Original subtitles

[MOOING]

- Scarlet, how's the foot? - Oh, I think it's better, Mr. Favor.

I do what I can, Senor Favor.

And he's doing all right. It ain't hurting at all.

Well, sir, I don't know what Señor Wishbone would do

- if he was here. - What did you do?

I give Senor Scarlet some medical whiskey.

No wonder he ain't hurting.

Only thing is, I feel terrible not being able to ride.

One good thing, it gives Mushy a chance to be a drover for a while.

That's good?

Keeps him from cooking.

That's good.

Hold this.

What's the matter?

What is it?

Beef enchilada.

- A beef what? - Enchilada.

Ain't you never eaten Mexican food?

Well, I don't like to eat nothing that I ain't familiar with.

Well, Hey Soos made it for us,

and in fact it's mighty tasty.

Then why does it look like it's already been eaten?

[CHUCKLES]

Hey Soos is relieving Mushy on the cooking

till Wishbone gets back, that's all.

Now, if you don't like his grub, all you gotta do is tell the boss.

But most likely if you did,

he'd put Mushy back on that chuck wagon

and you'd be eating Mushy's special stew instead of that enchilada.

I like it.

I like it.

Senor Favor, I am worried.

About what?

Maybe the men do not like Spanish cooking.

Well, take a look.

They're acting like they've been starved for a week.

I would feel better when Senor Wishbone comes back.

Only a couple of days now, we'll be at Horsehead Crossing,

joining up with Wishbone and his friend's herd.

Meantime, I could use some more food, Hey Soos.

[HOOFBEATS APPROACHING]

- Trouble? - There's a prairie fire up ahead.

It's a big one. Spreading.

- How close? - Less than 20 miles.

Well, I have to pull the herd off the trail,

pick it up past the fire.

Well, that means going west.

There's no water for 20 miles or more.

Hey, what's up, Pete?

You came riding here like your horse was on fire.

The prairie up ahead is.

Three days forced drive ought to get us through.

We'll start moving out as of right now. We'll push night and day.

Scarlet, you fix sandwiches for the men.

Hey Soos, every drover's to have a fresh horse every four hours.

[SPEAKS IN SPANISH]

We're moving out, starting right now.

Going west is gonna mean we won't go through Horsehead Crossing.

We'll worry about that later.

If I could only get my boot on.

Somebody's got to drive the chuck wagon.

WISHBONE: May God have mercy on his soul. Amen.

And I think the good Lord will.

Tod Murdoch was a good man all the days of his life.

Good man, good father, good friend.

Well, that's all we can do or say here.

Jerry, get ready to move the beeves out

first thing in the morning.

Mr. Favor will be expecting us at Horsehead Crossing.

We've been ready for more than a week.

I couldn't let Tod Murdoch die alone.

Oh, we're gonna have to let his daughter know about this.

You got the name of that school she goes to back east?

- Mm-hm. - I'd just soon you'd write the letter.

The main thing is for her to understand that we'll take care of the herd,

get her the absolute top dollar for them.

I'll get that letter off tonight.

Oh, I hope you don't think that I'm being--

Taking charge too much or anything like that.

Uh, see, Tod and I was friends for so long.

Well, he was always talking about you.

Yeah, we was mountain men together.

Went through an awful lot in those days.

Must be that's why he kind of left me in charge, you see.

Give me the ownership paper.

Oh, I ain't taking offense.

I've been following Mr. Murdoch's orders for a long time,

and they're still my orders, even though he's dead.

He sure had you pegged right.

Tod told me when Mr. Favor sold the herd,

you were to have an extra 10 percent for past services.

Well, that's very nice of him.

You fellas will come into something too.

- All right. - Real nice.

Well, I guess we might as well board up the house.

Get those beeves ready to move.

Oh, uh, I wonder if it wouldn't be a good idea for me to ride on ahead

and tell Mr. Favor what's been holding us up.

If we're late, he'll be fit to bust a gut.

Then, of course, those drovers having Mushy's food

to eat all this time, they're not gonna be happy either.

Anyway, I want Mr. Favor to have the ownership paper

so I don't have to worry about it anymore.

So you fellas bring on the beeves just as fast as you can.

If Mr. Favor has to wait any, he'll be mighty unhappy.

He's not exactly a patient type.

You ain't going anywhere, Mr. Wishbone, without us.

He's only fooling.

Only fooling with a gun?

Well, that's always good for a laugh, among friends.

A gun never made me laugh.

Wishbone don't know you like we know you.

Now, tell him it was all in fun.

But, Vinnie, you said that we shouldn't let Mr. Wishbone go.

Of course. We got used to eating good,

we didn't wanna stop yet.

That's what he means. Now, ain't that what you mean?

Heh. Oh, yeah. Yeah, sure.

It was all in fun, Mr. Wishbone.

We got so used to eating good, Mr. Wishbone.

So you wouldn't run off and leave us behind now,

- would you, Wishbone? - No, of course not.

What's a few more days?

Mr. Favor and those drovers can just wait.

Make them appreciate me more.

- Thanks, Wish. - Yeah, thanks.

Well, fellas, we better get our gear packed.

Tomorrow morning we all move out together?

Yeah, sure.

I wonder who invented horses.

Well, now, I don't think you can rightly use the word "invented"

in relation to horses, Barney.

Well, I can think of lots of words to use,

but not when I'm in the saddle.

What's the matter, fellas? The saddles don't fit too good today?

Well, we was just resting the horses, Mr. Favor.

Oh, good, good.

All right, you get moving then.

Uh, on foot.

We'll give the horses a real good rest, huh?

The wind's still holding like it was,

ought to keep the fire off our back.

We still got two more days of forced drive

- before we get the beeves to water. - No, I know.

The men have been in the saddle for 24 hours, though.

They gotta have a rest.

Boss, there's no doubt we're all tuckered out,

but we know the herd's gotta be pushed on.

You just say the word

and we'll be in the saddle before you can get off the ground.

Any man can't make it to the saddle, I'll, uh, give him a lift.

We've been pushed this hard before, never killed any of us.

Pete's right, Mr. Favor.

Matter of fact, Mr. Favor, I ain't even saddle sore.

A little foot sore maybe, but--

It's easier to keep going, boss.

Laying around just stiffens you up.

Next thing you know,

I bet the lead steer is telling me how to do the job.

Now, I said we need a rest.

What are you all doing standing around not resting?

My job to get the herd in,

every one of them alive, and as much of the crew as I can.

Scarlet, you get a boot on that foot yet?

It's these stupid bandages.

All right, all right, you stick with the chuck wagon.

I miss old Wishbone.

You?

Ain't you the one what complains the loudest

about Wishbone's cooking?

Yeah, well, I'm saying I miss him, not my--

I'm not saying my stomach misses him.

Well, Wish probably having the time of his life

at Horsehead Crossing.

Hey! Take that right fork up there!

Come on.

The wind's shifted. That fire's changing its direction.

- The water? - Just beyond that.

That's where we're going then.

You can't drive a herd through that.

We can't go back neither.

Last water we was at was three days drive from here.

Three days forced drive.

- You think the herd can make that? - Nope.

Why don't you just throw that bucket away?

Oh, that? Oh, I got too attached to that one.

I'll get it fixed when we get to Horsehead Crossing.

Are you sure the trail boss is still gonna be there? We're kind of late.

Mr. Favor will be there, don't you worry.

He may be mad as a hornet with nobody to sting,

but he'll be there.

Probably waiting to sting me.

Thinks a lot of you, don't he?

Oh, yeah. We're kind of a team, you might say.

If you don't say it so as he can hear you.

Hey. They took the wrong turn.

They took the wrong turn, didn't you hear me?

You doing what I think you doing, Jerry?

You're wrong, Wishbone.

See, those beeves are going exactly where I intend for them to go.

Top dollar, Wishbone, like you said, and no split for the trail boss.

And no split for Tod Murdoch's daughter either, huh?

I always thought you were a sly one.

Well, it don't take any mental giant to figure what you're all planning to do.

- We're gonna cut you in too. - Thanks for nothing.

I didn't think Wishbone would be asking for his share.

After all, he's honest.

It's more than that. I remember Tod Murdoch.

Forget him, he's dead.

Up at the rail head, these beeves will bring maybe $40 a head.

That's $20,000.

And none of it yours.

Well, we're making it ours.

Now, don't talk rough to Wishbone.

Now he knows how much money there is,

he might wanna change his mind.

Yeah, I might.

- I'll be honest with you, Wishbone-- - Oh, keep honesty out of it.

Well, we're not gonna make any money

with that herd grazing here.

- Let's go. - Sure.

You forgot the ownership paper.

You can't sell beeves to anybody without the paper showing you got title.

- It's safe enough with me. - I think it'd be safer with me.

You've been honest a long time, it might be hard to break the habit.

Just possible while we're out driving the herd,

you might decide to take off for some place else,

like Horsehead Crossing.

We're taking them away from you.

MUNSON: Get down off that wagon!

You had me fooled, Jerry.

I never did think much of these other two.

Get down!

A dead man thought you was decent and loyal.

- Shut up. - A decent and loyal thief.

I don't wanna hear any more!

Well, get used to the label, Jerry,

because you're gonna be wearing it a long time.

Give us that paper, Wishbone.

Put that gun down!

You kill him and we'll never find out.

Ask me, Jerry, ask me. Don't tell me.

You're not the foreman anymore.

Why don't you go easy on yourself, Wishbone?

Just tell us where you put the paper.

You'll never know.

Never's a long time.

- Oh! - Leave him go!

[GRUNTING]

A man his age, you'll bust his ribs. You'll most likely kill him.

He's right, Milt.

We don't need to bother with him.

That paper's on him or some place in the wagon.

We'll find it.

[WISHBONE COUGHING]

[SIGHS]

It just ain't in the wagon.

Yup. It ain't on the old man either.

Can't be.

He sure got it hid some place.

Jerry, it'd be a lot quicker our way.

Do what you have to do.

You know, Wishbone,

a man can stand pain for an hour, a day, couple of days,

maybe even a week.

Then the pain gets stronger than he is and he talks.

No matter how much he don't want to, he just talks.

You know something, Mr. Pitts? You aren't gonna have that much time.

Because if I don't show up at Horsehead Crossing,

Mr. Favor and all his drovers are gonna come looking for me.

Jerry?

He could be right.

Let's make sure he ain't right.

If you'd kept your mouth shut, it just might've happened.

Oh, it's gonna happen, all right.

No.

No, you're gonna write a letter to Mr. Favor.

Oh, yeah? What kind of letter?

Oh, a letter saying you decided not to join up your new herd with his.

That, uh, you figure you can get a better price on your own.

I'm not gonna write any such kind of letter.

You hear that, Milt?

He says he ain't gonna write any such kind of letter.

If you don't, we got nothing to lose trying to find out if you can live

with all your ribs busted.

[GRUNTING]

All right, all right.

No sense making such a fuss over a little old letter.

After all, it isn't like I was giving you the ownership paper.

Of course not.

You write the letter,

we'll get it to Mr. Favor, and then we'll see.

You might change your mind about other things.

Yeah.

First I'll write the letter, then we'll see.

Herd's moving real good, eh, Mr. Favor?

Oh, yeah. Yeah, just terrible.

I sure don't know what got into that lead steer.

Well, it'll happen sometimes on a forced march.

The lead steer cracks, goes bad.

We'll need a substitute lead.

Well, there's a red one there on the far side.

He's got the makings.

What do you say, boss?

He'll do.

The herd's bunching up, Mr. Favor.

Lead steer went bad. Butcher him.

Quince, you cut out the substitute lead.

Get him moving at the head of the herd quick as you can.

Yeah.

Mr. Favor, why you gotta kill that steer for?

Why don't you just put him back with the rest of the herd?

Well, Mushy, the rest of the herd just got used to following that lead.

No matter where you put him,

the rest would just line up in the back of him.

I'm afraid it's just the way of cattle.

Or people, for that matter.

- Maybe you killed him. - He's still breathing.

He's an old man.

If he doesn't tell us where that paper is,

he ain't gonna get much older.

Vinnie, you know, we can get rid of those beeves

without an ownership paper.

[CHUCKLES]

To who? Skinners?

All they'd give us is a lousy $5 a head.

Well, that's still 2,500, and it's money here and now,

not four months away in Abilene.

You mean you'd be willing to settle for $2,500 instead of 20,000, Jerry?

Maybe he is, but I ain't.

You already beat him unconscious. What more can you do?

I ain't killed him yet.

It sure smells good.

When's that stuff gonna be ready? I'm hungry.

DEXTER: Going someplace?

Get off that horse.

As soon as he came to,

he went to the back of the chuck wagon.

Started rummaging around a bit and found a piece of paper.

I don't know how I missed it,

but it's in his front pocket. His front right pocket.

This ain't nothing but a grocery list.

- Why, you miserable-- - Never mind him.

Let's get the horse. We ain't got none to spare.

You haven't got any brains to spare neither, mister.

Trying to pull an old trick like that on me.

No harm done, old man.

We got all the time in the world.

[SIGHS]

We're gonna find that paper sooner or later.

Why get yourself hurt so much?

What's the matter, Jerry?

You got no stomach for this sort of thing?

I didn't want it this way.

Of course not.

You wanted it nice and easy and friendly

and crooked as blazes.

I got nothing against you, Wishbone.

Oh, thanks.

Wish I could say the same for your friends.

They ain't my friends.

I need their help.

Once we sell the beeves, I'll never see me again.

[WISHBONE SCOFFS]

You'll see them,

or others just like them.

No, I ain't gonna stay a thief.

This is just to give me a chance.

I've been raising other men's steers all my life.

I've never had more than 20, $30 in my pocket,

and not for long neither.

Not for cards or women or drinks.

Year in and year out,

my life passed through my hands like sand.

Well, the money I get out of this is gonna give me a chance.

Dirty money isn't gonna give you a clean life.

No, money ain't clean or dirty. Money is just money.

- Money is Tod Murdoch's money. - He's dead.

Well, his daughter isn't.

She's somebody I don't know in a place I never been.

Look, if you wanna be a rustler,

why don't you steal from some rancher

that wears a gun and can come after you?

Instead of some dead man and his daughter.

Forget me.

I'm trying to save your skin.

Well, forget my skin.

It'll hurt some, but it'll get well.

You wanna save something, look inside your own skin.

You'll find more than you can handle right there.

[SIGHS]

[DROVERS YELLING]

Why ain't the herd moving?

Well, they're beat, Mr. Favor. They're beat.

They got more brains than all the drovers that ever lived put together.

When they're hurt, they bellow.

When they're wore out, they stop.

Rowdy said we better stop and rest them a spell.

- Where is he? - He's up ahead.

Move, you slab-sided mountain goat.

Now, move!

All right. All right, fella.

Look, I know...

I know you're beat, so am I.

Now, move!

That steer's too spent to move.

Boss is trying to raise the dead.

Now, look, fella, I said I understand.

You're beat, I'm beat, everybody's beat.

Nobody--

Nobody thinks we can do it.

But we're gonna fool them, ain't we, fella?

Now, you're gonna move.

You're gonna move or I'm gonna break your back, buddy.

Now, move! Hyah! Move!

All right, let's keep moving now, huh?

ROWDY: That lead steer is as much a trail boss as you are, boss.

That's saying a lot.

Chuck wagon sure needed fresh horses.

[SPEAKS IN SPANISH]

- Uh, the foot, it is better? - Well, it'll hold me up.

Especially when I get back in the saddle.

You must be the cook's louse.

- But, senor, I-- - I got a note from your cookie.

Senor Wishbone?

- Who was that? - I don't know.

What was that drover doing? Slacking off?

It was not a drover, senor.

He brings this. It's a letter from Senor Wishbone.

Well, read it. Let's find out how he's getting along.

- "Dear Gil." - Huh?

It is what it says.

It is what Senor Wishbone wrote.

I've been on these drives a long time with Wishbone,

never once heard him call Mr. Favor "Gil."

It sure don't sound right coming from him.

Go ahead, read the rest of the letter.

"Don't expect me for the drive or the cattle neither.

Mr. Murdoch died,

left the beeves to me, and I'm gonna sell them on my own.

Regards, G.W. Wishbone."

Well, that don't sound like Wish either.

He's in trouble, Pete.

That "Dear Gil" and that "Regards, G.W. Wishbone"

are a sure sign of it.

If this herd wasn't in trouble, I'd, uh...

I'd run after that jasper and find out what's going on.

Why don't you ride after him anyhow?

- I can't. Not without telling Mr. Favor. PETE: I'll pass the word,

Mr. Favor won't know you're gone till you get back.

The rest of us will work to make up for it.

I'm ready to ride again.

See, you're not the only one that likes Wishbone.

All right.

I kind of hate to see him ride off alone like that.

- I think I'll, uh-- - You think you'll...?

With that foot like that?

[CHUCKLES]

He's kind of putting up a pretty good fight

for a little skinny old man.

You getting like Munson, Milt?

All soft and kindly.

Don't you worry about it.

Jerry, you getting anywhere with that old fool?

Go ahead, Jerry.

Tell him how far you're getting with the old fool.

That paper's gotta be some place.

We'll find it.

When? Before or after we get to Abilene?

[DEXTER CHUCKLES]

That paper ain't worth a man's life.

You're trying to get killed, that's what you're doing.

You're trying to make a murderer out of me.

A man does that for himself.

Just tell me where the paper is.

I'll make sure they let you go.

I swear, you'll come to no harm.

It'd be interesting to know what you swear by, Munson.

God, your honor,

what?

Dexter, stop!

Well, now, thank you, boy.

How'd you know I was thirsty?

MUNSON: Now, look, we can't keep on torturing an old man.

Let's get rid of the beeves here and now to the skinners

so we can forget the whole business.

At $5 a head instead of 40?

I can't afford to take no such loss.

You get my letter to Mr. Favor?

The trail boss was busy. I gave it to the cook's louse.

PITTS: This is as far as we go.

You tell us where the paper is here and now,

or you're gonna die here and now.

All right, tie him to the wagon.

[DEXTER CHUCKLES]

Heat lightning.

That sounds pretty hot.

I'd say unless you talk before then, old-timer,

you'll last maybe three hours, give or take a little.

[THUNDER CRASHES]

We're not getting the beeves through that fire, boss. It's half a mile deep.

There's no other way to go?

Summer lightning.

Now, when we hit the fire,

there might be some burnt-out ground we can push the beeves through.

There might be.

We'll find out when we get there.

ROWDY: Hold it.

You lose the chuck wagon or something?

No, Senor Rowdy.

I---

I thought maybe you'll have some trouble,

and I came to help.

Yeah. If there's any trouble, we're gonna be riding right in the middle of it.

I don't mind. It is to help Senor Wishbone.

I wouldn't want to say this where he would hear,

but he's like a father to me.

Yeah.

Senor Scarlet's foot is very painful yet, but he is with the wagon.

Yeah. Something else will be painful.

Well, as long as you're here, fine.

Only trouble is, these tracks seem to have given out.

I guess the ground's too hard.

If we go on ahead, maybe we'll find something.

[HOOFBEATS APPROACHING]

If you're scouting on sandwiches, I'm working on it.

The men are gonna have to wait. They don't seem to come out right.

Well, we don't have much time to eat anyhow.

Besides, nobody's got much of an appetite.

Well, that being the case...

We're gonna be hitting that fire in less than an hour.

If we find a way through it or around it, fine.

- But if we don't... - We got to.

Ain't no other way of saving the herd.

That's right, there ain't.

Well, what I wanna know is if we don't get through,

are you gonna be able to saddle one of these wagon horses and ride out?

Sure. But the hardest part was getting my boot on.

Just remember, them ain't the fastest horses in the world.

When the fire burns their tail, ain't no such thing as a slow horse.

[THUNDER CRASHING]

[GUNSHOT]

Shot came from over there.

Senior Wishbone is in trouble.

Hey Soos, come back here.

You don't wanna tease old Wishbone like that.

He'll get all the water he wants

once he hands over the ownership paper.

Matter of fact, once he does that, we might even let him go swimming.

A nice cool, wet river.

How does that sound to you?

I'll see the devil fry you first.

You're the one who's frying, old-timer.

[HOOFBEATS]

- Hey Soos! Watch out! - Senor Wishbone--

PITTS: Tie him up, Jerry.

Take Munson's gun, Milt.

- There's no reason for that. - I ain't waiting for one.

[FIRE CRACKLING]

We're not gonna be able to circle that, Mr. Favor.

Well, we gonna keep trying.

Well, there ain't a chance.

Any man worried about it can cut out now.

All right then, get back to the beeves.

[MOOING]

The beeves are spooking.

They're spooking because I stirred them up.

What--?

He'll get it before I do.

You drop your gun, mister,

if you want the old-timer here to go on living.

Dead, huh?

Well, I guess that cuts him out.

Don't look too good though,

our chances of getting them cows to market.

There's always the skinners.

The price ain't too bad

if I don't have to split it with none of you.

And none of you are gonna be around.

[GUNSHOT]

He looks like he'll live to hang.

Why don't you untie Hey Soos, huh?

You don't look too good, Wish.

You always have been jealous of my beard.

Well, that was a pretty quiet bunch. I had a hard time stirring them up.

They never did make these canteens big enough.

Why'd you shoot Pitts?

I ain't sure.

I didn't like what was happening to you,

but even more, I didn't like what was happening to me.

They made you do it, didn't they? Just like they did me.

Well, we got one to bury and one to turn over to the law.

Jerry, why don't you stick with us

to drive this herd till we catch up with Mr. Favor?

- Sure. - Yeah.

That's if Mr. Favor has a herd left.

Only one thing, Wishbone.

What did you do with that ownership paper?

Oh, I hid that real good.

[CHUCKLES]

There it was all the time.

You know, a man looking for something hidden

almost never looks right under his nose.

[THUNDER CRASHES]

Hey. It's a good thing this rain didn't start any sooner.

This paper could have got washed away.

Hey, you were saying something about Mr. Favor not having a herd?

Yeah. Well, that was before this rain started.

That way things worked out just the way I wanted them to.

You see, I wanted them to force me to write that letter to Mr. Favor

saying that I wasn't coming back to the herd.

Well, suppose Mr. Favor would have believed it?

That's exactly why I started out the letter the way I did,

saying "Dear Gil."

- You'll excuse me, Mr. Favor. - Of course, Mr. Wishbone.

Because I knew the minute he laid his eyes on that "Dear Gil,"

he'd know something was mighty well wrong.

Yeah, I would, if I'd ever got the letter.

Oh, yeah. Well, uh, you were kind of busy at the time.

So you just took off from the herd without notifying anybody?

WISHBONE: Now, wait a minute, Mr. Favor.

- It's a good thing for me he did. - Oh, I appreciate it. I do.

That's why he's gonna ride drag for only a week.

Drag?

[ALL LAUGHING]

Head them up!

Move them out!