Original subtitles

[MEN SHOUTING AND WHISTLING]

WILL: Pa! Pa, where are you?

You stay right there, you hear me?

Now, we got us a little time

while we wait for the herd to catch up with us and all.

What do you say we rehearse it once more?

Yes, sir.

All right, now, I'm the trail boss or one of his drovers.

How come you're out here, boy?

Well, we're on our way to...

Murdock. Murdock.

Yes, sir. Murdock. To look for work.

What happened to your horses?

They bolted. Got scared by a painter.

Oh, no, no, no. You don't wanna sound too sure.

It could've been a wildcat or even a snake.

Yes, sir.

- What's your name, boy? - Duke Williams.

"Duke Williams, sir."

Duke Williams, sir.

And my pa is Jonas.

You're a good boy.

I guess all this seems kind of strange to you, don't it?

Waiting out here for the herd to catch up with us

and changing our names and all?

Yes, sir, sort of.

Well, it'll all turn out all right, boy.

You just trust me.

I do, Pa.

No, no, never mind that. Just leave it there.

Yes, sir.

Let's go.

Now, don't start giving me any excuses, Cable,

that you're letting the cattle stray off into the brush.

Now, get back to your place and stay there.

Aren't you good for anything but giving orders?

You've been asking for a lesson for a long time.

Now, get off your horse.

Hey.

Are you, uh, taking the day off?

Cable, you've been slacking off in your work.

Once more and you can draw your pay.

SCARLET: Hey, boss!

A man and his boy right in the middle of the trail up ahead.

- What do they want? - Catch on with us far as Murdock.

- No chance. - Well, they're afoot.

On foot out here?

Their horses bolted.

Well, we could use another hand.

All right, Pete, let's take a look at them.

Look, Williams, we're gonna cattle-drive.

It can be pretty rough. It wears a man down.

Yeah, well, I'm 41 years old, if that's what you wanna know.

As far as Murdock, then.

Pete, you take the boy and turn him over to Wishbone.

I'll have Hey Soos bring you back a horse.

PETE: What's your name, boy?

Duke Williams, sir.

Well, mine's Pete Nolan and you don't have to "sir" me.

Yes, he does. That's the way I brought him up.

Well, let's go.

Hey, wait!

Wish, got a new hand for you.

- Well... - This is Duke Williams.

He's 10 years old and he and his pa are signing on as far as Murdock.

Duke, this is Wishbone.

I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Wishbone, sir.

- I'm Mr. Mushgrove. - Yes, sir.

I'm glad to meet you too, sir.

Oh, now, there's a young fella you could take some lessons from.

You see how nice and polite he is to his elders?

- This boy has been raised right. - So was I.

Well, somewhere along the line it must have rubbed off.

Where you from, son?

Liston Wells.

And we're looking for work up in Murdock,

only our horses got scared by a painter.

And my pa is Jonas Williams.

Well, thanks very much for all that information.

Get it.

[MEN WHISTLING AND SHOUTING]

- How did it go, Williams? - All right.

Well, you're gonna be sore in the morning.

I got some liniment there when you're ready.

- I won't need it. - Suit yourself.

Thanks, though.

No trouble.

You let me know if the boy don't do his work.

Duke? Best worker I ever had.

You got a fine lad there, Williams. You can be proud of him.

Gotta keep after him, though.

Can't let up with young 'uns.

Well, I don't know.

Well, of course I'm not a daddy, but, well, you take colts, now.

You give them a little rein, they'll be as gentle as possible.

You tighten up on them, well,

sometimes they get a little hard to handle.

Yeah, well, boys ain't colts.

They gotta learn early what's right and what's wrong.

They gotta learn to respect their elders, and speak when spoke to.

That's the only way.

Do you mind if I sat with you?

Free country.

[GRUNTS]

What are you doing on a cattle-drive, old-timer?

About time you were rocking away on the front porch, ain't it?

- Ha, ha. TEBBETTS: You call this stew?

This swill ain't fit for hogs.

WISHBONE: You're right. It's too good for them.

Which makes it too good for you.

You calling me a hog, you mangy old coyote?

You take your dirty paws off of me.

I ain't gonna take on five of you at once.

Just take me, bullyboy.

- You all right, Wish? - Of course I am.

You don't need to butt in. This is my fight.

- What's the commotion? - Him.

He don't like the food.

It ain't fit for pigs and I said so.

Well, we can fix that up, Tebbetts.

You're through, right now.

Pack your gear, get out.

CABLE: Need any help, Tebbetts?

I don't need any help from you or anybody else in this lousy camp.

You wouldn't be much help to us with a busted jaw.

- Why'd you take a chance like that? - I had to make it look good, didn't I?

Now, just remember, when you get to the fort,

don't talk to anybody but Major Dixon himself.

How will I know where to meet you?

Keep riding in the direction of Rock River.

You can't miss us. Now, get going.

Well, what's holding you up?

It won't be long now.

It's liable to be a lot longer than you think.

Cable, I know that Favor carries that bill of sale right on him.

And he ain't about to just hand it over to you.

I wouldn't want him to, Shelby.

Part of the fun of this is getting to settle with Mr. Favor for all his kindnesses.

[CHUCKLES]

[MEN SHOUTING AND WHISTLING]

FAVOR: Yo, Pete!

Say, uh, how's Shelby making out?

He does his job. Why?

Oh, nothing special, except I've been wondering.

He signed on with Tebbetts and Cable.

And those two are the only ones we've been having any trouble with.

Shelby's all right.

Minds his own business.

I mean, I ain't exactly taken with him,

but if we start holding a man's looks against him,

well, we're gonna be short-handed around here.

Oh, just what do you mean by that, Mr. Nolan?

HEY SOOS: Senor Favor.

- Something wrong, Hey Soos? - Oh, no, senor.

I just want you to know about Senor Williams and his boy.

Their horses are in the remuda.

Well, they'll be glad to hear that.

HEY SOOS: Only, I have seen horses spooked by pumas.

They are hard to handle, sometimes for days.

But these horses are gentle.

Well, they've had time to calm down.

[SPEAKING IN SPANISH]

I go tell Senor Williams.

[SPEAKING IN SPANISH]

CABLE: Hey, Cookie.

You addressing me?

CABLE: Do you see any other cooks around here?

Well, I got a name, and it isn't Cookie.

CABLE: All right.

Mr. Wishbone. Is that better?

Some. Now, what is it you want?

CABLE: Some of that brown wrapping paper you carry in your wagon.

What do you want that for?

To make a kite for young Duke.

Well, I got the string and the wood, all I need's the paper.

You said a kite?

You're gonna make that boy a kite?

CABLE: Well, you hear real good. - Why?

Because I feel like it.

And a boy needs a toy to play with once in a while.

You got any objections?

No. Just curiosity.

How is it you all of a sudden got such an interest

in a boy you never saw till yesterday?

Why, ain't you heard?

He's got a thousand dollars in his poke and I'm aiming to get on his good side,

so I can steal it.

It just don't seem like you somehow.

Well, it ain't. At least, it never was, but I happen to like the boy.

Besides, he needs a rest from slaving away for you and that pot-walloper.

- Now, do I get the paper or not? - You get it.

Now, I guess I spoke out of turn. I'm sorry.

CABLE: Forget it.

[CHUCKLES]

Having fun?

The most fun I ever had. Thank you, Mr. Cable.

You can drop the "mister," Duke. We're friends.

- Ain't we? - Yes, sir.

Well, then you can drop the "sir" too.

Say, maybe you'd like to ride out on the drive with me today.

- How about it? - Could I?

Well, why not?

Can't be any fun bouncing along on that chuck wagon all day long.

Come on. We better get back to breakfast.

[MEN SHOUTING AND WHISTLING]

Williams! Cable!

Over there. Head them off!

Hey, the boy's right in the middle of their path.

Get the boy!

All right, I let him come out.

Kid never has any fun.

Anyway, who counted on them steers breaking loose?

Get your things, get out. You're through.

- Oh, Mr. Favor-- - Stay out of it, Williams.

Oh, I've gotta talk to you, Mr. Favor. It's important, please.

I don't hardly know how to start, Mr. Favor.

Well, then, why don't you try starting with the horses?

Well, they didn't bolt, did they?

You wanted to latch on with us. Why?

Him.

- Cable? - His name is Adam Bonner.

He's my son.

I ain't Jonas Williams. I'm Clete Bonner.

The boy's name is Will. He's my grandson.

Adam's son, Mr. Favor.

Adam run off when he was about 14.

I was so stiff-necked, I didn't go after him.

Didn't hear a word from him for, oh, better than eight years

and then Emily showed up.

Emily?

That's Adam's wife, Mr. Favor.

She had Will with her. He was about 8 months old.

Adam met her up in Denver.

Married her and walked out on her before the baby was born.

She died right after I took her in.

And you raised him as your son?

I had to.

To make up for Adam.

Hell, I knew I was doing the wrong thing,

not telling him about his real pa,

so I set out tracing Adam and...

If you won't hold it against him, Mr. Favor,

I found out he'd been in prison up in Kansas.

Attempted robbery. He only got two years.

It was his first offense.

One time in prison don't mark a man for life.

Ha, ha. There ain't much more to tell.

If he's your son, how come he doesn't recognize you?

Well, he's never seen me without a big beard,

and the last time he's seen that was better than 18 years ago.

Why don't you just tell him?

I can't turn my grandson over to him until I know him a little better.

Know what kind of a father he'd make.

You see what I mean, Mr. Favor?

So if you'll give him another chance, please.

Well, if everything works out the way I hope it does,

well, by the time we get to Murdock,

all three of us will be out of your hair.

All right, Cable, we'll forget what happened.

Thank you, Mr. Favor.

Thank Williams. He put in a good word for you.

You're missing a spot there behind your ear.

Are you running from something, Williams?

Or is it somebody?

No, it's nothing like that.

Well, if we was in a town somewhere,

I could understand your prettying yourself up.

But out here, who's gonna see except maybe them cows?

Some folks think that gray hair limits a man.

Like it was a sign he was carrying,

saying he couldn't do a proper day's work no more.

Don't your boy think it kind of strange, you dyeing your hair and all?

He don't know.

It's hard work being a father.

I mean, keeping up with your son,

making him think you can do anything anybody else can do.

Well, you can't fight that rocking chair forever, old-timer.

You set some store with that boy, don't you?

I sure do.

Of course, he's only a boy. Gotta keep after him to mind his manners.

Teach him right from wrong.

You sound like my pa used to.

I sure hope you do a better job than he did.

He was always after me about my manners,

about obedience. Heh.

I was scared silly of him.

He had a big black beard, he looked like a giant to me.

Like the devil himself with his smile.

[CHUCKLES]

Oh, he sure kept me jumping.

Until I was about 14 and I got sense enough to run off.

You ever thought to go back?

To do what?

I saw a man in Kansas once, trying to break a horse.

He was jerking on that rope until the poor thing's neck was almost busted.

That is pa.

He was gonna break me or die trying.

To him, there wasn't two sides to anything,

just his.

For all of me, he can rot.

I haven't talked that much in ten years.

You sure listen good, old-timer.

How much farther, Tebbetts?

We'll be with the herd tomorrow, lieutenant.

You're sure there is a herd?

Of course there's a herd.

You think I'd ride to the fort if there wasn't a herd?

Well, it wouldn't be the first time some civilian tried cheating the Army.

You think I'd do that?

Even if I was to want to, which I don't.

You might have thought we brought the money.

Which we didn't.

I know that.

Just so you do, Tebbetts.

We're just the advance party, see? We'll report back to the major.

- He does the buying. - Sure, sure.

Let's move on.

Gosh, you can do anything,

can't you, Cable?

Yep, that's me, Duke.

Jack of all trades and master of none.

There.

We could use a little paint, but still and all, looks pretty good.

Oh, it doesn't need any paint.

It's beautiful.

You want to know something?

I got a kid somewhere.

Be about your age now.

What's his name, Cable?

I don't know.

I don't even know if it's a him.

Here. You can whittle some.

And don't cut your fingers off. I'll be right back.

Cable, it appears to me you keep spending

more and more valuable time with that brat.

Well, that ain't no brat, Shelby, it's a boy.

And I like him.

You like him.

It's beginning to make me think

that you ain't keeping your mind on our business here.

Now, take it easy, Cable. I didn't mean it that way.

Tebbetts ought to be back tomorrow.

He's sure to have some soldiers with him.

Now, you ride out tomorrow.

And as soon as you see Tebbetts, you hightail it back here.

I'll take care of the rest.

Good.

Satisfied?

CABLE: You like the looks of my cattle, lieutenant?

- Mr. Favor? - Right.

I'm Lieutenant Cass. This is Sergeant Burrell.

Howdy.

We're watering the herd tomorrow at Rock River.

I'll bed them down there,

and ride into the fort with my ramrod Shelby and Tebbetts here.

Fair enough.

The major will send out a detail of men the day after,

and your men can help them cut out the 1,500 head.

Right.

Nice meeting you, lieutenant.

You mind telling me why you changed your mind?

The major said your letter was a flat "no."

Didn't you tell him, Tebbetts?

He didn't ask me, Mr. Favor.

One of my daughters back east took sick. Needs money for an operation.

Can't wait till the end of the drive.

I'm sorry to hear that.

Well, we'll see you at the fort.

Sergeant.

Gotta hand it to you, Cable. I even thought you were Favor myself.

This part was easy.

The next part won't be.

And look, Pa, he made me this knife too. Ain't it a fine one?

Yeah.

Hey.

That looks sharp enough to cut yourself on.

You like this Mr. Cable, don't you?

Oh, yes, Pa.

Yeah. I guess I ain't the easiest person in the world to live with.

Sure you are, Pa.

I come down on you pretty hard sometimes, Will.

Ain't because I want to, son.

How else can I teach you what's right and what ain't

if I ain't strict with you, huh?

I know, Pa.

We've had some good times together, though, haven't we, boy?

Yeah.

Like that fishing trip we took when you was 5 or 6.

- You liked that, didn't you, boy? - I sure did, Pa.

Anybody in this camp wants to go exploring tomorrow?

- Exploring? - Yup.

One of the drovers who's been this way before says there's caves up ahead.

Make mighty interesting exploring, wouldn't it?

Well, I don't know, I--

CABLE: We won't be anywhere near the herd, Mr. Williams.

We'll be watering them for a couple of hours.

Plenty of time for me and Duke to stretch our legs, huh, boy?

Oh, please, Pa.

I'll take good care of him.

Well, you speak to Mr. Wishbone.

If he can spare you, it's all right with me.

Oh, gosh!

You didn't have to do that.

Relax, old-timer. I don't do nothing because I have to.

How much longer to water?

Two, three hours. We'll make it before noon.

Good. Let them get their fill.

We'll move them out mid-afternoon,

that way we'll get a good start on tomorrow.

Oh, Williams.

Yes, sir, Mr. Favor?

We should make Murdock in two days.

You said you and Duke weren't going no further.

Yeah, we'll say goodbye there.

- And what about, um...? - Well...

I almost told him last night, Mr. Favor.

I think he'll be with us.

Told who what? Who's gonna be with you? What are you talking about?

I don't know why I didn't tell him.

My mind's almost made up.

I hope you know what you're doing.

I think I do.

Deep down, he's all right.

What's that all about?

Well, now, you was listening, wasn't you?

- Yeah. - Yeah. Well, then.

Yes, sir, we got ourselves half a day.

Come on, explorer.

There's our caves, Duke, under those rocks.

Last one there's a trail boss' uncle.

Here they come. Tebbetts, get back there behind the rocks.

We don't want that boy seeing you. Not yet, anyway.

I won! I won!

[CABLE LAUGHING]

Oh, Mr. Shelby.

Hi, boy.

Are you going exploring too?

Exploring?

Oh, yeah, I guess you might say that.

Well, why don't you come over and sit down? Rest a spell.

Come here, Duke. I wanna talk to you.

You know, Duke,

I got a confession to make.

We're gonna play a different kind of game.

You mean there ain't no caves?

Not unless we was to blast one in these rocks.

Look, son, you do trust me, don't you?

Well, I got to get back to the herd for a bit.

I want you to stay here with Mr. Shelby.

You can play.

You know, like,

you was in a fort, and the Indians was attacking you.

You'd like that, wouldn't you?

Take me with you, Cable.

I'll be back in-- Before you know it.

But I don't wanna stay here, not with him.

Oh, Shelby ain't so bad.

Well, his face may not win no prizes, but he's good with boys.

- Let me come with you, Cable. - I told you, son, I can't. Shelby.

Come here, boy. You stay here with me. Now, you heard what he said.

- Boy, now, will you just take it--? - Don't act like that, son.

Shelby's not gonna hurt you.

Cable, will you get out of here? This is like holding a young wildcat.

Now, boy, I want you to sit down over here.

We're gonna have a long wait.

Now, you just sit there and be quiet.

You and me will get along dandy.

- Mr. Favor. - What happened?

- Whose horse is that? - It's Duke's.

Well, what happened?

Me and the boy was exploring, and his horse throwed him into an arroyo.

- You fathead! I told you! - But there ain't time for that now.

The boy's caught by one foot halfway down this arroyo.

And it's gonna take both of us to get him back up,

with you holding the rope, and me going down it hand over hand.

It's only four, five miles from here. You won't be over an hour.

Maybe not that long.

I was hoping that the kid's old man wouldn't find out until we got him back.

I figured he'd be scared half to death.

Pete! Quince!

Get the herd moving. Take care of this horse.

Here they come.

Yeah. All right, Duke, get up. Come on, get on your feet.

Now, listen, Duke, I want you to listen to me real good.

When they get in closer, you start waving at them

just like you was really glad to see them, you understand?

When you see Favor, you just smile at him. You don't say nothing.

Now, you understand? You don't say one word.

Because if you do...

Tell him, Tebbetts.

I'll plug Favor right between the eyes.

I won't say anything, I promise.

All right, that's a good boy. Now, you go down there and start waving.

Come on, Tebbetts.

CABLE: My golly, Mr. Favor, it's Duke.

He must have got out by himself.

You all right, boy?

Mr. Favor?

Sir, I'd be much obliged to you if you'd remove that gun belt of yours.

And hurry it up.

All right, boys.

TEBBETTS: Well, if it ain't the king of the beeves.

Looks kind of lonesome, don't he, Shelby?

- Uh huh. - I'm sorry, Mr. Favor.

They took me out here and they made me wave--

Nobody's blaming you, boy.

- It's your move, Cable. - Turn around.

What are you afraid of?

Not you, trail boss.

WILL: You killed him! You killed him!

A little tap like that, he's just taking a snooze.

Well, has he got it? Is that it?

If it ain't, we wasted a lot of hard work for nothing.

Yep, that's it. It's the ownership papers.

Pete! Joe!

- Have you seen my boy? - No, he's not out here.

Well, he's not back there by the chuck wagons, neither.

I seen him and Cable riding off together while we were watering the herd.

Yeah, but they ought to be back here by now.

- Cable came back about an hour ago. - What are you talking about?

He came back and got Mr. Favor, and they rode out that direction.

That horse he brought with him, it must have been the boy's.

My grandson's?

Hey!

His grandson's?

That's what he said.

Well, not our business.

SHELBY: Let's go, I tell you. Let's go.

- Well, what are you doing? - Untying them.

SHELBY: Well, why don't you just go ahead and give them a horse too?

I don't mind leaving them here, but give them a fair chance.

A chance? Why don't you tell the boy the truth of it?

Without food and water, you're leaving us out here to die.

Who said anything about dying? Don't you believe it, Duke.

Not for one minute.

Look, I've seen lots of folks come through worse things than this.

About this time tomorrow night, you'll be back on that chuck wagon.

Sure. All he's gotta do is walk 20 miles.

Shut your mouth!

Look, son...

...I'm sorry you got dragged into this.

But I didn't have no choice, you understand?

But we did have some good times together, didn't we?

Cable, we're wasting time.

Cable.

Just one canteen.

What are we gonna do, Mr. Favor?

For one thing, we're gonna have to travel at night out here.

Do you think we got a chance?

Sure we got a chance. You always got a chance as long as you're breathing.

What's it like? Dying, I mean.

It's a part of life, like being born.

Does it hurt?

No.

Just sort of like going to sleep.

Hey, who said anything about dying, anyways?

We're not gonna give up that easy, are we?

That's more like it.

And all the time I thought he liked me.

Hey, now.

I do believe he did.

Yeah, I realize it's a little bit tough for you to make sense of.

Look, Will,

a man ain't all one thing or the other,

he ain't all black or white.

He's a combination of things.

Sometimes he acts one way,

and sometimes he gotta act another way.

Well, like his using you to get me out here.

Now, he didn't like that.

But he did it.

[CRYING]

I'm sorry.

I hadn't ought to cry.

Now, who told you that foolishness?

Makes a person feel better to cry sometimes,

no matter how brave they are.

Are you all right, Mr. Favor?

Oh, yeah.

Good as this lump on my head will allow, we'll just rest up a bit.

Do you think we'll find water by morning?

I think we better had.

[HORSE APPROACHING]

- What's that? - Shh, shh.

Sounds like a horse.

Hey, we just may get out of this after all.

How you doing, Duke?

You come back to finish the job off?

I've come back to bring water.

Here.

If you go easy on it, there's enough for a couple of days.

Maybe even three.

Shelby and Tebbetts know you've come back?

They ain't got your welfare at heart like me.

Don't let that get your hopes up.

All we want's the money. Murder don't enter into it.

No?

Look, you got your chance to get out of this.

What do you want? An escort back to the herd?

Speaking of escorts, I think I hear yours coming back.

They must have woke up right after I left.

Worried?

Get back behind them rocks.

Hey, there's his horse over there.

Cable? You in there?

It's me. And that's far enough.

- You got them with you? - Them who?

Favor and the brat!

I ain't got nobody but my gun.

We don't want no fight with you, Cable.

We just want that owner's paper.

Come and get it.

TEBBETTS: We had a vote.

We voted you out.

Now, give us the paper and we'll get along.

You voted me out?

You ain't fooling us a bit, Cable.

We know you came back to help them, well, that's your lookout.

Now, that money's ours and we're gonna get it.

Come ahead.

Well, it's only a couple of hours till morning light.

His horse is out there in plain sight, so he's not going anywheres.

So we'll just stay here and wait him out.

Uh-huh.

Stay back there, son.

It's not gonna be quiet much longer. You too.

That was a bright thing, leaving your horse out there.

Well, I didn't know they were gonna catch up with me so quick.

SHELBY: Cable. Cable, you hear me?

Me and Tebbetts been thinking it over.

Um, you're back in on the deal.

Now, come on out and let's ride out of here.

I've been thinking about it too, Shelby.

I don't need either one of you.

So go ahead, ride on out.

Are you still going through with it?

I never did know when to stop.

Listen, you cover me,

and I'm gonna skirt around this hill. I'm gonna come down on top of them.

All right?

Right.

Sure wish I had an extra gun to give you.

What makes you so sure I'd line up with you if you did?

Him.

They get me, you don't think they'd let him walk out of here, do you?

Look out!

You saved my life, son.

I didn't mean to.

Much obliged, anyway.

What is it? What's the matter?

That shot jammed this chamber.

He couldn't have done that again in a million years.

I got to get that rifle.

I got an idea.

Will you help me?

That depends.

I know what happens if Tebbetts gets you,

what happens if you get him?

I'll give you all the water you can carry and as many blankets as you need.

And a horse?

No horse.

I'm still going to that fort.

Nothing will stop me but a bullet. How about it?

What's your idea?

Tebbetts doesn't know this gun's busted.

You take this gun,

and zigzag out there and draw his fire.

I'll make a run for the rifle.

Why don't you draw his fire and I'll go for the rifle?

And plug both me and Tebbetts?

My way or nothing.

Give me the gun.

Don't go, Mr. Favor.

No.

[GUN COCKS]

I had to, Mr. Favor.

- He was gonna kill-- - I know,

it wasn't what it seemed like, though. He was protecting Will.

Old-timer, so you're the one.

I didn't know, son.

I thought--

I'm Sorry !

Oh, don't be.

Don't be.

Duke. Look, son, I'm sorry.

I never meant for you to...

Mr. Favor.

The pouch, it's in my belt.

[GRUNTS]

Adam!

He was more good than bad, wasn't he, Mr. Favor?

That he was, Will.

I killed him, Mr. Favor.

You couldn't know.

I don't mean the bullet.

I killed him a long time ago.

Let's hope he didn't die for nothing.

You got a second chance.

Things are gonna be different with us, son.

From now on, things are gonna be different.

Head them up!

Move them out!