual and as a member of the train. They also need to familiarize themselves with the different parts of the wagon and wagon repair.
On the second level, it is the story of one particular greenhorn, the previously mentioned Sam. There are humorous moments - Sam buying a western outfit that is so gaudy he looks like he belongs in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. There are serious moments - as a 30-something bachelor he has a conversation with himself as to whether or not he loves a young woman he met on the wagon train and what does he exactly intend to do about that, and then he learns he could lose her to cholera before he has had a chance to speak up. Mickey Rooney handles the job like the pro he always was.
I'm giving this a perfect score as I do not know how it could have been any better. Interesting factoid - Even though Ellen Corby plays Mickey Rooney's aunt and they appear to be a generation apart, in fact Ellen Corby was only nine years older than Mickey Rooney.