Original subtitles

♪ [ trumpet ]

Howdy.

I'm The Old Ranger,

and Death Valley's my stamping ground.

Many's the tale of adventure I am going to tell you

about the Death Valley country.

True stories, mind you.

I can vouch for that.

This story is about three hills of gold,

how they were found, and how they were lost

but never forgotten.

The De Courcey Guest Ranch is a good place to start.

Well, Peter, it looks like you've improved.

Last time, you came home without the horse.

[chuckles] Whoever called that a saddle was crazy.

It's a chaffing dish. Chaffing dish.

That's a good one.

You should have told them to throw in a set of calluses

when you bought them pants.

Why just the calluses?

They should have thrown in an extra seat.

[groans]

Bright young feller. I like him.

Have you got your collision insurance, lady?

See my lawyer.

Wow.

I found the map, Dad. And the samples, too.

Jumping juniper juice, here we go again.

They were in the little trunk in the store room.

Along with all the rest of great, great grandfather's stuff.

Now, look.

Look, Andy.

Jeannie, I don't have to look.

I know that fool map front, back, and sideways.

Here's Smith Mountain,

where old Pegleg camped the following night.

Where he thought he camped.

Oh, it must be.

It's the only place within miles where there's water.

Okay, you get that far, and then where are you going?

Instead of going this way,

the way the rest of you always have,

I'm going to...

Has no one ever told you, Mr. Trumble,

that it's rude to peek over other people's shoulders?

Well, ma'am, for your information,

I happen to be a paid-up member

in this here gold-hunting expedition.

A paid up member?

Did you bribe Robbie to let you go along?

Let's say it was a mutual transaction.

You little grafter.

Is there anything you won't do for money?

I don't know yet.

Well, you can give it back.

Lost Pegleg Mine

is one of the famous old lost mines of the Southwest.

That's okay with me. And a family affair.

Family?

Exclusively.

Unto the third and fourth generation.

Cuts you out too, then?

No such luck.

Andy's practically a member of the family.

Why, he's been on the ranch for over 40 years.

Yeah, and 39 of them I've spent helping to hunt

for them cussed hills of gold.

JEANNIE: He's exaggerating.

Well, maybe it's only 38,

but I've had my belly-full.

Excuse me, my stomach-full.

[dinner bell ringing]

Speaking of stomachs, I'm hungry.

ROBBIE: I'm starved.

I could eat a little something.

So, just you and your dad are going, eh?

Dad's not going.

I'm heading up the expedition. Is that so? Hm.

All my life, I've wanted to meet up with a lady prospector.

[chuckles]

Not so much as a broken fingernail.

How do you do it, Ms. Hadrack?

You'd laugh, wouldn't you, if I found the lost Pegleg.

I'd laugh more if I found it.

You?

You won't let me go with you, so I'll go alone.

You're crazy.

Anything you can do, I can do better.

Look, Mr. Trumble-- The name is Peter.

Men have died looking for the lost Pegleg Mine.

What are you trying to do, scare me?

You know nothing about prospecting. But nothing.

I took Geology 1 at Amherst and passed it.

You're just a greenhorn.

A dude.

Dude's rush in where angels fear to dig.

You make me sick.

I'll tell you right now, though.

You're not taking any of our horses

on such a wild goose chase.

And if you try to-- I'll get just what old Pegleg got, eh?

You might.

Old Ranger: old Pegleg he was referring to was a fella

for whom the Pegleg Mine was named.

Thomas L. Smith-- early day traveler, trader,

and horse thief extraordinaire.

It was back in the year 1825.

While raiding the corral of a remote ranch

in the Rocky Mountains...

Smashed the bones to smithereens

just below the knee.

Sure looks bad.

Feels the same way.

There. That'll keep from bleeding too much,

till we get to a doctor. Doctor?

Nearest settlement's a hundred miles from here.

That's all right, we'll carry you there.

We'll bill it later.

That would take days, the kind of country

we'd have to travel through.

By that time, mortification would set in.

I'd be nothing but coyote bait.

There's only one thing to do.

Amputate. Right now.

What do you mean?

Cut it off here?

You're damn right that's what I mean.

The quicker, the better.

How about you, Dirk?

You're good at butchering up beef.

Yeah, but, I never operated on any human yet.

Red?

Well, if I had the right tools to work with, but...

You're yella, both of you.

Nothing but yellow livered horse thieves

without guts enough to give me a hand when I need it.

You got no right talking to us that way, Smith.

We never let you down when it comes to stealing horses

or shooting somebody, but this here,

it just makes my insides crawl thinking about it.

Mine, too.

All right, then,

I'll do it myself.

Hand me the whiskey, Dirk.

No, the full jug.

Now, get me a knife, the sharpest knife you can find.

The Old Ranger: The operation was a success,

and the patient lived.

Oh, they was hardy folks in them days,

and, during the months while Smith was recuperating,

he whittled himself a stump out of a stock oak sapling.

And, when spring came,

he was ready to start walking again.

From then on, he was known simply as Pegleg Smith.

The loss of his leg didn't seem to incapacitate Smith in the least.

Ride? With a contraption on his saddle for his pegleg,

the wildest mustang couldn't unseat him.

[spurs horse]

[laughing]

It's better than ever.

And, once more, him and his men rode the country.

It was in the year of 1836 that they left Yuma

and headed in the general direction of San Bernardino.

On the fourth night out, they were short of water,

so they stopped to survey the surrounding country.

If you don't feel like climbing to the top,

I'll got up and have a look around and tell you what I see.

I'd rather see for myself.

I just thought-- Well, you thought wrong.

Confound this loose rock.

What is this stuff, lava?

Now where is there any volcano around these parts?

That mountain over yonder

could have been a volcano in its day.

Lava's black, ain't it?

Yeah, black. This is black shot with yellow.

Looks like copper.

Hm.

Smells more like gold. Maybe.

But I don't know nothing about minerals.

Like three peas in a pod, ain't they?

This view, them two over there.

Yeah. Wonder if there's water in that canyon over there?

Well, if there ain't, in the morning we'll push on

to that high peak towards the northwest.

Wonder how far San Bernardino is?

Oh, about 70 miles as the crow flies.

At times, I wish I was a crow.

Hey, what do you figuring on doing, taking up mining?

[laughs]

With the horse trading business paying off the way it is?

Heck no.

But it don't hurt to have a second string to your bow.

Yeah, it's that second string you gotta worry about.

You know,

some day, when I got time,

I'm gonna come back here and locate.

Old Ranger: It's hard to believe that a man who'd stumbled upon

three hills of gold wouldn't file a claim

right then and there,

but you must remember that this happened

before the days of '49, and nobody was thinking much

about gold in California.

Old Pegleg didn't even make a map at the time

of the route he'd taken,

so sure was he that he could remember the landmarks.

You all ready, Robbie? Sure.

Has Andy got the horses packed? Yeah.

You taking a divining rod with you?

Want to see how it works?

Not now. There isn't time.

What's the hurry?

And don't talk so loud...

or you'll disturb somebody.

Who?

Peter Trumble.

He's been trying his best to find out when we were leaving.

But we've given him the slip.

By the time he wakes up, we'll be well on our way--

Good morning. What are you doing up at this hour?

Early bird gets the gold.

Any bird that gets up this early don't deserve the gold.

How's the divining rod work, Robbie?

Give me a silver dollar and I'll show you.

Another one?

Why, you little informer.

Lovely weather for prospecting, isn't it?

Plenty hot.

Really? Seemed to me to turn very cool all of a sudden.

Mr. Trumble... Peter.

This is carrying a joke too far.

It is silly. Might as well combine forces

and be done with it. No.

All right.

Just remember, I offered.

Hasn't anyone ever told you, Miss De Courcey,

that it's very impolite to peek over other people's shoulders?

Mining location blanks.

Just wanted to make sure I had them.

As if you'd need them. Want to bet?

ANDY: I'll lay you a bet we don't none of us find that gold.

We're just a' wasting my time,

and at my age, I ain't got too much time to waste.

Come on.

Adios. See you at the old Pegleg.

Well, Doctor Livingston, I presume.

You presume a lot.

Oh, pardon me. The sun was in my eyes.

It's Alkali Annie herself.

You stuck? No, just doing a little prospecting.

If you strike it rich, don't forget

to fill out a location blank.

Hey, you're not going to leave me here, are you?

Oh, with the greatest of pleasure.

You've dug your hole, now sit in it.

Whatever gave me the idea you had a heart?

You'll help me, won't you, Andy?

[chuckles] With Jeannie or the car?

Looks like I'll need a little help with both.

Son, if you're breaking a horse,

the main thing to do is stick with it.

As for the car, you let the air

out of that tire and she'll back right out.

And if you're smart, you'll take my advice

and go back to the ranch.

The going gets tougher and tougher.

Thanks.

Are you interested in a solution for a dollar?

Hm.

Between you and taxes, I won't have anything left.

What'll I do with this?

Look for something that'll fit.

Here we are, here,

and there's Smith Mountain there.

Then, according to my figuring,

Pegleg camped somewhere in this area

the day he found the gold. Don't be too sure.

Remember, even Pegleg couldn't find his own mine again.

He should have had a divining rod.

Bobby, would you look out for those feet of yours?

You're scuffling sand in the skillet, here.

Sorry. Put that thing up, Robbie.

This isn't buried treasure we're after.

It could be. What?

The rate the sand keeps shifting.

Ain't that right, Andy? Eh, sure enough.

Those views old Pegleg described

were at least 150 feet high.

Ah, that was 125 years ago.

Been plenty of sand storms since.

That's why I say we ain't got a Chinaman's chance

of finding this gold.

Oh, Andy, stop being--

[ car engine ] Listen.

By golly, it is. Well, what'd you know?

He's got himself Robbie's tin burro.

Did you give him the key?

Give it to him? I should say not.

He paid for it.

Good evening. Am I in time for supper?

Sure. No.

Well, make up your mind.

Supper for four.

There's no reason why we should grubstake him, Andy.

Oh, we got plenty enough. Last for a couple of weeks.

We may need it ourselves.

You ain't figuring on staying out that long, are you?

Possibly.

Jeannie, when you planned this trip, you told me--

Circumstances have changed since then, Andy.

I'm staying out as long as--

as is necessary.

Doggone it.

Doggone.

[ thumping ]

What's the matter?

That funny sound.

Something tapping. Yeah.

Like-- Like someone walking with a wooden leg.

The ghost of Pegleg Smith.

Nonsense. We're getting hot.

We're getting close to the mine up there.

Old Pegleg's trying to lead us to it.

He knows we're the De Courcey's.

Look. I can see him.

Oh!

He's coming this way.

What's the matter? JEANNIE: Oh, Andy.

You scared me half to death.

We thought you was old Pegleg.

Old Pegleg?

[laughs] No, I just couldn't sleep.

This ground's too hard for these old bones of mine,

so I just took a walk.

Gee.

Hurry up, Andy. We want to get started.

You're so doggone sure

that this is where old Pegleg camped,

that I'd start looking, well, maybe around here

or maybe over yonder by them outcroppings.

Well, that sounds good to me.

That's my territory.

You prospect somewhere else.

Go both take a look, will you?

After you, ma'am.

Andy!

Yeah?

Look what I found!

Gold!

What's all the excitement about?

We found it, Andy. The lost Pegleg.

Keep your britches on.

Black shiny ore. It must be.

Well?

Smells like it.

Tastes like it.

It's-- It's gold all right!

Hey, here's some more over here.

Look, I found another even bigger than hers.

Holy snake bites.

The ground is filthy with gold.

But where are the three hills?

Under us. The desert's covered them.

This is just loose stuff that's come to the top.

Robbie, get a shovel.

No, don't stop to dig.

First, you got to stake out a claim.

Yeah, location blanks.

How many acres to a claim?

This is our discovery.

I found this, didn't I?

Robbie, start pacing it off.

Hurry. 1,500 by-- No, no. That ain't necessary.

Just set up a monument in what you figure's the center.

Thanks! Why you...you...

Ain't this exciting?

What'd you know?

How high, Andy? That'll do.

Now you've got to fill out a location notice.

Got a pencil. Yeah, there.

Hurry up, Jeannie.

There.

Put it down there.

There, we filed. We own it.

The lost Pegleg.

Oh, no, not yet.

You got to file a duplicate notice

with the mining recorder in town.

In town, huh? Yep.

You can't. Can he, Andy?

Whoever gets there first. That's the law.

Look at them go. Yeah.

Sorry, miss. Just closing up.

Oh, please. This is very important.

I discovered the lost Pegleg Mine.

Is that so? Up Smith Mountain? Yes.

Well, a fella by the name of Peter Trumble

filed on that just a little while ago.

What? That's right.

Afraid you're a little late.

Why that-- that--

Wait till I get my hands on him.

Then he'll be late, the late Peter Trumble.

Howdy.

Listen to me, you greedy, double crossing claim jumper.

All's fair in love and prospecting.

Love? I hate you. I hate you!

Really? You as good as stole that mine.

You trailed us there,

took advantage of everything we knew and had.

Who picked up the first piece of ore?

I did.

Who told you how to locate? Andy.

Who tipped me off to use the jeep? Robbie.

You ought to be ashamed of yourself.

Why, you little hot head.

Here, read this.

"Recorded in the name of...

Jeannie De Courcey."

Oh, Peter, I'm sorry.

I take back everything I said.

You're not a--

Greedy, double-crossing claim jumper?

We'll go shares.

But I want to.

Nothing doing. Oh, we found it together,

and you got there first.

I insist.

You're going to have half.

There's only one way I'll agree to that.

Under the laws of California, which provide

that a husband and wife share property equally.

Oh...oh, darling.

Well, who won?

Looks like they both did.

Peter really got there first,

but he recorded it in my name.

Now I'm going to record her in my name.

Gee, swell.

Well, aren't you going to congratulate us?

Uh, I, uh...

I got something to tell you, first,

and I'm afraid it's going to make you awful mad.

Nothing could make us mad now.

We're too happy. Oh, that's good.

What is it, Andy? Well, uh...

That notice ain't worth the paper it's written on.

What do you mean?

That ground you located? Yeah?

That ain't the Pegleg mine.

Well there's gold there, anyway.

Yeah, just, uh... just what I put there.

I, uh...I salted it.

Together: Salted it?

Yeah. Last night, when we was camping up at Smith Mountain?

That's where I went walking.

Oh, Andy, how could you?

Well, I figured it was the only way to keep you two

from prospecting till doomsday.

But, it did get you together.

Then you mean those samples were fakes?

Oh, no. They're genuine Pegleg ore,

the ones Jeannie found in the cigar box with the map,

genuine Pegleg ore that's been in the family since 1866

when it was given to Jeannie's great, great grandfather,

Dr. De Courcey.

There's nothing more you can do for me, Doc.

I'm past helping.

Where there's life, my friend--

You can't fool me.

I done a bit of doctoring myself in my day.

Yes. Cut off my own leg, I did.

[coughing]

Well, you just lie there and rest.

You've been mighty good to me, Doc.

That box there.

Open it up. Take a look.

Gold ore.

Runs better than 5,000 a ton,

according to assay.

There's three hills of it, Doc,

between here and Yuma.

Three hills just like that.

The lost Pegleg Mine.

Not exactly lost, Doc.

Just mislaid.

I hope you find it.

The samples, the map, you can keep.

They're all yours.

[coughing]

Hand me the whiskey, Dirk.

No, the full jug.

And, now, get me a knife,

the sharpest knife

you can find.

THE OLD RANGER: Well, folks,

that's the true story of the famous lost Pegleg Mine.

Still lost.

In the desert, the hot winds blow,

and the sands shift,

and the three little hills of gold

stand waiting and waiting.

Maybe it'll be me some day who locates it.

Or you.

Keep solving.

♪ [ trumpet ]