The Far Country (1954) Movie Script
Is that the herd you told us about?
Yeah. Finest beef
that ever come into Seattle.
All the way from Wyoming,
and here he be.
- Hi, Jeff. How are you, boy?
- Where do I tag them?
Take them on down to the dock.
We'll run them aboard.
- How'd you do, boy?
- Not too bad.
- Lose a few head?
- A few.
You started with four men.
- Two of them tried to turn back.
- I see.
Hold them right there.
That's good.
You owe these fellows 200 dollars
for the drive.
- Pay 'em off.
- Correct. 200 dollars.
Well, Tom, here's 100 for you...
and 100 for you, Joe.
Here are your guns.
All right, you've been waiting for 500 miles.
Go ahead and use 'em.
I'll live to see you hang.
- I guess I forgot to shake hands.
- Oh, yeah.
- How are you, Ben?
- I'm fine.
- You still got your pipe?
- Oh, sure.
Here it is.
You're looking good.
You look good, too.
I see you're still wearing the bell there.
You wouldn't want me to lose that,
would you?
I should say not.
Don't suppose there'd be any sense
in asking you what happened?
- No, no.
- That's what I figured.
Hey, Captain Benson.
I want you to meet my partner.
He said he'd be on time
with them cattle, and here he be.
You got just ten minutes
to get them loaded.
- He don't like cattle.
- No, I guess he doesn't.
Hey, quit poking them steers. That's beef.
What do you wanna do, bruise 'em?
Haul in your gangplank.
Haul in your gangplank.
Cast off all lines.
Cast off all lines.
We got us a stateroom, real exclusive.
You, me, and one other.
- No, that's this lady's. Ours is a him.
- Excuse me.
Rube Morris from the Klondike.
He's a bit shaggy, but he's clean.
There he is. Open the door, Rube.
Say hello to my partner, Jeff Webster.
- Howdy.
- Hello.
- Locked. Ain't got no key.
- Key? See the Captain. Get a key.
The man's tired,
he's got to lay himself down.
Captain Benson, hold up!
You got a killer on board.
Yeah, there he is, by the rail.
The tall one.
You bring her in,
do you hear me?
Don't talk like a fool, Walters.
This isn't a rowboat.
You bring her in! There's a killing charge
against that man on the lower deck!
Sorry. You'll have to wait.
I'll put him in custody and hand him
over to you on the return voyage.
Take him down to the brig.
Better put him in irons,
as long as he's a killer.
Full ahead.
Pull her north by northwest.
Come on down, Joe.
I'll take that gun.
In here.
Hide in the bed.
In the bed.
With spurs?
- Open up!
- They'll be here in just a minute.
Anyone in here?
Use your passkey, Boatswain.
- Oh, I-I... I'm sorry. Miss Castle.
- I should think you would be.
- We are looking for a man, a killer.
- In my stateroom?
- Well, I... I didn't know you were in.
- You know it now.
And lock the door.
I imagine you look better
with a shave.
Oh? My razor's in my saddlebag.
Unless you've got one.
Oh, er... if you put the key in the door
and turn it they can't use a passkey.
I know that.
Then you figured?
Well, can you think of anything
more convincing?
No, and I'll tell you something else.
I can't think why you did it.
Do I have to have a reason?
Nobody ever did anything for nothing.
You're right.
I may need a friend in Skagway.
And in the meantime?
In the meantime,
I'll tell your partners where you are
and when it's safe,
you can go to your own cabin.
And in the meantime?
Say "thanks."
That's a term I seldom use.
Open the door, it's me.
I got us some food.
- Soup and beef.
- What kinda soup?
Oh, just soup soup.
Five dollars for the beef and taters.
- Five dollars?
- Skagway prices.
Beef bringing a dollar a pound
on the hoof.
Bringing better than ten dollars a pound
dressed in Dawson.
Argh, burned the taters.
But we're gonna be rich, Jeff. Yes, sir.
Just as soon as you drive that herd
to the Klondike, we're gonna be rich.
- Are they still looking for me up on deck?
- No, they surely give up.
Argh, cold.
Wouldn't you'd think at these prices
they'd put a little fire under the coffee?
Well, set yourself down, son.
- Where's your food?
- I don't need food if I can have my coffee.
Yeah, about ten gallons a day.
Hope there's plenty of that stuff
up in Dawson.
Old Rube says we can't drive to Dawson.
He says there's glaciers
and snow and ice, and suchlike.
- Yeah.
- He thinks we're crazy.
What do you think?
Well, I think we're crazy, too,
but we're gonna be rich.
Then we're gonna get that ranch in Utah,
you and me, and settle down.
Yeah.
Good old Skagway.
Everybody's gone but us.
- Gone where?
- Gone.
They've gone ashore.
Where do you think they've gone?
- We're in Skagway.
- Skagway.
Look. Four new saloons
since last month.
- Where'd everybody go at?
- Come on.
- Town's real empty.
- Come on, now.
- Nice folks in Skagway.
- Yeah, I know.
Four new saloons.
Well, at least I won't go dry.
Hurry up,
I gotta get them critters off this tub.
- My, how Skagway grew.
- Give me that bottle.
- Now, what for you do that?
- On account of Maggie, that's what for!
You passed me your word
no more drinking.
You're taking your gold back
to your wife in Missouri this time.
That's a sobering thought.
Here's your hay bill.
I've come to get my cattle.
I'll take another 500.
For handling.
Handling? You don't handle cattle.
Cattle handle theirselves.
- Somebody had to feed them.
- That was in the deal.
Not the way I see it.
We don't want any argument.
500 more, or you don't get the cattle.
First off, I ain't got 500.
And second off, I hear stories about
you people cheating and thieving like this.
- And third off...
- Open the gate, Rube!
Give me a hand here, Ben.
All right.
Now it becomes my duty
to carry out the sentence
which I have imposed
on these men
for killing and stealing
within the territory under my jurisdiction.
However I want it strictly understood
that there'll be no undue
shouting or cheering
or drunken talk
when I pull that lever
on account of it offends
the dignity of the occasion.
What's going on here?
You, there.
- It got a little out of hand. I'm sorry.
- You're sorry?
You just busted up a function of the law,
that's what you did.
The people of Skagway
don't like lawbreakers.
They go to a lot of trouble and expense
to prove it.
New gallows, new ropes,
13 steps all counted out right and proper,
with each step costing
not less than 12 dollar per each,
and you drive a herd of cattle
through the population.
You busted up everything,
that's what you did. And you're sorry.
- That's right, I'm sorry.
- Hold on.
- You're not going anywhere.
- Shall I dump them?
No, leave them be.
We'll save them till Sunday.
Mr Gannon, you ain't got no quarrel with him.
It was me turned them cows loose.
Don't tell me who to quarrel with.
You're supposed to be in Missouri.
- Well, I went broke in Seattle.
- Put them back in jail.
You go along with them.
What about this man?
He's all right.
He ain't all right.
He busted up my hanging.
All right, get down and speak your piece,
although it won't do you any good.
It's a plain case of disorderly conduct
with an attempt to kill
half the people of Skagway.
It's more than that.
This man is wanted for a murder in Seattle.
Seattle will have to wait.
He's wanted here for busting up a hanging.
However, I'll add that charge
and try him for both crimes.
I agreed to take him back.
And I'll take his partner along, too.
You'll take nobody. Get out.
Take his gun and lock him up.
Were you thinking of using that?
No, I was just showing your deputy
where to find it.
I'm gonna like you.
I'm gonna hang you,
but I'm gonna like you.
- Thank you very much.
- Lock him up.
Thank you.
- Can't you keep out of trouble?
- Sure doesn't look like it, does it?
Company for you.
This is Doc Vallon,
best doc in Skagway.
Oh yes, because I am the only doctor
in Skagway. So I am the best one.
Will you ask the learned Monsieur Gannon
to consider my case as quickly as possible?
I wouldn't crowd him. He's pretty sore.
Figures you could've saved Gigi's hand.
But the bones were crushed.
There was nothing but to amputate.
Maybe, but you sure ruined
a good piano player.
- Do you mind?
- No, not at all. Make yourself at home.
The medical profession,
it is most difficult in Alaska.
- Why did you come here?
- Because I'm going to Vienna.
Huckleberry, you... you spilled my soup.
As a favor, Renee, my name's Newberry.
Frank Newberry.
Oldberry, Newberry. To me,
you Huckleberry and it's a nice name.
It's good to see you still alive.
Papa? Papa, here's our soup.
- You're the man with the cows.
- That's right.
I think I like you.
Well, I think I like you, too.
You'll like me much better
when you hear me sing.
Oh?
But you may not hear me sing
if they hang you.
No, probably not.
That's too bad.
- Papa, our soup.
- Soup, soup. Always I must eat.
And you mustn't read while you eat.
It's bad for the stomach, isn't that so?
Oh, yes, yes.
Here, why don't you take my seat, Doc?
Merci.
Mr Gannon wants you in court
to hear your trial.
Oh, that's fair enough.
So long, Doc.
I'll go with you.
Now, you hear?
You don't read while you eat.
Thank you.
- This is where I sing. Is it not elegant?
- It's real nice.
The court's in here, too.
- Renee!
- Oh, Rube!
I'm back!
It's good to see you.
Shame on you.
Oh, that? That's sodie pop.
It tastes horrible.
What have I done?
What have you done?
You spilled half an ounce of gold dust.
- That'll cost you a kiss, baby.
- Hey, hey, hey!
Look, you're new around here.
Don't do that again.
Deputy. Order in the court.
Bring in the prisoner.
Careful. He plays rough.
So I noticed. Who is he?
- He's the law in Skagway.
- I see.
Bring my gavel.
Stand up.
Take your hat off.
Leave that.
Court's in session.
Everybody keep shut or get throwed out.
We'll take care of the Seattle business first.
Where's that boat captain?
You want me to get him?
No, never mind.
Who'd you kill?
- Two men.
- Why?
They were driving a herd of cattle
up from Wyoming and tried to turn back.
So you shot them?
Seems like a man ought to have
a right to leave if he wants to leave.
Even if he's driving trail,
that don't give you no reason to shoot him.
If he wants to turn back,
he can turn back.
I figured they should not have turned back
and taken my cattle with them.
That's a point well-taken.
Of course, you, er...
could have shot them in the back.
You don't look like
you'd shoot a man in the back.
Have a drink. You're acquitted.
Now, about them cattle.
- I told you about them cows...
- Keep shut, Rube.
How much you figure
they're worth?
That just depends
on where I sell 'em.
You ain't gonna sell 'em.
They've been seized by the court
in lieu of your fine
on account of you're guilty
of disturbing the peace
to almost killing 50 people,
and disrupting a legal proceeding.
Have a drink.
Court's adjourned.
- Aren't you satisfied?
- Why did you have to take his cattle?
Because I wanted them.
Or isn't that a good enough reason?
Give me his gun.
- Does this go as it stands?
- He's the law.
Yeah, but that's our herd of cattle.
- Come on, give me your gun.
- No, not with him.
Here's your gun, mister.
I'm happy they didn't hang you.
Now you can hear me sing.
- Some other time.
- No, I'm going to sing right now.
Come on, some other time.
You're not being very nice.
Had to give yourself an edge.
- A little one.
- A little one.
I'm gonna like you.
Let's all have a drink.
Tell Steve to play.
Thank you, freckle face.
I am not a freckle face.
Now that you're broke,
what are you gonna do?
Almost anything.
I might even try for your job.
That's been tried by a few.
I could use a new deputy.
Ten dollars a day, gold.
I don't think I'd like to work for you,
Mr Gannon.
Suit yourself.
Come and see me when you get hungry.
Excuse me,
but maybe we ain't gonna get hungry.
Maybe we'll just push on up the Yukon
and stake us out a claim.
When are you gonna leave?
We were thinking
maybe we'd pull out tomorrow morning.
That is, if we still have our horses.
The government ain't interested in horses,
but it is interested in your grubstake.
- You got one?
- How much do we have left?
Er... 50 dollars or thereabouts.
Enough to buy flour and salt and coffee,
a shovel and a pan.
We can kill our meat.
- Ain't enough.
- You let us worry about that.
That's just what I can't do
on account of the line.
- What line's that?
- The Canadian line.
You need 100 pounds of food
to cross the line.
Come along, I'll show you.
- I want to sing for you.
- You're real pretty.
Latigo, when are you leaving?
Tonight. We're checked out
and ready to go.
Dakota here,
he'll drive trail for you tomorrow.
I won't need him.
- Ma'am, he's the best driver in the country.
- I said I won't need him.
110. That's good.
Set it next to the wall.
Pick it up in the morning.
Suppose someone rob it.
Nobody gonna rob in Skagway.
Do like you're told.
Next man.
85. You're 15 pounds light.
But I can get by on 85 pounds.
I don't eat much, hardly nothing.
You'll eat. When you run short
you'll go killing and stealing
what belongs to somebody else
on account you won't have enough.
Now get in there
and buy another 15 pounds of food.
But, Mr Gannon,
I worked two months for this stuff.
Do like you're told.
- Is that a government rule?
- That's my rule.
- You sell the food.
- For cash only.
- Ah-ha.
- There she is, there's the border.
Everything the other side of them hills
is all Canadian territory.
- Do they take this lying down?
- Well, ain't we?
I guess we are.
I told you I might need a friend.
I'm going on up into Dawson.
What you need
is 100 pounds of food.
I'm carrying a few thousand.
That's mine, and the rest goes up
in the morning.
- If I can find a man to ride point.
- Ah-ha.
Your pay's 100 pounds of food,
another 100 for Ben.
You just hired a driver.
Joe, it's time to close up.
I'm... I'm sorry.
Honey, that weren't no accident.
She gonna give you 200 pounds of food
to trail drive for her?
You heard her,
that's what she said.
- Where'd she get all this money?
- I don't know.
- Rube, who all is this woman?
- Which woman?
This woman which hired Jeff.
Who is she?
Who is she?
You're sitting on her furniture.
She owns this place. Skagway Castle.
Didn't you see it up over the door?
Skagway. That's kind of a funny name
for a woman.
Her name is Ronda.
But you better call her Miss Castle
on account you work for her.
Come on, Rube.
Move your feet.
Oh honey, ain't no use nudging my elbow.
There's no dust in my poke.
If there were,
I wouldn't nudge it anyway.
Rube, this Castle woman, is she
gonna open up another place in Dawson?
That's how come you got the job.
- She kinda like you.
- I kinda like her.
Closing up, gents.
Front door's locked.
Use the side.
- Find any color, honey?
- Real high-grade tonight.
Was it hickory or yellow pine?
Look at that.
You mean to say
that gold comes from that?
Mm-hmm.
You don't think she sing in that saloon
all night for nothing.
Renee's got the sawdust concession.
She does pretty good.
- Do you want to try it?
- Sure. What do I do?
- Sit down.
- All right.
- Now you put water on it.
- Put water on it.
- No, not like that.
- Too much water?
Look. Here.
This way.
This is liable to take a couple of hours.
You guys might as well go to bed.
- Good night.
- Good night.
That's the way.
- Is that enough water?
- Yes.
All right, there we go.
- There's... no, there was some.
- Try again.
- You just, er...
- Are you really going to go to Dawson?
- Mm-hmm.
- With that woman?
Miss Castle? Yeah.
Mmm. Do you like her?
She's quite a woman.
No, I lost it again.
You'd better take it
or I'll lose your night's work.
There's lots more.
Elbow-nudger.
- There's worse things than elbow nudging.
- Yeah, I suppose so.
You know, you're...
you're very handsome.
- I like tall men with...
- Look at this.
Here's some.
Give me the poke.
Here.
There's a lot of gold there.
It takes a lot of gold
to become a stomach specialist.
Is that so?
Yes, Papa. I'm sending Papa to Vienna
to study stomach.
Couldn't find any in Alaska?
- Now you're laughing at me.
- Well, I don't know.
Washing out
a whole lot of tired, old sawdust
so you can send somebody to Vienna
to study stomachs.
Papa can't wash gold.
You've got to help people
when they need help.
Why?
- Don't you?
- I take care of me.
When you're older,
you'll find that's the only way.
Good night.
I'm quite old now!
The pack horses are ready,
Miss Castle.
- Who are these fellows?
- Drivers. I hired them.
This is your first trip into Dawson.
They know the trail.
I find my own trails,
and I do my own hiring.
So do I.
- All right, let's move them along.
- All right, move them out!
Ronda, girl,
I think I should have hung that man.
Wait a minute,
you can't leave old Rube in Skagway.
Why, you old goat.
Where'd you get the grubstake?
From my sweetheart.
Well, keep up the elbow-nudging.
- Be careful and goodbye.
- Goodbye, freckle face.
I'm not a freckle face!
I'm a woman.
And beef's selling for five dollars a pound
in Dawson.
Sure is a shame.
Come on.
All right!
Yah! Hah!
Hello, Mrs Kingman.
Where's the constable at?
Up on the Pelly River.
Trouble with the Chilkats.
You give him my very best
when he come home.
Hello, Skookum.
You're getting real big.
Get up, boy. Bye.
He got a real tough job, that constable.
He patrols some 20,000 square miles
full of nothing but hill and hollow.
Sometime he don't get home
for two and three months at a time
riding up in that far country.
You're going the wrong way, Jeff.
The trail's straight ahead.
I know.
Come on.
Come on down here.
You missed the trail.
It runs straight up.
We're gonna make night camp
right here in this canyon.
Night camp?
We still got three hours of daylight.
When do you expect to get to Dawson?
Next fall?
- Trail driver.
- Wyoming style. He'll learn.
I don't wanna argue,
but Gant's right.
We're not gonna argue.
We're gonna make night camp right here.
Now go up and get the horses.
Shh.
"This causes inflammation
of the mucous membrane of the stomach,
"secretion of an excessive
quantity of mucous
"and alteration of the gastric juice."
- Is that an ulcer?
- Gastritis. The ulcer comes later.
Say, do you know that we have
some very interesting ulcers on page 425?
What's that?
- Can't you hear it?
- Can I help but hear? Cows.
- Do you know a cow has four stomachs?
- Be quiet, Papa.
All right, let's go!
Hee-haw!
I knew our luck
was too good to last.
You keep them moving.
I'll go down and have a look.
Stop right there.
Jeff!
They told Mr Gannon about the cows.
- How did you know I was here?
- I saw you at the corral.
- Mr Gannon is very mad.
- Yeah, I can understand that.
You go over and tell Ben and Rube
to run the cattle down across the border
then get back in town
as quick as you can.
All right.
Hurry! Gannon, he's after the cattle.
- Is there something you want, Mr Gannon?
- Yeah, mostly I want you.
I also want that herd.
It's government property.
- I'm sorry. I reversed your decision.
- Where is he?
- Can you see him?
- No, can you?
What did you expect?
To talk him to death? Follow me.
Lost three, eh?
Next time you follow me, stay a little closer.
You'll live longer.
- Hold it right here.
- Another five jumps, and we got him.
You sure you want him?
This marks the end
of my territorial jurisdiction.
I don't plan no invasion of Canada.
Jeff, you holed up out there?
That's right.
That's what I figured.
Waiting to get us
as we cross the line?
Yeah, seemed like a good idea.
Still want to take those five jumps?
Have a nice trip!
I'll hang you when you come back!
- What makes you think I'm coming back?
- You will.
When the winter sets in,
everybody comes back through Skagway.
It's the only way out.
We'll wait here a spell.
He'll be along directly.
What gets me is, how'd you know
we was after them cattle? Did you see us?
Yes, but first, you know, I heard the bell.
The little bell Jeff wears on his saddle.
That. He won't ride without it.
- I gave it to him, you know.
- You did? Why?
Well, a couple of years back,
we was down in Mexico
and I bought this bell for our house.
We're gonna have a house in Utah.
We're gonna hang that right over
the front door, on the inside,
so as when you open the door,
the bell jingles, you see?
On account I'd like to know
when my friends is coming
so I can put on
another pot of coffee.
But that's a very little bell.
Well, it's gonna be
a very little house.
I thought I told you
to go back to Skagway.
You did, but Ben told me I could stay.
I'd guess we'd better move
them critters along.
Come on!
Hee-haw!
I see Ben's been giving out
a lot of information.
Did he tell you about those?
- The timber wolves?
- Yeah.
- I know about them. I know lots of things.
- I see.
You're gonna be a nuisance.
What am I gonna do with you
when we get to Dawson?
You don't have to do anything
when we get to Dawson.
I'm going to work on the claim with Rube.
We're partners.
- But what happens to Doc?
- He's going to go to Vienna on a boat.
And then I'll send him more money
while he's studying stomachs.
Mmm... now wait a minute.
Just-just... just hold on.
Now what happens to you?
I'll pan a lot of dust
and make a lot of money.
I see. What then?
Well, then I think mostly I...
I'd like to get married
to a tall man with... with brown hair,
and I'd like to live in San Francisco.
Do you like San Francisco?
Er... no.
That's what Ben told me.
He said you don't like any place very much.
You know what he said?
He said you don't even like people.
- Is there any reason why I should?
- Of course.
Why?
Because if you don't like people,
they won't like you.
And then you'll be lonely... like him.
Oh, him?
You know, maybe he likes to be lonely.
Did you ever think of that?
He never asks any favors
because he can take care of himself.
Never trusts anybody so he doesn't get hurt.
That's not a bad way to live.
Maybe you'll learn that
when you grow up, huh?
- Mm-mm.
- Well, let's... Come on.
Ha!
All right. Run them up in there.
- Good morning.
- I can see you had a busy night.
Yeah. Those are my cattle,
and I'm gonna take them to Dawson.
I said nothing about cattle
in our deal.
Nope, it was my idea.
Nobody ever does anything
for nothing, remember?
You know what happens
when Mr Gannon finds out you took 'em?
Yeah, I know.
I ain't making no drive to Dawson
with them cattle.
No?
- That goes for me, too.
- And me.
That makes it almost unanimous.
You like to cast your vote, Miss Castle?
I guess I was a convenience
to get you over the border.
Well, let's say we were both convenient.
It's a long way to Dawson.
Get them moving.
Look. There go your customers.
You know, that bunch
has been holed up there for a month
just waiting
for the weather to break.
They'll be stringing across that ice
all summer.
Now let's see what the man from Wyoming
can do with that trail.
Ha!
There it is, Mr Trail Driver.
White Horse Pass.
Two miles, straight up.
Real pretty.
Well, we better get going
while we still got daylight.
We're not going over White Pass.
We're going down through the valley.
- That's the long way around.
- Six days longer, in case you're interested.
- I'm not.
- Why?
Because there's no grass up there
on the ice for his cattle.
Well, I don't care about your cattle.
I hired you to take my supplies into Dawson.
- That's what I'm doing, my way.
- Even if it's the wrong way.
Oh, I wouldn't jump
to no conclusions, mister.
Maybe Jeff don't figure it's safe
to climb that ledge.
There's quite a few people
who don't agree with him, including me.
Uh-huh.
Well, I figure we'll go down
through the valley.
You know, you keep forgetting
that I hired you and I give the orders.
We'll take the mountain trail.
Suit yourself.
Come on, Ben.
Let's get started down the valley.
Go ahead, Ben.
Wait a minute, mister!
Something you want?
Is there something you want?
Why didn't you go her way?
- Lots of reasons.
- Name one.
Well, every once in a while,
it snows back in Wyoming.
The snow piles up on the tops
of the mountains, just like this.
And then what happens?
Well, come spring, just like this,
sometimes that snow begins to move.
- But you should have told her.
- Why?
Well, because if that snow moves,
somebody will get hurt.
That's quite possible.
But nobody can tell her anything.
Well, she's a very strong-willed woman.
That's what I like about her.
Never sell that short, freckle face.
I am not a freckle face,
and I'm very strong-willed, too!
- All right, hold it up a minute.
- What's the matter?
I don't know.
Pie picked up a rock or something.
You know, Jeff, that Ives fellow's right.
Gonna take us at least six days
to get back on that main trail.
Does it matter?
When you're after gold, it does.
First one there gets the best.
What are you fussing about?
There'll be enough to go around, ain't it?
I ain't fussing. I got a claim.
Wait till you see gold in the pan
for the first time,
so rich and yellow-like.
Wait till you see it.
It does something to you.
It drives a man crazy.
- How did you know?
- I didn't.
I figured it would happen, and it did.
All right, come on. Come on.
Let's move them along.
- We've got to go and help those people.
- Of course you do. They may be dead.
I didn't kill 'em.
Yeah, but you may be able
to save them if they're still alive.
You're wrong, Jeff.
You gotta help.
Why?
Why?
If you don't know why...
Whoa!
You're wrong, Jeff.
You stay here
and keep an eye on the cattle.
I'll take care of your rigging, Jeff.
Well, that's the last of it.
All we can salvage.
That's too bad.
How many did you lose?
Three men, six horses.
Unless you found any alive.
- No, I didn't. Did you bury Gant?
- Yeah, we buried him.
What about your people?
They're buried
under 50 foot of snow.
Why don't you come over
to the fire where it's warm?
- There, have some coffee.
- Thanks.
You sure you didn't get hurt none?
- I'll say it. I was wrong.
- You weren't wrong.
You were wrong about the trail, yes.
That was a long shot
that didn't pay off, that's all.
- As for...
- Being strong-willed?
There's nothing wrong with that.
That is, if you don't mind
getting a broken neck.
If I had, would it have bothered you?
No.
Look, there's a fire over there.
If you're gonna stay here,
I'll get you a blanket.
Do you mind getting me
some more coffee?
Sure.
- Thank you.
- You're learning.
- Here. Have some coffee, honey?
- I hate coffee.
There it is up there, Two Mile Pass.
That's the only way to get into Dawson.
Look at them two coming out.
They must have hit it rich
and figured on getting home early.
Well, who's shooting and what at?
You two fellows look after the cattle.
I'm sorry.
They got old Chitina Joe
and Bill Gooder.
Who done it, Bill?
Say a name.
They couldn't have picked
a better spot for it.
Is there much of this in Dawson?
Ain't ever happened before.
We're nice people up in Dawson.
We don't go around stealing and killing
like they do in Skagway.
Ain't never happened before.
Take care of 'em.
Bring along the horses, we may need them.
- Ain't you gonna look at what you hit?
- Why?
I don't know. I might know him.
Aren't you really interested?
- Is there any reason why I should be?
- That man's a thief.
- That's not why I shot him.
- Why did you?
Because he shot at me.
Jeff, come over here!
Seems like I seen him in Skagway,
but I can't be sure.
Well, guess I was wrong.
Hi, Rube!
Well, Rube, thought you was going home
to Maggie. What happened?
What else could happen
when you back queens against aces?
- I went bust.
- Hey, Renee, where's your pa?
He went to Vienna
to study stomachs.
You see Chitina Joe on your way out?
He left here three days ago with Bill.
- I seen him. Joe's dead.
- Who could have killed him?
So is Bill Gooder. Both of 'em robbed
and killed back in Two Mile.
Nothing like this
ever happened here before.
I knew it was coming.
I warned you, I did.
Where there's gold, there's stealing.
Where there's stealing, there's killing.
I knew it was coming.
I just did know it.
You didn't know nothing.
Don't go pretending like you did.
- We'll talk this out sensible later.
- He did know, Hominy.
- Luke said to me where there's gold...
- Dusty, why don't you stop moaning?
Yeah, if you ain't bellyaching
about the food it's something else.
- Now keep shut.
- Food, you call it? Moose, caribou and bear.
And them ain't young bears.
Them's old bears.
Hey, look.
Look at that beef!
I want me a steak
about ten inches thick.
- At five dollars a pound?
- I don't care what it costs. I'll pay.
I ain't had me a steak
in six months.
Don't get too happy
till we find out what cost the cows.
- Rube, how much for your beef?
- Talk to the man.
Hey, mister, I'm Hominy
and she's Grits.
- How much for your cows?
- I haven't decided yet.
When you do, let me know.
I may buy them.
- I never did like that woman.
- I don't like her now.
Why don't you stay in Skagway
where you belong? Dawson ain't for you.
- Really?
- She's asking for it.
I don't need no prompting.
On account of Skagway was a good town
before you moved in.
Robbing and cheating miners
with your bad whiskey and fancy women.
You made the place smell to high heavens.
But that weren't enough.
No matter how hard the men worked
in the gold field,
you'd take it away in Skagway.
Now you come up to the Klondike
and you wanna catch 'em in the gold fields!
But let me tell you, woman,
you ain't got Mr Gannon backing you,
with his gun and his badge.
Not in Dawson. You ain't welcome.
- How much for your cows?
- How much am I offered?
A dollar a pound on the hoof
and that'll dress down to about, er...
five dollars for eating beef,
and I'll buy them all!
One dollar 50.
One dollar 50's been bid.
Do I hear two dollars?
I'm tired of eating bear stew.
- I'll offer two dollars a pound for one cow.
- Oh, Dusty, you keep shut!
One dollar 75.
One dollar 75 I'm bid.
Do I hear two dollars?
This is the finest beef
that ever come into the Klondike.
Here come Molasses with another bear,
and it's a real old one.
Mister, I'll give you 50 dollars
for one slice of beef!
- Keep shut, Dusty!
- No. All or none, mister!
- One dollar 75 once, twice...
- Two dollars.
Yeah, Miss Castle got the money.
Bear stew tonight, boys!
Bear stew, that's all!
- You just bought a herd of cattle.
- Stop by this evening, and I'll pay you.
- Stop by where?
- The Dawson Castle.
It's going up right now, there.
I'll be there.
- Hey, Pete, drop us off in front.
- Can't wait to get some beef stew.
That Dawson Castle
is quite a place, isn't it?
Jeff, you shouldn't have
sold her your beef.
Hominy's has been here
since Dawson started.
- Now look what you did to her.
- What have I done?
Well, you took away
all of her customers.
Miss Castle offered two dollars.
Well, there are things
more important than money.
- Come on, I'll buy you a beef stew.
- I hate beef stew!
Whiskey, please.
Two whiskies.
- Is that mine?
- Part of it. You'll get the rest in the morning.
Ma'am, I'm Yukon Sam.
I got a claim worth 60,000.
Might even be worth one million.
Hey, Rube, ain't that right?
It's a good claim, all right.
One of the best!
- Worth 50 or better.
- You heard Rube. He only tell the truth.
I'm sure he does.
Then give me a pencil.
I'll sign a tab for a thousand.
No, sorry. We only play for cash.
- You don't trust me?
- I don't trust any man.
- Hey, Rube, buy me a drink, will you?
- Go on. Give him a drink.
- Is there any particular reason?
- For not trusting men?
- Uh-huh.
- I trusted a man once.
That's quite a coincidence.
I trusted a woman.
Have a couple of glasses
and a bottle.
Cost me a home in San Francisco,
carriages, servants.
Now ask me how a nice girl like me
got into a bad trade like this.
- What's bad about it?
- Ma'am, I got that lucky feeling.
- Sure you won't trust me?
- Very sure.
Wanna buy my claim?
I'll give you 10,000.
- But it's worth 50.
- I'll give you 10.
- 20.
- 30.
- 40.
- You just bought yourself a claim.
- Here you are.
- All right, sir.
All right. Pay the man off.
No, just give me a marker
for a thousand.
You see, I trust people.
- He'll be sorry.
- Thanks for the drink.
Look at this! We're in business.
We don't want no business.
We just want to get out.
You know, it's a funny thing about gold.
It don't jump out of the ground.
You gotta dig it out.
Don't worry. We're gonna dig.
We're gonna start right now.
- How much cost a couple of shovels?
- Yours are on the house.
Good.
You owe me 20,000 dollars in our deal.
I'll pick it up tomorrow morning.
All right. It'll be here.
Good luck.
I thought we was gonna buy that ranch
in Utah and settle down.
Here, take one.
- Never thought I'd come to this.
- Come on.
Jeff boy, we got twins!
Look at 'em.
It's just a case of knowing how.
Here, put them in the bank.
How much you figure we got now,
counting what's in the shack?
70, 80,000 dollars, along with the price
of the cattle. Look at that.
Where's Tom McGrew's claim?
He's over yonder,
just the other side of the stream.
- You'll find Tom working the slew.
- Not anymore, you won't.
- Why not?
- He's dead.
Dead? How'd he get dead?
He got in a little argument
over at the Dawson Castle with Ives here.
Here.
- What you shutting down for?
- I'm going hunting.
Hunting? We don't need no meat.
Maybe not.
What we need is a way outta here.
You're wasting time.
There ain't but one way out.
- That's through Skagway.
- Not if you go along the river.
I met an Indian
the other day, a Chilkat.
He claims a trail
all the way to Juneau.
- Yeah, but did you see the trail?
- I will today.
Say, maybe I'd better ask Rube.
He knows this country...
Now don't ask anybody!
That's the way people get killed, talking.
I know, but I thought
maybe Rube could help us.
I just can't make you understand,
can I, Ben?
I don't need other people.
I don't need help.
I can take care of me.
And in a pinch...
...I can take care of you, too.
Guess you can at that.
Now, here comes Rube.
Remember what I told you.
- I won't say nothing, not a word.
- Remember that.
- You all quitting early?
- Why don't you eat with us at Hominy's?
And eat bear stew? No, thanks.
I'm going hunting.
But it's very tasty the way Hominy cooks it.
Then there's something new.
- What's that?
- It arrived today. A piano!
- A piano?
- Mm-hmm.
A piany? Why couldn't that old walrus
pack in a sheep, or pig, or goat, or...
You can't play a goat!
- Hi, Porcupine. Where you going?
- Home to Arizony.
I got mine. So has Tanana.
Yeah, gonna buy me a hotel
and sit on the porch with my wife.
No working, no cooking.
Just sitting and rocking
and waving howdy to the neighbors
as they ride past.
We're getting us a ranch
up in Utah.
We're gonna settle down and stay put
until old Gabe blows the horn.
- Ain't that for true, Jeff?
- Uh-huh. Did you sell your claim?
- Yeah. To the Castle woman, for cash.
- Then you got robbed.
We don't care on account of
she's so pretty and we're so rich.
- Be you going out through Skagway?
- Be there another way?
Well, I hear tell about the river.
Yeah, but we can't swim,
and that water's so cold.
Goodbye, Tanana.
Bye. Take care of yourself.
- I didn't say nothing, did I?
- Give me my rifle.
? Those flirtatious tulips
? Naughty tulips
? Whisper through the garden
? That someone is in love
- ? The bluebells are ringing
- ? Hear them ring
? Amaryllis sigh
- ? Sweet Williams are singing
- ? Hear them sing
? Black-eyed Susans cry
? Oh, pretty little primrose
? Dainty primrose
? How can you say no
? When tulips love you so
? How can you say no
? When tulips love you so ?
- Come on, honey, you sing.
- No, no more.
You'd better, else them old walruses
is gonna start bellowing again.
- How are you?
- I'll sing.
- Hi, Jeff. Where you been?
- Hunting.
What'd you get?
- Pete boy, what happened?
- They jumped us in Two Mile.
- I think I got one.
- And Porcupine?
- He's dead.
- Whereabouts did it happen...
Stop asking fool questions.
Can't you see the man's shot full of holes?
- Let me have some petticoat.
- Use your own!
I ain't got one.
Sourdough, get me some water, will you?
And stand back.
Let me see if I can plug up some of these.
Never mind the water.
Take him out back, boys.
Take him outside.
You're the law up here. Why don't you
do something about them killings?
Yes, I'm the law. At least,
I represent the law in Yukon Territory.
- About 50,000 square miles of it.
- Why aren't there more of you?
Because yesterday
this was a wilderness.
We didn't expect you to pour in
by the thousands.
- But now that you're here, we'll protect you.
- When?
There'll be a post established
here in Dawson early in May.
What happens between now and May?
You gonna be here to keep order?
- Part of the time.
- What about the rest of the time?
Pick yourselves a good man.
Swear him in.
Have him act as Marshall
till you pull out in the fall.
Who say we're gonna pull out?
We're gonna stay right on here
through the winter.
- We're gonna make this a real town.
- You mean permanent?
- Uh-huh.
- Sure enough.
We're gonna have lampposts
and sidewalks.
- Might even have ourselves a church.
- I can sing hymns.
I got a wife and kids.
Might be I move them in.
Build them a real home with a porch,
a bathtub, and everything.
Well, yeah, we can build
a school and a courthouse, huh?
Now, wait a minute
before you build this courthouse.
- Who we gonna pick as Marshall?
- Who's handy with a gun?
He is.
Isn't that what you told me, Ben?
He's really handy.
Yeah, he the one
who faced up to Mr Gannon
and took back his cows
when they were stole?
Mm-hmm.
I was with him in Two Mile Pass
when Chitina Joe got shot.
He knocked a man out of the saddle
at better than 200 yards.
How is he up close?
Maybe he don't let
'em get up close.
Well, how about it?
I'm not interested.
Jeff boy, don't say you ain't interested
until you give it a little thought.
I'm not interested!
He just ain't got no guts.
You're wrong about him, Hominy.
He don't scare worth a nickel.
- Maybe he don't like us.
- Then we don't like him.
We don't want no part of him.
Now who we gonna elect for marshal?
- Well, how about Rube?
- Yes, Rube is the man we want.
- Ben, where'd you hide the coffee?
- What?
I found the sugar
but where did you hide the coffee?
I didn't hide the coffee. We're out.
We're fresh out almost.
You'll find half a cup in that small soup can,
the one marked "salt".
That's not enough.
It's more than enough
if you know how to make it.
It's getting so I gotta be the chief cook,
and the biscuit-baker
and everything else around here.
- What you doing?
- I'm packing.
- I can see you're packing, but what for?
- We're pulling out tonight.
Pulling out? We can't pull...
I know I should have told you before
but I didn't want you gabbing all over town.
I don't gabbing. And we ain't pulling out
on account of we can't pull out
- Why not?
- Cos we made an agreement.
When Rube got elected Marshal everybody
agreed to stay the winter. I told you.
- I didn't make any agreement.
- But I told you about it!
And I told you
Rube and all that crowd are fools.
All this talk about schools,
churches, law and order.
Law and order cost lives.
It means somebody has to stand up
and get himself shot at.
That's not why I came to Dawson.
We've got ours,
and we're getting out.
At least, I'm getting out.
You mean, you're going anyways,
even if I don't go along?
I'm going.
Now look, Jeff.
You and me's been together a lot of years.
It's been good, real good.
I ain't gonna be around too much longer.
I'm getting old.
But I sort of figured we'd go on together
until... well, until my time come.
Oh, come on, now, you're not that old.
I didn't say anything about splitting up.
It's you.
Ever since you've been talking
to Rube and Hominy...
- No, it ain't only that!
- You keep talking to them.
You and me seen a lot of towns get born,
cow towns and boomtowns.
Why, we even put a ranch together
and watched it grow.
Then you wanted to go
to the far country, we moved on.
Always moving.
Moving, moving, moving.
Thought you'd like it here
with Renee, Rube, and Hominy.
They're nice folks.
Better than any we ever met before.
All right, I'll go along,
but where's it all gonna end, boy?
We just going on and on and on?
Well, maybe we'll end up
on that ranch in Utah.
Right now, we got
an awful lot of money to spend.
What you gonna buy
that's better than what we got?
We got friends in Dawson.
You gonna buy new ones?
Come on, let's get that coffee.
Sounds like Miss Castle
got a new piany.
Sounds like she got a lot of things.
Let's get the coffee
over in the Hash House.
We can get the coffee right in here.
Come on.
Well, hello, Jeff!
Ronda tells me
you and Ben been doing real good.
We ain't complaining.
I hope you got enough to pay what you owe
the government. It's a tidy sum.
Did you come up to collect?
No. Yukon ain't under my jurisdiction,
I'm sorry to say.
However, I'll hang you when you come
through Skagway in the fall.
- Ain't no hurry.
- No, that can wait.
I'd like to get some coffee,
Two pounds of coffee.
- Two pounds? That ain't enough.
- Then we can come in and buy more.
- Come in?
- You've been waiting to dance.
- Try your luck with Goldilocks.
- Me dance? This is ridiculous.
- Do you drink in the daytime?
- Sure, if it's good whiskey.
- Will you join me?
- Thanks, Jeff. Yeah, I will.
I suppose you're wondering
what I'm doing up here in Dawson.
Well, that's your business.
I knew I was gonna like you.
I'm gonna stake me a claim,
maybe two or three.
Skagway's paying out.
Could be I'll settle here permanent.
Dawson's gonna like that.
How about that coffee?
Who all's name is Burt Madden?
My name's Madden.
This notice for filing a claim,
did you write it?
Yeah, I wrote it.
That's my claim. The markers
have been up for over three months.
I figure maybe you made a mistake?
Pick it up.
Then put it back
where you found it.
- I tell you, that's my claim.
- I said, pick it up.
Dusty never shot a gun.
He didn't know how.
Chances is,
it wasn't even loaded.
- Was I supposed to know that?
- No, you weren't supposed to know.
And I want that coffee ground.
Take him outside.
What's going on here?
Looks like you got a killing
on your hands, Rube.
- I understand you're the Marshall.
- Who done the killing?
I did.
Gonna lock him up?
We ain't got no jail yet.
But I'll take your guns
and work out a fair trial for you.
You'll take my guns?
Take them.
- Go on, Marshall, take them!
- Give them to me. I like guns.
Don't be afraid.
He won't bite you.
Just unfasten your gun belt.
You unfasten it.
Hold on, Rube. There just isn't any reason
for a man getting himself killed,
if he doesn't have to.
- Isn't that right, Mr Gannon?
- That's a point. Good point.
Yeah...
Why don't you go back to the nice people
before you get hurt?
I didn't expect that from you.
You shamed him.
Rube would rather be dead.
But he's not dead.
I ain't fit to wear this.
It just ain't right.
What they gonna do now?
Yukon can't stand up to Mr Gannon.
If they've got any sense,
they'll get out of town while they can.
Yeah, but they was gonna build a town.
Well, I guess maybe you're right.
Maybe it ain't none of our business.
You sure this back trail
takes us to Juneau?
As far as the river.
Then we get on a little old raft, huh?
Always the long way.
You know I don't like boats.
- Well, this is the raft you built, huh?
- Yeah. Get these branches off here.
- Sure hope it floats.
- She'll float all right. I tried her.
What we gonna do with the horses?
We'll pull the saddles and turn them loose.
There's lots of good grazing here.
Say, Jeff, why don't we leave the boat here
and ride down to Skagway?
We wouldn't have no trouble
so long as Mr Gannon's in Dawson.
That's just what he wants us to do.
Then they'd jump us at Two Mile Pass.
Untie that rope over there,
and we'll ease her down into the water.
- What do you do, just pull it?
- Just pull it. Come on now, ease her down.
Ease your line down.
There she goes.
There.
- Did you bring the bacon and the flour?
- Yeah, I brung all that stuff.
And I wish I'd brought a lot more, too.
It's gonna be a long walk after we
leave the river, and I like to eat.
What would you rather do,
carry gold or bacon?
Here's something you can carry,
two more pounds of coffee.
I can starve a little,
but I can't go without coffee.
Where'd you get those?
We only had two pounds, Jeff, so I went
to the store yesterday, got a couple more.
- Ben, didn't I...
- I didn't say nothing.
- Are you sure you didn't?
- Honest, Jeff...
- Are you sure you didn't say any...
- Honest, Jeff, I didn't.
Now get these horses unloaded.
Let's get out of here.
I didn't mean for to do no wrong, Jeff.
I just love my coffee.
You know, when we have our place in Utah,
I'm gonna have coffee every blessed hour...
Jeff!
Hominy! Renee!
Mr Gannon.
And you told me he was dead.
- And I told you to leave that man alone.
- You've been doing too much telling.
From now on,
you're gonna listen to me.
I'm getting tired
of listening to that bell.
- I'll go turn it off.
- No.
He'll keep.
- He wouldn't thank you.
- But somebody's got to help him.
Rube! Come on, Rube.
Wake up!
No, don't... don't move your hand.
Don't move your shoulder, either.
The muscle is torn up
but the bone is all right.
What, your dad
want you to be a doctor, too?
He taught me a lot of things.
Well...
- What about Ben? I tried to dig a...
- I took care of him.
I also made some coffee
and some stew.
What made you come out here?
Someone has to help you.
Why?
That's a silly question. You've got
to help people when they need help.
What kind of a world will it be
if everybody was like...
Like me?
- Open your mouth.
- Oh, I...
- Is that what you were gonna say?
- Now, we don't talk.
We just eat and we sleep.
Then we get well and strong again.
You think I was wrong?
Don't you?
Say it.
Go on, say what you're thinking.
We don't talk.
We-we just eat and sleep.
I think she's right, Jeff.
How do you like your coffee?
Black?
- The coffee come after the soup.
- I'll wait.
Nobody asked you to wait.
Ask me.
Yeah, I want her to stay.
Thanks for everything, Renee.
Don't thank me. Thank her!
- What caused that?
- Jealousy.
- Jealousy? She's only a child...
- She's a woman, so am I. Coffee?
No, I don't want any coffee.
What about the two pounds
Ben came in to buy?
Did you sell it to him?
- I liked Ben.
- Did you sell it to him?
If I had,
he would have been alive today.
But you're right about Ben.
He talked too much.
Gannon and the others listened.
I learned that tonight.
Mr Gannon, huh?
Mr Gannon... just wait
till my hand gets better.
That's exactly what he wants you to do.
Ben's dead.
Getting killed or killing Gannon
isn't gonna bring him back.
Look... I'm pulling out,
and you're going with me.
We'd do well together.
Think it over?
- Having trouble?
- And if I am?
- Maybe I can help you.
- I don't want your help.
Where's Rube?
Where you put him,
at the Dawson Castle.
Marshall, your bottle's empty again.
Here, have a fresh one.
Mr Gannon, the citizens
seem to be unhappy.
What did you re-stake my claim for?
- Your claim?
- Yeah, my claim.
That fellow, Ives, he...
he took down my markers
and put up this piece of paper
with your name on it.
- He did the same with mine, too.
- Is this your name, Mr Gannon?
Yes, that's my name.
I'd advise you to put that back
where you found it.
I will not.
Rube and I staked that claim.
It belongs to us.
Isn't that true, Rube?
What difference does it make?
You can't lick them anyhow.
I don't care what Rube said.
I see him stake that claim last year.
And did you see him
file a notice of that claim in Ottawa?
That's the proper place
to file a claim.
We're gonna have a claim office
here in Dawson soon as the Mounties come.
Yeah, we're gonna have a courthouse
and everything, come the spring.
Then we'll file our claims.
Well, that's very interesting.
Only, don't file any of my claims.
And that's what you're holding
in your hands right now, my claims.
You're not gonna get away with it,
Mr Gannon.
But I already have, Marshall.
It's finished, done.
Then it's up to me to undo it!
You're real slow, Marshall.
Now get out,
and take that with you.
Come on, Rube.
Give me a gun!
He ain't gonna get away with this!
I won't let you do it, Yukon.
Ain't no sense in a man letting himself
get killed if he don't have to.
Ain't that what you said?
And another thing.
If you're wise,
you'll get out of Dawson.
Don't you agree, Jeff?
Can I lend you a gun?
Yes, if you can lend him an arm
to go with it.
I warned you. Where there's gold,
there's stealing and killing.
- Like he said, we gotta get out of town.
- Let's talk it over first.
Jeff, now do you understand
why I wanted us to get out of Dawson?
I'm beginning to understand
a lot of things.
But in the meantime, we're not
gonna do anything foolish, are we?
We aren't?
A little, perhaps.
Like trusting one another.
But that's the way it goes
when a woman falls in love.
I'm in love with you, Jeff.
Go get your packs made up.
Take your belongings, gold, and everything.
Get back here as fast as you can.
Are you all just gonna pull out?
What about that courthouse, school,
and church you were talking about?
Who are you to ask?
I wouldn't do that.
Everybody else is pulling out.
We figured your claim was abandoned.
It isn't.
- Mr Gannon ain't gonna like this.
- You tell Mr Gannon I'll be in to see him.
He'll be waiting.
I told him you'd be waiting.
I always knew he'd turn
into a public-minded citizen.
Let's have a little quiet!
It seems a gentleman
is coming to visit us.
In fact, he seems to have arrived.
Do you still want to quiet that bell?
Why not?
Madden!
Mr Gannon!
I knew Madden couldn't take him.
I'll be right with you, Jeff!
You'll know when to come out.
Jeff! Jeff, look out!
What, you crazy fool!
Why didn't you take care of you?
That's a funny question.
All right! Get out or fight!
We can't fight the whole town.
Show them the trail, Yukon.
And put on your badge.
Right out yonder's the trail,
and don't ever come into our town again!
You went
and got yourself hurt again.
I know. We eat, we sleep, we rest,
and soon we'll be all better again.
Yeah. Finest beef
that ever come into Seattle.
All the way from Wyoming,
and here he be.
- Hi, Jeff. How are you, boy?
- Where do I tag them?
Take them on down to the dock.
We'll run them aboard.
- How'd you do, boy?
- Not too bad.
- Lose a few head?
- A few.
You started with four men.
- Two of them tried to turn back.
- I see.
Hold them right there.
That's good.
You owe these fellows 200 dollars
for the drive.
- Pay 'em off.
- Correct. 200 dollars.
Well, Tom, here's 100 for you...
and 100 for you, Joe.
Here are your guns.
All right, you've been waiting for 500 miles.
Go ahead and use 'em.
I'll live to see you hang.
- I guess I forgot to shake hands.
- Oh, yeah.
- How are you, Ben?
- I'm fine.
- You still got your pipe?
- Oh, sure.
Here it is.
You're looking good.
You look good, too.
I see you're still wearing the bell there.
You wouldn't want me to lose that,
would you?
I should say not.
Don't suppose there'd be any sense
in asking you what happened?
- No, no.
- That's what I figured.
Hey, Captain Benson.
I want you to meet my partner.
He said he'd be on time
with them cattle, and here he be.
You got just ten minutes
to get them loaded.
- He don't like cattle.
- No, I guess he doesn't.
Hey, quit poking them steers. That's beef.
What do you wanna do, bruise 'em?
Haul in your gangplank.
Haul in your gangplank.
Cast off all lines.
Cast off all lines.
We got us a stateroom, real exclusive.
You, me, and one other.
- No, that's this lady's. Ours is a him.
- Excuse me.
Rube Morris from the Klondike.
He's a bit shaggy, but he's clean.
There he is. Open the door, Rube.
Say hello to my partner, Jeff Webster.
- Howdy.
- Hello.
- Locked. Ain't got no key.
- Key? See the Captain. Get a key.
The man's tired,
he's got to lay himself down.
Captain Benson, hold up!
You got a killer on board.
Yeah, there he is, by the rail.
The tall one.
You bring her in,
do you hear me?
Don't talk like a fool, Walters.
This isn't a rowboat.
You bring her in! There's a killing charge
against that man on the lower deck!
Sorry. You'll have to wait.
I'll put him in custody and hand him
over to you on the return voyage.
Take him down to the brig.
Better put him in irons,
as long as he's a killer.
Full ahead.
Pull her north by northwest.
Come on down, Joe.
I'll take that gun.
In here.
Hide in the bed.
In the bed.
With spurs?
- Open up!
- They'll be here in just a minute.
Anyone in here?
Use your passkey, Boatswain.
- Oh, I-I... I'm sorry. Miss Castle.
- I should think you would be.
- We are looking for a man, a killer.
- In my stateroom?
- Well, I... I didn't know you were in.
- You know it now.
And lock the door.
I imagine you look better
with a shave.
Oh? My razor's in my saddlebag.
Unless you've got one.
Oh, er... if you put the key in the door
and turn it they can't use a passkey.
I know that.
Then you figured?
Well, can you think of anything
more convincing?
No, and I'll tell you something else.
I can't think why you did it.
Do I have to have a reason?
Nobody ever did anything for nothing.
You're right.
I may need a friend in Skagway.
And in the meantime?
In the meantime,
I'll tell your partners where you are
and when it's safe,
you can go to your own cabin.
And in the meantime?
Say "thanks."
That's a term I seldom use.
Open the door, it's me.
I got us some food.
- Soup and beef.
- What kinda soup?
Oh, just soup soup.
Five dollars for the beef and taters.
- Five dollars?
- Skagway prices.
Beef bringing a dollar a pound
on the hoof.
Bringing better than ten dollars a pound
dressed in Dawson.
Argh, burned the taters.
But we're gonna be rich, Jeff. Yes, sir.
Just as soon as you drive that herd
to the Klondike, we're gonna be rich.
- Are they still looking for me up on deck?
- No, they surely give up.
Argh, cold.
Wouldn't you'd think at these prices
they'd put a little fire under the coffee?
Well, set yourself down, son.
- Where's your food?
- I don't need food if I can have my coffee.
Yeah, about ten gallons a day.
Hope there's plenty of that stuff
up in Dawson.
Old Rube says we can't drive to Dawson.
He says there's glaciers
and snow and ice, and suchlike.
- Yeah.
- He thinks we're crazy.
What do you think?
Well, I think we're crazy, too,
but we're gonna be rich.
Then we're gonna get that ranch in Utah,
you and me, and settle down.
Yeah.
Good old Skagway.
Everybody's gone but us.
- Gone where?
- Gone.
They've gone ashore.
Where do you think they've gone?
- We're in Skagway.
- Skagway.
Look. Four new saloons
since last month.
- Where'd everybody go at?
- Come on.
- Town's real empty.
- Come on, now.
- Nice folks in Skagway.
- Yeah, I know.
Four new saloons.
Well, at least I won't go dry.
Hurry up,
I gotta get them critters off this tub.
- My, how Skagway grew.
- Give me that bottle.
- Now, what for you do that?
- On account of Maggie, that's what for!
You passed me your word
no more drinking.
You're taking your gold back
to your wife in Missouri this time.
That's a sobering thought.
Here's your hay bill.
I've come to get my cattle.
I'll take another 500.
For handling.
Handling? You don't handle cattle.
Cattle handle theirselves.
- Somebody had to feed them.
- That was in the deal.
Not the way I see it.
We don't want any argument.
500 more, or you don't get the cattle.
First off, I ain't got 500.
And second off, I hear stories about
you people cheating and thieving like this.
- And third off...
- Open the gate, Rube!
Give me a hand here, Ben.
All right.
Now it becomes my duty
to carry out the sentence
which I have imposed
on these men
for killing and stealing
within the territory under my jurisdiction.
However I want it strictly understood
that there'll be no undue
shouting or cheering
or drunken talk
when I pull that lever
on account of it offends
the dignity of the occasion.
What's going on here?
You, there.
- It got a little out of hand. I'm sorry.
- You're sorry?
You just busted up a function of the law,
that's what you did.
The people of Skagway
don't like lawbreakers.
They go to a lot of trouble and expense
to prove it.
New gallows, new ropes,
13 steps all counted out right and proper,
with each step costing
not less than 12 dollar per each,
and you drive a herd of cattle
through the population.
You busted up everything,
that's what you did. And you're sorry.
- That's right, I'm sorry.
- Hold on.
- You're not going anywhere.
- Shall I dump them?
No, leave them be.
We'll save them till Sunday.
Mr Gannon, you ain't got no quarrel with him.
It was me turned them cows loose.
Don't tell me who to quarrel with.
You're supposed to be in Missouri.
- Well, I went broke in Seattle.
- Put them back in jail.
You go along with them.
What about this man?
He's all right.
He ain't all right.
He busted up my hanging.
All right, get down and speak your piece,
although it won't do you any good.
It's a plain case of disorderly conduct
with an attempt to kill
half the people of Skagway.
It's more than that.
This man is wanted for a murder in Seattle.
Seattle will have to wait.
He's wanted here for busting up a hanging.
However, I'll add that charge
and try him for both crimes.
I agreed to take him back.
And I'll take his partner along, too.
You'll take nobody. Get out.
Take his gun and lock him up.
Were you thinking of using that?
No, I was just showing your deputy
where to find it.
I'm gonna like you.
I'm gonna hang you,
but I'm gonna like you.
- Thank you very much.
- Lock him up.
Thank you.
- Can't you keep out of trouble?
- Sure doesn't look like it, does it?
Company for you.
This is Doc Vallon,
best doc in Skagway.
Oh yes, because I am the only doctor
in Skagway. So I am the best one.
Will you ask the learned Monsieur Gannon
to consider my case as quickly as possible?
I wouldn't crowd him. He's pretty sore.
Figures you could've saved Gigi's hand.
But the bones were crushed.
There was nothing but to amputate.
Maybe, but you sure ruined
a good piano player.
- Do you mind?
- No, not at all. Make yourself at home.
The medical profession,
it is most difficult in Alaska.
- Why did you come here?
- Because I'm going to Vienna.
Huckleberry, you... you spilled my soup.
As a favor, Renee, my name's Newberry.
Frank Newberry.
Oldberry, Newberry. To me,
you Huckleberry and it's a nice name.
It's good to see you still alive.
Papa? Papa, here's our soup.
- You're the man with the cows.
- That's right.
I think I like you.
Well, I think I like you, too.
You'll like me much better
when you hear me sing.
Oh?
But you may not hear me sing
if they hang you.
No, probably not.
That's too bad.
- Papa, our soup.
- Soup, soup. Always I must eat.
And you mustn't read while you eat.
It's bad for the stomach, isn't that so?
Oh, yes, yes.
Here, why don't you take my seat, Doc?
Merci.
Mr Gannon wants you in court
to hear your trial.
Oh, that's fair enough.
So long, Doc.
I'll go with you.
Now, you hear?
You don't read while you eat.
Thank you.
- This is where I sing. Is it not elegant?
- It's real nice.
The court's in here, too.
- Renee!
- Oh, Rube!
I'm back!
It's good to see you.
Shame on you.
Oh, that? That's sodie pop.
It tastes horrible.
What have I done?
What have you done?
You spilled half an ounce of gold dust.
- That'll cost you a kiss, baby.
- Hey, hey, hey!
Look, you're new around here.
Don't do that again.
Deputy. Order in the court.
Bring in the prisoner.
Careful. He plays rough.
So I noticed. Who is he?
- He's the law in Skagway.
- I see.
Bring my gavel.
Stand up.
Take your hat off.
Leave that.
Court's in session.
Everybody keep shut or get throwed out.
We'll take care of the Seattle business first.
Where's that boat captain?
You want me to get him?
No, never mind.
Who'd you kill?
- Two men.
- Why?
They were driving a herd of cattle
up from Wyoming and tried to turn back.
So you shot them?
Seems like a man ought to have
a right to leave if he wants to leave.
Even if he's driving trail,
that don't give you no reason to shoot him.
If he wants to turn back,
he can turn back.
I figured they should not have turned back
and taken my cattle with them.
That's a point well-taken.
Of course, you, er...
could have shot them in the back.
You don't look like
you'd shoot a man in the back.
Have a drink. You're acquitted.
Now, about them cattle.
- I told you about them cows...
- Keep shut, Rube.
How much you figure
they're worth?
That just depends
on where I sell 'em.
You ain't gonna sell 'em.
They've been seized by the court
in lieu of your fine
on account of you're guilty
of disturbing the peace
to almost killing 50 people,
and disrupting a legal proceeding.
Have a drink.
Court's adjourned.
- Aren't you satisfied?
- Why did you have to take his cattle?
Because I wanted them.
Or isn't that a good enough reason?
Give me his gun.
- Does this go as it stands?
- He's the law.
Yeah, but that's our herd of cattle.
- Come on, give me your gun.
- No, not with him.
Here's your gun, mister.
I'm happy they didn't hang you.
Now you can hear me sing.
- Some other time.
- No, I'm going to sing right now.
Come on, some other time.
You're not being very nice.
Had to give yourself an edge.
- A little one.
- A little one.
I'm gonna like you.
Let's all have a drink.
Tell Steve to play.
Thank you, freckle face.
I am not a freckle face.
Now that you're broke,
what are you gonna do?
Almost anything.
I might even try for your job.
That's been tried by a few.
I could use a new deputy.
Ten dollars a day, gold.
I don't think I'd like to work for you,
Mr Gannon.
Suit yourself.
Come and see me when you get hungry.
Excuse me,
but maybe we ain't gonna get hungry.
Maybe we'll just push on up the Yukon
and stake us out a claim.
When are you gonna leave?
We were thinking
maybe we'd pull out tomorrow morning.
That is, if we still have our horses.
The government ain't interested in horses,
but it is interested in your grubstake.
- You got one?
- How much do we have left?
Er... 50 dollars or thereabouts.
Enough to buy flour and salt and coffee,
a shovel and a pan.
We can kill our meat.
- Ain't enough.
- You let us worry about that.
That's just what I can't do
on account of the line.
- What line's that?
- The Canadian line.
You need 100 pounds of food
to cross the line.
Come along, I'll show you.
- I want to sing for you.
- You're real pretty.
Latigo, when are you leaving?
Tonight. We're checked out
and ready to go.
Dakota here,
he'll drive trail for you tomorrow.
I won't need him.
- Ma'am, he's the best driver in the country.
- I said I won't need him.
110. That's good.
Set it next to the wall.
Pick it up in the morning.
Suppose someone rob it.
Nobody gonna rob in Skagway.
Do like you're told.
Next man.
85. You're 15 pounds light.
But I can get by on 85 pounds.
I don't eat much, hardly nothing.
You'll eat. When you run short
you'll go killing and stealing
what belongs to somebody else
on account you won't have enough.
Now get in there
and buy another 15 pounds of food.
But, Mr Gannon,
I worked two months for this stuff.
Do like you're told.
- Is that a government rule?
- That's my rule.
- You sell the food.
- For cash only.
- Ah-ha.
- There she is, there's the border.
Everything the other side of them hills
is all Canadian territory.
- Do they take this lying down?
- Well, ain't we?
I guess we are.
I told you I might need a friend.
I'm going on up into Dawson.
What you need
is 100 pounds of food.
I'm carrying a few thousand.
That's mine, and the rest goes up
in the morning.
- If I can find a man to ride point.
- Ah-ha.
Your pay's 100 pounds of food,
another 100 for Ben.
You just hired a driver.
Joe, it's time to close up.
I'm... I'm sorry.
Honey, that weren't no accident.
She gonna give you 200 pounds of food
to trail drive for her?
You heard her,
that's what she said.
- Where'd she get all this money?
- I don't know.
- Rube, who all is this woman?
- Which woman?
This woman which hired Jeff.
Who is she?
Who is she?
You're sitting on her furniture.
She owns this place. Skagway Castle.
Didn't you see it up over the door?
Skagway. That's kind of a funny name
for a woman.
Her name is Ronda.
But you better call her Miss Castle
on account you work for her.
Come on, Rube.
Move your feet.
Oh honey, ain't no use nudging my elbow.
There's no dust in my poke.
If there were,
I wouldn't nudge it anyway.
Rube, this Castle woman, is she
gonna open up another place in Dawson?
That's how come you got the job.
- She kinda like you.
- I kinda like her.
Closing up, gents.
Front door's locked.
Use the side.
- Find any color, honey?
- Real high-grade tonight.
Was it hickory or yellow pine?
Look at that.
You mean to say
that gold comes from that?
Mm-hmm.
You don't think she sing in that saloon
all night for nothing.
Renee's got the sawdust concession.
She does pretty good.
- Do you want to try it?
- Sure. What do I do?
- Sit down.
- All right.
- Now you put water on it.
- Put water on it.
- No, not like that.
- Too much water?
Look. Here.
This way.
This is liable to take a couple of hours.
You guys might as well go to bed.
- Good night.
- Good night.
That's the way.
- Is that enough water?
- Yes.
All right, there we go.
- There's... no, there was some.
- Try again.
- You just, er...
- Are you really going to go to Dawson?
- Mm-hmm.
- With that woman?
Miss Castle? Yeah.
Mmm. Do you like her?
She's quite a woman.
No, I lost it again.
You'd better take it
or I'll lose your night's work.
There's lots more.
Elbow-nudger.
- There's worse things than elbow nudging.
- Yeah, I suppose so.
You know, you're...
you're very handsome.
- I like tall men with...
- Look at this.
Here's some.
Give me the poke.
Here.
There's a lot of gold there.
It takes a lot of gold
to become a stomach specialist.
Is that so?
Yes, Papa. I'm sending Papa to Vienna
to study stomach.
Couldn't find any in Alaska?
- Now you're laughing at me.
- Well, I don't know.
Washing out
a whole lot of tired, old sawdust
so you can send somebody to Vienna
to study stomachs.
Papa can't wash gold.
You've got to help people
when they need help.
Why?
- Don't you?
- I take care of me.
When you're older,
you'll find that's the only way.
Good night.
I'm quite old now!
The pack horses are ready,
Miss Castle.
- Who are these fellows?
- Drivers. I hired them.
This is your first trip into Dawson.
They know the trail.
I find my own trails,
and I do my own hiring.
So do I.
- All right, let's move them along.
- All right, move them out!
Ronda, girl,
I think I should have hung that man.
Wait a minute,
you can't leave old Rube in Skagway.
Why, you old goat.
Where'd you get the grubstake?
From my sweetheart.
Well, keep up the elbow-nudging.
- Be careful and goodbye.
- Goodbye, freckle face.
I'm not a freckle face!
I'm a woman.
And beef's selling for five dollars a pound
in Dawson.
Sure is a shame.
Come on.
All right!
Yah! Hah!
Hello, Mrs Kingman.
Where's the constable at?
Up on the Pelly River.
Trouble with the Chilkats.
You give him my very best
when he come home.
Hello, Skookum.
You're getting real big.
Get up, boy. Bye.
He got a real tough job, that constable.
He patrols some 20,000 square miles
full of nothing but hill and hollow.
Sometime he don't get home
for two and three months at a time
riding up in that far country.
You're going the wrong way, Jeff.
The trail's straight ahead.
I know.
Come on.
Come on down here.
You missed the trail.
It runs straight up.
We're gonna make night camp
right here in this canyon.
Night camp?
We still got three hours of daylight.
When do you expect to get to Dawson?
Next fall?
- Trail driver.
- Wyoming style. He'll learn.
I don't wanna argue,
but Gant's right.
We're not gonna argue.
We're gonna make night camp right here.
Now go up and get the horses.
Shh.
"This causes inflammation
of the mucous membrane of the stomach,
"secretion of an excessive
quantity of mucous
"and alteration of the gastric juice."
- Is that an ulcer?
- Gastritis. The ulcer comes later.
Say, do you know that we have
some very interesting ulcers on page 425?
What's that?
- Can't you hear it?
- Can I help but hear? Cows.
- Do you know a cow has four stomachs?
- Be quiet, Papa.
All right, let's go!
Hee-haw!
I knew our luck
was too good to last.
You keep them moving.
I'll go down and have a look.
Stop right there.
Jeff!
They told Mr Gannon about the cows.
- How did you know I was here?
- I saw you at the corral.
- Mr Gannon is very mad.
- Yeah, I can understand that.
You go over and tell Ben and Rube
to run the cattle down across the border
then get back in town
as quick as you can.
All right.
Hurry! Gannon, he's after the cattle.
- Is there something you want, Mr Gannon?
- Yeah, mostly I want you.
I also want that herd.
It's government property.
- I'm sorry. I reversed your decision.
- Where is he?
- Can you see him?
- No, can you?
What did you expect?
To talk him to death? Follow me.
Lost three, eh?
Next time you follow me, stay a little closer.
You'll live longer.
- Hold it right here.
- Another five jumps, and we got him.
You sure you want him?
This marks the end
of my territorial jurisdiction.
I don't plan no invasion of Canada.
Jeff, you holed up out there?
That's right.
That's what I figured.
Waiting to get us
as we cross the line?
Yeah, seemed like a good idea.
Still want to take those five jumps?
Have a nice trip!
I'll hang you when you come back!
- What makes you think I'm coming back?
- You will.
When the winter sets in,
everybody comes back through Skagway.
It's the only way out.
We'll wait here a spell.
He'll be along directly.
What gets me is, how'd you know
we was after them cattle? Did you see us?
Yes, but first, you know, I heard the bell.
The little bell Jeff wears on his saddle.
That. He won't ride without it.
- I gave it to him, you know.
- You did? Why?
Well, a couple of years back,
we was down in Mexico
and I bought this bell for our house.
We're gonna have a house in Utah.
We're gonna hang that right over
the front door, on the inside,
so as when you open the door,
the bell jingles, you see?
On account I'd like to know
when my friends is coming
so I can put on
another pot of coffee.
But that's a very little bell.
Well, it's gonna be
a very little house.
I thought I told you
to go back to Skagway.
You did, but Ben told me I could stay.
I'd guess we'd better move
them critters along.
Come on!
Hee-haw!
I see Ben's been giving out
a lot of information.
Did he tell you about those?
- The timber wolves?
- Yeah.
- I know about them. I know lots of things.
- I see.
You're gonna be a nuisance.
What am I gonna do with you
when we get to Dawson?
You don't have to do anything
when we get to Dawson.
I'm going to work on the claim with Rube.
We're partners.
- But what happens to Doc?
- He's going to go to Vienna on a boat.
And then I'll send him more money
while he's studying stomachs.
Mmm... now wait a minute.
Just-just... just hold on.
Now what happens to you?
I'll pan a lot of dust
and make a lot of money.
I see. What then?
Well, then I think mostly I...
I'd like to get married
to a tall man with... with brown hair,
and I'd like to live in San Francisco.
Do you like San Francisco?
Er... no.
That's what Ben told me.
He said you don't like any place very much.
You know what he said?
He said you don't even like people.
- Is there any reason why I should?
- Of course.
Why?
Because if you don't like people,
they won't like you.
And then you'll be lonely... like him.
Oh, him?
You know, maybe he likes to be lonely.
Did you ever think of that?
He never asks any favors
because he can take care of himself.
Never trusts anybody so he doesn't get hurt.
That's not a bad way to live.
Maybe you'll learn that
when you grow up, huh?
- Mm-mm.
- Well, let's... Come on.
Ha!
All right. Run them up in there.
- Good morning.
- I can see you had a busy night.
Yeah. Those are my cattle,
and I'm gonna take them to Dawson.
I said nothing about cattle
in our deal.
Nope, it was my idea.
Nobody ever does anything
for nothing, remember?
You know what happens
when Mr Gannon finds out you took 'em?
Yeah, I know.
I ain't making no drive to Dawson
with them cattle.
No?
- That goes for me, too.
- And me.
That makes it almost unanimous.
You like to cast your vote, Miss Castle?
I guess I was a convenience
to get you over the border.
Well, let's say we were both convenient.
It's a long way to Dawson.
Get them moving.
Look. There go your customers.
You know, that bunch
has been holed up there for a month
just waiting
for the weather to break.
They'll be stringing across that ice
all summer.
Now let's see what the man from Wyoming
can do with that trail.
Ha!
There it is, Mr Trail Driver.
White Horse Pass.
Two miles, straight up.
Real pretty.
Well, we better get going
while we still got daylight.
We're not going over White Pass.
We're going down through the valley.
- That's the long way around.
- Six days longer, in case you're interested.
- I'm not.
- Why?
Because there's no grass up there
on the ice for his cattle.
Well, I don't care about your cattle.
I hired you to take my supplies into Dawson.
- That's what I'm doing, my way.
- Even if it's the wrong way.
Oh, I wouldn't jump
to no conclusions, mister.
Maybe Jeff don't figure it's safe
to climb that ledge.
There's quite a few people
who don't agree with him, including me.
Uh-huh.
Well, I figure we'll go down
through the valley.
You know, you keep forgetting
that I hired you and I give the orders.
We'll take the mountain trail.
Suit yourself.
Come on, Ben.
Let's get started down the valley.
Go ahead, Ben.
Wait a minute, mister!
Something you want?
Is there something you want?
Why didn't you go her way?
- Lots of reasons.
- Name one.
Well, every once in a while,
it snows back in Wyoming.
The snow piles up on the tops
of the mountains, just like this.
And then what happens?
Well, come spring, just like this,
sometimes that snow begins to move.
- But you should have told her.
- Why?
Well, because if that snow moves,
somebody will get hurt.
That's quite possible.
But nobody can tell her anything.
Well, she's a very strong-willed woman.
That's what I like about her.
Never sell that short, freckle face.
I am not a freckle face,
and I'm very strong-willed, too!
- All right, hold it up a minute.
- What's the matter?
I don't know.
Pie picked up a rock or something.
You know, Jeff, that Ives fellow's right.
Gonna take us at least six days
to get back on that main trail.
Does it matter?
When you're after gold, it does.
First one there gets the best.
What are you fussing about?
There'll be enough to go around, ain't it?
I ain't fussing. I got a claim.
Wait till you see gold in the pan
for the first time,
so rich and yellow-like.
Wait till you see it.
It does something to you.
It drives a man crazy.
- How did you know?
- I didn't.
I figured it would happen, and it did.
All right, come on. Come on.
Let's move them along.
- We've got to go and help those people.
- Of course you do. They may be dead.
I didn't kill 'em.
Yeah, but you may be able
to save them if they're still alive.
You're wrong, Jeff.
You gotta help.
Why?
Why?
If you don't know why...
Whoa!
You're wrong, Jeff.
You stay here
and keep an eye on the cattle.
I'll take care of your rigging, Jeff.
Well, that's the last of it.
All we can salvage.
That's too bad.
How many did you lose?
Three men, six horses.
Unless you found any alive.
- No, I didn't. Did you bury Gant?
- Yeah, we buried him.
What about your people?
They're buried
under 50 foot of snow.
Why don't you come over
to the fire where it's warm?
- There, have some coffee.
- Thanks.
You sure you didn't get hurt none?
- I'll say it. I was wrong.
- You weren't wrong.
You were wrong about the trail, yes.
That was a long shot
that didn't pay off, that's all.
- As for...
- Being strong-willed?
There's nothing wrong with that.
That is, if you don't mind
getting a broken neck.
If I had, would it have bothered you?
No.
Look, there's a fire over there.
If you're gonna stay here,
I'll get you a blanket.
Do you mind getting me
some more coffee?
Sure.
- Thank you.
- You're learning.
- Here. Have some coffee, honey?
- I hate coffee.
There it is up there, Two Mile Pass.
That's the only way to get into Dawson.
Look at them two coming out.
They must have hit it rich
and figured on getting home early.
Well, who's shooting and what at?
You two fellows look after the cattle.
I'm sorry.
They got old Chitina Joe
and Bill Gooder.
Who done it, Bill?
Say a name.
They couldn't have picked
a better spot for it.
Is there much of this in Dawson?
Ain't ever happened before.
We're nice people up in Dawson.
We don't go around stealing and killing
like they do in Skagway.
Ain't never happened before.
Take care of 'em.
Bring along the horses, we may need them.
- Ain't you gonna look at what you hit?
- Why?
I don't know. I might know him.
Aren't you really interested?
- Is there any reason why I should be?
- That man's a thief.
- That's not why I shot him.
- Why did you?
Because he shot at me.
Jeff, come over here!
Seems like I seen him in Skagway,
but I can't be sure.
Well, guess I was wrong.
Hi, Rube!
Well, Rube, thought you was going home
to Maggie. What happened?
What else could happen
when you back queens against aces?
- I went bust.
- Hey, Renee, where's your pa?
He went to Vienna
to study stomachs.
You see Chitina Joe on your way out?
He left here three days ago with Bill.
- I seen him. Joe's dead.
- Who could have killed him?
So is Bill Gooder. Both of 'em robbed
and killed back in Two Mile.
Nothing like this
ever happened here before.
I knew it was coming.
I warned you, I did.
Where there's gold, there's stealing.
Where there's stealing, there's killing.
I knew it was coming.
I just did know it.
You didn't know nothing.
Don't go pretending like you did.
- We'll talk this out sensible later.
- He did know, Hominy.
- Luke said to me where there's gold...
- Dusty, why don't you stop moaning?
Yeah, if you ain't bellyaching
about the food it's something else.
- Now keep shut.
- Food, you call it? Moose, caribou and bear.
And them ain't young bears.
Them's old bears.
Hey, look.
Look at that beef!
I want me a steak
about ten inches thick.
- At five dollars a pound?
- I don't care what it costs. I'll pay.
I ain't had me a steak
in six months.
Don't get too happy
till we find out what cost the cows.
- Rube, how much for your beef?
- Talk to the man.
Hey, mister, I'm Hominy
and she's Grits.
- How much for your cows?
- I haven't decided yet.
When you do, let me know.
I may buy them.
- I never did like that woman.
- I don't like her now.
Why don't you stay in Skagway
where you belong? Dawson ain't for you.
- Really?
- She's asking for it.
I don't need no prompting.
On account of Skagway was a good town
before you moved in.
Robbing and cheating miners
with your bad whiskey and fancy women.
You made the place smell to high heavens.
But that weren't enough.
No matter how hard the men worked
in the gold field,
you'd take it away in Skagway.
Now you come up to the Klondike
and you wanna catch 'em in the gold fields!
But let me tell you, woman,
you ain't got Mr Gannon backing you,
with his gun and his badge.
Not in Dawson. You ain't welcome.
- How much for your cows?
- How much am I offered?
A dollar a pound on the hoof
and that'll dress down to about, er...
five dollars for eating beef,
and I'll buy them all!
One dollar 50.
One dollar 50's been bid.
Do I hear two dollars?
I'm tired of eating bear stew.
- I'll offer two dollars a pound for one cow.
- Oh, Dusty, you keep shut!
One dollar 75.
One dollar 75 I'm bid.
Do I hear two dollars?
This is the finest beef
that ever come into the Klondike.
Here come Molasses with another bear,
and it's a real old one.
Mister, I'll give you 50 dollars
for one slice of beef!
- Keep shut, Dusty!
- No. All or none, mister!
- One dollar 75 once, twice...
- Two dollars.
Yeah, Miss Castle got the money.
Bear stew tonight, boys!
Bear stew, that's all!
- You just bought a herd of cattle.
- Stop by this evening, and I'll pay you.
- Stop by where?
- The Dawson Castle.
It's going up right now, there.
I'll be there.
- Hey, Pete, drop us off in front.
- Can't wait to get some beef stew.
That Dawson Castle
is quite a place, isn't it?
Jeff, you shouldn't have
sold her your beef.
Hominy's has been here
since Dawson started.
- Now look what you did to her.
- What have I done?
Well, you took away
all of her customers.
Miss Castle offered two dollars.
Well, there are things
more important than money.
- Come on, I'll buy you a beef stew.
- I hate beef stew!
Whiskey, please.
Two whiskies.
- Is that mine?
- Part of it. You'll get the rest in the morning.
Ma'am, I'm Yukon Sam.
I got a claim worth 60,000.
Might even be worth one million.
Hey, Rube, ain't that right?
It's a good claim, all right.
One of the best!
- Worth 50 or better.
- You heard Rube. He only tell the truth.
I'm sure he does.
Then give me a pencil.
I'll sign a tab for a thousand.
No, sorry. We only play for cash.
- You don't trust me?
- I don't trust any man.
- Hey, Rube, buy me a drink, will you?
- Go on. Give him a drink.
- Is there any particular reason?
- For not trusting men?
- Uh-huh.
- I trusted a man once.
That's quite a coincidence.
I trusted a woman.
Have a couple of glasses
and a bottle.
Cost me a home in San Francisco,
carriages, servants.
Now ask me how a nice girl like me
got into a bad trade like this.
- What's bad about it?
- Ma'am, I got that lucky feeling.
- Sure you won't trust me?
- Very sure.
Wanna buy my claim?
I'll give you 10,000.
- But it's worth 50.
- I'll give you 10.
- 20.
- 30.
- 40.
- You just bought yourself a claim.
- Here you are.
- All right, sir.
All right. Pay the man off.
No, just give me a marker
for a thousand.
You see, I trust people.
- He'll be sorry.
- Thanks for the drink.
Look at this! We're in business.
We don't want no business.
We just want to get out.
You know, it's a funny thing about gold.
It don't jump out of the ground.
You gotta dig it out.
Don't worry. We're gonna dig.
We're gonna start right now.
- How much cost a couple of shovels?
- Yours are on the house.
Good.
You owe me 20,000 dollars in our deal.
I'll pick it up tomorrow morning.
All right. It'll be here.
Good luck.
I thought we was gonna buy that ranch
in Utah and settle down.
Here, take one.
- Never thought I'd come to this.
- Come on.
Jeff boy, we got twins!
Look at 'em.
It's just a case of knowing how.
Here, put them in the bank.
How much you figure we got now,
counting what's in the shack?
70, 80,000 dollars, along with the price
of the cattle. Look at that.
Where's Tom McGrew's claim?
He's over yonder,
just the other side of the stream.
- You'll find Tom working the slew.
- Not anymore, you won't.
- Why not?
- He's dead.
Dead? How'd he get dead?
He got in a little argument
over at the Dawson Castle with Ives here.
Here.
- What you shutting down for?
- I'm going hunting.
Hunting? We don't need no meat.
Maybe not.
What we need is a way outta here.
You're wasting time.
There ain't but one way out.
- That's through Skagway.
- Not if you go along the river.
I met an Indian
the other day, a Chilkat.
He claims a trail
all the way to Juneau.
- Yeah, but did you see the trail?
- I will today.
Say, maybe I'd better ask Rube.
He knows this country...
Now don't ask anybody!
That's the way people get killed, talking.
I know, but I thought
maybe Rube could help us.
I just can't make you understand,
can I, Ben?
I don't need other people.
I don't need help.
I can take care of me.
And in a pinch...
...I can take care of you, too.
Guess you can at that.
Now, here comes Rube.
Remember what I told you.
- I won't say nothing, not a word.
- Remember that.
- You all quitting early?
- Why don't you eat with us at Hominy's?
And eat bear stew? No, thanks.
I'm going hunting.
But it's very tasty the way Hominy cooks it.
Then there's something new.
- What's that?
- It arrived today. A piano!
- A piano?
- Mm-hmm.
A piany? Why couldn't that old walrus
pack in a sheep, or pig, or goat, or...
You can't play a goat!
- Hi, Porcupine. Where you going?
- Home to Arizony.
I got mine. So has Tanana.
Yeah, gonna buy me a hotel
and sit on the porch with my wife.
No working, no cooking.
Just sitting and rocking
and waving howdy to the neighbors
as they ride past.
We're getting us a ranch
up in Utah.
We're gonna settle down and stay put
until old Gabe blows the horn.
- Ain't that for true, Jeff?
- Uh-huh. Did you sell your claim?
- Yeah. To the Castle woman, for cash.
- Then you got robbed.
We don't care on account of
she's so pretty and we're so rich.
- Be you going out through Skagway?
- Be there another way?
Well, I hear tell about the river.
Yeah, but we can't swim,
and that water's so cold.
Goodbye, Tanana.
Bye. Take care of yourself.
- I didn't say nothing, did I?
- Give me my rifle.
? Those flirtatious tulips
? Naughty tulips
? Whisper through the garden
? That someone is in love
- ? The bluebells are ringing
- ? Hear them ring
? Amaryllis sigh
- ? Sweet Williams are singing
- ? Hear them sing
? Black-eyed Susans cry
? Oh, pretty little primrose
? Dainty primrose
? How can you say no
? When tulips love you so
? How can you say no
? When tulips love you so ?
- Come on, honey, you sing.
- No, no more.
You'd better, else them old walruses
is gonna start bellowing again.
- How are you?
- I'll sing.
- Hi, Jeff. Where you been?
- Hunting.
What'd you get?
- Pete boy, what happened?
- They jumped us in Two Mile.
- I think I got one.
- And Porcupine?
- He's dead.
- Whereabouts did it happen...
Stop asking fool questions.
Can't you see the man's shot full of holes?
- Let me have some petticoat.
- Use your own!
I ain't got one.
Sourdough, get me some water, will you?
And stand back.
Let me see if I can plug up some of these.
Never mind the water.
Take him out back, boys.
Take him outside.
You're the law up here. Why don't you
do something about them killings?
Yes, I'm the law. At least,
I represent the law in Yukon Territory.
- About 50,000 square miles of it.
- Why aren't there more of you?
Because yesterday
this was a wilderness.
We didn't expect you to pour in
by the thousands.
- But now that you're here, we'll protect you.
- When?
There'll be a post established
here in Dawson early in May.
What happens between now and May?
You gonna be here to keep order?
- Part of the time.
- What about the rest of the time?
Pick yourselves a good man.
Swear him in.
Have him act as Marshall
till you pull out in the fall.
Who say we're gonna pull out?
We're gonna stay right on here
through the winter.
- We're gonna make this a real town.
- You mean permanent?
- Uh-huh.
- Sure enough.
We're gonna have lampposts
and sidewalks.
- Might even have ourselves a church.
- I can sing hymns.
I got a wife and kids.
Might be I move them in.
Build them a real home with a porch,
a bathtub, and everything.
Well, yeah, we can build
a school and a courthouse, huh?
Now, wait a minute
before you build this courthouse.
- Who we gonna pick as Marshall?
- Who's handy with a gun?
He is.
Isn't that what you told me, Ben?
He's really handy.
Yeah, he the one
who faced up to Mr Gannon
and took back his cows
when they were stole?
Mm-hmm.
I was with him in Two Mile Pass
when Chitina Joe got shot.
He knocked a man out of the saddle
at better than 200 yards.
How is he up close?
Maybe he don't let
'em get up close.
Well, how about it?
I'm not interested.
Jeff boy, don't say you ain't interested
until you give it a little thought.
I'm not interested!
He just ain't got no guts.
You're wrong about him, Hominy.
He don't scare worth a nickel.
- Maybe he don't like us.
- Then we don't like him.
We don't want no part of him.
Now who we gonna elect for marshal?
- Well, how about Rube?
- Yes, Rube is the man we want.
- Ben, where'd you hide the coffee?
- What?
I found the sugar
but where did you hide the coffee?
I didn't hide the coffee. We're out.
We're fresh out almost.
You'll find half a cup in that small soup can,
the one marked "salt".
That's not enough.
It's more than enough
if you know how to make it.
It's getting so I gotta be the chief cook,
and the biscuit-baker
and everything else around here.
- What you doing?
- I'm packing.
- I can see you're packing, but what for?
- We're pulling out tonight.
Pulling out? We can't pull...
I know I should have told you before
but I didn't want you gabbing all over town.
I don't gabbing. And we ain't pulling out
on account of we can't pull out
- Why not?
- Cos we made an agreement.
When Rube got elected Marshal everybody
agreed to stay the winter. I told you.
- I didn't make any agreement.
- But I told you about it!
And I told you
Rube and all that crowd are fools.
All this talk about schools,
churches, law and order.
Law and order cost lives.
It means somebody has to stand up
and get himself shot at.
That's not why I came to Dawson.
We've got ours,
and we're getting out.
At least, I'm getting out.
You mean, you're going anyways,
even if I don't go along?
I'm going.
Now look, Jeff.
You and me's been together a lot of years.
It's been good, real good.
I ain't gonna be around too much longer.
I'm getting old.
But I sort of figured we'd go on together
until... well, until my time come.
Oh, come on, now, you're not that old.
I didn't say anything about splitting up.
It's you.
Ever since you've been talking
to Rube and Hominy...
- No, it ain't only that!
- You keep talking to them.
You and me seen a lot of towns get born,
cow towns and boomtowns.
Why, we even put a ranch together
and watched it grow.
Then you wanted to go
to the far country, we moved on.
Always moving.
Moving, moving, moving.
Thought you'd like it here
with Renee, Rube, and Hominy.
They're nice folks.
Better than any we ever met before.
All right, I'll go along,
but where's it all gonna end, boy?
We just going on and on and on?
Well, maybe we'll end up
on that ranch in Utah.
Right now, we got
an awful lot of money to spend.
What you gonna buy
that's better than what we got?
We got friends in Dawson.
You gonna buy new ones?
Come on, let's get that coffee.
Sounds like Miss Castle
got a new piany.
Sounds like she got a lot of things.
Let's get the coffee
over in the Hash House.
We can get the coffee right in here.
Come on.
Well, hello, Jeff!
Ronda tells me
you and Ben been doing real good.
We ain't complaining.
I hope you got enough to pay what you owe
the government. It's a tidy sum.
Did you come up to collect?
No. Yukon ain't under my jurisdiction,
I'm sorry to say.
However, I'll hang you when you come
through Skagway in the fall.
- Ain't no hurry.
- No, that can wait.
I'd like to get some coffee,
Two pounds of coffee.
- Two pounds? That ain't enough.
- Then we can come in and buy more.
- Come in?
- You've been waiting to dance.
- Try your luck with Goldilocks.
- Me dance? This is ridiculous.
- Do you drink in the daytime?
- Sure, if it's good whiskey.
- Will you join me?
- Thanks, Jeff. Yeah, I will.
I suppose you're wondering
what I'm doing up here in Dawson.
Well, that's your business.
I knew I was gonna like you.
I'm gonna stake me a claim,
maybe two or three.
Skagway's paying out.
Could be I'll settle here permanent.
Dawson's gonna like that.
How about that coffee?
Who all's name is Burt Madden?
My name's Madden.
This notice for filing a claim,
did you write it?
Yeah, I wrote it.
That's my claim. The markers
have been up for over three months.
I figure maybe you made a mistake?
Pick it up.
Then put it back
where you found it.
- I tell you, that's my claim.
- I said, pick it up.
Dusty never shot a gun.
He didn't know how.
Chances is,
it wasn't even loaded.
- Was I supposed to know that?
- No, you weren't supposed to know.
And I want that coffee ground.
Take him outside.
What's going on here?
Looks like you got a killing
on your hands, Rube.
- I understand you're the Marshall.
- Who done the killing?
I did.
Gonna lock him up?
We ain't got no jail yet.
But I'll take your guns
and work out a fair trial for you.
You'll take my guns?
Take them.
- Go on, Marshall, take them!
- Give them to me. I like guns.
Don't be afraid.
He won't bite you.
Just unfasten your gun belt.
You unfasten it.
Hold on, Rube. There just isn't any reason
for a man getting himself killed,
if he doesn't have to.
- Isn't that right, Mr Gannon?
- That's a point. Good point.
Yeah...
Why don't you go back to the nice people
before you get hurt?
I didn't expect that from you.
You shamed him.
Rube would rather be dead.
But he's not dead.
I ain't fit to wear this.
It just ain't right.
What they gonna do now?
Yukon can't stand up to Mr Gannon.
If they've got any sense,
they'll get out of town while they can.
Yeah, but they was gonna build a town.
Well, I guess maybe you're right.
Maybe it ain't none of our business.
You sure this back trail
takes us to Juneau?
As far as the river.
Then we get on a little old raft, huh?
Always the long way.
You know I don't like boats.
- Well, this is the raft you built, huh?
- Yeah. Get these branches off here.
- Sure hope it floats.
- She'll float all right. I tried her.
What we gonna do with the horses?
We'll pull the saddles and turn them loose.
There's lots of good grazing here.
Say, Jeff, why don't we leave the boat here
and ride down to Skagway?
We wouldn't have no trouble
so long as Mr Gannon's in Dawson.
That's just what he wants us to do.
Then they'd jump us at Two Mile Pass.
Untie that rope over there,
and we'll ease her down into the water.
- What do you do, just pull it?
- Just pull it. Come on now, ease her down.
Ease your line down.
There she goes.
There.
- Did you bring the bacon and the flour?
- Yeah, I brung all that stuff.
And I wish I'd brought a lot more, too.
It's gonna be a long walk after we
leave the river, and I like to eat.
What would you rather do,
carry gold or bacon?
Here's something you can carry,
two more pounds of coffee.
I can starve a little,
but I can't go without coffee.
Where'd you get those?
We only had two pounds, Jeff, so I went
to the store yesterday, got a couple more.
- Ben, didn't I...
- I didn't say nothing.
- Are you sure you didn't?
- Honest, Jeff...
- Are you sure you didn't say any...
- Honest, Jeff, I didn't.
Now get these horses unloaded.
Let's get out of here.
I didn't mean for to do no wrong, Jeff.
I just love my coffee.
You know, when we have our place in Utah,
I'm gonna have coffee every blessed hour...
Jeff!
Hominy! Renee!
Mr Gannon.
And you told me he was dead.
- And I told you to leave that man alone.
- You've been doing too much telling.
From now on,
you're gonna listen to me.
I'm getting tired
of listening to that bell.
- I'll go turn it off.
- No.
He'll keep.
- He wouldn't thank you.
- But somebody's got to help him.
Rube! Come on, Rube.
Wake up!
No, don't... don't move your hand.
Don't move your shoulder, either.
The muscle is torn up
but the bone is all right.
What, your dad
want you to be a doctor, too?
He taught me a lot of things.
Well...
- What about Ben? I tried to dig a...
- I took care of him.
I also made some coffee
and some stew.
What made you come out here?
Someone has to help you.
Why?
That's a silly question. You've got
to help people when they need help.
What kind of a world will it be
if everybody was like...
Like me?
- Open your mouth.
- Oh, I...
- Is that what you were gonna say?
- Now, we don't talk.
We just eat and we sleep.
Then we get well and strong again.
You think I was wrong?
Don't you?
Say it.
Go on, say what you're thinking.
We don't talk.
We-we just eat and sleep.
I think she's right, Jeff.
How do you like your coffee?
Black?
- The coffee come after the soup.
- I'll wait.
Nobody asked you to wait.
Ask me.
Yeah, I want her to stay.
Thanks for everything, Renee.
Don't thank me. Thank her!
- What caused that?
- Jealousy.
- Jealousy? She's only a child...
- She's a woman, so am I. Coffee?
No, I don't want any coffee.
What about the two pounds
Ben came in to buy?
Did you sell it to him?
- I liked Ben.
- Did you sell it to him?
If I had,
he would have been alive today.
But you're right about Ben.
He talked too much.
Gannon and the others listened.
I learned that tonight.
Mr Gannon, huh?
Mr Gannon... just wait
till my hand gets better.
That's exactly what he wants you to do.
Ben's dead.
Getting killed or killing Gannon
isn't gonna bring him back.
Look... I'm pulling out,
and you're going with me.
We'd do well together.
Think it over?
- Having trouble?
- And if I am?
- Maybe I can help you.
- I don't want your help.
Where's Rube?
Where you put him,
at the Dawson Castle.
Marshall, your bottle's empty again.
Here, have a fresh one.
Mr Gannon, the citizens
seem to be unhappy.
What did you re-stake my claim for?
- Your claim?
- Yeah, my claim.
That fellow, Ives, he...
he took down my markers
and put up this piece of paper
with your name on it.
- He did the same with mine, too.
- Is this your name, Mr Gannon?
Yes, that's my name.
I'd advise you to put that back
where you found it.
I will not.
Rube and I staked that claim.
It belongs to us.
Isn't that true, Rube?
What difference does it make?
You can't lick them anyhow.
I don't care what Rube said.
I see him stake that claim last year.
And did you see him
file a notice of that claim in Ottawa?
That's the proper place
to file a claim.
We're gonna have a claim office
here in Dawson soon as the Mounties come.
Yeah, we're gonna have a courthouse
and everything, come the spring.
Then we'll file our claims.
Well, that's very interesting.
Only, don't file any of my claims.
And that's what you're holding
in your hands right now, my claims.
You're not gonna get away with it,
Mr Gannon.
But I already have, Marshall.
It's finished, done.
Then it's up to me to undo it!
You're real slow, Marshall.
Now get out,
and take that with you.
Come on, Rube.
Give me a gun!
He ain't gonna get away with this!
I won't let you do it, Yukon.
Ain't no sense in a man letting himself
get killed if he don't have to.
Ain't that what you said?
And another thing.
If you're wise,
you'll get out of Dawson.
Don't you agree, Jeff?
Can I lend you a gun?
Yes, if you can lend him an arm
to go with it.
I warned you. Where there's gold,
there's stealing and killing.
- Like he said, we gotta get out of town.
- Let's talk it over first.
Jeff, now do you understand
why I wanted us to get out of Dawson?
I'm beginning to understand
a lot of things.
But in the meantime, we're not
gonna do anything foolish, are we?
We aren't?
A little, perhaps.
Like trusting one another.
But that's the way it goes
when a woman falls in love.
I'm in love with you, Jeff.
Go get your packs made up.
Take your belongings, gold, and everything.
Get back here as fast as you can.
Are you all just gonna pull out?
What about that courthouse, school,
and church you were talking about?
Who are you to ask?
I wouldn't do that.
Everybody else is pulling out.
We figured your claim was abandoned.
It isn't.
- Mr Gannon ain't gonna like this.
- You tell Mr Gannon I'll be in to see him.
He'll be waiting.
I told him you'd be waiting.
I always knew he'd turn
into a public-minded citizen.
Let's have a little quiet!
It seems a gentleman
is coming to visit us.
In fact, he seems to have arrived.
Do you still want to quiet that bell?
Why not?
Madden!
Mr Gannon!
I knew Madden couldn't take him.
I'll be right with you, Jeff!
You'll know when to come out.
Jeff! Jeff, look out!
What, you crazy fool!
Why didn't you take care of you?
That's a funny question.
All right! Get out or fight!
We can't fight the whole town.
Show them the trail, Yukon.
And put on your badge.
Right out yonder's the trail,
and don't ever come into our town again!
You went
and got yourself hurt again.
I know. We eat, we sleep, we rest,
and soon we'll be all better again.