Original subtitles

Nobody in Bridger Fort will ever believe

there's that many beavers in the world.

You figure we'll go back to same place next year?

We never go back nowhere.

No use going back some place you've been

when there's so many places you ain't been.

You know what's wrong with you?

You got a disease, horizon fever.

You always want to see

what's on the other side of the hill.

I'll be plenty glad to ride over these hills.

I've a got a feeling this country's bad medicine.

Indian ponies made them tracks.

Yeah, Shoshones today.

That's funny.

They took to the woods instead of staying on the trail.

It has been awful quiet.

I ain't heard a bird chirp in a week.

Too quiet.

Aw, we're just imagining things.

I'll bet you five beaver skins

there ain't an Indian inside of 20 miles of here.

I ain't dreaming, am I? Them Shoshones have got guns!

They have got guns, all right.

Don't forget that's five beaver skins you owe me.

I bet you another five I don't live long enough to pay ya.

They're going to rush!

Wait until you can't miss, then pick off the chiefs,

so we can break them up.

All right, give it to them!

Won't try that again. Not for a while.

-You think you can make it? -Maybe.

The whole Shoshone war party's right over behind that rim.

Yeah.

Lucky for us, Indians are superstitious

about attacking at night.

Our only chance is to get out of here before daylight.

Well, here goes.

Easy, Kit.

Yeah, pull them in.

Give me the rope.

Get up, there! Come on, get up!

That's a girl!

If I don't meet you on top of Badger Pass by tomorrow sundown,

you know I ain't coming.

Here. You better take these, just in case.

All right.

All right, get him up.

-Come on, boy. Come on. -Up with you, buddy.

Come on, get up! Get up! Get up now!

Get up now!

Remember now, yell loud.

All right, here we go.

I swear, you're the eatin'-est folks I ever see.

Well, there's a lot of us.

Mr. Bridger,

I've been considering the advisability

of sending a scouting party out to look for Carson.

Well, Captain Fremont, that might be all right.

If you knew where to look.

You sure Carson said he was coming back here?

Yeah.

But you said that Carson said he'd back in the spring.

Well, give the man a chance, can't you?

It ain't no more than half past April, is it?

Besides, he didn't know you folks was waiting for him.

If he did, he'd lit out quicker than you could say Scat!

I'm gonna move to where a man

can have a little peace and quiet.

Used to be when a man heard

a horse's hooves in this country, he cocked his rifle.

Now all it means is more people and wagons,

pestering you to buy something.

Carson! Kit Carson!

Hiya, Jim! Hiya, Queenie!

Look at the old plutocrat sitting here getting fat

in the lap of luxury! How are you?

Well!

I'm glad to see you!

Ape Eaton, it's a wonder you ain't been plugged for a pie,

you toting that thing from Australia!

Oh, Lopez,

I'm so happy to see you!

I ain't heard a lick of good music since you left.

Except if you'd call an Indian caterwauling music.

I think you're going to have plenty of music pretty quick!

Go ahead!

Say, I was never so happy to see anybody in my life, Kit.

I see you've got plenty of company, even soldiers.

Oh, they ain't my company, they're yours.

Been waiting for you for three weeks.

Mine?

Well, as near as I can find out,

they're mighty anxious to get to California.

And you're gonna show them the way.

Well, I've been mighty anxious about getting back here.

Where's the rest of the boys?

Ain't they coming in this year?

No.

We're all there is.

But your pelts? Two years' work?

We left them back there. Where we left the boys.

Shoshones, Jim.

Why, they were standing on each other's shoulders

trying to get at us,

-you know what I done? -No.

I just honed an edge on old Betsy here.

And I'd thrown her right at their heads!

And every time she'd come back,

she'd bring a scalp right with her.

We saved a lot of time that way, Jim.

Ape Eaton, it's too bad

they let you get away from that jail,

when they had the worst liar,

as well as the worst thief that ever hit Australia.

Australia?

You talk like that's the only place I've ever been.

And you talk like you could go back!

Have you ever seen one of these, Jim?

Yeah.

A heap of 'em in California.

They're Spanish.

Ain't as good as ours.

Well, they're good enough.

That's why the rest of the boys ain't coming in.

Well, there ain't a white man in North America

who'd give a gun to an Injun.

We ain't had no trouble with the Shoshones.

We got it now.

She was one fine fight, my friend.

She last six hours.

You ain't gonna just sit there.

You gonna do something.

I sure am gonna do something.

First, I'm going down to the creek and take me a bath.

Then I'm going to get me some clean clothes.

Then I'm going to take me a night's sleep

that'll last, oh, maybe two weeks.

In a bed.

Hey, have you got any soap?

Yep.

And I've got a hotel, too.

Why, you can have a bath right in your own room.

Private-like.

Well, that's plumb wonderful.

I reckon you make people pay for that.

Yep.

$22 a day.

But that includes soap and running water.

I'll have to owe ya.

Oh. Well, that's all right.

That's the reason to keep the price so high.

Nobody pays no how!

Oh, Buffalo Gals Can't you come out tonight

Can't you come out tonight Can't you come out tonight

Oh, Buffalo Gals Can't you come out tonight

And dance in the light of the moon

Oh, Buffalo Gals Can't you come out tonight

Can't you come out tonight Can't you come out tonight

Oh, Buffalo Gals Can't you come out tonight

And dance by the light of the moon

Come in!

There's a couple of gents want to see you, Kit.

Well, they want to come in or wait till I come out?

-Mr. Carson? -Yeah?

My name's Fremont.

I'm in command of those troops outside the stockade.

Mr. Carson, I have orders to find the shortest

practical route to California, and map it as I go.

There's some mighty pretty country

between here and California.

When are you aiming to start, Captain?

Just as soon as I can enlist you as civilian scout.

The job pays $100 a month, your horses in pound.

That's a heap of money.

Are them settler's wagons with you?

Oh, yes. Mr. Terry is the leader of the wagon train.

We're just kind of tagging along after Captain Fremont.

We broke away from the big train

that was taking the Oregon Trail.

All of our folks are California-bound.

I know a lot of folks who'd be uneasy about

taking wagons cross-country between here and California.

Not when we heard that Captain Fremont

was taking you as his guide.

This is the article of agreement,

drawn up and signed by every member of our party,

appointing one Kit Carson as wagon master.

You've got women and children

in them wagons, ain't you?

Yes, of course.

I don't reckon I'm your man.

You mean, you refuse?

See that? Just what I was telling you, Cap.

Kit ain't the kind to go traipsing around the country

with a passel of women and young'uns.

Them Shoshones would go a long ways

for a white woman's scalp.

I think they'd kind of like them brass buttons

on your coat, too, Captain.

You boys don't sound as if you think much of soldiers.

We don't.

Where you find soldiers, you find trouble.

But when you find trouble, you can't find the soldiers.

Mr. Carson what you and your men think of the army

is your affair.

I'd counted on your help. But with or without it,

I'm going to take these soldiers to California.

You don't look like the kind of a fellow

that'd just hand his wife

and friends over to a flock of savages.

We've both faced Indians before.

Indians with rifles?

Mr. Carson,

the men and women with me expect hardship and dangers,

the same hardships and the same dangers

the settlers of Kentucky, Ohio and Missouri had to face.

Maybe.

Shall we go, Mr. Terry?

It seems Mr. Carson isn't interested in American history.

Why, he refused!

I'd like to talk to that Mr. Carson for a minute.

Hey!

Please! Please! No! Get out of here! Oh!

Oh, I forgot to tell you

that there was a lady next door.

Her name is Dolores Murphy.

And Captain Fremont says her pa owns half of California.

What's she doing here?

She's going to California with the rest of the wagon folks.

Plumb too bad.

-No use. -Oh, Terry.

I know how your people must feel.

I guess we're fools,

never thinking Carson might refuse.

Terry, I'm an army officer and I can't tell you what to do.

But I can tell you this,

my command is going to California.

Now, this is a free country.

I can't stop you from following me.

How soon can you march, Mr. Terry?

Load 'em! Roll out!

Lieutenant, take charge of company.

They look very good up to Fort Bridger, Sergeant.

But from now on, it's got to look better.

Yes, sir!

Ready!

Is everything all right with you, Miss Murphy?

Captain Fremont, it was such a splendid gesture,

permitting us to follow you.

Oh, well, Miss Murphy, it's the duty of the United States Army

to assist and protect all citizens of the United States,

wherever they are.

We're very grateful.

And if you can endure the contact

with rough and ready soldiers for another three months,

I think I can assure that we'll reach California.

Even without Carson.

Well, I haven't found it difficult

to endure rough and ready soldiers

for the past eight weeks.

But, you are disappointed, about Carson, I mean.

Yes. He knows this country better than anyone.

I sure'd have felt much safer with him.

I shall be a fool not to admit my disappointment.

Are you sure you've used every argument?

I offered him everything my authority permitted.

He always wears his bare feet, ma'am,

when he ain't aiming to go no place.

Are you Mr. Carson?

Uh, yes, ma'am.

How much money did you make last year, Mr. Carson?

He didn't make nothing last year.

Nor the year before.

But, senorita, we have one fine time.

Mr. Carson, I'll pay you $1,000 in gold

and your expenses to take me to California.

And $200 each for your assistants.

I make one reservation.

The other wagons are to go with me.

If you offered me $10,000, I'd still think

that army fellow, Fremont, and them other people are fools.

I should've known better than to practically beg you.

Uh, yes, ma'am, you should.

Mighty spirited gal, that.

Beautiful hair.

I can just see it drying outside of some Shoshone teepee.

You don't need to worry about her hair.

Some Shoshone will just pick all of her up and lug her away.

Oh, why don't you shut up.

Well, I was just thinking.

You know, we sure are lucky.

Nothing to do, but just sit here, and eat and sleep.

That is right, my friend.

We're going to have one fine time.

All them silly people riding out there

to get themselves killed.

You know, there's going to be a lot of singing and dancing

this summer in them Indian villages.

When those bucks come riding in with their scalps,

and squaws start to torture the prisoners.

Well, I guess I'd better go look at the horses.

A fella gets awful lazy, sitting around doing nothing.

-Where are you going? -Who, me?

Oh, I will go help my friend not to get lazy.

-Straight ahead, Sergeant, due West.

-Yes, sir.

Care to increase the speed of your horses, Mr.Terry?

I'll try, sir.

I want to make speed where speed can be made.

Yes, sir. Yee, boy!

Hiya, Terry!

That job of wagon master still open?

Sure is, if you want it.

On one condition.

I'm the wagon boss.

Here. This belongs to you.

And I was never so glad to get rid of anything in my life.

Glad to me you, boss. Any orders?

Yeah. Slow down your horses.

You'll get where you are going quick,

if you don't hurry so fast.

Yes, sir! Whoa, now! Steady!

You boys ride down the line and check over the water

barrels and axles.

-Si. -All right.

Howdy, folks!

Here, take this.

I'll change places with you for a spell.

You seem a mite too eager to get to California the first day.

Whoa! Steady now.

Whoo! Slow down.

I beg your pardon, Captain, but the wagon train is

falling back again.

They may as well learn right now that they must

keep up with the troop.

-Yes, sir. Right, sir! -Straight ahead, Sergeant.

Driver, shake up those horses.

Howdy, General.

Why, what are you doing on that wagon?

Oh, driving it, Colonel, to California.

What made you change your mind?

Maybe it was just curiosity.

I'm a mighty curious fellow.

Especially, about Indians having guns.

Very well.

But I need you at the head of the column.

Come with me.

Every man to his own job, General.

I am taking the wagons to California.

And I'll get them there quicker by not killing the horses.

Do I understand that you are employed by Mr. Terry?

I am the wagon boss.

Very well.

Mr. Carson,

my wagon will obey Captain Fremont's orders.

Did you sign your name to this?

Why, yes I did but I

Whoo now! Steady.

Heya, boys.

I've noticed you didn't bother building a fire, ma'am.

Unless you got one in the wagon, I think you should be

a mite hungry.

Thank you, but I'm dining with Captain Fremont.

Oh.

-Good evening, Carson. -Good evening, General.

Oh, what a pity to spoil it, you make such a perfect

picture up there.

Thank you.

Hey, Kit, look.

I ain't dining with Captain Fremont.

Post number three, 8:00, and all's well!

Just think, I'm eating wild animal stew and liking it.

Nothing's much better than being tired and a little hungry

and having an antelope stew around the campfire.

You like this sort of thing, don't you?

Yes, ma'am.

I never was much for houses.

You can't see through the walls.

Well, I got work to do.

-You better check the axles again, Ape. -All right.

What strange fur you have on your jacket.

That ain't fur ma'am, that's hair.

-Hair? -Mmm-hmm.

-Human hair? -Sure. Them Shoshone's scalps.

I got a Cheyenne and a Ute back there someplace

but they don't match very good so I've put them back behind.

Scalps? You mean, you

Yes, ma'am, sure!

Scalps, senorita, is a very good thing to have.

When the Indian know his enemy collect scalps,

he not jump so quick.

You see, miss.

A brave can't get into Indian heaven without his scalp on.

That's why he's so scared to lose it, see.

I was I was going to have rug made out of these,

braided like horse hair.

-A rug? -Sure!

I knew a fellow once that had his cabin roofed with them.

Of course he had a family.

He had to have a roof on his cabin. -

I think you are fibbing about the rug.

Well, a little.

You don't want to believe everything I say, ma'am.

I'm an awful liar.

I wonder if the captain kisses his boys goodnight every night

before he tucks them in.

That may put them soldier boys to sleep.

But it'll wake up every Indian east of the Rocky Mountains.

So,

the American captain, Fremont, and his party have actually

penetrated Shoshone country.

Yes, Excellency.

Where are they now?

They're entering the foothills of Sierra Nevadas.

Have my orders been carried out?

Yes, Excellency.

How many rifles have you distributed

to the Shoshones?

500, Excellency.

And they're ready to use them as I suggested

to keep the white man out of Shoshone territory?

Yes, Excellency.

Go back.

And be sure that Captain Fremont does not cross the

Sierra Nevadas.

Uh, see that Lieutenant Ruiz has everything he requires.

But such an order is murder.

You are arming the Indians, inviting them to destroy

the white men.

I am inviting them to destroy a very dangerous enemy.

There are times when I think you're actually

sympathetic to Americans.

Well, why not?

I have many Americanofriends.

Yes, I must remember that.

You know, Vallejo,

I am not fooled by this Captain Fremont and his

scientific expedition.

At the moment, Americans coming to California must spend

months at sea.

But if Captain Fremont can cut his way through

to California by land,

an army can follow him.

You have distributed the presents we've brought from

General Castro?

-Yes, Lieutenant Ruiz. -Good.

I will need you to help me handle the Shoshones.

Yes, Lieutenant.

My Shoshone brothers,

the wagon train must be destroyed.

And the Americanoskilled!

The wagons are not led by foolish soldiers,

or stupid settlers,

but by a great enemy,

who has taken many Shoshone scalps.

Kit Carson.

Tonight, we will attack,

with the cunning of the wolf!

You seem to be making great progress with your history,

Mr.Ape.

Oh, yes, ma'am.

I'm halfway through my second pencil.

I don't reckon I'd never written this history,

if you hadn't given me the idea, this here book.

Well, it seemed a pity to see a great imagination like

yours going to waste.

Oh, it ain't going to waste no more, ma'am.

Anytime I run out of history, I I just fall back

on that imagination.

Them horses is plumb spoiled, ma'am.

They're always wanting attention.

Steady boy.

Ain't it funny how a horse can smell an Indian a mile away?

Two miles. We'll look into it.

Sorta slip out around the camp.

Well, this is as far as I can go, until I find out what

size shoe he wears.

You mean, you haven't asked him?

I should think after all this time,

you two would be arriving at an understanding.

Well, Mr. Carson is one of those big, strong silent men

who are a little bit difficult to understand.

-Mmm. -And

after all, it is rather personal, isn't it?

Oh, I don't know. Mr. Ape, uh, wears size 12.

Oh, Mr. Carson, I was wondering if

I'm sorry, ma'am, but I can't stop and talk to you now.

Carson seems to be in kind of a hurry.

Oh, did you notice that too?

He spent the afternoon trying to convince me that we were

heading into trouble.

Oh, these scouts, they see an Indian behind every bush.

We mustn't forget that they've lived among savages for so long,

they're practically savages themselves.

Well, if there was any danger of my forgetting,

Mr. Carson would constantly remind me.

That's mighty interesting.

I didn't understand any of it.

That one fellow was telling the chief

that the soldiers are no good without horses.

So, they're gonna run off the General's horses.

Oh!

That's plumb peculiar.

The fella that gave the orders to the Shoshones to run off

the Generals horses

made tracks that toe out.

No Shoshone make these tracks.

No Indian made them.

Come on. We gotta warn Terry and the boys.

One more mountain to cross and then California.

Will you be happy?

Well, isn't one always happy going home?

I don't know, California isn't my home.

Oh, but, we'll make you feel at home.

Will you?

Of course.

Home is where the heart is.

I'd be the happiest man in the world, if I were really

going home with you.

Well, I'm I'm not quite sure I understand you.

I want to be very sure, you do understand me.

The happiest duty, I've ever had has been to guard you.

Feel responsible for you.

These weeks on the trail have made me very sure, of one thing.

I love you very much.

I think I've loved you since the first time I saw you far back

at Kansas landing.

If we'd been Shoshones, General, you'd have been a

little late with that pop gun.

Time a little girl should be in bed.

You are not starting to tell me when to go to bed, are you?

I reckon so.

I never heard of anything

Don't forget now. I'm the wagon boss.

Wagon boss or not, I'll go to bed when I feel like it.

You look a mite tired right now, ma'am.

I hope you're joking, Carson.

If not you're carrying this wagon boss thing too far.

Maybe.

-Carson -Take it easy, Cap.Take it easy.

You probably feel a great satisfaction

in demonstrating your strength and mastery on a girl.

It don't take much strength, ma'am.

You are as light as a feather.

Come on, in you go.

Inside, ma'am.

General, you reckon them sentries is taking good

care of your horses?

-Of course. -Let's have a look.

Sometimes that Mr. Carson makes me so mad,

I could forget that I'm a lady.

Is that why you're knitting those socks for him?

What'd Carson mean when he said we'd better get ready

for trouble?

The Shoshones are gonna try to run off Fremont's horses.

All right, boys.

You can save the ammunition, General.

They won't be back.

That's what I meant about being awful prominent.

It might be a good idea to make a few changes.

The difference between you and me Carson is you do

as you please.

I'm governed by orders and regulations.

-Clanahan, from now on double the sentries.

-Yes, sir.

I thought you were sound asleep.

Maybe if you blew taps again, General.

Come on, we got some more looking around to do.

I'm mighty curious about them tracks that toed out.

Come on, Ape.

They came out of the water here.

Toes-out talked to the Indians a minute

and then went that way.

That's funny.

Right here, Toes-out got on a horse.

-A horse wearing shoes. -The Indian ponies don't wear

shoes.

-Mm, Spanish shoes? -Yeah.

I'm getting curiouser and curiouser.

Got that trigger set, Lopez? To one horse's hair.

Hang on to it, I don't want to get my neck in this thing.

The way I figure it,

we're mighty hot on the trail of who gave guns

to them Shoshones.

This Toes-out is a white man.

He's laying low and spending his time spying on the wagon train.

Them Shoshones could

Could call Toes-out to them by barking like a coyote.

Maybe we can bring him to us the same way.

Anyway, it's worth trying.

Looks mighty familiar, don't it?

Now, that reminds me, I owe you 10 beaver skins.

Hey, you know, what?

This is the first time, I ever see two-legged coyote in trap.

Well, cut him down. But be awful careful with him.

I have seen you come a lot closer than that.

Where did you say them guns came from you gave the Shoshones?

It is much better to talk, my friend.

I have not got the patience of my friend Carson.

Hey, Kit, ain't that fire a little too far away from him?

He might take it chill.

-Maybe, you're right. -I know you're right, amigo.

You should be much more warm.

Get your wagons in line, Mr. Terry, I want to get

out of here.

Carson!

-What's the meaning of this? -Ooh, I'm having a little talk

with this fellow.

Cut him down.

Ain't you forgetting, General, he's my prisoner?

I'm trying to remember that you're a white man.

I wonder why I ever thought you were anything else but a savage.

Every man to his own calling I guess, ma'am.

General here fights canon with canon.

I fight fire with fire.

How dare you compare yourself to an honorable soldier?

I want you to have a look at a real savage.

Don't worry, he speaks your language.

He's Lieutenant Ruiz.

General Castro's army.

He can tell you where those Shoshones got them rifles.

Don't let the war paint fool you, General.

Talk.

You are a white man. A brother officer.

You're sworn to uphold the laws of war.

Like arming Indians to murder women and children. Talk!

I was only carrying out the orders of my superior officer.

-General Castro. -Whose orders?

General Castro, the military governor of California.

My orders were to keep you, all of you, from getting

to California.

Why?

Because General Castro is afraid of Americanos.

Only the Americanos can keep him from sitting

on the throne of the Aztecs.

From being emperor of all Mexico and California.

I see.

Lieutenant Ruiz?

Wherever those men go the laws of the

United States follow.

The penalty for giving arms and ammunitions to Indians is death.

You reminded me, it is my duty to enforce the law.

Platoon! Attention!

Dismount! No.

Forward march!

Platoon, halt!

Order! One!

Ready!

You can't! I demand a trial.

Aim!

Fire!

Order. Halt!

Forward. March!

I don't reckon a fellow like me could ever learn to do things

like an honorable soldier.

I owe you an apology.

I'm sorry. II didn't understand.

Exactly due west, Sargent.

Ruiz was a bumbling fool.

Send the Shoshone's more guns and ammunition.

-That's the line, Lieutenant, continue due west. -Yes, sir.

General!

I still think it's a good idea to skirt the mountain.

Stay out of there.

I wish I could agree with you, Carson. But I must go this way.

Sixty miles farther to go round the mountain.

Might be a good idea to save lives instead of miles.

These hills are swarming with Shoshones,

we're safer if we stay in the open.

Going that way would be plain poison.

My order is to find the shortest route to California.

Soldiering would be an easy job if you knew in advance

there would never be any danger.

General

I won't let the wagons go through that pass.

Then, I guess this is where we part company.

I don't know much about orders and things.

But I do know, there's no way out of that pass

except the way you get in.

I don't even like the smell of this place.

It's a perfect ambush.

But it is the most direct route to California.

My job, Carson,

is not to make sure John C. Fremont and the troupe

of cavalry get to California.

It's to make sure that in case of need an army can follow.

And when an army moves,

can't afford to waste 60 miles because the Captain was

afraid of trouble.

But Captain John, we have been together all the way.

Well, I'm sorry, but Carson is right.

The pass is no place for wagons.

Well,

look us up, if you get to Monterrey.

Perhaps I'll be waiting for you.

Captain Fremont, we could help you by going through with you.

-No, Terry. -I can't tell you how we feel.

How grateful we are.

But I can tell you this, when they write the

history of the west

your name is gonna stand out awfully big.

You take good care of your husband and when you get

to California,

see that he keeps that printing press running night and day.

Good luck.

II don't know what to say.

Doesn't make much difference as long as it isn't goodbye.

But I was hoping that we'd all be together, all the way.

Home.

-Will the latch string still be out? -Better.

The door will be wide open.

Good luck! Green grass and running water!

-Roll, Mr. Terry. -All right.

Roll on!

I'm sure now,

the only difference between a donkey and a soldier

is a uniform.

Company! Attention!

In column two! Left trail, ho!

All right. Let's go.

Send half your braves to trap Fremont

and the other half to attack the wagon train.

I'd feel a lot better if that army

Fremont's always talking about was following him right now.

Lieutenant, take charge. Keep a sharp look out.

-It's very quiet no? -Yeah.

Beats me, we ain't seen an Indian for days.

The time to be scared of Indians is when you can't see 'em.

Halt!

Come on!

Hold it!

Listen

Rifles.

Spanish rifles.

They've got Fremont.

Start your wagons! Form a circle!

To the rear! Follow my wagon!

Jim, will you let me use your horse?

Hey now, wait a minute.

Don't you fellows get any foolish ideas about going

to help Fremont.

Your wagons are full of women and kids. They come first.

Terry,

there's any danger to the wagon trains, it'll come from there.

You reckon you can ride over there, kind of stand guard?

-Yes, sir. -Don't take any chances.

You see Shoshones moving this way, fire your rifle.

Yes, sir.

Don't any of you other boys fire unless Mr. Terry fires first.

Come on.

They're in there, trapped.

They're caught, all right.

Could not warn your wagon train, after all, eh?

That was Terry's signal.

Ha!

Thanks.

For doing my job.

Oh, there they are!

-They got him! They got him! -They'll not get him!

-You all right? -Yes, I'm all right.

-I thought you -Sometimes it don't pay to think.

I killed a man. An Indian.

-I saw him fall. -I reckon you'll be forgiven for

killing a Shoshone.

-Maybe even two. -Captain John, is there any chance

He's licked, unless he can break through.

Freddy, keep down!

-Kit! Kit! -Hey, wet down that canvas.

We've only got one chance, Sergeant. Cross the river.

Doesn't look like much of a chance, sir.

If I only knew whether men and horses

could live in that current.

-I'll find out, sir. -Come back, you fool!

Clanahan!

Clanahan!

This is really fun, huh?

Don't fool yourself.

We're in as much trouble as Fremont.

Neither one of us is strong enough fight our way out

of this alone.

But if we can get together, there's a chance.

Oh, sure is a good idea, if we can only do it.

I'm gonna do it if I have to blast him out of there. Come on.

Hey!

Hey, you in the back, tie them tight.

We got one chance between us, a mighty slim one.

And I'm depending on you to see that nothing happens

to the ladies.

It's all right, Kit.

Ha!

Come on, now! Get going now!

You take the chief.

Keep going now! Yee-haw!

Keep going now!

Way's clear. Charge!

All Carson needed was a chance.

Oh, you beautiful sergeant in blue, you're not so much

too bad after all!

Ready!

Aim!

Fire!

Carry arms!

There's more in them graves than just people.

I'm beginning to believe I'm a failure as a soldier.

Soldier's supposed to have courage.

Why, you can't accuse yourself for lack of courage.

There are different kinds of courage.

Courage on the battlefield is one thing.

Courage to tell him that he was right

when he said, It might be better to save 60 lives

than 60 miles,

is another.

I can't face him until I tell him.

Yes, I know.

It takes courage to tell a man the truth,

when the truth hurts.

When I started to look for you,

I I knew just what to say.

But, now

Remembering I called you a savage,

I don't think I'll ever be able to look at you again.

I told you before,

I ain't much to look at.

But if you want to look,

it's easy.

Like this.

Do you remember

Oh, how many years ago was it?

that one night, you lifted me in your arms,

you told me, It was time for little girls to be in bed.

You carried me.

I remember.

Well, I wanted to do this then,

but I'm glad I waited until now.

Every time I look at my daughter,

I want to say thank you all over again.

You've thanked me so many times

in the last three days, Mr. Murphy

that I'm beginning to feel ashamed of myself.

It was only something I could do to show my gratitude.

You know, I have a feeling

that you're not having a very good time at your own party.

Well, this is all kind of new to me.

I feel like a wild mustang turned loose in a corral with a

string of thoroughbreds.

I feel very indignant, Mr. Carson,

the co-guest of honor hasn't even asked me for a dance.

Well, I, um

I reckon I ought to go and see about the horses, ma'am.

Oh, no, no. The horses are celebrating, too.

Don't you want to dance with me?

-Well, itit ain't that, ma'am. -Well, come on!

Come on!

So,

most Americans are at Murphy's hacienda,

making a fiesta about Captain Fremont's arrival.

Yes, Excellency.

That's good.

I've always wanted to get most Americans together

at one place at the same time.

Major,

you will have a squadron of cavalry ready to march.

Yes, Excellency.

Tonight, while Murphy and his friends are making merry,

we will wipe out all the other American hacienda.

Within the week,

I will proclaim myself dictator of all Mexico,

which includes California.

Future stories will say, This is a momentous occasion.

But I, in my memoirs will say, It was

almost too simple.

I'm sorry, ma'am, I I reckon I ought to sit down.

Aren't you having a good time?

Oh, yes, ma'am! Only I I

don't reckon my feet are made for dancing.

It's like mountain clothes ain't made to go with silk dresses.

Oh, uh, hiya, Johnny!

Sure glad you saw my smoke signal.

I need to be rescued.

Not from so fair a captor.

Oh, no, from me.

Uh,

I will see you later.

Oh!

Oh, I I'm awfully sorry, ma'am.

It's all right, Mr. Carson, all right.

Sorry, Lieutenant.

The lady said it was all right, Mr. Carson.

Come on.

Oh, señor!

I'm sorry, I'm terribly clumsy.

Oh, now, that's all right. Nobody's hurt.

Adios, señor!

Hi, Kit. Hi.

I expected to find you asleep in the house, in a room, in a bed.

And I don't reckon I'd have slept so very well.

This is the best shindig I ever was to. My foots is broke.

Well, boys, it's happened.

What's the matter? You sick?

What happened?

It's love. I'm in it.

Oh-ho!

Who?

Genevieve.

Oh!

Well, what are you going to do about it?

Well, the first thing I'm going to do is,

swear off lying.

And then I suppose you're going to take her by the hand

and lead her around the mountain country while you trap a beaver,

sleep on the ground under trees at night,

fight off Indians,

the same time you're trying to tell her how much you love her.

I never thought of that.

You couldn't expect a woman to live like that. Could you?

No, you couldn't.

I know what I could do.

I can stay right here in California and settle down,

start being a gentleman.

Could you?

I reckon it'd take a long time to make gentleman

out of our kind of material.

Kit Carson, you're the most discouraging-est man I

ever did know.

You ought to do what I'm going to do,

get back where I belong.

You mean, just forget that I'm in love?

I reckon that's what I mean.

When are you leaving?

Now.

Oh!

Oh, don't feel like this, my friend.

Regard me,

who admit that love is come and love is go.

Oh-ho, I've been in love many times.

Yeah, but never with nobody like Genevieve.

Well.

Oh, please forgive me, I

Tears? Didn't we decide that homecomings were happy?

I just received this.

Somehow it isn't like Carson to leave without even

saying good-bye.

Now that he has gone,

it makes it possible for me to ask you something.

Something I've I've wanted to say for a long time.

But I couldn't until now.

A long time ago, back at Fort Bridger, I asked you

if you could endure the company of soldiers for three months.

Now I'm asking you if you can endure the company of

one soldier,

for the rest of your life.

Captain John, you

You're the finest, most honorable, most generous man,

but one I've ever known.

Any woman in the world would be proud and happy to

share your life.

But I I only want to share it with one woman.

You want me to be honest, don't you?

Of course.

The man I love has just ridden away,

to see about a line of traps and isn't coming back.

Now, if you still want me,

I'll do my best to forget that there was ever anyone but you.

I'll try to help you forget.

Mexican army wagons.

Guns and ammunitions for Castro.

That Castro is a mighty bad hombrewith guns.

He don't like Americans like us, and them folks we just left.

Maybe he's going to use them guns

to keep other Americans out of California.

Yeah, maybe.

What's the matter?

I just want to make sure I've got my pencil, that's all.

Come on, easy.

I reckon they ain't expecting visitors.

Sorry to burst in on you like this, General.

But it looks like you're a prisoner.

Prisoner? Well, who is a prisoner?

Well, uh, I can't say it right off.

You are Americano!

-Well, I was born in Kentucky, if that helps you any. -Oh!

For a moment I I thought you might be from General Castro but

it is much better that you are Americano.

Get in there you no-good coyotes!

This way, señores.

I always know they sleep too much.

SeñorCarson, you may not know it, but you have do

me a big favor.

Por los santos,General,

you act like you enjoy to be prisoner.

Well, why not?

General Castro hate only one thing more than the Americanos,

me.

Every year I bring supply train from Mexico

to the garrison at Monterey.

This year,

I have feeling General Castro has decided I have take

my last trip.

So, I'm lucky to be prisoner, eh?

Well, you don't have to worry about Castro now, General.

All the way from Mexico I have worry about my

Americanofriends.

-Why? -Why?!

Because General Castro will use the extra ammunition

from my wagon

in his war against the California Americanos!

War, what war?

-When's it going to start? -Start?

It has already started!

Earlier tonight a courier reach me from Monterey.

Castro is already riding to destroy the outlying

Americanohaciendas!

I reckon we'll have to put off seeing about them traps.

I reckon we will.

Be sure you get these wagons to Captain Fremont.

He'll know what to do with them.

Are you not going with us?

I'll be along later.

All the Americans in California ain't at the

HaciendaMurphy tonight,

and somebody's gotta warn them.

If it looks like you can't get the wagons to Captain Fremont,

be sure nobody else gets them.

Adios, amigo.

Come on, General, we've got a long ride

ahead of us.

There's a certain fascination about fire, Lieutenant.

The results are always so conclusive.

Yeah, what do you want?

Don't waste time!

Take your family and head for Murphy's.

Castro's burning the American haciendas!

Come on!

Clear out fast. Castro's on his way to kill all Americans.

Come on, boy!

Head for Murphy's hacienda! Castro's burning

everything in sight!

Come on, boy!

Come on, General. Come on now, get down here, my old fat onion.

Oh! Take it easy.

Upsy-daisy!

Captain Fremont, this here is General Vallejo.

How do you do? I am prisoner. I am happy to see you.

How do you do? General Vallejo!

Mi amigo DonBridger! How are you?

What are you doing here?

For a long time now there is not room for two

generals in California.

It's much better I'm here.

-Whose idea is this? -Carson's.

He figured little extra shot and ammunition

might come in handy.

Where is Carson?

He's out warning the rest of the Americans.

Warning? Warning about what?

About Castro being on his way to wipe them out.

Get those wagons unloaded.

It's too bad we can't go into this fight under the

American flag.

All of us know that California should be part of

the United States of America.

At least we can fight and die if we have to like free men.

Well, we can't fight under the Mexican flag.

The very first shot we fire would make us

rebels and outlaws.

But we could make the HaciendaMurphy

our own country,

hoist our own flag over it.

It's going to be a new flag, gentlemen,

without a stain upon it.

Worth defending.

Gentlemen, gentlemen!

Up to this moment I've been trying to remember

that I am an officer in the United States Army,

on a peaceful mission in a country with which

the United States is at peace.

But I can't forget that you and your families are Americans.

This is probably going to cost me my career as an officer,

but I'm going to place myself and my troops

at your disposal.

At the disposal of California Republic.

It's beautiful, my dear.

Kit!

I've been following Castro. He'll be here by

tomorrow morning.

Gentlemen, this is the time for us to show our colors.

Ten hut!

Yeah!

I'd hate to think that Castro or anybody else was big enough

to haul that down.

Order, arms!

Right shoulder, forward march!

It's a funny thing about flags, ma'am.

Every one I ever heard about was put into the hands

of men by a woman.

Why did you come back?

Uh, I guess you'd call it unfinished business.

Why did it have to be today?

So soon?

I reckon one day is pretty much like another.

Oh, no it isn't.

Last night I said yes when Captain John asked me

to marry him.

I'm glad to hear that.

John Fremont is mighty fine

And you deserve the best.

You'll probably feel quite at home now, Kit.

California Republic's just the place for a wild mustang.

What are you boys aiming to do?

Why, we're aiming to fight.

Fight?

With your families hanging onto your coat tail?

That won't be a fight, gentlemen.

That will be a massacre.

I reckon we can take care of our families.

I had a good chance to see what Castro's bringing

with him.

You would be outnumbered ten to one,

saying nothing of the artillery he's got and you haven't.

We've got to fight it out here, cannon or no cannon.

You're playing right into Castro's hands.

His plan is to catch you all together in one place,

finish you all at one time.

Now, if I was you,

the first thing I'd do is to get the folks that

can't fight plumb out of here

before Castro arrives.

After the women and kids are safe,

if I was you, General, I'd take my soldiers

and every Californian that could ride a horse

or fire a gun.

I'd have ride right out onto the hills,

just far enough so I could get back in a hurry.

You want to abandon the hacienda,leave it undefended,

fight Castro in the open?

Well, not exactly, Mr. Sutter.

I'd leave somebody behind, like, me and Ape and Lopez,

with a lot of extra guns so we could make a lot of noise.

And with enough dummies around the walls to make Castro think

he had all the Americans in California in one place.

And then, if I was you, General,

I'd wait till Castro was plumb certain he's going to

take the hacienda.

And then I'd ride and hit him from the rear,

like a herd of stampeding buffalo.

But if your idea doesn't work,

our wives and families will be left out in the open

at Castro's mercy.

Well, they won't be any worse off than they are now.

And if Carson's plan does work,

it means more than just the defeat of Castro.

It means the independence of the California Republic!

Gentlemen, if Kit Carson is willing to sacrifice

everything for us,

why are we hesitating?

Sure never figured we could raise an army this easy.

Oh, that Castro, will he be surprised!

I'd feel more at home if we was going to fight Shoshones.

Oh, what is the difference so long it is

a good fight, huh?

Hey, what is your name, soldier?

Raymond Smith, General Lopez!

Bueno,when we have beat General Castro,

I make you a sergeant.

If I didn't know you boys only had one chance

in a million,

I'd think you're going on a picnic.

We've been in tight spots before.

You're not exactly going on a picnic yourself.

I hope this isn't that one spot you can't

get out of, Carson.

Well, all a man has to do is keep wiggling.

My boys in the Californians will wait for your signal

before we go into action.

I reckon you will be able to hear it.

Don't take too many chances.

Oh, no, señor.It is General Castro who take the chances.

Good luck, Ape.

Same to you, General.

Buenas noches, señor.

Buenas noches, amigo.

Oh, Kit, I I guess there's still time for you

to take a walk with me to the gate,

kind of see me off.

Lieutenant, come with me.

All right, come on

It wasn't like you, Carson, to just ride away like that

without saying good-bye.

You shouldn't have done it.

Why?

Because she loves you.

I reckon you're wrong, seeing she's going to marry you.

She isn't that kind of a girl that could marry a man

without loving him.

Well, there are different kinds of love, Carson,

just as there are different kinds of men.

The kind of love I want from her,

she has for no one but you.

Oh, it was a little different when I thought

you weren't coming back.

Coming back was kind of accidental.

If you don't understand that she isn't interested in what

you have or how you dress,

but what you are, what you could be,

then you aren't worthy of her.

You're right, General.

That's the way I feel about it.

That you're worthy of her, Johnny.

You were, well, born a gentleman.

You know the right words to say at the right time,

and the right things to do.

That's why I was mighty glad when she told me

she said yes to you.

We've come a long way together, John.

It's no more than right that we feel the same way

about the same thing.

There's more to it, Kit, than just us feeling the same thing.

We don't count.

At least, I don't.

She's the one that counts.

When you love somebody enough,

the thing you want to give most is happiness.

It's funny.

I was thinking the same thing when I rode off without

saying good-bye.

And she can't have happiness if she loves you, and marries me.

It'd be a big disappointment to me, General,

if you can't take care of her happiness.

As soon as this is all over, I reckon I'd better just

keep on riding.

Castro's horses just crossed the river.

They're coming down through the West Canyon.

Very good. Thank you.

Well, right now, I'll do the riding.

Here's hoping we can both wiggle out of this.

Good-bye, Kit.

Good-bye, John.

I'm glad to know that I will find my wagons and Vallejo,

at the HaciendaMurphy.

It will save me the trouble of hunting him down.

Oh, Kit, hey! We've got company.

Yeah. We better close them.

Well, looks like it ought to be just about an even fight.

Just about.

California Republic.

I wasn't invited to be present at the birth of this new nation.

But I'm certainly going to be present at its death.

Yes, Excellency.

Begin firing!

Yee-haw!

Yee-haw!

Don't the fools ever miss?

Captain Fremont said all the women have gone.

This is my home.

Captain Fremont, Carson and his friends

haven't a chance.

In another minute, the hacienda will be blown to bits.

Let's ride now!

Mr. Larkin when you have a plan, you must carry it out.

We'll ride when we hear Carson's signal.

Not before.

Come down here. You'll get a clear shot!

Cavalry forward!

Kit, here they come!

Yeah.

Time for surprise number one.

Get back all of you! As far as you can get!

Draw sabers!

It's gone out!

Yeah.

Wait! Wait!

Where are you going?

Well, you know that mine going off is the signal

Johnny Fremont's waiting for.

If we don't let him hear it now, it'll be too late for everybody.

It sure will.

Ape!

Charge!

Stand back! Wait! Go back! Go back!

Are you Are you riding far?

Over the mountain.

But you're still weak. Three weeks isn't long enough.

A man gets rusty if he don't keep moving.

The fight for California is still unfinished business.

Well, Johnny Fremont will take care of that.

You're going alone?

I reckon.

Well, good-bye.

Good-bye.

-You're not going anywhere. -Mmm-hmm.

Kind of riding on.

Without permission?

Permission? Whose permission?

Oh, didn't you know a courier just came from General Kearny?

The United States have declared war.

We've been ordered south of Los Angeles to attack Castro.

That's mighty interesting, but I ain't in the Army.

Oh, yes, you are. The same courier brought this.

A Chief of Scouts ranks as a Colonel.

Congratulations, Colonel Carson.

Johnny Fremont, you're the stubbornest, toughest,

two-legged white critter I've ever seen.

Well, I guess that's why they gave you this job.

Because they knew you couldn't be licked.

Even by yourself.

Say, um, can a colonel give orders to a captain?

Yes, sir.

Oh, Johnny.

Attention!

About face!

Forward march!