All language subtitles for 02 - The Greenhorn Story

This is St. Louis.

To many people, it's
the gateway to the West.

They crowd in here by train,

by wagon, by steamboat.

They are here to embark
on the adventure of their lives.

They're in search
of the future...

The golden future
of the golden West.

They're tall or short,

they're fat and they're thin,

but the first few weeks
they're with us,

they all have one thing
in common.

They're all greenhorns.

There's always one
that stands out

from all the rest,

one whose face you know
you'll remember,

no matter how many you forget.

Here, Aunt Em. Sign here.

MAJOR: I always give them lists

of exactly what they need.

I try to impress on them
the importance

of keeping their loads
to an absolute minimum.

They all say just about
the same thing.

Why, this is wonderful.

Everything is listed.

Come on, we've got lots to do.

Thank you, Major Adams.

Thank you!

Open your doors, St. Louis.

Here comes Samuel T. Evans

to buy out the town.

Oh! I beg your pardon.
Excuse me.

Major, good morning.
Good morning.

Well, you're up quite
early, aren't you?

Yes, so are you.

I guess I was a little
nervous, you know,

with getting ready to go,

and all the provisions
I have to get.

Just couldn't sleep.

You know, we're going
into my country.

Oh, is that a fact? Yes, indeed.

When we cross over the Rockies,

we're going into mountains
that aren't kidding.

You know the West, then?

Know it?

I've been writing
about it for years.

How long since
you been out there?

I've never been there.
This is my first trip.

You've been writing ab...

And you've never been out there?

I never could save up the
money before until now.

And I wouldn't have
been able to go now

if it wasn't for Aunt Em
deciding to sell her house

to go into partnership with me.

And you're settling out west?

Major, what we plan on doing

is to publish a weekly
newspaper in Sacramento.

We're taking the printing
press right along with us.

My grandfather took
the printing press

out to Pennsylvania
by covered wagon

when that was just
a wild country.

Now Aunt Em and I plan
on taking it to a new frontier.

A printing press is
a pretty heavy thing

to haul in a wagon
that distance.

Maybe I'd better have
a look at for you.

Oh, no, Major, we don't have
to take up your time to do that.

I called in
some experts at home,

and they told me
what to do with it.

Other experts that
have never been west?

Well, I discussed it
thoroughly with the experts.

Oh, I guess I'm taking
up a lot of your time.

You have a lot to do.

See you later, Major.

Yes, Mister...

Uh, Mr. Evans?

You'd better take a good look

at that list of
provisions I gave you,

and buy only the
absolute minimum.

Uh, can I help you, sir?

Why, yes, you certainly can.

Bill! Charlie!

Yeah? Get up, you two!

I told you you had to help
me police greenhorns today!

Bill, get up!
He's mad as a hornet!

I can't do it all myself!

You two take one street,
and I'll take the next one.

And don't you let 'em
buy a single thing

that's not on my list,
you understand that?

Now, hurry up! Yes, sir.

Bill!

This isn't on the Major's list.

The Major's list,
if I may say so,

is terribly limited.

This is the ideal outfit

for shooting buffalo.

For shooting or...

knocking 'em dead?

This, of course, is
a little more dressy.

Just the thing for those
casual card games

with the boys.

And, uh... there you are.

A concealed pocket for
that ace up your sleeve.

Heh. Well, I wasn't planning

on living dangerously.

Would you mind
removing your hat?

My hat? No, no.

There you are... a poncho!

Wait a minute. Where did I go?

Just the thing in case

you happen to run into a
rainstorm on the way home.

This is a poncho?

Yes, a Spanish poncho.

To protect you
from the elements.

Well, uh...

what have you got
for everyday use?

Yes.

Yes, this is more of
what I had in mind.

Yes, it's you.

I feel that it's really you.

Now, would you mind
telling me, please...

And tell the truth...

Uh...

do I really look Western?

Oh, yes, sir. Very Western.

Not too Western?

If I may say so, sir,

just Western enough.

But I look so new.

Here, sir.

Why not have a stogie?

Compliments of the house.

Named after the famous
Conestoga wagons.

Thank you. I don't care for one.

All right.

Well, if we'll just
leave these things

right here for the time being...

The things that you've chosen...

And we'll go back and
see about your groceries.

Fine, fine.

All right, sir.

Uh-oh. There's one
that got away, Bill.

You figure he's
one of ours, Charlie?

He's bound to be,
the way our luck's runnin'.

Let's don't take a chance.
Let's find a new street.

Yeah, it's too late to
do anything for him.

Hey, you reckon that's one
of ours on the corner there?

Might be.

Let's see.

And I'll have 300 pounds
of flour, please.

Are you a married man,
Mr. Evans?

No, I'm not.
I've taken the pledge.

Hmm. Then the 300
pounds of flour

is just for you yourself?

No, it happens to be
for my aunt and myself.

Anything you say.

After all, there's
nothing to be gained

by dwelling on Jasper.

Jasper?

Jasper Littleton...
Died of starvation

just the other side of
the Missouri border.

He did?

Did this Jasper, uh...

go out west with Major Adams?

No, he went out west
with 300 pounds of flour.

Oh.

If that's the case, you'd
better give me 500 pounds.

600 is more like it.

All right, 600.

I hate to go against the Major,

but I do outfit people
for these trips all the time.

Then why don't you
tell me what I'll need?

You couldn't put yourself
in better hands, Mr. Evans.

I'll fix you up real good.

Just put that
right in the wagon.

Uh, by that...

Oh, thank you. Are you
sure I have everything?

You got everything
I can think of.

Thank you. Thanks for your help.

Good luck, sir.

I like your outfit.

So I see.

How do you like yours?

I don't know.

Yeah, I know what you mean.

You goin' west?

No, I'm going east.

Well, it takes all kinds.

Would you get a load
of that greenhorn?

He's all dressed up in
his pretty new clothes.

Would you gentlemen mind
letting me pass, please?

Better let him go
before he starts bawling.

Now, you shouldn't
have done that.

Oh, I'm sor...

You'd better go give
him a hand, Leroy.

Gosh, that...

That was great, wasn't it?

I hope I didn't spoil your fun.

No, not at all.

The more, the merrier.

I got some dirt
on my new suit, too.

Say, what in tarnation
do you think you're doin'?

You tryin' to buy out
the whole town?

Major, there's no place
along the way

to borrow a cup of sugar.

You think you can get
all this stuff

and a printing press in a wagon?

Don't worry, Major. Aunt
Em is a wiz on packing.

Listen, young fella...

Goin' west is not a picnic.

It's a serious business.

I doubt if you can get
all that stuff in a wagon

and have a team that'll pull it.

You worry too much, Major.

Well, we don't want to
let time get away from us.

Thanks for helpin' me.

Where do you think
you're goin' now?

I'm gonna go get my wagon.

Listen, buy just one
wagon. Not six, not ten.

Just one.

Yeah, just one.
That's plenty for anyone.

Greenhorns.

I make my wheels
of Osage orange-wood.

Look at that.

That prevents
the weight of the wagon

from comin' down
and breakin' the hounds

when you hit a bad place
in the road.

This thing here?

Now we'll proceed to
the brake assembly.

Yeah. Well, Mr. Harrison,

I've got an awful lot to do...

Mr. Harrison, are you busy?

No, he's not! Yes, I am!

I'll come back.

You don't have
to come back, miss.

I'm now gonna explain
the brake assembly.

Then we'll take a look
at the ratchet frame.

Well, hello.

Hello.

I'm sorry I interrupted

your tour of the wagon bottom.

Oh, that's quite
all right, miss.

Doesn't make any difference
about the bottom.

I'm gonna buy it anyway.

I defy you to find a
neater bottom anywhere.

I agree.

I'll take it.

No, you're not.

You're not takin' her

till you fully understand
why you're takin' her.

But you've sold me,
Mr. Harrison.

Young man, I'm not
even half through!

I really must run.

Papa just wanted to
know if it was all right

if we could load our
wagon this afternoon.

I informed your papa myself...

Are you going out west, too?

I informed your papa myself

that my lecture on proper
loading procedure is tonight at 7:00.

I'll tell Papa, Mr. Harrison.

Uh, tell me...

Where do you plan on
settling out west?

We're going to Sacramento.

Sacramento?!

What do you know? That's
where we're goin', too.

HARRISON: Young man,
are you interested

in this wagon?

Good-bye.

Wait a minute!

What's your name?

Six corset covers.

Oh, where are they?

Goodness gracious,
what is all that?

A wagon jack here,

a tar bucket...

and a lantern, got some matches.

Oh, Sam, why didn't you
leave this at our campsite

with the rest of our things?

Aunt Em, I...

I made 11 trips
over there today.

I'll take this over later.

I'm too tired now.

Sam, I, um...

You what, Aunt Em?

I met a lovely young lady today.

Oh, Aunt Em.

Aren't you ever gonna
give up bein' a matchmaker?

Of course...
When you get married.

No, thanks.

What's the matter?
What are you lookin' at?

I'm just looking
at your clothes.

You look so different.

Different?

Good different or bad different?

Oh, simply splendid.

And you bought
a knife and a gun.

Yeah, and I got a wagon
for us, too, today.

And I had a fight.

Oh. No wonder you're so tired.

Oh, I'll... I'll be all right.

I'm just a little tired.

Later on, after a while, I'll...

I'll take you over and
show you our wagon.

It's a good-lookin' wagon.

Go west, young man.

Oh, who would ever think it
would be this complicated?

This is our ratchet frame.

Isn't it beautiful?

Here's your bill of sale.

I put in those straps
we talked about

to hold the press.

It's a lovely wagon,
Mr. Harrison. It'll do.

Mr. Harrison, when I
was in here the other day,

there was a young woman.

HARRISON: Young woman?

So many young women
come in here.

We were under
the wagon, remember?

I'm always under a wagon.

Uh, what kind of shoes
did she have on?

I don't know what kind
of shoes she had on.

She was about so tall,

and she said she
was going out west.

Remember?

I just wanted to
ask her something.

It wasn't important.

Was she pretty, Sam?

Oh, Aunt Em, it wasn't
anything like that.

Forget it.

Come on.

Pike's Peak or bust.

Excuse me.

Is that one of ours?

Samuel T. Evans...
Philadelphia, PA.

Yeah, that's one
of ours, all right.

It's funny how it gets
so you can tell.

He's one of those fellas

that knows
all the wrong answers.

Kind of likable, though.

The Major asked me to
tell you to make sure

that all of our wagons are
loaded on the riverboat by noon.

Off to St. Joe, are you?

Watch your step.

They tell me the Indians are
mighty dangerous out there.

I'm not afraid of the Indians.

I'm afraid of Samuel T.
Evans of Philadelphia, PA.

Him? You bet.

Put him on a horse,
put a gun in his hands,

he's the most dangerous
man on the trail.

He's only a greenhorn.

That's it in a nutshell.

He's only a greenhorn.
See you, Gillespie.

Now he's on his way.

His wagon is on deck,
and his heart is high.

And if his eyes suddenly
get misty for a moment

at the thought of things
that are dear and familiar

that he may never see again,

he won't admit it.

The river from St. Louis
to St. Joe

is a bridge from
the past to the future.

Once he gets off that boat,

Samuel T. Evans...
Expert on the West...

Is up against reality.

We've set up our camp, and
we get right down to business.

There they meet our scout
Flint McCullough for the first time,

and they start to learn a little

about what's ahead of them.

FLINT: And here
at Fort Laramie...

you'll see more deer than
you've ever seen in your life.

This is the land
of the Sioux Indian...

The seven council fires.

Sometimes called
the Seven Tribes.

Right now we're at
peace with the Sioux,

and for us, that's good.

Then come the Rockies.
After the Rockies,

you drop down into the
burning silence of Nevada.

And then onto the Sierras,

and then to California.

It's not an easy journey.

But it's an exciting one.

The country's wild,
and I think that...

Well, you'll like it
that way, like I do.

Any questions?

As the Major told each of
you when you signed on,

this company will be run
on the same principles

as a town government.

At the end of the first
two weeks on the trail,

we'll have an election.

We'll elect a mayor
and an assistant,

a treasurer, a secretary.

And a judge.

Now, they more or less
run the train.

But first things first...

Tomorrow you'll be able
to buy your horses

from the Indian traders.

They're not gonna be broken.

You'll have to take care
of that by yourselves.

And all I can say is...
good luck.

To each of you.

You need any help, Mr. Evans?

No, thank you.

We've come to a perfect
understanding.

They don't like me,
and I don't like them.

That doesn't sound
like an understanding.

That sounds more
like an impasse.

They're gonna have to be
broken to harness, and they will be.

I expect to come out
victorious, though.

You change your mind,
just give a holler.

I'll be down the line a ways.

I expect to fight it out
right here at this impasse

if it takes me all summer.

Good luck.

Whoa! Whoa, now!

Whoa!

Whoa! Whoa, now!

Now, quiet!

No excitement!

Whoa! Whoa, now!

No!

Whoa, there!

Whoa, now!

Steady, boy!

Steady.

Whoa! Whoa, now!

Now, quiet.

Okay!

Whoa! Whoa, now!

Whoa! Whoa, now!

Whoa!

Whoa, now!

Whoa! Whoa, now!

Whoa, now!

Whoa! Whoa, now!

Whoa! Whoa!

Whoa! Whoa, now!

Whoa! Whoa, now!

Whoa!

There.

Hold still there.

Hold still there.

Hey, Mr. Evans!

What are you fixin' to do...

Put those horses in a circus?

Hey, Evans!

What are you doin'...

Hookin' up a chariot or a wagon?

Why do you hate me?

AUNT EM: When you get
through soaking, Sam,

I'll rub you with snake oil.

Aunt Em...

I never realized the
human body had 200 bones

until today, when I
cracked every one of 'em.

Did you pick any names
for the horses, Sam?

Yeah, I sure did.

But none a lady can use.

We're only gonna use four
of those horses instead of six.

Where'd you come from?

My name's Jody Pumphret.
I'm a nuisance.

Well, hello there,
Jody Pumphret.

Who says you're a
nuisance? Everyone!

How come you're sittin'
in that tub of water?

Well, if you must know,
I took six horses today,

and I tried to teach 'em
who was the horse

and who was the master.

You lost, didn't you?

No, I...

I won, but I had to
pay quite a price.

My father says
you're a greenhorn.

Yeah, I'm afraid
your father's right.

I am a greenhorn.
My horse pulled me

halfway across the state
of Missouri today.

His horse bit him.

Bit him? Ha ha!

Did you say it bit him?

Sure, he's sittin' in
a bucket of water, too.

That's a terrible place
to get bit.

Yes, I agree with you, Jody.

I was just laughing
because I realize now

I'm not all alone.

I realize there's more
greenhorns than me.

My father says
everyone on the train

is a greenhorn but Major Adams.

Well, he's right.
We're all greenhorns.

None of us know what to do.

Is that good?

Well, it's very good.

In fact, it's very comforting.

Yes, after I get through
with this bath, Jody,

I'm gonna put my body to bed

for a nice, long rest.

WOMAN: Jody? Jody Pumphret?

Here I am, Melanie!

That's my sister.

She's old, but she's nice.

You better come up, mister.

You could drown down there.

MAJOR: Now his troubles
won't seem so desperate.

Nor will hers.
They'd found each other.

And all the world was
turning towards spring.

You have a lovely
daughter, Mr. Pumphret.

Thank you. You have a
very charming nephew.

His taste in clothes
is certainly excellent.

Where do they get
all that energy?

I don't know. Sometimes
I hate young people.

You know, Sam could've
had his pick

of any girl in town.

All Melanie had to do
was snap her fingers.

They do make a nice couple.

Is he sober, industrious,

God-fearing, and thrifty?

Oh, yes.

Sam comes from one of the
best families in Pennsylvania.

Is Melanie a good housekeeper?

Oh, the best.

Sam deserves the best.

Wait a minute.
I haven't made up my mind

to accept your nephew.

You haven't been asked.

They just got together,

and we're already having
our first quarrel.

Thank you.

So I said to Mr. McDeever,

"Maybe I am makin' a mistake.

"Maybe I am in line
to be city editor.

"Well, I want to publish
a newspaper of my own.

"Mr. McDeever,
my grandfather did it,

"and I want to do it, too.

"Not a daily like this,
but a weekly.

"Yes, sir, I want
to publish the news

"and bring a view of the news

to the people that
really need a newspaper."

Mr. McDeever just looked
at me and he said...

Gosh, I...

I guess I'm talkin'
your ear off.

Oh, no. Please go on.

I'm so interested, Sam.

You are?

And I feel honored...

that you should want to tell me.

Melanie...

I gotta go feed the horses.

Oh, Sam.

It's too early
to feed the horses.

Sam, it's very late.

Aunt Em, Melanie says
I'm about the best dancer

she ever danced with.

And Major Adams says we have
to be at the clearing at daybreak.

Melanie says that goin'
out west to publish a weekly

is about the most romantic
thing she's ever heard of.

Sam, you have to get some sleep.

Melanie says she knew that we
were gonna meet again all along.

Oh, Sam, you won't know
what you're doing

in the morning.

Aunt Em, it's... it's awful late.

I gotta get some sleep.

I won't know why I'm
doin' in the morning.

ADAMS: Now, the first
wagon goes right.

The second goes left.

The third, right.

The fourth, left,
and so on, down the line.

You start out as though
you were gonna make

two separate circles...

until you meet.

When you come together, you
will have made one big circle.

Is that clear enough to you?

Now, when you move forward,

you'll come up alongside
the wagon in front of you

until your tongue is overlapping

the hind wheels of
the wagon in front of you.

Is that clear?

Yes, sir. That's, uh,
clear, sir.

Yes, sir.

Let's try it once more.

Pumphret, you are
wagon number one.

Which way do you go?

Pumphret goes to the right, sir.

Is your name Pumphret?

No, sir. My name is Evans.

It's hard enough to
get through to Pumphret

without outside interference!

It's impossible with it!
Now, Pumphret...

Thanks anyhow, Sam.

What's that, Pumphret?

I was just thanking Sam.

If you two don't
cut out this nonsense

and settle down,

I'm gonna put you at
opposite ends of the train!

Pumphret! I am wagon num...

Wagon number one,
and I go right.

I'm wagon number two,
and I go to the right.

Pumphret goes right!

You go left!

I'm wagon number left,
and I go...

I mean, I'm wagon number two,
and I go left, sir!

All right.

Now, let's try it again.

You move forward
when I yell to you.

And when I give you this signal,

just start to circle up.

Now, Pumphret right, Evans left.

All right, come on!

Pumphret right. That's right.

Wagon number two...

and I turn left.

I'm wagon number two,
and I turn left.

Jennings right! That's right!

Right?

I must be goin'
the wrong way. Hyah!

Look at that.

Where does he think
he's goin now?

Oh, I don't know.

Go see if you can lead
him back where he belongs.

No, no, no!

Not that way!

That way! That way!

Hurry up!

Aah!

Aah!

Aah!

Aah!

Someone sure has to know
a lot to get out west, don't he?

Yeah.

Wait, you're gettin' further
away from the wagon.

Sam, if anything ever
goes wrong in these parts,

we're in real trouble.

Yeah, it is kind of frightening.

Gosh, I feel stupid.

Wished I'd have paid
attention to old Mr. Ratchet.

Well, I guess we'll
have to ask Major Adams

how to fix this wagon tongue.

I'd rather go home.

Are you afraid of the Major?

Yes, I am.

He sees through to my
essential inferiority.

I distinctly remember
Mr. Harrison saying

something about the
double-tree of the wheel team.

Don't you?

Double-tree of the...

No, I don't remember
anything like that.

I wonder if Melanie
would remember.

Melanie?

Yes, Melanie's a bright girl.

Don't you agree, Sam?

Sure, she's bright, all right.

Pretty, too, wouldn't you say?

She's one of the prettiest.

I'll be she's had about
100 proposals by now.

That many?

Oh, easily.

Speaking strictly from an
unprejudiced point of view,

a girl like Melanie doesn't
come along every day, does she?

No, sir. A girl like Melanie

only comes along
once in a lifetime.

Well, if that's
the way you feel, Sam...

Hey!

Jody, what are you
doin' here? Hmm?

You don't know how to put the
tongue on the wagon, do you?

Oh, go bother
someone else, Jody.

Papa's busy.

It's gonna rain.

Major Adams says
it's gonna start at 4:00.

If that's the case,
we'd better have somebody

tell us what to do here
with this wagon tongue.

If I could only remember
about that double-tree.

The double-tree is connected

by the double-tree hammer
to the tongue,

and the tongue is
connected to the hounds

by the swing pin.

And the hounds are connected

by the front axle by the...

The what? Kingpin!

That's it! That's it!

That's it!
Jody, you're wonderful!

I snooped.

Ha ha ha!

Papa's clever little boy!

I want a penny.

If this works, Papa will
give you a whole nickel!

I'll give you
more than that, too.

You back out there.
Come on, let's get to work.

Uhh! Back up, Jody.

That's better.

You men better get
your rain gear on.

Say, that's a real good job.

You mean for, uh...

greenhorns?

I mean, it's a good job
for anybody.

I couldn't have done
a better job myself.

The Major's gonna be
real proud of you two.

You really think so? I know so.

That's the most wonderful thing

anyone's ever said to me.

Pumphret, you're gonna be
all right. So are you, Evans.

Gosh, I never expected
to hear anything like that

comin' from you or the
Major after the other day.

Well, the Major's bark
is a lot worse than his bite.

You've got a lot to learn.

And we're gonna see
that you learn it.

You know, I'm beginning to...

understand these wagons here,

know what they're about,

know the intricate, delicate
parts of these wagons.

And I'm beginning to
understand why Cousin Harrison

took pride in his ratchet-frame

and his Osage orange-wood.

Well, here she comes.

Five after 4:00.

The Major didn't miss
it by much, did he?

How do you feel?

I feel like I'm all nose.

There's no use fretting.

You always catch
a cold when it rains.

Melanie said she'd
stop by to see you.

Melanie? Oh, Aunt Em...

she shouldn't come in here...

Me feelin' like...

Why?

Why? Because I got a cold,

and I feel like I'm all nose.

Sam, don't you know that a man is
never more appealing to a woman

than when he needs
taking care of?

Yeah. It might look appealing
to his aunt or his mother.

Hello, Melanie.

Is he asleep?

Papa's in bed with a cold, too.

I made some hot milk
with lots of pepper in it.

It's the best thing
in the world.

That was very
thoughtful of you, dear.

I guess you'll have to heat
it up again when he awakes.

Oh, I will.

And thank you very much.

You can come up now.

You ought to know how I feel.

Never having been a man,

I'm not at all sure
that I should.

Or that I do.

You don't expect me to
drink any of that stuff, do you?

What? After Melanie
went to all that trouble

to make this lovely milk
with pepper in it for you?

I don't want it.
It's good for you.

If I'd have thought of it,
I'd have made some of it...

I don't want it.

Now, Sam, here. I don't want it.

The idea is to drink it
while it's hot.

Aunt Em, honest,
I just don't want it.

Aunt Em? What?

What's wrong with me?

Just a cold.

I mean, outside of the obvious.

I mean, you know,
like the other night,

I spent most of
the evening with Melanie,

and you know what
I talked to her about?

The Irish Potato Famine of 1823.

Well, if you want to talk
about it, why shouldn't you?

The night before that,
I talked about

the grasshopper plague in the
Great Plains and the Boer War.

I was more of a bore
than the Boers were.

Sometimes, the things
you don't say

shine through the things you do.

But I used to be able to
say what was on my mind.

Like, "Pass the butter",

"Here's your hat",
"Good evening".

Don't have me ask it of her.

Well, Melanie's a girl.

I've known other girls before,

and I talked to 'em
like they were people.

Maybe she's the girl, Sam.

Even if she is,

I don't have to be inarticulate.

Maybe you do.

But here I am... a grown man

acting like a
17-year-old lovesick calf.

What's she gonna think of me?

Why don't you ask her?

I'm afraid to.

What if she doesn't
feel about me

like I feel about her?

Ohh. And I always thought

you had all the
self-confidence in the world.

Well, this frontier life

has taken the starch out of me.

I'm not the man
I used to be, Aunt Em.

Besides, I got
a cold in my nose.

I knocked, but I guess
you didn't hear me.

Oh, hi, Mr. Wooster.

What's the matter with him?

I'm just trying to give him
some hot milk with pepper

And I don't want it.

You ever try hot
whiskey with pepper?

Will you sit down?
Same needs a little comfort.

Sit down.

Hi, Sam. How's the cold?

Oh, the cold is thriving.

But I'm failing rapidly.

I hope you'll be able
to drive in the morning.

We're pushing off then.

Tomorrow? That's right.

Well, I...

You get back in bed
and cover up!

Don't spill it all over me!

Get back in bed!

And don't forget... wagon
number two to the left.

I won't forget.

How can I forget? Those scars!

I'll see you on the trail,
partner. Good night.

Okay, partner. Good night.

Oh, I'm getting
real fond of that boy.

Mmm! If I'd met him
20 years ago... hi-ho.

Well, we're finally gonna
shove off in the morning, huh?

Yeah.

Sam, at last we're
really heading west.

Yeah. Here I'm about to embark

on the great adventure
of my life,

and I got a cold in my nose.

Well, California, here I come.

I don't want that.

So much pepper!
I don't want that!

Now, at last, he has
really started west.

Just ahead, Melanie rides
toward the same horizon,

the same future.

And his heart quickens
each time he thinks of her.

He is not so green
as he was two weeks ago,

but not yet as seasoned
as he'll be

two weeks from now.

The trail teaches
its lessons hard and fast.

Now every disaster
is common to all of us.

The trail is harsh
and it's cruel.

No matter how well you know it,

the unexpected always
waits to strike you down.

And somewhere, midway
between St. Joe and Fort Kearney,

comes the greenhorn's
blackest moment...

The moment when he must
face the consequences

of his own stubbornness.

Sam! What's wrong?

SAM: These horses won't go!

And they're not gonna go

till you throw out half of
that stuff in that wagon.

Throw it out?

I'm sorry, sonny,
but these horses

cannot pull that heavy a
load any further. They're tired.

How much of the stuff
shall I throw out?

I would start by throwing out

that confounded
printing press of yours!

The printing press?
You told me I could take it

if I could find the right wagon.

I also gave you
a very specific list

of provisions to buy,

and you more than doubled
up on every single item.

Well, can I take
the press with me

if I throw away
most of the provisions?

Oh, I don't know.

Throw out everything except
for what was on that list,

and we'll see.

All right.

MAJOR: Sam Evans
isn't the only one.

The trail will be
littered for miles

with things that
have to be discarded.

And the train that comes
through tomorrow and the next day

will only add to the pile.

I'm sorry, Sam.

So am I.

Hyah! Billy!

You live and learn, Aunt Em.

At least we've got
Grandpa's printing press left.

And we'll get it
to California, too.

You bet we will.

Hyah!

MAJOR: But there is always
a challenge to come

over the next hill
or around the next bend.

Always some new trial,

some new unexpected adversity.

Aunt Em, is supper ready?

Sam... Melanie's ill.

Hmm? What?

Sam, wait! Let me tell you...

Melanie isn't gonna die, is she?

Melanie isn't gonna die.

Flint! Sam, I've been...

Where's the Pumphret wagon?

Where's the Pumphret wagon?

We had to move it
out of the line.

Move it out? Why?

The Major and I had a talk,

and we decided that, since
you and I have become friends,

it might be easier for
you to hear this from me.

But I don't know how
to soften this for you any.

It's happened. You
just have to face it.

What's happened? Melanie's sick.

I know. Aunt Em told me.

But how sick can she be?

She's pretty sick.

Oh, she wasn't sick

when you were explaining
to us about Fort Kearney...

Sam, you know how cholera is.

One minute, a person
is perfectly all right,

and the next minute,
they're desperately ill.

Cholera?

That's the way it looks.

Cholera.

Cholera.

And the person that
usually gets it...

24 hours later...

Yeah, I know all about
cholera, believe me.

I wrote an article on it.

Sam, the wagon has to be
taken out of the line.

Why does it have
to be taken out...

I've seen cholera on
a wagon train before.

It can wipe out half
the train in 24 hours.

I know, but can't...

The Major is responsible
for the lives of 200 people.

What else can he
do? Couldn't he just...

No, I...

I guess there's
nothing else he can do.

Are you sure it's cholera?

No. But we've got to
have a healthy respect

for the symptoms.

You're not gonna leave her
alone out here to die, are you?

No, no.

I'm gonna stay here until
we find out what's happened.

If, in a day or two,
Melanie's able to travel,

we'll catch up with
the train at Fort Kearney.

If not...

I'm gonna stay, too, Flint.

My life is in that wagon.

Melanie...

I've tried so hard to tell you.

I just couldn't find the words.

I've known you
all my life, Melanie.

You're the first girl
I ever took to a party.

The first girl I ever kissed.

And you'll be my last.

I never knew, Melanie,
that I could feel like this.

I thought I knew
all the answers.

All my answers.

And then...

Then you appeared.

And you were smiling at me.

You looked into my eyes.

Then I...

I thought about a home.

Melanie...

you are my home.

If anything ever
happens to you...

I don't want to live.

Don't leave me, Melanie.

Please don't leave me.

I need you.

You know, Aunt Em...

there's a saying among
frontier people.

They say, "There's God
out yonder."

Maybe that's a strange
way to say it,

but if you've spent most of
your life in the wilderness,

like I have,

you know what they mean.

And you know why they say it.

And why they have to believe it.

There's God out yonder?

Oh, I hope so.

I hope so.

MAJOR: Sometimes, from
the hand of the Almighty,

a miracle.

Hyah!

Let me have that.

Oh, Melanie?

You forgot your
mother's cookbook.

I'm only going
to the next wagon.

A bride should never
go to her husband

without her mother's cookbook.

Humphrey, I thought
I'd ride up with you...

Give the newlyweds
a chance to be alone.

I'm glad to have you.

Where's Jody?

Oh, he'll be along

as soon as we get it rolling.

Let's be going, Mrs. Evans.

Mrs. Evans.

I can't even believe it,
even when I hear it.

Next stop... Fort Kearney.

I can't believe it's been two
weeks since we left St. Joe.

And it's only been six
weeks since we left St. Louis.

Gosh, I...

I feel 100 years older.

Well, thanks for the
compliment... Mr. Evans.

Well, you did account for
a few of these gray hairs.

Come on, get up
in front there...

before the Major
starts yellin' at us.

You're giving me orders like
we've been married two years

instead of two days.

Well, you love it.

Don't you?

Yes, I love it.

How are you feeling, Mrs. Evans?

Like a brand-new woman...

on her way to a brand-new world.

I'm mighty sorry, Major, I
gave you so much trouble...

Oh, no more than
any of the others, son.

It's all in my job, that's all.

How's Mr. Evans this morning?

Does he still think
that going west

is just scaling those mountains

and conquering the desert?

No, he's pretty well aware

of the facts of life
by this time.

I knew he'd shape up all right.

I've liked that little fella

ever since I first
laid eyes on him.

Oh, you like them all, Major.

Even the worst
know-it-alls that come along.

Well, Charlie, I had to
learn the hard way myself.

But every year, when
we get a new batch

of those Samuel T. Evanses,

it just makes me realize

how much of a greenhorn
I still am.

Uh-oh. Come on, Bill.

Hold up, Bill! Hold up!

Whoa. Whoa.

Whoa.

Hold it, boy.

You see? What'd I tell you?

Let's go. Get ready, Charlie.

Oh, Sam, you were wonderful.

Aw, it wasn't nothin'.

After all, I had
to help a greenhorn.

Hyah!

Hyah! Ho!