The Big Trail (1930) Movie Script
1
Hello. Hello.
I wonder what's holding them up.
Don't worry about that, Father.
We'll be going soon.
John, did you feed them hounds?
Yes, Grandpa, yes.
All right.
Now tighten her up, Son.
She'll take us
where we're going.
Yes, but where
are we going?
Now, Ma, they're thrashin' that
matter out over there now.
Pa, they made you the leader.
Why don't you say
where to go?
I'm only leader of
the Missourians, Daughter.
There are families here from every
state in the Union, I reckon.
Can't be waitin' on
'em forever, Dad.
No, Son.
They're holding a powwow
over there now.
I'll just step over and see
what they got to say.
Well, bless our wild heart.
If it ain't Breck Coleman.
How are you, Zeke?
Where at you been hidin' yourself
for the last year, boy?
Been down Santa Fe way, Zeke.
Just drifted in.
And here's Windy Bill.
Looks like you've
wintered through
in good shape.
Well, Coleman, most times I
winter through in fair shape.
This year, when the first grass
showed, I'd only put on 60 pounds.
Say, Bascom, he maybe could
tell us of a likely
stretch of country.
Breck, could you sight us to a second
Missouri anywheres out yonder?
Sure. But it's a long,
tough pull from here.
2,500 mile the way
you'd have to go.
No, it's too far off.
No place is too far
if it's what we want.
This is a land
beyond Oregon.
There ain't no land
beyond Oregon, mister.
West of Oregon comes the ocean,
way it's been told to me.
This stretch is
north of Oregon.
How many people
settled on it now?
It's Indian country.
Except for the trappers, never a
white man has left his track there.
Only one trading post
in that whole country.
Who owns it?
A Missouri trapper owns it.
Hey, mister, will you tell me this...
Hey, hey, there.
Since you all
elected me the he-coon
of this outfit,
let me do the talking.
It's everything a Missourian's
heart could crave.
There's two snow-capped mountain
ranges with peaks lost in the sky.
And between them ranges, men,
is a great valley.
Lakes and streams everywhere.
Fish, you ask, and game?
There's salmon
swarmin' up them rivers
thicker than blackbirds
in a cane patch.
Friend, will you undertake
to lead us to that valley?
I'd like nothin'
better, men...
But our trails fork here.
I've got
business that calls me
back down
the road Santa Fe way.
What business do
you follow, friend?
I'm a trapper.
Well, surely there's
fur aplenty
out in that land
beyond Oregon.
Plenty.
But I gotta kill me
a pair of skunks,
back apiece on
the road to Santa Fe.
Hey, wait, wait. Friend, how
do you find that valley?
Wellmore here is
sending a bull train clear
through to old Tom Williams's
trading post.
First time
it's ever been tried.
String along behind them and, if they
make it through, you'll find your valley.
And tell that great white
mountain hello for me.
Good-bye, Zeke.
Well, thanks, boy.
Hey!
Hey, maybe he fed us a fairy tale.
Now don't be a pig,
you know.
Howdy, Mrs. Riggs.
Land's sakes!
Well, you sure look fine,
Mother Riggs.
It's a long time
since I've seen you.
You know, you always was
a great hand to wander.
Yeah, I ramble around.
And how are
the little twins?
Little? My lands!
Them girls has grown
since you seen 'em last.
No!
Mm-hmm.
They in the house?
Mildred is. Elise went down
to watch the boat come in.
I reckon I'll saunter in
and surprise Mildred.
Oh, you sure will
surprise them.
Well, Breck, I sure am
glad to see you.
Well, you certainly
have doubled in size
since last I set
eyes on you, Mildred.
You just must see Elise.
I'll surely see
her before I leave.
There's the
Peensie Bell whistling now.
Ooh, look at the crowd.
Oh, look.
Okay. I guess it is
important to have everything ready.
I have everything ready.
Well, Miss Cameron, we be
landin' in a few minutes.
Got all your
outfit together?
Most everything's ready,
Captain Hollister.
Listen, why don't you give up
this plan and turn back?
Why, there's no place
to turn back to.
Why, there isn't a home in all the South
that wouldn't welcome the daughter
of Colonel Cameron.
True. But we can hardly
become perpetual visitors.
It's a tough
proposition, girl,
this pioneer life in
a savage wilderness.
We realize that,
Captain Hollister,
but we must keep
the family together.
Honey Girl wants to stay with
her sister Ruth, doesn't she?
Yes, I do.
And our brother Dave's
almost a man grown.
Ruth is right, Captain. The Cameron
tribe must stick together.
Say, you're
just the fella I want to see.
I want to play some more
of that shell game.
Have you got
any more money?
Oh, sure I got some money.
Where'd you get that?
From my mother-in-law.
She lend it to me,
but she don't know it.
Here, I'll meet you below deck.
Get along.
Don't forget.
I wait there for you.
Are you still determined
to be a sturdy pioneer?
Quite determined,
Mr. Thorpe.
I've told you about
my plantation in Louisiana.
It must be wonderful.
Miss Cameron, those lands
and servants are yours,
if you'll take me with them.
Why, I do thank you. But as I've
said before, it's quite impossible.
Good-bye, Mr. Thorpe.
Now, if I win,
I'm going to keep it.
But if I lose, I give
my mother-in-law half.
Good afternoon, gentlemen.
Here we are again.
Hello, Thorpe.
Well, Gussie, you want to see the
elusive little ball under the shells.
There you are. Now it's bound
to be under one of them.
There's one, there's two,
and there's three.
Now we'll shuffle them just a
little bit, just to confuse you.
And take your choice.
Now wait, I show you.
Here, I bet you two dollars.
Two dollars. Covered.
I always do that
for good luck.
Now wait. I show you.
Now watch.
Ah, you see, Gussie, the
hand is faster than the eye.
Better luck next time.
Oh, here. Who wants to buy
my mother-in-law's stocking?
Gus!
Oh, there you are. What do you
mean by spending my money?
But, Mama, I'm going
to give you half.
Give me my money.
Give it to her.
Hurry UP-
Give me the rest of it.
Why, madam,
that's my own money.
That's my money.
No, no, Mama.
That's his money.
Captain, I demand that
that man give me my money.
Hand it over.
See, Mama? Didn't I
tell you we would win?
Why, you big loafer! Get out of here!
Spending my life's earnings!
Now, Thorpe,
you get off of my boat.
If you set foot on it again,
I'll put you in irons
and land you at St. Charles
on my way back.
Davey, I think I better
go find Mrs. Riggs,
that lady Captain Hollister
told us about.
Come on, Honey Girl.
No. I want to stay here with
Davey and watch them unload.
Well, you take good
care of her, Davey.
I will.
I'll be right back,
Honey Girl.
It's a nice place, ain't it, Mama?
It's terrible!
Look at the mud!
Well, listen, Mama, I gonna
go see if I can buy a horse.
Come on. Come on.
I carry you over there.
I don't want you to get your feet wet.
That's it. Here we go.
Now you stay there.
I bring Abbie over.
Come on, Abbie. I don't want you
to get your shoes all muddy.
That's it.
Come on. Here we go.
Oh, stop laughing,
will you, Abbie?
That's it. Now you wait here.
I bring Mama.
Come on, Mama.
I take you over, Mama.
Come on, Mama.
Come on, Mama. It's...
Here! What are
you trying to do?
But, Mama,
I want to carry you across
so you won't
get your feet wet.
You? I'll cross
my own mud.
All right then, Mama, but let me help you.
That's it, Mama. Come on now.
Okay, step on that board, Mama.
That's it, Mama.
Ohh!
Say, I come right back.
Ohh! Oh, Gus!
Uh, Mrs. Riggs?
Yes, miss. That's me.
Well, I'm Miss Cameron. Captain
Hollister told me to see you.
Friend of
Captain Hollister?
Yes, lam.
Come right on in.
Oh, thank you.
Now don't tear your pretty
dress on them logs.
Oh, it's nice and cool
in here out of the sun.
Now you sit down,
make yourself easy,
and I'll brew
you a cup of tea.
Oh, that's awfully nice of
you, Mrs. Riggs. Thank you.
No! Wha...
Why, what do
you mean by...
Oh, I thought...
Oh! Oh!
It was thisaway, ma'am, I
thought you were someone else.
Wait! It was thisaway. I
thought you were Elise, ma'am.
Elise?
Yes. Just thought
I'd surprise her sort of.
Did you indeed?
Let me tell ya.
If you'll light someplace,
I'll tell ya.
Oh!
Oh.
What is it?
You're as pale as a ghost.
Oh, it's nothing,
Mr. Thorpe. Really. I...
But there must be something wrong.
Oh, nothing.
Just an
unpleasant occurrence.
I'm gonna
explain that play.
There's nothing to explain.
But I'm gonna
tell you anyhow.
It seems to me you're forcing
yourself on this lady.
Is that how
it seems to you?
How else can I take it?
It's nothing to me
how you take it.
But it matters a heap to me,
ma'am, how you understand.
Perhaps not. But if it
concerns Miss Cameron,
I'll demand an explanation.
You will?
Then speak your piece.
Mr. Thorpe, will... Will you
please take me to my brother?
With pleasure. I'll be
looking for you shortly.
Well, I won't be
hard to locate.
Hello, Honey Girl.
Hello.
Thank you so much,
Mr. Thorpe.
It's a great pleasure.
Just think. This wagon will be
your home for the next six months.
And after that,
a cabin in the wilderness.
My mind is made up,
Mr. Thorpe.
We're going
with the settlers.
You know my brother David.
Yes.
Hello, Dave.
How do you do?
Howdy, DOV!
Hello, Zeke.
Howdy, Bill.
Hey, Jack, I been tellin' you
about this here boy Coleman.
He can heave a knife
into a mark so big every time.
I'll bet you
a buffalo hide he can't
heave it into
that post back of ya.
Call the bet! Now here.
Show him, boy.
Bless our wild heart!
Oh, I've seen him do it
a hundred times, eh, Bill?
That's another buffalo hide
you owe me, Jack.
You remember, Bill, that time
up, uh, on the Snake River...
Oh, I sure do.
Say, boy, I want to know
about old Ben Griswell.
I hear the
Indians downed him.
Only it wasn't
Injuns downed him.
No?
Renegade whites done it.
How come?
He'd been wolf in'
all winter.
Yeah?
Must've had $2,000, $3,000
worth of wolf pelts.
Oh, easy that.
He was hacked up
and stuck full of arrows.
Looked like Injun work,
all right.
The wolf pelts was gone.
If ever I find
them hellhounds,
I'll sure make 'em
hunt their holes.
Come on.
Lopez, who's that young buck over
there with no hair on his face?
That's, uh, Breck Coleman.
He very quick with his knife.
Oh, where's he come from?
He come from the plains,
the mountains.
He live with the Indians.
He can throw a knife
through the heart in 20 feet.
He's the best shot
in all this country.
He knows everything.
He'll know too much
for his own good someday.
Yes. All right.
If old Ben had lived, he'd be going
on about 72 now, wouldn't he?
Injuns never done this.
It was renegade whites.
And they've left their mark.
Oh, I'd say I do.
Say, Zeke, who was that
he-grizzly that just went by?
Why, that's Red Flack. He's
bullwhackin' for Wellmore.
He's gonna whack Wellmore's
train clear through to Oregon.
You reckon you'll ever find
out who downed old Ben?
It's just possible that a certain
low-down coyote left his sign there.
Well, hello, Coleman.
Howdy, Wellmore.
I've changed my mind. I'll scout
for that bull train after all.
Well, that's a ray
of sunshine.
Shake hands afore you
change your mind again.
Got a good wagon boss
for the trip?
Red Flack.
A burly ruffian,
but he can maul
the toughest traitor on
the plains into a pulp
without even
working up a sweat.
He can do that, eh?
Flack? Ha!
Why, he likes to do it.
But he can run
a bull train.
Here he comes now.
Well, Wellmore,
all ready to start?
Likely you two
have met before.
Nah.
I reckon not.
Coleman's gonna scout for the train.
You understand, Flack,
that he's to have final say in all
matters dealing with the Indians.
Yes? Well, who's got the final say
about bossin' this bull train?
He understands that
you're the wagon boss.
Yeah. Another thing,
another thing...
Am I supposed to
be wet nurse to them
woodenhead pilgrims
a-crossin' the plains?
The more that goes along,
the better it is
for them and you
in case Indians jump ya.
Well, all right.
All right!
Make it clear to him
that I'm wagon boss.
Oh, he understands
that, Flack.
He seems to be
a right pleasant cuss.
He's a ruffian,
but he's a real wagon boss.
Likely he is.
Must've done a big trade
in wolf pelts this year.
Yes, we had a big trade
with the wolfers.
Flack sell you
any of these?
Flack? No. He didn't do any
wolfing last winter, I guess.
What outfit did you buy
the biggest bunch from?
Fella name of Lopez
come in about a month ago
with close on to
5,000 dollars' worth.
Lopez,eh?
I guess I don't know him.
I signed him up as a
bullwhacker on the train.
You did, eh?
I'll see you next year.
Bring your scalp
along back whole.
All right. Good-bye.
Is that so?
It certainly is.
I don't know whether they're
gonna get through or not...
Windy, I'm gonna scout
for that bull train.
Good.
Oh, Mr. Cameron,
this is Mr. Coleman.
Howdy, Mr. Coleman.
How do you do, sir?
Uh, he can tell you more about
that country where you're going,
and what kind of an outfit you
need than any man around here.
Thanks.
Windy, throw my bags in with
yours and Zeke's, will ya?
All right, I'll do.
Tell Zeke I'm going along.
All right, boy.
Mr. Coleman, would you mind
looking over my outfit?
Certainly not. Uh, we'll go
have a peek at it. Where is it?
Right over there, sir.
Honey Girl, it's time for
your history lesson, dear.
Now, uh, how many stars
in the flag?
Twenty-six.
How many stripes?
Thirty.
Now, you know better than that.
There's 13.
And what do they stand for?
The 13 original colonies.
Now remember that.
Now, who discovered
the Columbia River?
Here's our outfit.
Mr. Coleman, this is my sister Ruth.
Robert Gray.
Honey Girl, it isn't safe to
be sitting in a rocking chair,
when there are
certain persons present.
I think you'll find
we have everything.
Plenty of guns?
A rifle and a fowling piece.
How about ammunition?
Plenty.
One thing...
I don't see any barrel.
A barrel?
Yeah, you'll need
a water barrel.
There'll be long
stretches without water.
I knew we'd forget something.
I'll go get one.
All right.
What I was aiming to tell you was this.
When I came in...
The folks right next
there had an extra one.
Oh, quick work, son.
Say, it wouldn't be a bad
idea to take two barrels.
Suppose you go
rustle another one.
I'll do that.
When I came romping into
the Riggses' cabin, ma'am...
How's this one?
Oh! Well, that's fine.
Looks like barrels
grow on trees around here.
Mr. Cameron, you better tell your
sister to change that pretty dress.
She won't get
very far in that.
Yes, sir.
Put on some
traveling clothes.
Let's have
a peek around here.
We have a trailer,
in case we needed...
I like him better
than Mr. Thorpe.
Honey Girl, we'll finish
your history lesson.
Ah, I know how that is.
Well, you won't...
Thorpe!
Thorpe, you get back on the Peensie
Bell and make yourself scarce.
If you're here when
the boat pulls out,
the boys will certainly lead
your pony out from under you.
Why, I had no
intention of staying.
I'll be on the Peensie Bell
when she leaves.
You see that you are.
My goodness. I don't know what
I'm going to do with you.
Well, I try again. Come on.
Here. Up you go. Up.
Oh, you stubborn jackass. I
give you a "yab" in the "yaw."
I bet you "yump." Come on.
Up.
Hello there, Gus. What do you
call that thing you got there?
Oh, his name is Jack.
Jack? Oh, yes.
But that's only half of it.
Well, see,
he's only a half a horse.
Well...What's the matter?
Can't you get him up?
I don't know. I pull and I
pull, but he won't come up.
Wait. Wait. I got an idea.
Say, what did you
say to him then?
Heh! I told him a joke
about my mother-in-law.
Gus!
Wait. Shh. Here she comes.
Gus, what have
you got there?
This is my new horse.
I just bought him.
You bought him?
Sure.
Say, ya...
That wasn't me, Mama.
No, it was the mule.
That rum's
for you and me, eh?
Ah, gracias.
Ahh.
Well, if it ain't Bill Thorpe, eh?
I always thought you was
hung and planted years back.
No, my time ain't
arrived yet, Flack.
Yeah.
Though it looks as though
it might be drawing close.
Ah, how come?
Well, I've been
promised a hanging bee
if I don't get out
on the Peensie Bell.
And the captain promised me a necktie
party if I set foot on the boat.
It's a case
of nowhere to go.
Yeah. It appears to me you do
your shooting by daylight,
with too many people looking on, eh?
Well, long as you can't go
and you can't stay,
just what do you figure
to do about it, eh?
Well, I've always been
able to wiggle out.
Yeah. Appears to me as if you
was born to be drowned, eh?
Come on, Zeke.
Get rid of that moonshine,
and let's get out
in the sunshine.
All right, big boy.
Hold your head up.
Don't leave me.
Yeah, so long, folks.
See you next year.
Yeah.
Are you just as handy
with a gun as you was?
I can drive
a nail at 30 paces.
Yeah.
Well, as long
as you can't go,
and you can't stay...
Wouldn't be a bad idea if you
was to go along with me.
Well, that sounds reasonable.
Yeah.
Where do you happen
to be headed for?
Well, anyways,
it's out there,
where there ain't no noose
awaitin' for you, eh?
Hello, Breck.
Well, Windy, I trapped
him with his jug down at Joe's.
Hey, Windy, here's the last
you'll see of civilization
for a long time.
That's worth tryin'.
Hey! Back up here,
will ya? Back up.
I gotta finish
that with Windy.
Hey, that's what you get
for not drinkin' with me.
I'll drink at your
next wedding.
Yeah!
Windy, uh...
Do some of them musical things,
will you, with your mouth?
Ah, that's old stuff.
Dab, no. Something new.
Oh, well.
A coyote.
That's no coyote.
There's the stuff! Hey!
Hey, did you
ever kill a dead Indian?
No, I never killed
a dead one.
Before they
was dead, did ya?
No. You see, the Injuns
are my friends.
They taught me all I know
about the woods.
They taught me how to follow a
trail by watching the leaves.
And how to cut
your mark on a tree
so you won't get lost
in the forest.
And they taught me how
to burry in in the snow,
so you won't freeze
to death in the storms.
And they taught me how to make
a fire without even a flint.
How could you do that?
And they taught me how to make
the best bow and arrows too.
Did they teach you
how to make papooses?
No, that's
one of their own secrets.
Well, boys, I guess
we better get going.
O God, our Father,
as you sit on high and look
down on us poor mortals,
forgive our frailties.
I am about to
lead these people
into a wild and
dangerous country.
Give me strength and wisdom,
0 God, to lead them through.
Where's my steps?
Mama, I got everything
packed up in the wagon.
But how can I get
into the wagon, you idiot?
Well, look, I show you. Look,
Mama, put your feets up on there.
That's it. Now wait. I lift. That's...
Up you go, Mama. That's it.
Now one more foot up. Now up, Mama.
Up, Mama. That's it. Up.
Wait, Mama. You're sitting
on my head, Mama.
Please... There you go.
Get in. Get in, folks.
We're goin'.
Mount up. We're goin' now.
Get in there.
We're on our way.
Pull out!
Give us a song!
All right.
We're off, boys.
Sam's got a wooden
leg below the knee
Sam's got a wooden leg
below the knee
Whoa, mule!
Never mind! I
walk there, Useless. Come on.
You want these sacks,
don't ya?
Trade cattle.
Hyah! Hyah!
About time we were movin' on.
Yeah.
Willy!
Come on, Willy. Forward!
Ah, giddyap!
Ah, giddyap!
Ah, giddyap!
Hyah! Hyah! Move out!
Yeah! Yee!
You make me so tired!
Get over there!
I'm tired of this!
Fi!
Get up here!
Get along here!
Get in there!
Get on! Go on!
Howdy, Dave.
Hello, Coleman.
Oh, Miss Cameron...
Glad to see you took my advice
about saving that pretty dress.
You look so nice in it,
it'd be a shame to spoil it.
Looking for
anyone in particular?
Honey Girl,
a gentleman never comes
to a lady's home
when he isn't wanted.
Out here, this wagon's
our only home.
Pony, that means us.
Come on, Useless.
What's the matter?
Come here, Useless.
Hey, there.
Whoa! Wait. Wait.
Whoa.
Get in...
Get in there.
Get in there!
Giddyap!
Whoa.
Come on. Get in there!
Come on, Useless.
This way.
Git!
Whoa.
Wait a minute, Useless.
Come on, Useless.
Come on, Useless. Come on.
What do you think
of this fella Thorpe?
Ah, I've seen that there
squawker somewheres afore.
Can't recollect just where.
He, uh, shoots a kind of a nasty
look at you once in a while, boy.
We had a run-in
the first day.
Yeah?
You know,
he ain't no settler.
Nah.
And he ain't no bullwhacker.
Uh-uh.
Wonder what
he come along for.
Aha! He come along, uh, 'cause
of that, uh, Cameron girl.
I'm still mystified,
Mr. Thorpe,
why you came here instead of
returning to your plantation.
I've told you why I came.
I induced Captain Hollister,
an old friend of mine,
to put back to shore,
and I followed you.
Yes, I know that's
what you told me.
But I'm afraid
you're a flatterer.
Oh! On my honor, no.
You got a chew of tobacco?
Hey, Lopez! Tobacco's gonna
be mighty scarce later on.
Boy, I'm goin' back to old Windy
Bill and get a slug of "come on."
Your name's Lopez, eh?
Uh, Lopez, that's me.
You and Flack good friends,
he tells me.
Ah, Flack and me
been friends 12, 15 years.
You were out wolfing
together last winter, eh?
No, no, no. Wolfing, she not
good business. No money.
Then you didn't get many?
No, not much.
Funny. Wellmore said
you sold him
more furs than any other
half dozen outfits.
No. He must have been talking
about someone else. Not me.
Well, no matter.
See you often.
Ah, you rascal.
Flack.
Got a good bunch
of bullwhackers, Flack.
That, uh, Lopez
strikes me as a good hand.
Ah, you bet.
Lopez can pound them along.
You and him old friends, eh?
Who? Lopez and me?
Nah. I never see'd him
till he signed on this trip.
My mistake.
Ah, Lopez.
I don't like
this man Coleman.
Yeah?
If he asks after me, you
tell him you never see'd me,
till you signed on this trip.
You're too late.
Why?
He just speak to me, and I
tell him we was old friends.
What?
What do you use under your
hat instead of brains?
You need no brains
if you got this.
Ahh.
Now you're talking sense.
Come on, you.
Come on. Giddyap.
Pick your partner
and a-promenade back.
First couple out to the right
and follow the ca...
Prepare to promenade back.
First couple out to the right
and follow the call.
Now right in circles.
Take your partner
and a-promenade back.
First couple out to the right
and follow the call.
Maybe she won't, uh,
talk with him,
but she'll dance
with him, eh?
It's a lovely dance.
On with the next
and follow the call.
And a lovely night.
And a lovely girl.
Now's your chance. Go in and
snag her away from him.
I claim the favor.
With pleasure, Mr. Thorpe.
Well, Zeke.
Hello, boy.
Thorpe just stole my partner and
left me dancing with myself.
Yeah?
Say, boy, it just come to me
a minute ago,
where I seen that
there Thorpe before.
Where?
Camped on the Cimarron with
Flack and Lopez. They're old friends.
Are you sure of that?
Dead certain.
So keep your eye
peeled on him, son.
Oh, I'm tired. I think
I'll go to my wagon.
Why, certainly.
Let me take you there.
And to think this
same moon is shining
on my old plantation
in Louisiana.
All it needs is a lovely
woman to preside there.
Someday you'll find her.
I have found her, Ruth.
Oh, please, Mr. Thorpe.
Look, I've told you before
that there can be
no happiness without love.
But love will come.
Ruth... I'm really
tired, Mr. Thorpe.
Do you mind if I go to bed?
Good night.
Good night.
We're getting into
dangerous country, Flack...
So I'll be riding to the Pawnee
villages to pick up some Injun scouts.
Yes? Well, you're likely to
lose your scalp out there.
I'll bet you a couple of wolf
pelts I bring it back with me.
How long'll you
be gone, Coleman?
Three or four days,
a week maybe.
Oh, back so soon?
I thought maybe you wouldn't
be coming back at all.
And just why did
you think that?
Well, after I sort of took the
dark-eyed beauty away from you,
I thought you
might be decamping.
Listen, Thorpe. I never quit a
job in the middle of the road.
Oh, quite so.
Quite so.
But after the girl quit you
in the middle of the road...
Say that again, Mr. Thorpe!
I know who you are now,
and I know why you quit
the Cimarron country too.
Oh, well. No necessity to
have quarrels among friends.
Friends?
You threw too wide a loop.
Remember this,
the three of you...
I'm not your friend.
Yeah. Well, you let him
scare you stiff.
Not at all.
Only an idiot, you know,
presses a quarrel,
when the other man has a knife
pressed against his middle.
Yeah. Good excuse.
Wolf pelts, eh?
What does that mean?
Don't mean nothin'.
It doesn't to me,
but it does to you.
Yeah? Where'd you get
that notion?
When he mentioned
wolf pelts, you looked
as though he'd rammed
a knife in you.
Not exactly
what I'd call a poker face.
Yeah?
Well, what of it?
Oh, nothing.
Only I'm beginning to understand
why you don't like Coleman.
Bye, Windy.
And, Zeke, I'll be seeing you in the
happy hunting grounds if not before.
Good luck, boy.
Bye.
Well, Miss Ruth, I got
some good news for you.
What?
I'm gonna be away for a while.
I'm going scoutin'.
Well, isn't that dangerous
in the open country?
Lord, no. I love it...
Especially now that it's spring
and everything's so happy.
Why, there's trees
out there, big, tall pines...
Just a-reachin'
and a-reachin'...
As if they wanted to climb right
through the gates of heaven.
And there's brooks, too, with
the water smiling all day long.
But the part I like best
is the night...
Lying out there beneath
a blanket of stars,
with that old moon
smiling down on you.
And every time you look up,
there she is,
sort of guarding over you, like
a mother minding her young.
Sometimes it's so beautiful that
I just lie there, listening.
Birds singing,
brooks laughing,
and the wind sort of
crooning through the forest.
Like some great organ.
Oh, I've always loved it.
But I reckon I'm gonna be
lonely this time.
You know, you can get sort of used
to having somebody not like you.
And when they're not around,
you miss them not liking you.
That's why I reckon
I'm gonna be lonesome.
But I'll be thinking of you.
Good-bye.
And you just take care
you don't lose your scalp!
Zeke, is he leaving
the train?
Yes, miss. He's riding out
to Pawnee villages.
Well, how far are they?
Oh, nigh on a hundred mile.
Well, isn't that dangerous?
Well, he's likely to lose his
scalp afore he gets there.
But once in the villages,
he's safe.
So don't you
worry about him, miss.
What... Why should
I worry about him?
I don't know, miss.
I don't know.
But seemed like as
if maybe you was.
Oh, not at all.
He means nothing to me.
No. No, in course not.
Good night.
Good night, Zeke.
Hey! You got back
here at last, eh?
Yeah. There's plenty of
buffalo sign out here,
so I'll be riding out
to pick up fresh meat.
Ah, well, who's keeping you?
I'll see you at
the river crossing.
Lopez! Lopez! Thorpe!
Pull up here. Come here.
You two have been waiting
for your chance. Here it is.
Go out on a buffalo hunt.
Me? Nah.
I kill hundreds of buffalo.
Why should I go?
Ah! Get them cobwebs
out of your brain!
He means, Lopez,
we might find better game.
Watch him till
he leaves the Pawnees,
and then give it
to him in the back.
Go on.
Hey, you pilgrims!
Come here! Come here!
Bascom?
Yes!
Bascom!
Yes.
I'll shove the horses and
the cattle right on through.
Leave only the wheelers
hooked to the wagons.
Once you take to the water...
Well, it's every man and critter
for hisself, eh?
Get out of here!
Get out of here! Go on!
Mr. Flack.
Mr. Flack, how can I get
my mule Useless across?
Well, uh, get your
mother-in-law to ride him, eh?
Mr. Bascom.
Yes?
Mr. Bascom, you know,
I don't like that fella.
No?
He's the kind who will pat you
on your back to your face,
and then laughs in your face
behind your back.
Yeah.
And another thing.
Yes?
If he had a mother-in-law like
mine, he would never laugh.
The hunt was a great success.
We bagged our buffalo.
Hey.
Did you get your meat, eh?
Ah, good. Good!
Well, we'd better
shove on off then.
Boots off.
I see you took a bath.
Uh, yeah, yeah.
Is there... ls there
a slug of whiskey?
No, I left my jug... I hid
it in the Camerons' wagon.
By the way,
where is my little beauty?
Well, she's, uh...
She's somewheres around.
Well, now that you've
got her all to yourself,
what do you aim
to do with her?
I think I'll take her back
and settle on my plantation.
Your... Your plantation, eh?
Lopez, he's hollered so much about
that there plantation of his,
he believes it hisself, eh?
What? The Seor Thorpe,
he have no plantation?
Plantation! Ha!
All you got in the world
is a dirty deck of cards
and a crooked one at that.
Zeke.
Yeah?
Coleman's been gone two days.
Yeah. I've been kinda
worried about that myself.
Eagle Tail says last time he seen
him, he was headed for the train.
Well, another thing, the
Camerons haven't crossed yet.
No. I better
saunter on down there
and see what's
holdin' 'em, huh?
Yes. We'd better
help 'em across.
Yeah. Go on.
Well, I think we can...
We were just wondering
what had become of you.
Where's your horse?
He stepped in a prairie-dog
hole and broke his neck.
Come near
breakin' mine too.
Are you hurt?
No. I was knocked out
for a spell.
Here, I'll put these in your
wagon and help you across.
Flack said we could
only use the wheelers.
Flack said? What does
he know about water?
He never took
a bath in his life.
Shortie!
There's the Cameron wagon.
I'll go greet
the little filly.
Greet, eh?
Well, Lopez and me
will go greet a jug.
Whoa!
You take 'em from here on in, Dave.
It's shallow water.
All right, Breck. I'll go
back and get my saddle.
All right.
Giddyap!
Come on, Shortie!
Come on!
Come on, Shortie!
Come on! Get up there!
Whoa! Whoa!
I was just coming over to help you.
Thank you.
We had the best of help.
Help? Who?
What's the matter, Lopez?
Seein' a few ghosts?
Me? No, no.
Drive on into
the corral, Dave.
All right.
Giddyap! Come on there!
Get up there!
Pull on up!
I'll be seeing you three later
about matters and things.
Why, hello, boy.
Howdy, Zeke.
Why, what happened?
Pony stepped in a dog hole.
Yeah? I suppose a prairie dog shot
that hole through your saddle
and into your horse, eh?
Natchie!
Who was gone
from camp, Zeke?
Thorpe and Lopez
come in during the night,
and early morning, sent a
wagon out for the meat.
Well, a nice
mess you made of things.
Not at all!
Two hundred yards running is
considerable of a handicap.
Besides,
other days are coming.
Well, don't you
fool yourself.
Here he is, here
he is, here he is.
Flack, the Injuns
been sending up
smoke signals
for several days.
Yes, well, I seen 'em.
I'll skirmish around with the
Pawnees for a few miles.
Well, go on. There ain't
no one keeping you!
No, but you'd better keep
Thorpe and Lopez here.
Why?
I got a feeling that if either
one of 'em leaves camp,
they'll never come back.
What do you mean by that?
Just the way it sounded.
Hey, look there.
Look there, eh?
Injuns?
Lopez, fire
a long shot at 'em.
No fire!
They're Cheyennes.
They want to palaver.
Ah, they look to me
as if they're out for harm.
They will be if
we take a shot at 'em.
That'll mean war. I'll go
out and palaver with them.
Go on. Go on. Maybe
so you no come back, huh?
Look how queerly
his horse is acting.
Yeah. He's riding zigzag.
That's Indian sign
that he wants to palaver.
There's the chief riding out
to meet him now for a powwow.
Zeke! Bascom!
How.
This is Black Elk,
an old friend of mine.
Do they mean peace or war?
Peace, if as long as we march
straight through the Cheyenne country
without stopping to settle.
Now that we're gonna be friends,
they'll probably bring their
families over here to beg.
So feed 'em well and treat 'em
right, and we'll have no trouble.
All right.
All right. Fine.
No more
trouble now.
Yes. Yes. Yes.
Zeke, what's he
saying about me?
He says that Coleman wants you
for his squaw.
Yes.
Yes. And he says Flack
or Thorpe will get you.
Flack or Thorpe? Why?
Yeah.
Well, Flack's got
a lot of horses.
Miss Ruth,
you shouldn't be riding out
here alone like this
away from the train.
Why not?
Because this is dangerous country
and anything might happen.
You wouldn't care.
Care? Me?
Why should you care?
Listen, girl,
if anything happened to you,
it'd be like throwing
my heart to the wol...
Oh, what...
Don't worry. It's Black Elk
and some of his braves.
Coleman squaw.
Coleman squaw.
Well, he's saying
that I'm your squaw.
Seems like that's
what he's driving at.
Well, you tell him that you
don't want me for your squaw.
I've never told
Black Elk a lie yet.
He knows my
tongue is straight.
Well, what do you mean?
Well, it wouldn't be true if I
told him I didn't want you.
It happens I do.
And you've
no better taste than
to tell me that
before all these savages?
I'd tell you that
in front of the whole world.
This silly joke
has gone far enough.
Hey! Well,
there's one down anyway.
Well, there's some more out there.
Let's go get 'em.
All right, here we go.
Here she goes!
That's it.
That's it.
Another one.
Get over there. Hey.
Hey, there. Go on.
Yeah. Hope we land
in no trouble up ahead.
Help those...
Help them take this stuff,
the ones that are
going down.
All right.
Hold tight.
All right.
Ah, you should be fine.
Hang on, boy.
You take Honey Girl
from here on down, Dave.
It's a little easier going.
Hold on.
All right, Breck.
Careful of her, Davey.
Now, Miss Ruth,
you cling on to me.
Put your arms around
my neck, Honey Girl.
A little tighter.
Just a little tighter.
Let him down.
Come on, men.
Hurry up
Hang on.
Let's take some in pairs.
Are you all right, Honey Girl?
It was a pretty bad place,
wasn't it, Breck?
Yeah, but I sort of
liked it.
Davey, let's see if our wagon's down yet.
Come on, Honey Girl.
Thank you, Breck.
Well, well, well, well!
So I've seen
that gal with her arms
around your neck at last.
Yeah, but she sure unwrapped them
when she got on safe footin'.
Yeah.
You know, she don't care
nothin' about me, Zeke.
Well, you can never tell how a
woman feels by the way she acts.
They's all riddles, all of 'em,
and you just gotta guess 'em.
And no matter which way
you guess, you're wrong.
Looks like as if the way
they're puttin'
some of them outfits
over there,
they're a-gonna lose 'em.
Hold it!
Ha-ha! What did I tell you?
Let's get out of here afore
they get a bead on us.
Hold it!
Zeke, did you hear
that terrible crash?
Hear it? I seen it.
You did?
That was your wagon!
Oh. Was my
mother-in-law in it?
No, she wasn't.
Oh, that's too bad.
What'd you say?
I said, "I am glad."
Lucky for you that I wasn't,
you loafing hound.
What you mean?
Because I was with your wife,
Sarah, and she gave birth to twins.
Twins? Are they both mine?
Both.
Oh, Mama,
are they boys or girls?
One of each!
Oh, Zeke, I am a papa.
Mama, I am a papa.
Papa, lam a mama.
Yeah.
I got two for one.
Yeah. Let's drink
to the happy event.
Wait a minute. There was two events.
I have two drinks.
Here, give me that jug. I'll
take a pull at that myself.
Three more.
Hyah! Giddyap!
Whoa!
Well, who'd have guessed it?
If it ain't Breck Coleman.
Howdy, Jim.
Where'd you
blow in from, boy?
All the way from
the big river.
Flack.
How long are we
gonna camp here?
Well, just as long as it
takes to fix up the outfit.
Bascom, you tell them
pilgrims of yours,
there's 500 miles
of desert ahead of us
and them that don't like
what's comin' to them,
now's the time for
'em to turn back.
Yes, sir, that pork
is nearly done right now.
Shank me off a snack!
Get out of there.
Fine piece of beef.
Ah!
Fetch it on over here.
I hate to see you
at menial tasks.
If we were only back at my
old plantation in Louisiana,
you'd have a dozen servants
to wait on you.
Let's turn back.
Turn back, Mr. Thorpe?
Why... Oh. Why, I...
Oh, Honey Girl, didn't I tell
you to stay away from the fire?
Yes. And you told me not to
be sitting in a rocking chair
when Breck Coleman
was around.
Hello, Coleman.
Howdy, Dave.
You shot these turkeys. Won't
you stay and help us eat them?
No. Uh, I just had supper
with the Bascoms.
Sorry, Breck.
Think I'll go
hunt up old Zeke.
How many's that
for you, Windy?
Number 84.
Well, here comes 85.
Hello, Zeke. Windy.
Hello, boy.
I smell turkey a-cookin'.
That's all I got was a smell.
Deal me a hand
of them flapjacks.
That's the way
it's done, Gussie.
My old arm's giving out. Now you try it.
I'll get a pail of water.
That's easy.
I can do that.
See, I've saw Zeke do that
till he broke his arm.
Yes. And you know, someday my
mother-in-law's gonna talk so much,
she's going to break
her "yaw."
Say, boy, I wouldn't let my
mother-in-law boss me around like that.
Stand up to her like a man.
Face her down, boy.
Huh. If it was me, I'd tell
her what was on my chest.
You got nothing
on your chest but wind!
You old polecat.
I've just been
talking with some trappers
who've come out
of the Southwest.
They say the country they
call California is wonderful.
Yes, so I've heard.
Why won't you come with me
to a land like that?
Are you going there?
If you'll come with me.
Well, what about
your plantation in Louisiana?
Oh. Well...
If we like
California better,
we could sell my holdings and
buy vast lands out there.
Well, it's...
It's a compliment
to offer me all that,
but it can't be.
I must join Davey.
Oh, Dave.
Dave, come over here.
Black Elk here says that you and
your sister were so good to him,
when he come in to visit that he
wants to give you all them ponies.
Well, that's kind
of him, Zeke,
but we couldn't
take their horses.
Oh, of course you could.
They got hundreds of ponies.
He wants you to show him
where to put 'em.
You go and throw them ponies
in with your herd.
Why, Zeke, you lyin' old coot.
That Injun's buying Cameron's
sister for Coleman's squaw.
Well... Well...
Well, why not?
So Coleman's
buying himself a squaw, eh?
Zeke, you old
whiskered Cupid, you!
I loathe
the very sight of you!
What have I done now?
You've made me
the joke of the plains.
Me?
Who else tried to buy me
like an Indian squaw?
You put me to shame
before them all.
Why, girl,
you're imagining things.
Oh... Ohh! Ohh!
Zeke always told me
women were damned funny.
Mr. Thorpe,
I've changed my mind.
I'll go with you to California
if you'll go at once.
At once?
Why, yes, yes.
Uh, I'll make
preparations immediately.
This is a fine
state of affairs.
This man Thorpe isn't
all he claims to be.
My mind is made up, Davey, and
we're going to California.
Where's Flack?
Hey!
I just came in to
tell you good-bye.
Uh, good-bye?
Where are you going?
I'm going to take my outfit
and leave you here.
Uh, your outfit? All you got
is one horse and two guns.
No, the Cameron
outfit's mine now.
Oh, it is, eh?
Yes, we're going
to California,
so I'll bid you
a fond farewell.
No, you ain't!
No?
Nah!
Why do you suppose
I grubstaked you for, eh?
So far, you've
been a fizzle.
One try, one miss.
Oh, he's no longer
in my way.
Well, he's in mine.
Well, tear him
down yourself.
Oh, I'd like to
kick him into pulp.
Oh, I'd like to
break him in two like a...
Well, why not?
I don't mind fists or feet,
or even a gun.
It's the way
he throws that knife.
But why should I risk it?
Because you're a dead shot.
You're a-going to stick.
You're a-going to prove
how good you are,
before you leave the fort.
And if I don't?
Well, if you don't...
I'll tell that little filly
there's a wide-open noose
waitin' for you
in every river town.
Thorpe, you do your
job before you leave the fort.
Howdy, Henry.
How's things, Coleman?
Just fine.
Say,
Black Elk was telling me
that all the Injuns
in the West
was gathering to keep you
all from passin' through.
So they tell me.
Black Elk and the Cheyennes
are going west
to hold a powwow
with the Shoshones.
Yeah, Black Elk tells me
that it's almost certain
that the Cheyennes
will declare war later.
Likely.
Old Pete Rubideaux was asking
about you a while ago.
Pete? Where is he?
Camped at the spring yonder
with his new squaw.
I think I'll ramble
down and see him.
Sure.
Say, Henry, will you put a
new cap nipple on this gun?
Sure will, boy.
And a new trigger
spring in the pistol.
All right.
I'll leave 'em with you
while I go see Pete.
Be ready
when you come back.
We are about to unite
this loving and devoted couple
in the holy bonds
of wedlock.
Hank Ginnis, do you
take this woman
to be your
lawful wedded wife?
I do.
Abigail Vance,
do you take this man
to be your
lawful wedded husband?
She does!
Hey, Flack.
Yeah?
You recollect how Coleman done
told you that if Lopez here,
or Thorpe done strayed off
into the brush,
they weren't likely as how
never come back?
Sure!
He made some kind of a bluff.
What of it?
Well, uh,
Thorpe strayed out
and he ain't
a-never comin' back.
Hey?
No.
He's done gone back
to his old plantation.
Yeah.
Well, you won't go to
California with Thorpe now.
Why not?
He and Coleman
just met in the brush,
and Coleman shot him.
Are you sure?
I heard the shot.
And I saw Coleman
standing there over him.
It suits me too.
So he'll even do murder.
And so I pronounce you
man and wife.
And may peace
and happiness be yours.
There's been a murder!
There's been a murder!
A murder? Where?
Where, girl? Who?
Coleman met Mr. Thorpe
in the brush and shot him!
That's a serious accusation, my girl.
Are you sure?
My brother saw it.
Men, we can't have cold-blooded
murderers among us.
There's the man
that shot Bill Thorpe
down like a dog.
Lopez, go and get a rope.
Get a rope.
Yeah, get the rope!
And just who accuses me
of killing Thorpe?
It, uh...
It was Miss Cameron.
Huh.
You, eh?
So you'd like
to see me hang.
Listen to me, you.
This boy, Coleman, here just
couldn't have killed Thorpe.
Why not?
'Cause he didn't
have no guns on him.
He left his'n with
Dutch Henry to be fixed.
Coleman and Thorpe were at
odds with the Cameron girl.
If it wasn't Coleman,
who was it who shot Thorpe?
Since you're aimin' to know,
I'll tell you who done it.
Who?
I shot that skunk myself!
Coleman's a friend
of his, men.
He's lying to save his neck.
What could Zeke have
against a man like Thorpe?
You want to know that too?
Yes, I want
to know that too!
Well, I'm a-tellin' ya.
I was camped out
pretty close to you,
and I heared that powwow
you had with Thorpe.
Yeah? What are
you driving at?
Just this.
When a man begins to do a lot
of talkin' about hangin',
he'd better make
pretty sure as to who's
gonna decorate
the end of the rope.
Get my meaning?
Well, Thorpe ain't nothin' to me.
It's no affair of mine.
That's just what
I was a-thinkin'.
Huh.
And Coleman ain't gonna
do no scouting,
while I'm boss of this train.
I'm leaving him behind.
Coleman would never...
Ah, now, we're taking on
a new scout.
Guess again, Flack.
I started with this outfit, and
I'll be with it at the finish.
Who says so?
I'm just telling ya.
I got two reasons.
One is I told Wellmore
I'd scout the train through.
The other is a little personal
business I aim to transact
at the end of the trail.
See if you can figure out
what that is, Flack.
Coleman, the settlers
are willing to push on.
We'll follow you.
What's this talk about Injuns?
It's true.
The Injuns are gathering
to the westward to stop us
from going through.
Injuns have never yet
prevented our breed of men
from travelin'
into the settin' sun.
Go on. Lead the way.
Well, get your outfits together.
We're going.
Never mind what you see
or what you hear.
Red Flack is still
boss of the train.
Get her going!
Go on.
Let's pull out and follow!
Giddyap!
Hup!
Ho!
Fall in!
Nag, giddyap!
Get in!
It's no use, men.
She's all dried up.
Hey, them settlers
is dyin' off like rats.
We're for moving on.
Come on, Lopez.
Boy, they're scattered
back all across the desert.
We gotta gather 'em up
and shove 'em along.
Old Charlie died, Coleman.
We raised him from a colt.
Tough, boy.
But we gotta
battle it through.
Hyah!
Giddyap!
Giddyap, Toby!
Giddyap, Toby! Giddyap!
Giddyap there!
Giddyap, Toby!
Come on!
Come on!
Work 'em on through!
Whoa!
What's all this?
Injun signs!
Pull up! Pull up!
Pull up!
Pull up there!
Pull over!
Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!
Here's your gun, boy!
All right.
Get up there.
Come on! Come on!
Get in here! Hurry up!
Don't panic!
Looks like
Crows and Cheyennes, Zeke.
Yeah.
Now let's throw it into 'em!
Stop shootin', everybody!
Stop shootin'!
They're ridin' off.
When they wheel back on us,
reload it up and give it to 'em!
Yes, sir!
There they go, boy.
There they go.
Ha! I guess we was just
a little too much for 'em.
Father, our good
friends have perished here
at the hands of the savages.
Open your arms to them
and care for our loved ones
until we meet again
on the other shore.
Amen.
Well, Zeke...
Ol' Windy's gone
on another trail.
Windy, you and me was...
Well, you and me was, uh...
Oh, my baby!
My baby! Oh, no!
My baby!
Well, Zeke, I'm gonna
trail the Injuns
and make sure they go
back to their villages.
So you scout
the train ahead,
and I'll pick it up
in a week or so.
Bye, Zeke.
Bye, boy.
Giddyap, there!
Giddyap, there!
Giddyap!
Get over there!
Giddyap, there!
Come on, boys.
Get a hold of that wheel!
Tough time!
Lopez! Lopez,
get 'em in line!
Hey, s!
Put the whip to them!
Hey!
Pull the trailers!
Giddyap there!
Get on Up!
Work 'em over!
Go on!
Get outta there!
Come on, Bob!
Get 'em movin' to the right!
Get over there!
Hey! Get over there!
Giddyap, boy!
Come on. Come on.
Giddyap. Giddyap.
There we go!
I wonder how long
we'll be bogged down here.
I don't know. I heard there
was three wagons already turned back.
Ma, let's turn back
to Missouri!
Me? Turn back because
of a little mud?
Say, Uncle, when did
Bascom women ever turn back?
Grandma, don't you and Ma
know that Pa is only jokin'?
Ha! All right now.
Be powerful on it now.
Hyah! Hyah!
Go on there, Fanny!
Go on, Meg!
Go on there, Jennie!
Jennie, go on! Go on, go on!
Oh, we're stuck.
Gus, you idiot!
You see what you've done?
You've got my wagon
up to the hub in mud!
What are you kickin' about?
I am sitting on my mule.
Oh!
But don't worry, Mama.
I think it's gonna clear up.
There will be no more rain.
Get up! Get up!
Throw that idiot...
Throw that idiot a rope
and help him out of there.
Keep in line!
Get up here!
Take the settlers
to the right!
Get over here!
Get up in there!
Come over here and hold on.
Giddyap there!
Keep it in line!
Get over there!
Get over there!
Come on, boy!
Giddyap there!
Keep it going!
Come on there!
Keep it going!
Here, Abbie.
Here's the water.
Mama,
I got good news for you.
Ah, you're always
bad news to me.
Get on your long
underwear quick.
Why?
Well, you're going in the snow
up to your... Up to your... Your...
Way up, Mama. And hand
me out my bear overcoat.
Well, Useless...
You're going someplace
you won't want to sit down.
It's so cold,
it'll freeze your hooves off.
You wait and see.
Think I'll go say howdy
to the Camerons.
This is my best overcoat.
Well, I'd hate to
see your worst one.
Hello, Gus.
Oh, hello there, Breck.
I'm certainly glad
to see you back again.
What are you wearing
the heavy overcoat for?
I'm getting all
ready for that snow.
No, we won't be
there for days.
Well, anyway, I'm going
to keep warm by the camp.
Where's the Cameron outfit?
Oh, we left them
four or five days back.
Left 'em?
Yes. All their horses give
out. They couldn't go on.
Fifteen, 20 wagons. They
all went back to the fort.
I hated to tell ya, son.
Zeke, why did you
let the Camerons go?
Ah, not my doin', son.
Flack knows
I savvy Injun sign,
so he sends me
on ahead to scout.
And when I come back,
they'd all dropped out.
If Injuns chance on those wagons,
they'll kill the lot of 'em.
I'm afeard so, Breck boy.
The Way's clear ahead, Zeke.
You scout 'em.
Yeah.
I'm going back
for the Camerons.
Good luck, son!
Giddyap, Jennie!
Well, Useless...
Giddyap, Jennie!
I don't know who smells
the worse, you or me.
Go ahead there!
Come on. Here we go again.
Pull, Fanny!
Hello! Hello!
Huh!
I felt someway
that you'd come.
I'd have been here
a heap sooner if I could've.
Say, Dave, you'd
better out off that trailer
and throw everything
into one wagon.
All right.
I'll hitch up Ol' Rhody
and we'll see if we can
get out of here.
After you left,
old Zeke told me the truth
about some matters.
Thorpe and Flack and all.
He did, eh?
Sorry I was so stupid.
Oh, don't worry, Miss Ruth.
Things did look sort of queer.
I should have known better.
Well, we all get off on the
wrong trail once in a while.
We'll make it
through all right.
Well, that's fixed.
Can I do something, Breck?
No, I guess not.
We oughta overtake those
settlers in a week or so.
Here you are, Ruthie.
Take it.
We're goin' again, Davey.
Heave-ho.
Pull 'er there. Come on.
Come on there, Shortie.
What did I tell you, huh?
You wouldn't listen to me.
You wouldn't listen to me!
We're lost!
There ain't a man here that
knows the pass over them hills!
We're for turning back!
Wait! Wait!
Follow me and I'll lead you to that
valley that Coleman told us about.
Coleman, huh? He's the
only one that knows the way out,
and he's deserted us!
Sure, he quit!
If he was here, I'd shoot
him down in his tracks.
Well, Flack, just when
you gonna start this shootin'?
You're just in time, Coleman.
Did you find the Camerons?
They're over yonder.
What's the trouble here?
They're all against me.
They're turning back.
No, you're not!
We can't turn back.
We're blazing a trail
that started in England.
Not even storms
of the sea could
turn back those
first settlers.
And they carried
it on further.
They blazed it on through
the wilderness of Kentucky.
Famine, hunger, not even
massacres could stop them.
And now we've picked up
the trail again,
and nothing can stop us!
Not even the snows of winter nor the
peaks of the highest mountains.
We're building a nation!
So we've got to suffer.
No great trail was ever
blazed without hardship.
And you've gotta fight!
That's life.
And when you stop fightin',
that's death.
What are you gonna do,
lie down and die?
No!
No!
Not in a thousand years.
You're going on with me!
The word is said,
and we'll follow you.
Be ready to start at sunup!
Well... Well,
he's turned up again.
Yeah, well, he'll down
the both of us.
You've got to
get him tonight.
But they can hear
a shot at night.
Well, they can't
hear a knife.
They all know
this knife of mine.
Well, here's a knife
they don't know.
No, no, no, no.
I afraid of that knife.
I know where you got it.
Shh, shh, shh, shh!
It will get us
in trouble sure.
How?
Because a dead man's
knife is bad medicine!
Here, just stop that drivel.
No.
Take the knife and
wait for tonight.
There he goes.
Wait until he's bedded down,
and then...
Give me a drink.
God bless my sister Ruth
and my brother Dave,
and make me a good girl,
and take care of us.
Aren't you going to ask God to
take care of Breck Coleman?
Oh, Zeke says that Breck Coleman
can take care of himself.
You overplayed
your hand that time, Lopez!
Zeke, this is
old Ben Griswell's knife.
Well, where'd you
find it, boy?
Lopez just left it
sticking in my bedroll.
Their having it makes it certain
that Flack and Lopez did it.
No question about it, boy.
What did they do, Coleman?
Killed my best friend.
I been on their
trail ever since.
That's a serious charge.
If you're sure, we'll call a settlers'
meeting in the morning to try 'em.
You can call a settlers'
meeting to bury 'em.
What do you mean?
That I kill my own rats!
They've jumped camp,
Zeke, and I'm off on their trail.
Breck, you can't leave us here!
You got to see us through.
He's right, boy.
Maybe so, the way
you all look at it.
But those two men
killed a man in cold blood,
and they've got to pay.
It's not that I've got
hatred in my heart,
but that I'm the law
out here, that's all.
And the law is justice.
Well, Zeke, I'll see 'em
to the end of the trail.
But then I'm picking up
a new trail here.
Get over! Get over!
Get over here!
Hah! Get over! Hah!
Get over!
Whoa, hah! Whoa, hah!
Whoa, hah!
Get over! Pull!
Yonder stands
the great white mountain.
And down below lies the
valley I've told you about.
Coleman, you have
fulfilled our hopes.
Neighbors!
Friends!
It is fitting that we give
thanks to the Almighty.
Our Father, we thank thee for
leading us to this land of promise,
for guiding our
footsteps safely
through the dangers
of our pilgrimage.
In this valley of
our dreams, we'll build
our homes and
serve thee, O Father.
And our children's children
shall praise thy name.
Amen.
The way is clear ahead.
All gentle slopes.
So drive down, my friends,
and settle it.
Lead the way.
Zeke will lead the way down.
Our trails fork here.
You mean you are
leaving us?
There's a trail I've followed
for over 3,000 miles now,
and I'm headin' back to pick it up
again and follow it to the end.
Coleman,
you're the breed of man
that would follow
a trail to the end.
Thanks, Bascom.
Friends, we'll go on.
Boy, there's two of 'em.
Bad ones.
Now, I'm going with you.
No, Zeke.
You stay here and look after
Ruth and her outfit.
Breck, you're not leaving.
Yes, Miss Ruth.
I'm pullin' out.
They say you're going to
hunt down Flack and Lopez.
That's what I aim to do.
But you can't do
this awful thing...
Take two lives!
It's frontier justice.
Don't go, Breck.
Don't go!
It's a job
I've got to finish.
But don't you see?
It doesn't matter about them.
I'm afraid for you.
They'll kill you!
You're everything
in the world to me, Breck.
I can't let you go!
I can't!
The thing has to be done.
Someday...
Somewhere...
Our trails will cross again.
Now, now.
Come, come, miss.
You mustn't be
a-carryin' on thataway.
He's gone.
He'll never come back.
Now, now, you just mustn't
do this, miss.
You'll have me a-blubberin'
here pretty soon.
I'm a-tellin' ya that everything
is going to be all right.
When spring comes
in that valley,
he'll be tracking back again.
I know that boy.
I know him.
Now, come, come.
Come on, Ruth.
Come on.
My legs are
froze to the knees.
I can't get up.
Yes, looks as if
you're done for, Lopez.
But, Flack, don't go away
and leave me, Flack.
What? Do you think
I'm staying here?
Well, then leave me a blanket!
I'm frozen.
Ah, won't do you no good.
You'll be froze to
death in an hour.
Flack!
It may help me.
Now get away.
Flack! Flack!
Flack, don't let me
die alone!
Stay with me! Flack!
Flack!
Well, Lopez.
It won't be long
before you have company.
Flack!
Yeah, Milt.
I got a hankerin' to trail
on down into Mexico.
Old Bill Gillie
done told me
that them there black-eyed
gals is just full of fire.
Zeke?
Yeah?
Zeke, you're not
really leaving us?
Yeah, gal, I'm a-pullin' out. You
is all nice and settled now.
And this here
valley is gettin'
altogether too
civilized for me.
Whenever I get more
than three or four families
within a hundred mile
of me,
I begin to feel
kind of crowded.
That's not why
you're going, Zeke.
No? Why else, gal?
Breck has never come back. You're
going out to look for him.
Now, wherever that boy
Breck Coleman is at,
he's a-lookin'
out for hisself.
Now don't you
fret about him.
Did you give
away all your little puppies?
Why are you
looking at that dress?
This is
the anniversary of the...
The day that the wagon
train left from Missouri.
Last time I had this on,
I was sitting in
the Riggses' cabin.
In a rocking chair?
Yes, Honey Girl.
In a rocking chair.
Zeke, I reckon
that's a panther.
Yeah!
It's a two-legged panther.
The only kind whatever gimme
that Comanche yell as a signal.
We might just as well
start to unpack.
What, ain't you going?
No use of going now.
He's only a bit up in the timber
there, and he's a-headed this way.
Zeke, won't you stay over
for the anniversary?
Yes, gal, I'll stay.
Aw!
And I just recollected, I got
a little present for you.
Oh, Zeke, what is it?
Well, a young fella named Breck
Coleman left it with me,
and he told me to give it to
you in case he didn't show up.
Where is it, Zeke?
I hid it in the holler of the big
tree at the bend of the trail.
You'll find it there.
Thanks, Zeke.
I'll go get it.
English - US - SDH
Hello. Hello.
I wonder what's holding them up.
Don't worry about that, Father.
We'll be going soon.
John, did you feed them hounds?
Yes, Grandpa, yes.
All right.
Now tighten her up, Son.
She'll take us
where we're going.
Yes, but where
are we going?
Now, Ma, they're thrashin' that
matter out over there now.
Pa, they made you the leader.
Why don't you say
where to go?
I'm only leader of
the Missourians, Daughter.
There are families here from every
state in the Union, I reckon.
Can't be waitin' on
'em forever, Dad.
No, Son.
They're holding a powwow
over there now.
I'll just step over and see
what they got to say.
Well, bless our wild heart.
If it ain't Breck Coleman.
How are you, Zeke?
Where at you been hidin' yourself
for the last year, boy?
Been down Santa Fe way, Zeke.
Just drifted in.
And here's Windy Bill.
Looks like you've
wintered through
in good shape.
Well, Coleman, most times I
winter through in fair shape.
This year, when the first grass
showed, I'd only put on 60 pounds.
Say, Bascom, he maybe could
tell us of a likely
stretch of country.
Breck, could you sight us to a second
Missouri anywheres out yonder?
Sure. But it's a long,
tough pull from here.
2,500 mile the way
you'd have to go.
No, it's too far off.
No place is too far
if it's what we want.
This is a land
beyond Oregon.
There ain't no land
beyond Oregon, mister.
West of Oregon comes the ocean,
way it's been told to me.
This stretch is
north of Oregon.
How many people
settled on it now?
It's Indian country.
Except for the trappers, never a
white man has left his track there.
Only one trading post
in that whole country.
Who owns it?
A Missouri trapper owns it.
Hey, mister, will you tell me this...
Hey, hey, there.
Since you all
elected me the he-coon
of this outfit,
let me do the talking.
It's everything a Missourian's
heart could crave.
There's two snow-capped mountain
ranges with peaks lost in the sky.
And between them ranges, men,
is a great valley.
Lakes and streams everywhere.
Fish, you ask, and game?
There's salmon
swarmin' up them rivers
thicker than blackbirds
in a cane patch.
Friend, will you undertake
to lead us to that valley?
I'd like nothin'
better, men...
But our trails fork here.
I've got
business that calls me
back down
the road Santa Fe way.
What business do
you follow, friend?
I'm a trapper.
Well, surely there's
fur aplenty
out in that land
beyond Oregon.
Plenty.
But I gotta kill me
a pair of skunks,
back apiece on
the road to Santa Fe.
Hey, wait, wait. Friend, how
do you find that valley?
Wellmore here is
sending a bull train clear
through to old Tom Williams's
trading post.
First time
it's ever been tried.
String along behind them and, if they
make it through, you'll find your valley.
And tell that great white
mountain hello for me.
Good-bye, Zeke.
Well, thanks, boy.
Hey!
Hey, maybe he fed us a fairy tale.
Now don't be a pig,
you know.
Howdy, Mrs. Riggs.
Land's sakes!
Well, you sure look fine,
Mother Riggs.
It's a long time
since I've seen you.
You know, you always was
a great hand to wander.
Yeah, I ramble around.
And how are
the little twins?
Little? My lands!
Them girls has grown
since you seen 'em last.
No!
Mm-hmm.
They in the house?
Mildred is. Elise went down
to watch the boat come in.
I reckon I'll saunter in
and surprise Mildred.
Oh, you sure will
surprise them.
Well, Breck, I sure am
glad to see you.
Well, you certainly
have doubled in size
since last I set
eyes on you, Mildred.
You just must see Elise.
I'll surely see
her before I leave.
There's the
Peensie Bell whistling now.
Ooh, look at the crowd.
Oh, look.
Okay. I guess it is
important to have everything ready.
I have everything ready.
Well, Miss Cameron, we be
landin' in a few minutes.
Got all your
outfit together?
Most everything's ready,
Captain Hollister.
Listen, why don't you give up
this plan and turn back?
Why, there's no place
to turn back to.
Why, there isn't a home in all the South
that wouldn't welcome the daughter
of Colonel Cameron.
True. But we can hardly
become perpetual visitors.
It's a tough
proposition, girl,
this pioneer life in
a savage wilderness.
We realize that,
Captain Hollister,
but we must keep
the family together.
Honey Girl wants to stay with
her sister Ruth, doesn't she?
Yes, I do.
And our brother Dave's
almost a man grown.
Ruth is right, Captain. The Cameron
tribe must stick together.
Say, you're
just the fella I want to see.
I want to play some more
of that shell game.
Have you got
any more money?
Oh, sure I got some money.
Where'd you get that?
From my mother-in-law.
She lend it to me,
but she don't know it.
Here, I'll meet you below deck.
Get along.
Don't forget.
I wait there for you.
Are you still determined
to be a sturdy pioneer?
Quite determined,
Mr. Thorpe.
I've told you about
my plantation in Louisiana.
It must be wonderful.
Miss Cameron, those lands
and servants are yours,
if you'll take me with them.
Why, I do thank you. But as I've
said before, it's quite impossible.
Good-bye, Mr. Thorpe.
Now, if I win,
I'm going to keep it.
But if I lose, I give
my mother-in-law half.
Good afternoon, gentlemen.
Here we are again.
Hello, Thorpe.
Well, Gussie, you want to see the
elusive little ball under the shells.
There you are. Now it's bound
to be under one of them.
There's one, there's two,
and there's three.
Now we'll shuffle them just a
little bit, just to confuse you.
And take your choice.
Now wait, I show you.
Here, I bet you two dollars.
Two dollars. Covered.
I always do that
for good luck.
Now wait. I show you.
Now watch.
Ah, you see, Gussie, the
hand is faster than the eye.
Better luck next time.
Oh, here. Who wants to buy
my mother-in-law's stocking?
Gus!
Oh, there you are. What do you
mean by spending my money?
But, Mama, I'm going
to give you half.
Give me my money.
Give it to her.
Hurry UP-
Give me the rest of it.
Why, madam,
that's my own money.
That's my money.
No, no, Mama.
That's his money.
Captain, I demand that
that man give me my money.
Hand it over.
See, Mama? Didn't I
tell you we would win?
Why, you big loafer! Get out of here!
Spending my life's earnings!
Now, Thorpe,
you get off of my boat.
If you set foot on it again,
I'll put you in irons
and land you at St. Charles
on my way back.
Davey, I think I better
go find Mrs. Riggs,
that lady Captain Hollister
told us about.
Come on, Honey Girl.
No. I want to stay here with
Davey and watch them unload.
Well, you take good
care of her, Davey.
I will.
I'll be right back,
Honey Girl.
It's a nice place, ain't it, Mama?
It's terrible!
Look at the mud!
Well, listen, Mama, I gonna
go see if I can buy a horse.
Come on. Come on.
I carry you over there.
I don't want you to get your feet wet.
That's it. Here we go.
Now you stay there.
I bring Abbie over.
Come on, Abbie. I don't want you
to get your shoes all muddy.
That's it.
Come on. Here we go.
Oh, stop laughing,
will you, Abbie?
That's it. Now you wait here.
I bring Mama.
Come on, Mama.
I take you over, Mama.
Come on, Mama.
Come on, Mama. It's...
Here! What are
you trying to do?
But, Mama,
I want to carry you across
so you won't
get your feet wet.
You? I'll cross
my own mud.
All right then, Mama, but let me help you.
That's it, Mama. Come on now.
Okay, step on that board, Mama.
That's it, Mama.
Ohh!
Say, I come right back.
Ohh! Oh, Gus!
Uh, Mrs. Riggs?
Yes, miss. That's me.
Well, I'm Miss Cameron. Captain
Hollister told me to see you.
Friend of
Captain Hollister?
Yes, lam.
Come right on in.
Oh, thank you.
Now don't tear your pretty
dress on them logs.
Oh, it's nice and cool
in here out of the sun.
Now you sit down,
make yourself easy,
and I'll brew
you a cup of tea.
Oh, that's awfully nice of
you, Mrs. Riggs. Thank you.
No! Wha...
Why, what do
you mean by...
Oh, I thought...
Oh! Oh!
It was thisaway, ma'am, I
thought you were someone else.
Wait! It was thisaway. I
thought you were Elise, ma'am.
Elise?
Yes. Just thought
I'd surprise her sort of.
Did you indeed?
Let me tell ya.
If you'll light someplace,
I'll tell ya.
Oh!
Oh.
What is it?
You're as pale as a ghost.
Oh, it's nothing,
Mr. Thorpe. Really. I...
But there must be something wrong.
Oh, nothing.
Just an
unpleasant occurrence.
I'm gonna
explain that play.
There's nothing to explain.
But I'm gonna
tell you anyhow.
It seems to me you're forcing
yourself on this lady.
Is that how
it seems to you?
How else can I take it?
It's nothing to me
how you take it.
But it matters a heap to me,
ma'am, how you understand.
Perhaps not. But if it
concerns Miss Cameron,
I'll demand an explanation.
You will?
Then speak your piece.
Mr. Thorpe, will... Will you
please take me to my brother?
With pleasure. I'll be
looking for you shortly.
Well, I won't be
hard to locate.
Hello, Honey Girl.
Hello.
Thank you so much,
Mr. Thorpe.
It's a great pleasure.
Just think. This wagon will be
your home for the next six months.
And after that,
a cabin in the wilderness.
My mind is made up,
Mr. Thorpe.
We're going
with the settlers.
You know my brother David.
Yes.
Hello, Dave.
How do you do?
Howdy, DOV!
Hello, Zeke.
Howdy, Bill.
Hey, Jack, I been tellin' you
about this here boy Coleman.
He can heave a knife
into a mark so big every time.
I'll bet you
a buffalo hide he can't
heave it into
that post back of ya.
Call the bet! Now here.
Show him, boy.
Bless our wild heart!
Oh, I've seen him do it
a hundred times, eh, Bill?
That's another buffalo hide
you owe me, Jack.
You remember, Bill, that time
up, uh, on the Snake River...
Oh, I sure do.
Say, boy, I want to know
about old Ben Griswell.
I hear the
Indians downed him.
Only it wasn't
Injuns downed him.
No?
Renegade whites done it.
How come?
He'd been wolf in'
all winter.
Yeah?
Must've had $2,000, $3,000
worth of wolf pelts.
Oh, easy that.
He was hacked up
and stuck full of arrows.
Looked like Injun work,
all right.
The wolf pelts was gone.
If ever I find
them hellhounds,
I'll sure make 'em
hunt their holes.
Come on.
Lopez, who's that young buck over
there with no hair on his face?
That's, uh, Breck Coleman.
He very quick with his knife.
Oh, where's he come from?
He come from the plains,
the mountains.
He live with the Indians.
He can throw a knife
through the heart in 20 feet.
He's the best shot
in all this country.
He knows everything.
He'll know too much
for his own good someday.
Yes. All right.
If old Ben had lived, he'd be going
on about 72 now, wouldn't he?
Injuns never done this.
It was renegade whites.
And they've left their mark.
Oh, I'd say I do.
Say, Zeke, who was that
he-grizzly that just went by?
Why, that's Red Flack. He's
bullwhackin' for Wellmore.
He's gonna whack Wellmore's
train clear through to Oregon.
You reckon you'll ever find
out who downed old Ben?
It's just possible that a certain
low-down coyote left his sign there.
Well, hello, Coleman.
Howdy, Wellmore.
I've changed my mind. I'll scout
for that bull train after all.
Well, that's a ray
of sunshine.
Shake hands afore you
change your mind again.
Got a good wagon boss
for the trip?
Red Flack.
A burly ruffian,
but he can maul
the toughest traitor on
the plains into a pulp
without even
working up a sweat.
He can do that, eh?
Flack? Ha!
Why, he likes to do it.
But he can run
a bull train.
Here he comes now.
Well, Wellmore,
all ready to start?
Likely you two
have met before.
Nah.
I reckon not.
Coleman's gonna scout for the train.
You understand, Flack,
that he's to have final say in all
matters dealing with the Indians.
Yes? Well, who's got the final say
about bossin' this bull train?
He understands that
you're the wagon boss.
Yeah. Another thing,
another thing...
Am I supposed to
be wet nurse to them
woodenhead pilgrims
a-crossin' the plains?
The more that goes along,
the better it is
for them and you
in case Indians jump ya.
Well, all right.
All right!
Make it clear to him
that I'm wagon boss.
Oh, he understands
that, Flack.
He seems to be
a right pleasant cuss.
He's a ruffian,
but he's a real wagon boss.
Likely he is.
Must've done a big trade
in wolf pelts this year.
Yes, we had a big trade
with the wolfers.
Flack sell you
any of these?
Flack? No. He didn't do any
wolfing last winter, I guess.
What outfit did you buy
the biggest bunch from?
Fella name of Lopez
come in about a month ago
with close on to
5,000 dollars' worth.
Lopez,eh?
I guess I don't know him.
I signed him up as a
bullwhacker on the train.
You did, eh?
I'll see you next year.
Bring your scalp
along back whole.
All right. Good-bye.
Is that so?
It certainly is.
I don't know whether they're
gonna get through or not...
Windy, I'm gonna scout
for that bull train.
Good.
Oh, Mr. Cameron,
this is Mr. Coleman.
Howdy, Mr. Coleman.
How do you do, sir?
Uh, he can tell you more about
that country where you're going,
and what kind of an outfit you
need than any man around here.
Thanks.
Windy, throw my bags in with
yours and Zeke's, will ya?
All right, I'll do.
Tell Zeke I'm going along.
All right, boy.
Mr. Coleman, would you mind
looking over my outfit?
Certainly not. Uh, we'll go
have a peek at it. Where is it?
Right over there, sir.
Honey Girl, it's time for
your history lesson, dear.
Now, uh, how many stars
in the flag?
Twenty-six.
How many stripes?
Thirty.
Now, you know better than that.
There's 13.
And what do they stand for?
The 13 original colonies.
Now remember that.
Now, who discovered
the Columbia River?
Here's our outfit.
Mr. Coleman, this is my sister Ruth.
Robert Gray.
Honey Girl, it isn't safe to
be sitting in a rocking chair,
when there are
certain persons present.
I think you'll find
we have everything.
Plenty of guns?
A rifle and a fowling piece.
How about ammunition?
Plenty.
One thing...
I don't see any barrel.
A barrel?
Yeah, you'll need
a water barrel.
There'll be long
stretches without water.
I knew we'd forget something.
I'll go get one.
All right.
What I was aiming to tell you was this.
When I came in...
The folks right next
there had an extra one.
Oh, quick work, son.
Say, it wouldn't be a bad
idea to take two barrels.
Suppose you go
rustle another one.
I'll do that.
When I came romping into
the Riggses' cabin, ma'am...
How's this one?
Oh! Well, that's fine.
Looks like barrels
grow on trees around here.
Mr. Cameron, you better tell your
sister to change that pretty dress.
She won't get
very far in that.
Yes, sir.
Put on some
traveling clothes.
Let's have
a peek around here.
We have a trailer,
in case we needed...
I like him better
than Mr. Thorpe.
Honey Girl, we'll finish
your history lesson.
Ah, I know how that is.
Well, you won't...
Thorpe!
Thorpe, you get back on the Peensie
Bell and make yourself scarce.
If you're here when
the boat pulls out,
the boys will certainly lead
your pony out from under you.
Why, I had no
intention of staying.
I'll be on the Peensie Bell
when she leaves.
You see that you are.
My goodness. I don't know what
I'm going to do with you.
Well, I try again. Come on.
Here. Up you go. Up.
Oh, you stubborn jackass. I
give you a "yab" in the "yaw."
I bet you "yump." Come on.
Up.
Hello there, Gus. What do you
call that thing you got there?
Oh, his name is Jack.
Jack? Oh, yes.
But that's only half of it.
Well, see,
he's only a half a horse.
Well...What's the matter?
Can't you get him up?
I don't know. I pull and I
pull, but he won't come up.
Wait. Wait. I got an idea.
Say, what did you
say to him then?
Heh! I told him a joke
about my mother-in-law.
Gus!
Wait. Shh. Here she comes.
Gus, what have
you got there?
This is my new horse.
I just bought him.
You bought him?
Sure.
Say, ya...
That wasn't me, Mama.
No, it was the mule.
That rum's
for you and me, eh?
Ah, gracias.
Ahh.
Well, if it ain't Bill Thorpe, eh?
I always thought you was
hung and planted years back.
No, my time ain't
arrived yet, Flack.
Yeah.
Though it looks as though
it might be drawing close.
Ah, how come?
Well, I've been
promised a hanging bee
if I don't get out
on the Peensie Bell.
And the captain promised me a necktie
party if I set foot on the boat.
It's a case
of nowhere to go.
Yeah. It appears to me you do
your shooting by daylight,
with too many people looking on, eh?
Well, long as you can't go
and you can't stay,
just what do you figure
to do about it, eh?
Well, I've always been
able to wiggle out.
Yeah. Appears to me as if you
was born to be drowned, eh?
Come on, Zeke.
Get rid of that moonshine,
and let's get out
in the sunshine.
All right, big boy.
Hold your head up.
Don't leave me.
Yeah, so long, folks.
See you next year.
Yeah.
Are you just as handy
with a gun as you was?
I can drive
a nail at 30 paces.
Yeah.
Well, as long
as you can't go,
and you can't stay...
Wouldn't be a bad idea if you
was to go along with me.
Well, that sounds reasonable.
Yeah.
Where do you happen
to be headed for?
Well, anyways,
it's out there,
where there ain't no noose
awaitin' for you, eh?
Hello, Breck.
Well, Windy, I trapped
him with his jug down at Joe's.
Hey, Windy, here's the last
you'll see of civilization
for a long time.
That's worth tryin'.
Hey! Back up here,
will ya? Back up.
I gotta finish
that with Windy.
Hey, that's what you get
for not drinkin' with me.
I'll drink at your
next wedding.
Yeah!
Windy, uh...
Do some of them musical things,
will you, with your mouth?
Ah, that's old stuff.
Dab, no. Something new.
Oh, well.
A coyote.
That's no coyote.
There's the stuff! Hey!
Hey, did you
ever kill a dead Indian?
No, I never killed
a dead one.
Before they
was dead, did ya?
No. You see, the Injuns
are my friends.
They taught me all I know
about the woods.
They taught me how to follow a
trail by watching the leaves.
And how to cut
your mark on a tree
so you won't get lost
in the forest.
And they taught me how
to burry in in the snow,
so you won't freeze
to death in the storms.
And they taught me how to make
a fire without even a flint.
How could you do that?
And they taught me how to make
the best bow and arrows too.
Did they teach you
how to make papooses?
No, that's
one of their own secrets.
Well, boys, I guess
we better get going.
O God, our Father,
as you sit on high and look
down on us poor mortals,
forgive our frailties.
I am about to
lead these people
into a wild and
dangerous country.
Give me strength and wisdom,
0 God, to lead them through.
Where's my steps?
Mama, I got everything
packed up in the wagon.
But how can I get
into the wagon, you idiot?
Well, look, I show you. Look,
Mama, put your feets up on there.
That's it. Now wait. I lift. That's...
Up you go, Mama. That's it.
Now one more foot up. Now up, Mama.
Up, Mama. That's it. Up.
Wait, Mama. You're sitting
on my head, Mama.
Please... There you go.
Get in. Get in, folks.
We're goin'.
Mount up. We're goin' now.
Get in there.
We're on our way.
Pull out!
Give us a song!
All right.
We're off, boys.
Sam's got a wooden
leg below the knee
Sam's got a wooden leg
below the knee
Whoa, mule!
Never mind! I
walk there, Useless. Come on.
You want these sacks,
don't ya?
Trade cattle.
Hyah! Hyah!
About time we were movin' on.
Yeah.
Willy!
Come on, Willy. Forward!
Ah, giddyap!
Ah, giddyap!
Ah, giddyap!
Hyah! Hyah! Move out!
Yeah! Yee!
You make me so tired!
Get over there!
I'm tired of this!
Fi!
Get up here!
Get along here!
Get in there!
Get on! Go on!
Howdy, Dave.
Hello, Coleman.
Oh, Miss Cameron...
Glad to see you took my advice
about saving that pretty dress.
You look so nice in it,
it'd be a shame to spoil it.
Looking for
anyone in particular?
Honey Girl,
a gentleman never comes
to a lady's home
when he isn't wanted.
Out here, this wagon's
our only home.
Pony, that means us.
Come on, Useless.
What's the matter?
Come here, Useless.
Hey, there.
Whoa! Wait. Wait.
Whoa.
Get in...
Get in there.
Get in there!
Giddyap!
Whoa.
Come on. Get in there!
Come on, Useless.
This way.
Git!
Whoa.
Wait a minute, Useless.
Come on, Useless.
Come on, Useless. Come on.
What do you think
of this fella Thorpe?
Ah, I've seen that there
squawker somewheres afore.
Can't recollect just where.
He, uh, shoots a kind of a nasty
look at you once in a while, boy.
We had a run-in
the first day.
Yeah?
You know,
he ain't no settler.
Nah.
And he ain't no bullwhacker.
Uh-uh.
Wonder what
he come along for.
Aha! He come along, uh, 'cause
of that, uh, Cameron girl.
I'm still mystified,
Mr. Thorpe,
why you came here instead of
returning to your plantation.
I've told you why I came.
I induced Captain Hollister,
an old friend of mine,
to put back to shore,
and I followed you.
Yes, I know that's
what you told me.
But I'm afraid
you're a flatterer.
Oh! On my honor, no.
You got a chew of tobacco?
Hey, Lopez! Tobacco's gonna
be mighty scarce later on.
Boy, I'm goin' back to old Windy
Bill and get a slug of "come on."
Your name's Lopez, eh?
Uh, Lopez, that's me.
You and Flack good friends,
he tells me.
Ah, Flack and me
been friends 12, 15 years.
You were out wolfing
together last winter, eh?
No, no, no. Wolfing, she not
good business. No money.
Then you didn't get many?
No, not much.
Funny. Wellmore said
you sold him
more furs than any other
half dozen outfits.
No. He must have been talking
about someone else. Not me.
Well, no matter.
See you often.
Ah, you rascal.
Flack.
Got a good bunch
of bullwhackers, Flack.
That, uh, Lopez
strikes me as a good hand.
Ah, you bet.
Lopez can pound them along.
You and him old friends, eh?
Who? Lopez and me?
Nah. I never see'd him
till he signed on this trip.
My mistake.
Ah, Lopez.
I don't like
this man Coleman.
Yeah?
If he asks after me, you
tell him you never see'd me,
till you signed on this trip.
You're too late.
Why?
He just speak to me, and I
tell him we was old friends.
What?
What do you use under your
hat instead of brains?
You need no brains
if you got this.
Ahh.
Now you're talking sense.
Come on, you.
Come on. Giddyap.
Pick your partner
and a-promenade back.
First couple out to the right
and follow the ca...
Prepare to promenade back.
First couple out to the right
and follow the call.
Now right in circles.
Take your partner
and a-promenade back.
First couple out to the right
and follow the call.
Maybe she won't, uh,
talk with him,
but she'll dance
with him, eh?
It's a lovely dance.
On with the next
and follow the call.
And a lovely night.
And a lovely girl.
Now's your chance. Go in and
snag her away from him.
I claim the favor.
With pleasure, Mr. Thorpe.
Well, Zeke.
Hello, boy.
Thorpe just stole my partner and
left me dancing with myself.
Yeah?
Say, boy, it just come to me
a minute ago,
where I seen that
there Thorpe before.
Where?
Camped on the Cimarron with
Flack and Lopez. They're old friends.
Are you sure of that?
Dead certain.
So keep your eye
peeled on him, son.
Oh, I'm tired. I think
I'll go to my wagon.
Why, certainly.
Let me take you there.
And to think this
same moon is shining
on my old plantation
in Louisiana.
All it needs is a lovely
woman to preside there.
Someday you'll find her.
I have found her, Ruth.
Oh, please, Mr. Thorpe.
Look, I've told you before
that there can be
no happiness without love.
But love will come.
Ruth... I'm really
tired, Mr. Thorpe.
Do you mind if I go to bed?
Good night.
Good night.
We're getting into
dangerous country, Flack...
So I'll be riding to the Pawnee
villages to pick up some Injun scouts.
Yes? Well, you're likely to
lose your scalp out there.
I'll bet you a couple of wolf
pelts I bring it back with me.
How long'll you
be gone, Coleman?
Three or four days,
a week maybe.
Oh, back so soon?
I thought maybe you wouldn't
be coming back at all.
And just why did
you think that?
Well, after I sort of took the
dark-eyed beauty away from you,
I thought you
might be decamping.
Listen, Thorpe. I never quit a
job in the middle of the road.
Oh, quite so.
Quite so.
But after the girl quit you
in the middle of the road...
Say that again, Mr. Thorpe!
I know who you are now,
and I know why you quit
the Cimarron country too.
Oh, well. No necessity to
have quarrels among friends.
Friends?
You threw too wide a loop.
Remember this,
the three of you...
I'm not your friend.
Yeah. Well, you let him
scare you stiff.
Not at all.
Only an idiot, you know,
presses a quarrel,
when the other man has a knife
pressed against his middle.
Yeah. Good excuse.
Wolf pelts, eh?
What does that mean?
Don't mean nothin'.
It doesn't to me,
but it does to you.
Yeah? Where'd you get
that notion?
When he mentioned
wolf pelts, you looked
as though he'd rammed
a knife in you.
Not exactly
what I'd call a poker face.
Yeah?
Well, what of it?
Oh, nothing.
Only I'm beginning to understand
why you don't like Coleman.
Bye, Windy.
And, Zeke, I'll be seeing you in the
happy hunting grounds if not before.
Good luck, boy.
Bye.
Well, Miss Ruth, I got
some good news for you.
What?
I'm gonna be away for a while.
I'm going scoutin'.
Well, isn't that dangerous
in the open country?
Lord, no. I love it...
Especially now that it's spring
and everything's so happy.
Why, there's trees
out there, big, tall pines...
Just a-reachin'
and a-reachin'...
As if they wanted to climb right
through the gates of heaven.
And there's brooks, too, with
the water smiling all day long.
But the part I like best
is the night...
Lying out there beneath
a blanket of stars,
with that old moon
smiling down on you.
And every time you look up,
there she is,
sort of guarding over you, like
a mother minding her young.
Sometimes it's so beautiful that
I just lie there, listening.
Birds singing,
brooks laughing,
and the wind sort of
crooning through the forest.
Like some great organ.
Oh, I've always loved it.
But I reckon I'm gonna be
lonely this time.
You know, you can get sort of used
to having somebody not like you.
And when they're not around,
you miss them not liking you.
That's why I reckon
I'm gonna be lonesome.
But I'll be thinking of you.
Good-bye.
And you just take care
you don't lose your scalp!
Zeke, is he leaving
the train?
Yes, miss. He's riding out
to Pawnee villages.
Well, how far are they?
Oh, nigh on a hundred mile.
Well, isn't that dangerous?
Well, he's likely to lose his
scalp afore he gets there.
But once in the villages,
he's safe.
So don't you
worry about him, miss.
What... Why should
I worry about him?
I don't know, miss.
I don't know.
But seemed like as
if maybe you was.
Oh, not at all.
He means nothing to me.
No. No, in course not.
Good night.
Good night, Zeke.
Hey! You got back
here at last, eh?
Yeah. There's plenty of
buffalo sign out here,
so I'll be riding out
to pick up fresh meat.
Ah, well, who's keeping you?
I'll see you at
the river crossing.
Lopez! Lopez! Thorpe!
Pull up here. Come here.
You two have been waiting
for your chance. Here it is.
Go out on a buffalo hunt.
Me? Nah.
I kill hundreds of buffalo.
Why should I go?
Ah! Get them cobwebs
out of your brain!
He means, Lopez,
we might find better game.
Watch him till
he leaves the Pawnees,
and then give it
to him in the back.
Go on.
Hey, you pilgrims!
Come here! Come here!
Bascom?
Yes!
Bascom!
Yes.
I'll shove the horses and
the cattle right on through.
Leave only the wheelers
hooked to the wagons.
Once you take to the water...
Well, it's every man and critter
for hisself, eh?
Get out of here!
Get out of here! Go on!
Mr. Flack.
Mr. Flack, how can I get
my mule Useless across?
Well, uh, get your
mother-in-law to ride him, eh?
Mr. Bascom.
Yes?
Mr. Bascom, you know,
I don't like that fella.
No?
He's the kind who will pat you
on your back to your face,
and then laughs in your face
behind your back.
Yeah.
And another thing.
Yes?
If he had a mother-in-law like
mine, he would never laugh.
The hunt was a great success.
We bagged our buffalo.
Hey.
Did you get your meat, eh?
Ah, good. Good!
Well, we'd better
shove on off then.
Boots off.
I see you took a bath.
Uh, yeah, yeah.
Is there... ls there
a slug of whiskey?
No, I left my jug... I hid
it in the Camerons' wagon.
By the way,
where is my little beauty?
Well, she's, uh...
She's somewheres around.
Well, now that you've
got her all to yourself,
what do you aim
to do with her?
I think I'll take her back
and settle on my plantation.
Your... Your plantation, eh?
Lopez, he's hollered so much about
that there plantation of his,
he believes it hisself, eh?
What? The Seor Thorpe,
he have no plantation?
Plantation! Ha!
All you got in the world
is a dirty deck of cards
and a crooked one at that.
Zeke.
Yeah?
Coleman's been gone two days.
Yeah. I've been kinda
worried about that myself.
Eagle Tail says last time he seen
him, he was headed for the train.
Well, another thing, the
Camerons haven't crossed yet.
No. I better
saunter on down there
and see what's
holdin' 'em, huh?
Yes. We'd better
help 'em across.
Yeah. Go on.
Well, I think we can...
We were just wondering
what had become of you.
Where's your horse?
He stepped in a prairie-dog
hole and broke his neck.
Come near
breakin' mine too.
Are you hurt?
No. I was knocked out
for a spell.
Here, I'll put these in your
wagon and help you across.
Flack said we could
only use the wheelers.
Flack said? What does
he know about water?
He never took
a bath in his life.
Shortie!
There's the Cameron wagon.
I'll go greet
the little filly.
Greet, eh?
Well, Lopez and me
will go greet a jug.
Whoa!
You take 'em from here on in, Dave.
It's shallow water.
All right, Breck. I'll go
back and get my saddle.
All right.
Giddyap!
Come on, Shortie!
Come on!
Come on, Shortie!
Come on! Get up there!
Whoa! Whoa!
I was just coming over to help you.
Thank you.
We had the best of help.
Help? Who?
What's the matter, Lopez?
Seein' a few ghosts?
Me? No, no.
Drive on into
the corral, Dave.
All right.
Giddyap! Come on there!
Get up there!
Pull on up!
I'll be seeing you three later
about matters and things.
Why, hello, boy.
Howdy, Zeke.
Why, what happened?
Pony stepped in a dog hole.
Yeah? I suppose a prairie dog shot
that hole through your saddle
and into your horse, eh?
Natchie!
Who was gone
from camp, Zeke?
Thorpe and Lopez
come in during the night,
and early morning, sent a
wagon out for the meat.
Well, a nice
mess you made of things.
Not at all!
Two hundred yards running is
considerable of a handicap.
Besides,
other days are coming.
Well, don't you
fool yourself.
Here he is, here
he is, here he is.
Flack, the Injuns
been sending up
smoke signals
for several days.
Yes, well, I seen 'em.
I'll skirmish around with the
Pawnees for a few miles.
Well, go on. There ain't
no one keeping you!
No, but you'd better keep
Thorpe and Lopez here.
Why?
I got a feeling that if either
one of 'em leaves camp,
they'll never come back.
What do you mean by that?
Just the way it sounded.
Hey, look there.
Look there, eh?
Injuns?
Lopez, fire
a long shot at 'em.
No fire!
They're Cheyennes.
They want to palaver.
Ah, they look to me
as if they're out for harm.
They will be if
we take a shot at 'em.
That'll mean war. I'll go
out and palaver with them.
Go on. Go on. Maybe
so you no come back, huh?
Look how queerly
his horse is acting.
Yeah. He's riding zigzag.
That's Indian sign
that he wants to palaver.
There's the chief riding out
to meet him now for a powwow.
Zeke! Bascom!
How.
This is Black Elk,
an old friend of mine.
Do they mean peace or war?
Peace, if as long as we march
straight through the Cheyenne country
without stopping to settle.
Now that we're gonna be friends,
they'll probably bring their
families over here to beg.
So feed 'em well and treat 'em
right, and we'll have no trouble.
All right.
All right. Fine.
No more
trouble now.
Yes. Yes. Yes.
Zeke, what's he
saying about me?
He says that Coleman wants you
for his squaw.
Yes.
Yes. And he says Flack
or Thorpe will get you.
Flack or Thorpe? Why?
Yeah.
Well, Flack's got
a lot of horses.
Miss Ruth,
you shouldn't be riding out
here alone like this
away from the train.
Why not?
Because this is dangerous country
and anything might happen.
You wouldn't care.
Care? Me?
Why should you care?
Listen, girl,
if anything happened to you,
it'd be like throwing
my heart to the wol...
Oh, what...
Don't worry. It's Black Elk
and some of his braves.
Coleman squaw.
Coleman squaw.
Well, he's saying
that I'm your squaw.
Seems like that's
what he's driving at.
Well, you tell him that you
don't want me for your squaw.
I've never told
Black Elk a lie yet.
He knows my
tongue is straight.
Well, what do you mean?
Well, it wouldn't be true if I
told him I didn't want you.
It happens I do.
And you've
no better taste than
to tell me that
before all these savages?
I'd tell you that
in front of the whole world.
This silly joke
has gone far enough.
Hey! Well,
there's one down anyway.
Well, there's some more out there.
Let's go get 'em.
All right, here we go.
Here she goes!
That's it.
That's it.
Another one.
Get over there. Hey.
Hey, there. Go on.
Yeah. Hope we land
in no trouble up ahead.
Help those...
Help them take this stuff,
the ones that are
going down.
All right.
Hold tight.
All right.
Ah, you should be fine.
Hang on, boy.
You take Honey Girl
from here on down, Dave.
It's a little easier going.
Hold on.
All right, Breck.
Careful of her, Davey.
Now, Miss Ruth,
you cling on to me.
Put your arms around
my neck, Honey Girl.
A little tighter.
Just a little tighter.
Let him down.
Come on, men.
Hurry up
Hang on.
Let's take some in pairs.
Are you all right, Honey Girl?
It was a pretty bad place,
wasn't it, Breck?
Yeah, but I sort of
liked it.
Davey, let's see if our wagon's down yet.
Come on, Honey Girl.
Thank you, Breck.
Well, well, well, well!
So I've seen
that gal with her arms
around your neck at last.
Yeah, but she sure unwrapped them
when she got on safe footin'.
Yeah.
You know, she don't care
nothin' about me, Zeke.
Well, you can never tell how a
woman feels by the way she acts.
They's all riddles, all of 'em,
and you just gotta guess 'em.
And no matter which way
you guess, you're wrong.
Looks like as if the way
they're puttin'
some of them outfits
over there,
they're a-gonna lose 'em.
Hold it!
Ha-ha! What did I tell you?
Let's get out of here afore
they get a bead on us.
Hold it!
Zeke, did you hear
that terrible crash?
Hear it? I seen it.
You did?
That was your wagon!
Oh. Was my
mother-in-law in it?
No, she wasn't.
Oh, that's too bad.
What'd you say?
I said, "I am glad."
Lucky for you that I wasn't,
you loafing hound.
What you mean?
Because I was with your wife,
Sarah, and she gave birth to twins.
Twins? Are they both mine?
Both.
Oh, Mama,
are they boys or girls?
One of each!
Oh, Zeke, I am a papa.
Mama, I am a papa.
Papa, lam a mama.
Yeah.
I got two for one.
Yeah. Let's drink
to the happy event.
Wait a minute. There was two events.
I have two drinks.
Here, give me that jug. I'll
take a pull at that myself.
Three more.
Hyah! Giddyap!
Whoa!
Well, who'd have guessed it?
If it ain't Breck Coleman.
Howdy, Jim.
Where'd you
blow in from, boy?
All the way from
the big river.
Flack.
How long are we
gonna camp here?
Well, just as long as it
takes to fix up the outfit.
Bascom, you tell them
pilgrims of yours,
there's 500 miles
of desert ahead of us
and them that don't like
what's comin' to them,
now's the time for
'em to turn back.
Yes, sir, that pork
is nearly done right now.
Shank me off a snack!
Get out of there.
Fine piece of beef.
Ah!
Fetch it on over here.
I hate to see you
at menial tasks.
If we were only back at my
old plantation in Louisiana,
you'd have a dozen servants
to wait on you.
Let's turn back.
Turn back, Mr. Thorpe?
Why... Oh. Why, I...
Oh, Honey Girl, didn't I tell
you to stay away from the fire?
Yes. And you told me not to
be sitting in a rocking chair
when Breck Coleman
was around.
Hello, Coleman.
Howdy, Dave.
You shot these turkeys. Won't
you stay and help us eat them?
No. Uh, I just had supper
with the Bascoms.
Sorry, Breck.
Think I'll go
hunt up old Zeke.
How many's that
for you, Windy?
Number 84.
Well, here comes 85.
Hello, Zeke. Windy.
Hello, boy.
I smell turkey a-cookin'.
That's all I got was a smell.
Deal me a hand
of them flapjacks.
That's the way
it's done, Gussie.
My old arm's giving out. Now you try it.
I'll get a pail of water.
That's easy.
I can do that.
See, I've saw Zeke do that
till he broke his arm.
Yes. And you know, someday my
mother-in-law's gonna talk so much,
she's going to break
her "yaw."
Say, boy, I wouldn't let my
mother-in-law boss me around like that.
Stand up to her like a man.
Face her down, boy.
Huh. If it was me, I'd tell
her what was on my chest.
You got nothing
on your chest but wind!
You old polecat.
I've just been
talking with some trappers
who've come out
of the Southwest.
They say the country they
call California is wonderful.
Yes, so I've heard.
Why won't you come with me
to a land like that?
Are you going there?
If you'll come with me.
Well, what about
your plantation in Louisiana?
Oh. Well...
If we like
California better,
we could sell my holdings and
buy vast lands out there.
Well, it's...
It's a compliment
to offer me all that,
but it can't be.
I must join Davey.
Oh, Dave.
Dave, come over here.
Black Elk here says that you and
your sister were so good to him,
when he come in to visit that he
wants to give you all them ponies.
Well, that's kind
of him, Zeke,
but we couldn't
take their horses.
Oh, of course you could.
They got hundreds of ponies.
He wants you to show him
where to put 'em.
You go and throw them ponies
in with your herd.
Why, Zeke, you lyin' old coot.
That Injun's buying Cameron's
sister for Coleman's squaw.
Well... Well...
Well, why not?
So Coleman's
buying himself a squaw, eh?
Zeke, you old
whiskered Cupid, you!
I loathe
the very sight of you!
What have I done now?
You've made me
the joke of the plains.
Me?
Who else tried to buy me
like an Indian squaw?
You put me to shame
before them all.
Why, girl,
you're imagining things.
Oh... Ohh! Ohh!
Zeke always told me
women were damned funny.
Mr. Thorpe,
I've changed my mind.
I'll go with you to California
if you'll go at once.
At once?
Why, yes, yes.
Uh, I'll make
preparations immediately.
This is a fine
state of affairs.
This man Thorpe isn't
all he claims to be.
My mind is made up, Davey, and
we're going to California.
Where's Flack?
Hey!
I just came in to
tell you good-bye.
Uh, good-bye?
Where are you going?
I'm going to take my outfit
and leave you here.
Uh, your outfit? All you got
is one horse and two guns.
No, the Cameron
outfit's mine now.
Oh, it is, eh?
Yes, we're going
to California,
so I'll bid you
a fond farewell.
No, you ain't!
No?
Nah!
Why do you suppose
I grubstaked you for, eh?
So far, you've
been a fizzle.
One try, one miss.
Oh, he's no longer
in my way.
Well, he's in mine.
Well, tear him
down yourself.
Oh, I'd like to
kick him into pulp.
Oh, I'd like to
break him in two like a...
Well, why not?
I don't mind fists or feet,
or even a gun.
It's the way
he throws that knife.
But why should I risk it?
Because you're a dead shot.
You're a-going to stick.
You're a-going to prove
how good you are,
before you leave the fort.
And if I don't?
Well, if you don't...
I'll tell that little filly
there's a wide-open noose
waitin' for you
in every river town.
Thorpe, you do your
job before you leave the fort.
Howdy, Henry.
How's things, Coleman?
Just fine.
Say,
Black Elk was telling me
that all the Injuns
in the West
was gathering to keep you
all from passin' through.
So they tell me.
Black Elk and the Cheyennes
are going west
to hold a powwow
with the Shoshones.
Yeah, Black Elk tells me
that it's almost certain
that the Cheyennes
will declare war later.
Likely.
Old Pete Rubideaux was asking
about you a while ago.
Pete? Where is he?
Camped at the spring yonder
with his new squaw.
I think I'll ramble
down and see him.
Sure.
Say, Henry, will you put a
new cap nipple on this gun?
Sure will, boy.
And a new trigger
spring in the pistol.
All right.
I'll leave 'em with you
while I go see Pete.
Be ready
when you come back.
We are about to unite
this loving and devoted couple
in the holy bonds
of wedlock.
Hank Ginnis, do you
take this woman
to be your
lawful wedded wife?
I do.
Abigail Vance,
do you take this man
to be your
lawful wedded husband?
She does!
Hey, Flack.
Yeah?
You recollect how Coleman done
told you that if Lopez here,
or Thorpe done strayed off
into the brush,
they weren't likely as how
never come back?
Sure!
He made some kind of a bluff.
What of it?
Well, uh,
Thorpe strayed out
and he ain't
a-never comin' back.
Hey?
No.
He's done gone back
to his old plantation.
Yeah.
Well, you won't go to
California with Thorpe now.
Why not?
He and Coleman
just met in the brush,
and Coleman shot him.
Are you sure?
I heard the shot.
And I saw Coleman
standing there over him.
It suits me too.
So he'll even do murder.
And so I pronounce you
man and wife.
And may peace
and happiness be yours.
There's been a murder!
There's been a murder!
A murder? Where?
Where, girl? Who?
Coleman met Mr. Thorpe
in the brush and shot him!
That's a serious accusation, my girl.
Are you sure?
My brother saw it.
Men, we can't have cold-blooded
murderers among us.
There's the man
that shot Bill Thorpe
down like a dog.
Lopez, go and get a rope.
Get a rope.
Yeah, get the rope!
And just who accuses me
of killing Thorpe?
It, uh...
It was Miss Cameron.
Huh.
You, eh?
So you'd like
to see me hang.
Listen to me, you.
This boy, Coleman, here just
couldn't have killed Thorpe.
Why not?
'Cause he didn't
have no guns on him.
He left his'n with
Dutch Henry to be fixed.
Coleman and Thorpe were at
odds with the Cameron girl.
If it wasn't Coleman,
who was it who shot Thorpe?
Since you're aimin' to know,
I'll tell you who done it.
Who?
I shot that skunk myself!
Coleman's a friend
of his, men.
He's lying to save his neck.
What could Zeke have
against a man like Thorpe?
You want to know that too?
Yes, I want
to know that too!
Well, I'm a-tellin' ya.
I was camped out
pretty close to you,
and I heared that powwow
you had with Thorpe.
Yeah? What are
you driving at?
Just this.
When a man begins to do a lot
of talkin' about hangin',
he'd better make
pretty sure as to who's
gonna decorate
the end of the rope.
Get my meaning?
Well, Thorpe ain't nothin' to me.
It's no affair of mine.
That's just what
I was a-thinkin'.
Huh.
And Coleman ain't gonna
do no scouting,
while I'm boss of this train.
I'm leaving him behind.
Coleman would never...
Ah, now, we're taking on
a new scout.
Guess again, Flack.
I started with this outfit, and
I'll be with it at the finish.
Who says so?
I'm just telling ya.
I got two reasons.
One is I told Wellmore
I'd scout the train through.
The other is a little personal
business I aim to transact
at the end of the trail.
See if you can figure out
what that is, Flack.
Coleman, the settlers
are willing to push on.
We'll follow you.
What's this talk about Injuns?
It's true.
The Injuns are gathering
to the westward to stop us
from going through.
Injuns have never yet
prevented our breed of men
from travelin'
into the settin' sun.
Go on. Lead the way.
Well, get your outfits together.
We're going.
Never mind what you see
or what you hear.
Red Flack is still
boss of the train.
Get her going!
Go on.
Let's pull out and follow!
Giddyap!
Hup!
Ho!
Fall in!
Nag, giddyap!
Get in!
It's no use, men.
She's all dried up.
Hey, them settlers
is dyin' off like rats.
We're for moving on.
Come on, Lopez.
Boy, they're scattered
back all across the desert.
We gotta gather 'em up
and shove 'em along.
Old Charlie died, Coleman.
We raised him from a colt.
Tough, boy.
But we gotta
battle it through.
Hyah!
Giddyap!
Giddyap, Toby!
Giddyap, Toby! Giddyap!
Giddyap there!
Giddyap, Toby!
Come on!
Come on!
Work 'em on through!
Whoa!
What's all this?
Injun signs!
Pull up! Pull up!
Pull up!
Pull up there!
Pull over!
Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!
Here's your gun, boy!
All right.
Get up there.
Come on! Come on!
Get in here! Hurry up!
Don't panic!
Looks like
Crows and Cheyennes, Zeke.
Yeah.
Now let's throw it into 'em!
Stop shootin', everybody!
Stop shootin'!
They're ridin' off.
When they wheel back on us,
reload it up and give it to 'em!
Yes, sir!
There they go, boy.
There they go.
Ha! I guess we was just
a little too much for 'em.
Father, our good
friends have perished here
at the hands of the savages.
Open your arms to them
and care for our loved ones
until we meet again
on the other shore.
Amen.
Well, Zeke...
Ol' Windy's gone
on another trail.
Windy, you and me was...
Well, you and me was, uh...
Oh, my baby!
My baby! Oh, no!
My baby!
Well, Zeke, I'm gonna
trail the Injuns
and make sure they go
back to their villages.
So you scout
the train ahead,
and I'll pick it up
in a week or so.
Bye, Zeke.
Bye, boy.
Giddyap, there!
Giddyap, there!
Giddyap!
Get over there!
Giddyap, there!
Come on, boys.
Get a hold of that wheel!
Tough time!
Lopez! Lopez,
get 'em in line!
Hey, s!
Put the whip to them!
Hey!
Pull the trailers!
Giddyap there!
Get on Up!
Work 'em over!
Go on!
Get outta there!
Come on, Bob!
Get 'em movin' to the right!
Get over there!
Hey! Get over there!
Giddyap, boy!
Come on. Come on.
Giddyap. Giddyap.
There we go!
I wonder how long
we'll be bogged down here.
I don't know. I heard there
was three wagons already turned back.
Ma, let's turn back
to Missouri!
Me? Turn back because
of a little mud?
Say, Uncle, when did
Bascom women ever turn back?
Grandma, don't you and Ma
know that Pa is only jokin'?
Ha! All right now.
Be powerful on it now.
Hyah! Hyah!
Go on there, Fanny!
Go on, Meg!
Go on there, Jennie!
Jennie, go on! Go on, go on!
Oh, we're stuck.
Gus, you idiot!
You see what you've done?
You've got my wagon
up to the hub in mud!
What are you kickin' about?
I am sitting on my mule.
Oh!
But don't worry, Mama.
I think it's gonna clear up.
There will be no more rain.
Get up! Get up!
Throw that idiot...
Throw that idiot a rope
and help him out of there.
Keep in line!
Get up here!
Take the settlers
to the right!
Get over here!
Get up in there!
Come over here and hold on.
Giddyap there!
Keep it in line!
Get over there!
Get over there!
Come on, boy!
Giddyap there!
Keep it going!
Come on there!
Keep it going!
Here, Abbie.
Here's the water.
Mama,
I got good news for you.
Ah, you're always
bad news to me.
Get on your long
underwear quick.
Why?
Well, you're going in the snow
up to your... Up to your... Your...
Way up, Mama. And hand
me out my bear overcoat.
Well, Useless...
You're going someplace
you won't want to sit down.
It's so cold,
it'll freeze your hooves off.
You wait and see.
Think I'll go say howdy
to the Camerons.
This is my best overcoat.
Well, I'd hate to
see your worst one.
Hello, Gus.
Oh, hello there, Breck.
I'm certainly glad
to see you back again.
What are you wearing
the heavy overcoat for?
I'm getting all
ready for that snow.
No, we won't be
there for days.
Well, anyway, I'm going
to keep warm by the camp.
Where's the Cameron outfit?
Oh, we left them
four or five days back.
Left 'em?
Yes. All their horses give
out. They couldn't go on.
Fifteen, 20 wagons. They
all went back to the fort.
I hated to tell ya, son.
Zeke, why did you
let the Camerons go?
Ah, not my doin', son.
Flack knows
I savvy Injun sign,
so he sends me
on ahead to scout.
And when I come back,
they'd all dropped out.
If Injuns chance on those wagons,
they'll kill the lot of 'em.
I'm afeard so, Breck boy.
The Way's clear ahead, Zeke.
You scout 'em.
Yeah.
I'm going back
for the Camerons.
Good luck, son!
Giddyap, Jennie!
Well, Useless...
Giddyap, Jennie!
I don't know who smells
the worse, you or me.
Go ahead there!
Come on. Here we go again.
Pull, Fanny!
Hello! Hello!
Huh!
I felt someway
that you'd come.
I'd have been here
a heap sooner if I could've.
Say, Dave, you'd
better out off that trailer
and throw everything
into one wagon.
All right.
I'll hitch up Ol' Rhody
and we'll see if we can
get out of here.
After you left,
old Zeke told me the truth
about some matters.
Thorpe and Flack and all.
He did, eh?
Sorry I was so stupid.
Oh, don't worry, Miss Ruth.
Things did look sort of queer.
I should have known better.
Well, we all get off on the
wrong trail once in a while.
We'll make it
through all right.
Well, that's fixed.
Can I do something, Breck?
No, I guess not.
We oughta overtake those
settlers in a week or so.
Here you are, Ruthie.
Take it.
We're goin' again, Davey.
Heave-ho.
Pull 'er there. Come on.
Come on there, Shortie.
What did I tell you, huh?
You wouldn't listen to me.
You wouldn't listen to me!
We're lost!
There ain't a man here that
knows the pass over them hills!
We're for turning back!
Wait! Wait!
Follow me and I'll lead you to that
valley that Coleman told us about.
Coleman, huh? He's the
only one that knows the way out,
and he's deserted us!
Sure, he quit!
If he was here, I'd shoot
him down in his tracks.
Well, Flack, just when
you gonna start this shootin'?
You're just in time, Coleman.
Did you find the Camerons?
They're over yonder.
What's the trouble here?
They're all against me.
They're turning back.
No, you're not!
We can't turn back.
We're blazing a trail
that started in England.
Not even storms
of the sea could
turn back those
first settlers.
And they carried
it on further.
They blazed it on through
the wilderness of Kentucky.
Famine, hunger, not even
massacres could stop them.
And now we've picked up
the trail again,
and nothing can stop us!
Not even the snows of winter nor the
peaks of the highest mountains.
We're building a nation!
So we've got to suffer.
No great trail was ever
blazed without hardship.
And you've gotta fight!
That's life.
And when you stop fightin',
that's death.
What are you gonna do,
lie down and die?
No!
No!
Not in a thousand years.
You're going on with me!
The word is said,
and we'll follow you.
Be ready to start at sunup!
Well... Well,
he's turned up again.
Yeah, well, he'll down
the both of us.
You've got to
get him tonight.
But they can hear
a shot at night.
Well, they can't
hear a knife.
They all know
this knife of mine.
Well, here's a knife
they don't know.
No, no, no, no.
I afraid of that knife.
I know where you got it.
Shh, shh, shh, shh!
It will get us
in trouble sure.
How?
Because a dead man's
knife is bad medicine!
Here, just stop that drivel.
No.
Take the knife and
wait for tonight.
There he goes.
Wait until he's bedded down,
and then...
Give me a drink.
God bless my sister Ruth
and my brother Dave,
and make me a good girl,
and take care of us.
Aren't you going to ask God to
take care of Breck Coleman?
Oh, Zeke says that Breck Coleman
can take care of himself.
You overplayed
your hand that time, Lopez!
Zeke, this is
old Ben Griswell's knife.
Well, where'd you
find it, boy?
Lopez just left it
sticking in my bedroll.
Their having it makes it certain
that Flack and Lopez did it.
No question about it, boy.
What did they do, Coleman?
Killed my best friend.
I been on their
trail ever since.
That's a serious charge.
If you're sure, we'll call a settlers'
meeting in the morning to try 'em.
You can call a settlers'
meeting to bury 'em.
What do you mean?
That I kill my own rats!
They've jumped camp,
Zeke, and I'm off on their trail.
Breck, you can't leave us here!
You got to see us through.
He's right, boy.
Maybe so, the way
you all look at it.
But those two men
killed a man in cold blood,
and they've got to pay.
It's not that I've got
hatred in my heart,
but that I'm the law
out here, that's all.
And the law is justice.
Well, Zeke, I'll see 'em
to the end of the trail.
But then I'm picking up
a new trail here.
Get over! Get over!
Get over here!
Hah! Get over! Hah!
Get over!
Whoa, hah! Whoa, hah!
Whoa, hah!
Get over! Pull!
Yonder stands
the great white mountain.
And down below lies the
valley I've told you about.
Coleman, you have
fulfilled our hopes.
Neighbors!
Friends!
It is fitting that we give
thanks to the Almighty.
Our Father, we thank thee for
leading us to this land of promise,
for guiding our
footsteps safely
through the dangers
of our pilgrimage.
In this valley of
our dreams, we'll build
our homes and
serve thee, O Father.
And our children's children
shall praise thy name.
Amen.
The way is clear ahead.
All gentle slopes.
So drive down, my friends,
and settle it.
Lead the way.
Zeke will lead the way down.
Our trails fork here.
You mean you are
leaving us?
There's a trail I've followed
for over 3,000 miles now,
and I'm headin' back to pick it up
again and follow it to the end.
Coleman,
you're the breed of man
that would follow
a trail to the end.
Thanks, Bascom.
Friends, we'll go on.
Boy, there's two of 'em.
Bad ones.
Now, I'm going with you.
No, Zeke.
You stay here and look after
Ruth and her outfit.
Breck, you're not leaving.
Yes, Miss Ruth.
I'm pullin' out.
They say you're going to
hunt down Flack and Lopez.
That's what I aim to do.
But you can't do
this awful thing...
Take two lives!
It's frontier justice.
Don't go, Breck.
Don't go!
It's a job
I've got to finish.
But don't you see?
It doesn't matter about them.
I'm afraid for you.
They'll kill you!
You're everything
in the world to me, Breck.
I can't let you go!
I can't!
The thing has to be done.
Someday...
Somewhere...
Our trails will cross again.
Now, now.
Come, come, miss.
You mustn't be
a-carryin' on thataway.
He's gone.
He'll never come back.
Now, now, you just mustn't
do this, miss.
You'll have me a-blubberin'
here pretty soon.
I'm a-tellin' ya that everything
is going to be all right.
When spring comes
in that valley,
he'll be tracking back again.
I know that boy.
I know him.
Now, come, come.
Come on, Ruth.
Come on.
My legs are
froze to the knees.
I can't get up.
Yes, looks as if
you're done for, Lopez.
But, Flack, don't go away
and leave me, Flack.
What? Do you think
I'm staying here?
Well, then leave me a blanket!
I'm frozen.
Ah, won't do you no good.
You'll be froze to
death in an hour.
Flack!
It may help me.
Now get away.
Flack! Flack!
Flack, don't let me
die alone!
Stay with me! Flack!
Flack!
Well, Lopez.
It won't be long
before you have company.
Flack!
Yeah, Milt.
I got a hankerin' to trail
on down into Mexico.
Old Bill Gillie
done told me
that them there black-eyed
gals is just full of fire.
Zeke?
Yeah?
Zeke, you're not
really leaving us?
Yeah, gal, I'm a-pullin' out. You
is all nice and settled now.
And this here
valley is gettin'
altogether too
civilized for me.
Whenever I get more
than three or four families
within a hundred mile
of me,
I begin to feel
kind of crowded.
That's not why
you're going, Zeke.
No? Why else, gal?
Breck has never come back. You're
going out to look for him.
Now, wherever that boy
Breck Coleman is at,
he's a-lookin'
out for hisself.
Now don't you
fret about him.
Did you give
away all your little puppies?
Why are you
looking at that dress?
This is
the anniversary of the...
The day that the wagon
train left from Missouri.
Last time I had this on,
I was sitting in
the Riggses' cabin.
In a rocking chair?
Yes, Honey Girl.
In a rocking chair.
Zeke, I reckon
that's a panther.
Yeah!
It's a two-legged panther.
The only kind whatever gimme
that Comanche yell as a signal.
We might just as well
start to unpack.
What, ain't you going?
No use of going now.
He's only a bit up in the timber
there, and he's a-headed this way.
Zeke, won't you stay over
for the anniversary?
Yes, gal, I'll stay.
Aw!
And I just recollected, I got
a little present for you.
Oh, Zeke, what is it?
Well, a young fella named Breck
Coleman left it with me,
and he told me to give it to
you in case he didn't show up.
Where is it, Zeke?
I hid it in the holler of the big
tree at the bend of the trail.
You'll find it there.
Thanks, Zeke.
I'll go get it.
English - US - SDH