All language subtitles for The Virginian - 8x01 - Long Ride Home

[ Gunshots ]

[ Gunshots Continue ]

Ho, boy!

Ho!

Ho! Easy now, boy.

You were aiming
right at me.No. No, ma'am.

We wasn't aimin'
at that little bird
in your bonnet.

Though it was
mighty temptin'.

We was goin'
for the church steeple.

The cross?No! No, ma'am.
The bells.

A bottle of Taos Lightin'
for the first team...

that plays "Yankee Doodle"
on 'em with hot lead.

Where you goin', ma'am?To the general store.

Would you mind just
slippin' over,

and I'll run you
on around there.

[ Kisses ]

Whoa.

Well, now, aren't you boys
ashamed of yourselves?

Now get your hats off and show
this lovely lady here...

how regretful you are
at almost killin' her.

Come on, Purty.
Get your hat off.

Aw, look at that, ma'am.

Why a preacher himself
would weep...

to see the sight
of such pure repentance.

That's Weasel Willis Burr there.
Met him and his boys
the other night.

And a pleasure it was
to out-swig such
distinguished gentlemen.

That fella beside him
is Purty.

There's Buck and Boom-Boom.

Them's the other team
of sharpshooters
I was telling you about.

They chased buffaloes.

Don't tell anybody
what they chase
nowadays though, huh?

- [ Laughing ]
- [ Laughing ]

Oh, and I almost forgot.

The other team
of sharpshooters--
that's myself and my sidekick.

I'm Benjamin Franklin Strattan.
You just call me Ben.

Now, my sidekick--
hidin' himself in the doorway--
that's James Joseph Horn.

Come on out, James Joseph.

Show your manners.

Oh, you pray for him, ma'am.

Fallen under the evil influence
of Satan himself.

That's me.

[ Laughing ]

[ No Audible Dialogue ]

[ Strattan ]
♪ Rock about
my Sarah Jane ♪

♪ Yankees build boats
for to shoot them rebels ♪

♪ My musket's loaded
and I'm gonna hold her level ♪

♪ Oh, Sarah Jane

♪ There's nothin' to do
but to sit down and sing ♪

♪ And rock about
my Sarah Jane ♪

♪ Rock about
my Sarah Jane ♪

♪ Oh, rock about
my Sarah Jane ♪

That's Holly.Somebody's with her.

♪ Sarah Jane

♪ Rock about
my Sarah Jane ♪♪

[ All Laughing ]

Oh, Clay, dear.Wasn't expecting you
till this afternoon.

Well, I guess I didn't
dawdle over the dress goods
as much as usual.

And Ben-- Mr. Strattan--
drives a mite faster than I do.

Mr. Strattan, I want you
to meet my husband,

Mr. Clay Grainger.

Clay, this is
Mr. Benjamin Strattan.

How are you?Glad to make
your acquaintance.

If everything that Holly here--
uh, I mean Mrs. Grainger--

says about you is gospel, sir,
well, then you must be
quite a man.

[ Laughs ]
This hard case back here is
my sidekick, James Joseph Horn.

Say hello
to the boss now.How you doin'?

- How are you?
- Honey, we almost had
a runaway in Medicine Bow,

and Mr. Strattan
came to my rescue.

I see.

Thank you, dear.

You remember that the almanac
said that we might be in
for an early winter,

so I thought you might
like to hire...

a couple of extra hands
for the drive down
from the high country.

So you hired 'em?

I said we would ask you.
That's all.

Well, fact is,
gentlemen--

Mr. Grainger, if you don't have
a job for us, we understand,
and no hard feelings.

If I was in your boots,
I'd be a might leery myself,

puttin' on a couple
of trail bums like us.

No, no, no.
It's not that at all.

It's just--Yeah, I guess we do look...

something like what the cats
might've drug in.

You put us in a saddle--
we get the job done.
And I mean any job.

Well, uh, what I'm trying
to tell you is...

that, uh, my foreman
does most of the hiring.

What do you say, ramrod?

Give you both
a week's trial.

If it works out,
I can use you
till first snow.

Which way to the bunkhouse?Now, wait a minute, Ben.

Uh, you sure
you wanna take this job?

Well, I don't know.
How about you, J.J.?

Oh, I don't know.

Think we should give 'em
a week's trial?Oh, by jingoes, why not?

And if they shape up,
we'll just stay on
till first snow.

[ Chuckles ]

[ Strattan ]
Whoa, ho, ho, ho.

[ Footsteps ]

[ Loud Snore ]

[ Snoring ]

Hey, don't strike
matches like that.
You're gonna wake him up.

Ow!
[ Mutters ]Quiet now, will ya?

You're gonna
wake him up.Well, dang it, he's already up.

Not him. Him.

Now shh.

Oh, yeah, you did it.Oh, yeah.

Boy, he's wide awake,
and he's hardly had
two winks in the last week.

What is it?

- Why, it's a transparent
gossamer-winged butterfly.
- Beauty.

Oh. What's that mean?That means you can
scarcely see it.

These bugs are very rare.
They're scarce
as hens' teeth.

You see them
little-bitty wings fluttering?

You know, you really have
to open up your eyes
to see it right.

I see it fine.Where?

Just open your eyes,
Charlie. See?
Right there.

Yeah, I still don't see it.What's the matter
with you, Charlie?

You don't see nothin'
that don't have a tail
and four legs...

and got a pair
of horns on it.

- What do you do with
the little critter?
- We race him.

Race?Yeah. Against my critter.

You joshin' us?
How can you race--

You just let the little
critter out, and the first one
flies out the door wins.

Do you know
that the king of Siam--

Butterfly racing
is his second-favorite sport.

- We been racing
for most of a month now.
- Yeah, that's right.

And you're ahead 13 to 12,
and I want to tell you
today is my lucky day.

- We'll just see about that.
- Yeah, we'll see about that,
won't we?

Psst. Come here.
He-He don't know it,
but he can't win.

I fed his bug.
It's gonna fly like
a lead-bellied buffalo.

But how do you tell
the difference
between 'em?

Well, you see right there?

He's got the notch in the wing--
that right wing-- mine has.

Are you ready, J.J.?

I'm ready, Big Ben.All right,
on the count of three.

One--[ Stamps Foot ]

two--[ Stamps Foot ]

three.[ Stamps Foot ]

Hey! There he's going.
He's going right
for the door.

Aw, come on, Gimpy.
Aw-- Aw, come on, Gimpy.

He landed on your hat.
Go! Go! Look out.
He's comin' round.

Where'd he go?Come on, Gimpy!

Go, Gimpy!
Gimpy, let's fly!

Where? Where?
Where?[ Shouting ]

It's goin' out the door!
The door!

Glory hallelujah!
Did you see that?
Right out the door.

You won again?
Now, I'm really gettin'
sick and tired of that.

And just by a hair too.

I don't know how that bug
could fly like that
on a full belly.

Butterfly race.

Butterfly race?Mm-hmm.

Well, it, uh,
looks more like...

a couple of Brahman bulls
got loose in here.
[ Chuckles ]

Butterfly race.

Well, I guess I don't
have to ask who started it.

Well, don't look
at me, friend.

I can't help it
if a couple of the boys...

fell head over heels
for a butterfly.

Hey! Who took my guitar?

Oh, was that yours,
cowboy?

I moved it over there,
bunk and all.

What the heck
is goin' on?Just a minute.

You know, it's bad enough
you makin' fools out of the crew
the first day on the job.

But to come in here rollin'
like a Kansas twister,
full of brag and bluster,

movin' somebody else's
gear around--Oh, now hold on, Tramp.

No harm intended.
You're gonna be a lot
happier over there, cowboy.

I got your best interests
at heart.

This old boy here, why,
he just snores up a storm.

Have you met my pappy here--
James Joseph Horn?
There he is.

And it's the hard life
that he's led...

that makes him look
such a wreck.

[ Laughing ]

Oh, come on.
Speak up, pappy.

Yeah, I taught that boy
everything he knows.

Oh, yes, yes. And some things
I shouldn't know.

You, uh, want your bunk
over here?

Well, let's get this place
cleaned up. I don't wanna
wait all night for chow.

[ Murmuring ]Don't stretch
your luck, friend.

Next time might not
be so funny.

[ Strattan ]
Just keep a-smilin', Tramp,
and you'll live a lot longer.

Well, I guess you told him.

Hey, you know, you really
worked that butterfly
business good.

Oh, no. Not me, Ben.
You're the best.

No, no. I mean it.

Why, you had me even
seein' them little things
after a while too.

[ Both Laughing ]

[ Virginian ]
Mr. Grainger!

- Morning.
- Looking for me?

Yeah. I just came
from Del Wardlow's.

He wants me to call
a special meeting of
the cattlemen's association.

Seems losses are
getting out of hand.

Somebody's helpin' themselves
to a lot of choice beef.

That somebody must have
a sizable herd stashed away,

and there's not too many places
around here...

where you can keep
a mixed-brand herd
out of sight.

Could be using a running iron,
changing brands, but I doubt it.

Wardlow's brand's the Box W.

Middleton's lost several head,
and his brand's
the Double Cross.

See what you mean.
It'd be pretty hard to change
those two to a single brand.

Holly said she saw
some ex-buffalo hunters
in town...

with those two
new hands of ours.

One of 'em was Willis Burr.
Did you ever hear of him?

I've heard of him--
plenty, and none of it good.

He and his men were responsible
for slaughtering half
the buffalo in Wyoming.

Shot 'em down
as fast as they could load,
stripped the skins...

and then left the carcasses
to rot in the sun.

In a few years' time,
the Arapaho Indians...

were starving for meat,
thanks to Burr.

Yeah. They had
a different name for him.

"The Butcher."
Started me to thinking.

Suppose they're disposing
of that stolen beef fast?

No need to change brands.
No hiding a growing herd.

Something to think about.

Keep an eye out
for 'em, huh?

I will.
[ Clicks Tongue ]

Whoa. Whoa.

Ho! Whoa. Whoa.
Ho, there.Easy, boy.

Ho.

Here they come.Easy. Don't want old high
pockets to smell anything fishy.

Ho.

Where's our horses?Oh, they're back at the stables,
takin' a siesta.

Change off twice a day
around here.

New mounts
are all ready.Oh.

Well, now, I'd say
that was downright,
uh, sweet of you boys.

Foreman wants you down
by Bear Creek, Ben.

Anything for
the little old ramrod.

[ Whinnying ]

Well, he seems
a bit skittish,
don't he?

He'll settle down.Oh, he'll settle down?
Yeah.

[ Both Laughing ]

[ Strattan ]
You got a good hold on 'im?

You bet.You hold on to him, now,

'cause these big, dumb animals
scare me sometimes.

Let him go. Hyah!

- [ Horse Whinnies ]
- Stay with that fella!
Stay with him, Ben.

Kinda skittish, huh?

[ Jim ]
Hold on to him, Ben!
Hold on!

What did you fellas
put him on Loco for?

Nobody's ever been
able to sit on him
for more than a blink.

- Aw, just a little joke.
- [ Jim ]
You got him, Ben!

[ Virginian ]
Hang on, Strattan.
You're gettin' him.

Yahoo!

Hang in there, Ben!
Keep his head down.

Yahoo!

Ain't a man alive
can ride like my boy Ben.

- Yahoo!
- You got him, Ben!
You got him.

He's tiring.
That's the way.

[ Laughs ]
Some joke.

Ho, ho.
[ Laughs ]

- That's pretty fair ridin'
for a kid.
- [ Strattan ] Thank you, pappy.

You fellas better be careful
of this wild animal here.

I think you got
a sick horse on your hands.[ Laughing ]

You let him cool down
a little bit-- a couple
of hours this evening--

- he'll be broke
for the range.
- I appreciate that.

You got any more
owl heads like him?

Oh, half dozen.
Maybe more.

Well, it seems a shame
to let all that good
horseflesh go to waste...

- just because it's gamy.
- You think you can
break 'em?

I know wecan.
If you think I'm good,
you ought to see him.

Right, pappy?Right as rain, son.

'Course, we have to
do that in our spare time.
Cost you a little bonus.

- How does three bucks a head
strike you?
- Right between the eyes.

You're all right, ramrod.
Salt of the earth.

We need a wagon
up at the main house
right away.

- Will you take care
of it, Jim?
- Sure.

The surrey will be fine.
Mr. Grainger's in a hurry.

Cattlemen's meeting
in Medicine Bow.

Shake a leg, pappy.

Well, there's a few dozen
strays down by Bear Creek
just pinin' for you boys.

Have at it.

I'll get him put away.

Uh, Strattan, maybe you can
give me a little help.

Well, that cattlemen's meeting--

Range losses are ridin' high
in this part of the territory,

and we're not even
into winter yet.

That means somebody's
doin' the midnight waltz
with some of your strays, huh?

Well, they haven't
really hit us yet.

Not yet.

But those ranchers the other
side of town are beginning
to get their dander up.

And you need my help?

I understand that you
tied one on the other night...

with a bunch of
ex-buffalo hunters in town...

just before you came
to work for us.

- That's right.
- Do you have any idea what
they're doing around here?

[ Chuckles ]
Why don't you come right out
and say it, ramrod?

You wanna know if I'm
workin' with 'em, don't you--

if I'm here to run off
some of your strays.

Why don't you come out
and say it straight?

Well, that's not
what I said.

- Since you brought it up,
fine, I'm askin'.
- Well, I'm tellin' you.

If I decide to rustle beef,
you can bet your brand...

I ain't gonna divvy it up
with no sweet-smelling
buffalo hunters. No, sir.

That put your mind
at ease, ramrod?

I should have known better
than to ask.

If I knew anything
about them fellas,
I'd tell ya, but I don't.

Except I don't trust 'em
no more than I can fly.

And the good Lord cut my wings
when I was five for smoking
corn silk in the outhouse.

Thanks.

Whoa.

[ Clay ]
Well, thank you, son.

I'm supposed to chair
the meeting, so I better
be on time for a change.

Now, don't stay
too late after.

Just a couple
of beers' worth.
[ Chuckles ]

Good-bye, Uncle Clay.Bye-bye.

Be careful, dear.

[ Buggy Clattering ]

Well, Mr. Horn,
how do you like
working at Shiloh by now?

It's fine, ma'am.

Well, I, uh--
I guess I better get back.

Jim-- I wonder if you could
do a chore for us.

We're in the midst of baking,
and our woodbox
is almost empty.

Yes, I, uh-- I guess
the ramrod won't mind.

Good.

[ Murmurs ] [ Footsteps ]

I'll, uh-- I'll put
all the kindling
to one side for you.

[ Holly ]
Thank you.

Elizabeth, you finish
the icing, and I'll
see to the table.

All right.

This is a mighty fine house
you got here.

Thank you.

Yeah, Ben and me, we've--
we've worked ranches
over half of creation.

I mean to tell you,
Shiloh puts most of 'em
to shame.

I guess you must like
drifting from place
to place.

Yeah. It's the only way to live.

Do you think you'll ever see
all there is to see?

Well, I don't guess anybody
really ever does that.

[ Wood Clattering ]

Well, I guess--

Can I give you a hand?

Looks like your arm's
about ready to fall off.

Thank you.

- Am I, uh, doin' this right?
- Oh, it's perfect.

Aunt Holly says that when
people start drifting,
they never stop.

That's fine. Thank you.

Oh, it's perfect.

Your aunt's wrong
about Ben and me.

It ain't all like
that first mornin',
when she saw us...

a-hootin' and a-hollerin',
and the devil take tomorrow.

We sock away our wages
every chance we get.

We're fixin' to buy us a piece
of a valley one day soon
and have our own place.

We're fixin' to breed the best
gallopin' horseflesh
you ever saw.

- That's wonderful.
- [ Footsteps ]

Elizabeth, if that cake
tastes as good as it looks,

you're gonna have
to do all the baking
from now on.

Jim helped me whip up
the icing.

Won't you sit down
and have a piece?

Well, ma'am, the ramrod'll
think I'm lollygagging.

Well, at least you can take
a piece with you.

After all, you had
a hand in the icing.

Well, maybe just
a little-bitty piece.

[ Cattle Lowing ]

Well, after
we get 'em branded,

we might turn 'em loose
in that basin up there.

[ Horse Whinnies ]

Hey! Hold it up there!

They took off
in a hurry.Wonder who they were.

[ Crickets Chirping ]

Whoa. Whoa.[ Blusters ]

Now, there's nothin'
to be scared of.

Why, that's just
a little old blanket.

Why, that's just smooth
and soft as silk.

Thought you boys
would quit come sundown.

Well, there's more than
one way to tamin' a horse now.

Ben-- he likes breakin' 'em
hard and fast.
He's a twister.

Well, that's all right
with some horses.

But there's others,
like this fella here--

well, they gotta be coaxed
and gentled into that saddle.

What makes you feel
that way about him?

I don't know.
I got a feeling
about him, I guess.

I like the way
he takes to my words.

I seen some horses
that'll blind buck
and pile-drive...

if you so much
as say hello to 'em,
but not this fella here.

No, sirree.

Why, he's just gonna
stand there...

and take the touch
of this blanket without
so much as battin' an eye.

See what I mean?

Where'd you learn
so much about horses?From Ben.

First time I saw him,
I was working in
a livery stable.

He came round to break
a string of mustangs
for the stable owner.

And never in my life
have I seen a man could
stick to a horse like Ben.

High rollers, sun fishers,
weavers--

You name it,
he'd break it
pretty as you please.

When did you
team up with him?

Right then.

I was just about 13.[ Blusters ]

[ Sighs ]

See, my ma,
she, uh--

She went off
with this fella and--

left me with the stable owner
as sort of a chore boy.

Oh, my ma was real pretty.
And lively too.

She just couldn't stay put.

'Course, she never had a place
nice as Shiloh to stay put in.

Usually some dark
old backroom.

Well, anyway, when Ben
left town, I went after him.

He tried to shoo me away,

but I begged him to teach me
to be a horse-fighter.

Didn't want to spend the rest
of my life cleanin' out stalls.

I guess he took pity on me,
'cause he let me ride with him.

I must have got in his way
something fierce in those days.

You tell me how many places
are looking for a hand
with a tag-along kid.

Ben just stuck right with me
and let me ride with him...

till I could be
a real help to him.

Yeah, Ben and me--
we've had us some good times.

By the way,
I owe you some money.

Comes to nine dollars.For what?

- Breakin' three horses.
- Well, there's only two.

This one's not ready yet,
but I'm gettin' him there.

All right.

Comes to six dollars.

And three more
when he comes around
to your way of thinking.

I could, uh, add it
to your wages...

and pay you on payday.

Uh, well, no, sir.
If you don't mind,
I'll take it right now.

Just feast your eyes, son.

Foreman just give it to me.
That's our bonus for bustin'
those two wild ones.

Well, ain't
you gonna jump for joy?

I done all my jumpin'
or buckin'...

or spine-bendin' for one night.

Do you mean to tell me
you let that little old
hunk of horse...

take all the ginger
outta you?

You're gettin' old, son.Yeah.

I'm gettin' old.

Hey, I'm just
joshin' you, Ben.

[ Chuckles ]

Oh, I know that.
Don't you pay
no mind to me.

And that other pair
we was fightin'--

that'll mean
six more dollars closer
to that piece of land.

I mean--
I mean, we're ridin' high.

Oh, boy, it'd be something,
wouldn't it,

if we saved up enough to get us
a real big hunk of land?

You mean like Shiloh?

Well, not that big.

I know we could never
save that much. Yeah, that's right.

Why, we could
sock it away between now
and the end of time...

and we wouldn't
have that kind of money.

I know that.

'Course, if you like it here,

well, you could ask the ramrod
to put you on permanent.

- Oh, come on, Ben.
- It's all right by me.

Don't talk like that.
You and me is a team.

The only way I'd ever want
to stay on here is if
you wanted to.

Well, don't
you hang around by the neck
waiting for me to want to.

Because I'm a trail bum,
and I'm happy to be one.

Well, doggone it,
so am I.

You--

Will you tell me what the devil
we're jawin' about?

I mean, if somebody ever
cooped me up in one place...

for more than a season, I just
couldn't ever stand it.

Be like bein' in a pine box.

Might as well be dead.

[ Both Chuckling ]

[ Bawling ]

You got trouble,
James Joseph?

This one looks like
he got himself horn-hooked.

Want me to give you a hand? Aw, the next thing
you know,

you'll be tryin'
to put my boots on for me.
Get outta here!

[ Laughs ]
Suit yourself.

Hah!

[ Virginian ]
Hold up there, Jim!

Let him go.

No four-legged outlaw's
gonna sass me.
I'll run him back.

Let him cool down first.
He's on the prod.

Look, I don't care.Well, I do!

I don't want to see
one of my best riders
get busted up.

Well, you and Ben were gonna
give us a week's trial.
How are we doin'?

- Not too bad.
- Think you'll stay on
for a while?

Well, uh, till the first snow,
if you need us.And then what?

- We'll hit the trail,
like always.
- Well, that sounds like you.

You ever think
about your future, Jim?

I don't mean just
next month or next week,

but a year from now,
maybe two.

Now, look, ramrod,
we got ourselves a nest egg.

We're savin' up to buy
a horse farm. We ain't just
a couple of trail bums.

What I meant was,
I might not want...

to do without you and Ben
when winter comes.

I better haze that critter back
before he gets lost.

♪♪ [ Man Singing,
Indistinct ] [ Wind Blowing ]

♪ So don't look for me
in December ♪

♪ I'm not comin' back
at all ♪

♪ Well, I'm leavin'
the mines in Virginia ♪

♪ For the gold
in the mountains
that calls ♪

♪ So don't look for me
in the springtime ♪

♪ I'm not comin' back
at all ♪♪

Hey, kid's all alone.

Oh, he ain't no kid.

He's a big boy now.

Where's your keeper, boy?

Mm-hmm.There he is.

Mr. Strattan himself.

Hey, why don't we sew
a pair of wings on 'em
and race 'em?

Yeah, first one
back out the door
wins a booby prize.

[ Laughing ]

One-way trip
to the North Pole
on a dogsled.

Mister, you're all mouth.

Well, that's better
than bein' all wet,
ain't it?

- Stand up, mister.
- Oh, I was just
joshin' you, boy.

Hey-- Now, hold it.
That's enough.

Hey, Jim, now,
if you're gonna
stay on here steady,

you're gonna have to learn
to take a little ribbing.

- We're just one big,
happy family.
- Who asked you to butt in?

- I think you did.
- You bein' top hand
don't mean beans to me.

Now get out of my way.Hold on now, Jim.

I think I outweigh you
a little.

Now, Jim, it was me
they was ridin', not you.

That's right, pappy.

You can't fight
your kid's battles
for him all his life.

Why, sure. I'm old enough
to fight my own battles now.

Why I even shaved yesterday.

You're trying to make
a fool out of me too, huh?

[ Door Slams, Opens ]

[ Door Closes ]

Well, what the devil
is eatin' you?

You really mean to start
a two-against-the-house
fandango like Santa Fe in there?

- I'm sorry.
- Yeah, you look it--

like I was sorry
about the other one.

No, sir. Once a year's
enough for that kind
of nonsense.

- Still lickin' my wounds.
- Let's get outta here. Now.

I can see that you're not
in the mood to chew the fat
about old times.

I just wanna shake the dust
of this cow patch, Ben.

That all right with you?Sure.

Don't let a little
fracas like that-- That ain't why.

I don't give two hoots
for that bunch in there
one way or the other.

It's just that--
Well, you know how it is.

A man gets restless
stuck in one place.
It's time to move on.

Never thought that
I'd be hearin' you be
the first one to want to leave.

Well, let's ask
for our time right now.

Oh, well, one of the first
rules of life...

is that you don't quit a job
before chow time or sack time.

Well, then tonight
is our last night.

Is that what you want?

That's the way I want it.

[ Cattle Mooing ]

Hey, old John!
[ Whistles ]

John Douglas!

Hold on there.
Hold on there,
Glory, girl.

She's so spooked
at what's snappin'
at her tail,

she didn't even
recognize you, Charlie.

- Snappin' at her tail?
- Yeah, winter comin', son.
Winter--

teeth bared
like a hungry wolf.

Gold must be thinnin' out.

You never let the snow
drive you outta them rocks
for at least another month.

- What brings you down so early?
- Oh, I can smell it.

[ Sniffs ]
Yeah, I can see it--

ready to pounce on any fool
that can't read the warning.

Oh, I don't mean
just an early winter, son.

But a big blow.
A real Injun summer blizzard.

Well, you got
all your beef
up there, ain't you?

Yeah, I'm on my way now
to map the herds.

We figure to start movin'
'em down in a week or so. Oh, no.

than Moses moved
the Israelites.

'Cause it's comin',
I'm tellin' you.
Signs all say so.

Why, the air up there
in that canyon...

heavier than
a fat man's coffin.

Birds-- Birds on the wing
a month 'fore their time.

Why even old Glory here
is kickin' up her heels...

like she couldn't wait
to fly along with 'em.

Now, you got a week--
that is, if you're
lucky, son.

Only a day or so
if you're not.

And every last one
of them mountain passes
will be snowed in.

I appreciate the advice, John.
I'll sure pass it along.

Good. See you
in the spring, son.
Come on, Glory.

Good morning.
Come on in.

We'd like to see
the ramrod, miss.

I understand he's here
with your uncle.

He's in the study
working on the ledger.

No, we'll just wait out here
if you don't mind, miss.

- There's a fresh pot of coffee.
- We're kind of in a hurry,
Elizabeth.

You mind gettin' him?

Yeah, I'll tell him.

[ Clears Throat ]

You're sure now?Look, how many times
I gotta tell you?

All right, all right.

Ben, Jim,
what can I do for you?

Well, we're gonna head on out,
so I thought we'd come by
and pick up our time...

and the bonus for them
last two mustangs.

Head on out?
Well, why?

Truth is, old Jim
wants to hit the trail.

Howdy.

Charlie said he just
ran into John Douglas.

Swears there's
a big storm brewin'.
Might hit any day now.

Well, he could be wrong
about that.

Well, all I know is,
he comes trottin'
out of those hills...

just before
the first big snow hits.

He hasn't been wrong once
as far as I can remember.

Well, I'm not gonna risk
three herds of Shiloh beef...

against that kind of record.Want me to round up
the hands?

We'll split 'em up in teams.
Mr. Grainger will have one,
I'll take one,

and you'll have one.All right.

[ Sighs ]

Strattan, I'll square with you.

Sometimes takes us
up to three weeks...

to get all our cattle
out of the high country.

This time, we may have
to do it in less than a week.

Could sure use a man
with your skill and experience.

Need you both.

Wish you'd stay on
till after the drive.

That's up to pappy here.

Yeah. Well, all right.

But just till
you get your cows
home safe. Hear?

Fair enough.

[ Door Closes ]

Ho! Ho! Ho!

[ Men Whistling,
Shouting ]

Come on.

[ Whistling, Shouting
Continue ]

Yeah, ramrod sure believes
in gettin' his money's worth,
don't he?

[ Chuckling ]
Yeah. Speak of the devil. [ Horse Whinnies ]

Ben, we're about
an hour from sundown.

You wanna ride on ahead
and pick us out
a bed ground?

I thought you was fixin'
to run 'em all night.
Good. Let's go, pappy.

[ Virginian ]
I'll need Jim here.

Trampas's crew
could use an extra hand
up on those rocks.

Gotta chase down those strays
while they can still
see where they're going.

- I'll meet you
at the bed ground, Ben.
- Let's go.

[ Cattle Mooing ]

[ Whistles ]
Hey! Keep away from that drop.

Trampas!

- Ramrod says you need a hand.
- Half a dozen'd be more
like it, but you'll do.

Just try and flank 'em.
Keep 'em away from that ravine.

[ Harper ]
Trampas, over here!
Charlie's in a bad way!

Hurry up!
Over here!
Come on!

One of them
on-the-prod critters
spooked his horse.

He threw 'im
down there.

He's right there
on that ledge.

Let's get this rope
down to him.

I tried that.
He can't grab hold.

- He must've busted
his shoulder or somethin'.
- There's only one thing to do.

Here.
You lower me down--I'll do it.

What?Well, as you say, I'm a fair
piece lighter than you anyway.

Shouldn't a-eat
that pie last night.

We got about
an hour left of sun.

If you slip
with this rope--I wanna do it.

How do you know
he can even--Go get a couple of boys.

And some more rope.
We'll have to man two ropes
to bring 'em up. Go on.

Charlie!
You hold on now,
you hear?

[ Galloping Hooves ]

[ Trampas ] Hold on,
Charlie. We're throwing
a rope down there.

[ Jim ]
Good throw.

Get Jim
down there now.

[ Trampas ]
Take it easy, Jim.

Go easy.
Steady, Jim.
You all right?

[ Jim ]
Keep it taut!

[ Men Chattering ][ Harper ] You take it easy,
Charlie!

[ Trampas ]
Good work, Jim.

[ Harper ] You're
almost there, Charlie.

Watch your footing.Hold on, Charlie.
Almost got you.

Watch your shoulder.Here we go.

Come on.

Careful.

Well--
[ Panting ]

you almost became
our first angel
with spurs on.

How do you feel?Oh, not too bad... now.

- I'm sorry I yapped
at you down there.
- That's all right.

Kid popped my shoulder back in
as pretty as you please.

Hurt like the dickens.
Sure feels better now.

Well, you think
you can ride?

Just give me
a boost up, and
I'll be on my way.

Thanks to ol' Jim here.

You boys tuck him in
at night camp.

Harper, see how
that shoulder is
in the morning.

Jim and I are gonna comb
the rest of these woods,

see if we haven't left
any orphans out in the cold.

[ Horses Departing ]You got rope burn?

Oh, just a mite.Maybe you ought
to go back to camp.

No, it's okay.Well, all right.

Trampas?

The other night when I tried
to pick that fight with you,

I-- I know what you done
for me, and, uh--

Well, anyway,
I appreciate it.

Well, I, uh--
I used to be a pretty
feisty yahoo myself.

So I know how it feels
to be so hoppin' mad
inside...

you wanna take a swing
at the whole cockeyed world.

Last time I tried,
it was about, oh,
eight years ago...

in a saloon full
of cavalry troopers.

Took me about
two fat eyes and
a mouthful of knuckles...

to decide it
wasn't too much fun when--
when the world swung back.

[ Laughs ]

Well, how's the old
mountain goat?

You rescuin' any more
stumble-footed cowboys?

Well, how'd you find out?

Ramrod pin any medals
on you yet?

I didn't do nothin'
more than a worm
on an end of a hook.

That somehow reminds me
of chow tonight.

You better get yourself
a plate of that wriggly stuff...

before they throw it out
to the birds.

Well, I, uh--
I ate over at Trampas's camp.

Look, I'll do that for you.
You-- You must be tuckered out.

You go ahead
and turn in.Oh, we got first guard.

Well, I'll do that alone.
You go ahead and get some sleep.

Hey.

You can't work all night.
Why don't you turn in?

Well, we got
the horse guard
anyhow.

Oh, no.
Uh, Harper and Jean
will do it tonight.

You two hit the sack.For some reason,
I don't feel tired.

Now, don't rub it in
just 'cause you got
a few years on us.

You'll be sound asleep
as soon as your head
hits that blanket.

I'll see you then.Good night, Jim.

Hey, Ben.

You comin'?I'll be over there later.

Boy, I don't know
about you,

but these last few days
have sure tired me out.

What do you mean?
These boys do
all the work for us.

You've done a pretty fair job
of raising that boy.

Yeah, well, you've
done a pretty fair job of
gettin' him to work for you.

You got the touch, ramrod.
You know what makes
the boy tick.

Say, uh, Ben,
I wanted to thank you.

For the last couple of days,
you've worked as hard
as any two men on this drive.

Yep, yep, yep.

Cussin' you pretty good
under my breath
all the time too.

Well, what I meant was
you've sure earned the right
to stay on at Shiloh...

as long as you want.

Jim told me
about your nest egg...

and that horse ranch
you have in mind.

The land around Medicine Bow
is as good as you'll find
over the next hill...

or the hill after that.

Why hit the trail again?
Could be you've found
a home right here.

Well, I don't want
no home, ramrod.

I had that one time there--
pretty wife, baby.

Then some jackass
declared war,

and I kissed my wife,
winked at the baby...

and went off
to become a hero.

And then when I got back,
there weren't no baby,
no wife, no nothin'.

Some of them said it was a band
of maraudin' army deserters
that burned 'em out.

Others said it was Kiowas.

Some said
they was dead for sure.
Others didn't really know.

I'm sorry.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

You know, ramrod,
that boy-- he's all I got.

Now, I'm man enough
to know that sometime
it's gonna come to an end.

But not now, not here.

I need that boy.

That boy needs me
for another year, maybe two.

Then he can go
his own way.

He won't walk in nobody's shadow
because he's gonna be a man.

And as for needin'
a home, ramrod,

a man finds his own home
in himself.

See, Jim's gonna
find that out too.

You know, ramrod,
the time is gonna come--

maybe a little sooner
than you'll like--

but Jim and I are gonna hit
the trail again together...

because that's the only place
you breathe free,

where you're really alive.

No tomorrows.
No yesterdays.

Just today.

That's good enough
for any man.

Hey, come on.
Come on, pappy.

Shake your stumps.Ben, what the devil
are you doing that--

Come on now.
We're gonna go out
and have a high old time.

Are you crazy?
Get away. Let me sleep.

Now come on, James Joseph.

We ain't busted loose
in a month of Sundays.

Well, we could be in
Medicine Bow and back before
them knotheads roll over.

Oh, Ben.

You ain't gonna give me
all that hogwash
about duty, are you?

That'll be the day.

No, doggone, I just can't
hardly keep my eyes open.
That's all.

What do you say?

[ Sighs ] I'm game for whatever
you got in mind, son.

Always have been.
Always will be, right?

- Right as redeye
on the Fourth of July.
- [ Laughs ]

Come on.

♪♪ [ Honky-tonk Piano ][ No Audible Dialogue ]

♪♪ [ Continues ]

All right, everybody
out of their coffins!

Old Beelzebub is here,
the old devil himself--

Benjamin Franklin Satan III!

Ah, it's good to see you.Better known as
the barmaid's joy,

comforter of lonely
old widows...

and scourge
of the cancan.

Ooh-wee!Ooh-wee! Ha-ha!

Whee! Ha![ Laughing ]

Come on, all you--
[ Laughing ][ Laughing ]

Come on, all you
ghosts and goblins!

Come on now.
Up and at 'em!

Time to do the fandango
on the gravestones...

of all the drummers
and undertakers and
preachers and shopkeepers!

The best you got
for the best that there is.

Sweetheart, darlin' you.
Mmm!

Ah, yah, yah, yah![ Squeals ]

Terry, put that
in tumblers,
will you, please?

I got to light a burnin' fire
in my stomach here...Ooh, yeah.

to wash away the taste
of that cowboy swill.
[ Laughing ]

- Hey, come on! Drinks on me!
Everybody get up!
- [ Men ] Hey!

And the finest sidekick
any man could ever wanna have--

the only 19-year-old
granddaddy in captivity,
James Joseph himself.

Yes.Take a bow. That's enough.
Don't wanna spoil him.

Had a hard enough time
getting him to eat
his hash this morning.

Sweetheart.

Ahh.

Ah!

Willie, my boy.

Are you hiding over there,
maybe-- you and your
Sunday school class, huh?

Just look at 'em. Now, you know
they've been up to somethin'.
[ Laughing ]

What is it, Willie,
now that you and your boys have
put all the buffalo to rest?

I know.
You're here in Medicine Bow...

for the mineral water
for your rheumatiz, right?

No, huh? I know.
Maybe it's a little hanky-panky
up in the hills.

A little moonlight roundup
to ease the cares of old age.

[ Crowd Laughing ]

And you,
my Hibernian miser,

I can hear your heart
going pitty-pat
worryin' about...

who's gonna pay for all that
lovely watered-down redeye.Ooh! Look at that!

Whee![ Laughing ]

There's enough in here...

to float us all to heaven
on a river of whiskey.

There. That ought to hold you
for a couple of weeks.

Say, that's enough
to hire a preacher and make
an honest woman out of me.

And who wants to make
an honest woman out of you?

Mmm!Whoo!

[ Laughing ]

All right, come on now,
everybody, drink up here!

There's more over here
where this come from. ♪♪ [ Piano ]

Here.No, Ben. No.

Come on now.No.

Come on, Ben.
Let's get out of here.

Hey, Millie,
cut another filly
from the herd, will ya?

Unless he's lost
his taste for that too.

Nah, I didn't mean
that last, Jim.

That wind was blowin' up cold
'fore we ever got here.

Now, it could mean
the start of that storm.

Mm-hmm.

You wanna go, you go ahead.
Nobody's stoppin' you.

Ben--

I'll go when I'm
goldurn ready.

Hey, Jim, I want you
to meet Dorie.

This is sweet Dorie
from Pike. [ Laughs ]Well, hello, Jim.

[ Millie Laughing ]

Well, where you
going, honey?
She ain't gonna bite you.

[ Huffs ]

Well, I, uh--
I never thought
I'd see the day...

when an old bear
like Ben Strattan
would let a kid...

lead him around
by the nose.

Now, you just
forget the kid,

'cause we got
a real sweet deal
workin'...

I-- I think might be
to your liking.

Got a deal, huh?Uh-huh.

Sweet deal.

Well, I gotta
get back now.

[ Metal Bit Clinking ]

Went into town
and tied one on.

So what do you
think of that?

Just don't say one word
against Ben, hear?
Not one word.

He's got a right
to cut loose
when he wants to.

Shiloh don't own a man
24 hours a day body and soul.

Just so's we do our work by day,

it's nobody's business
what we do at night.

Ben and me,

we're sidekicks
and always will be.

Where he goes, I go.

That's the way it's gotta be.

And we don't need you, ramrod.
You need us.

Just as soon as we put in
our month of sweat,

we'll grab that pay
and hit the trail.

No regrets.

[ Bit Clinking ]

[ Breathing Deeply ]

[ Groans ]

Hey. What do you know,
cowpoke?

Hmm.

Oh, what--You're just in Millie's room.

It's all right now.

Everything's
gonna be all right.[ Chuckles ]

[ Groans ]
No, no. No, no.
Don't do that.

Just lie back
and have happy dreams.

Millie will see
that nobody touches you again.

Ooh.

[ Groans ]

Hold it.
Where is it?[ Yelps ]

Oh, honey, I'd never
take any money from you.

[ Exhales ]

Boy, I ought to be hung
for meanness.

Nobody's gonna hang you
while Millie's around.[ Chuckles ]

I'm afraid I wouldn't
be any good to you,
little lady.

I got a date
with some sweet-smellin'
buffalo hunters.

Where's their camp?Oh, Ben,
you can't do that.

Please, Mil, where is it?[ Sighs ]
I don't know exactly.

But-- Well, sometimes
I-- I heard them
jabberin'...

about some Indian
burial mountains... maybe.

Yeah.Oh, honey.

There are better things
in life than that.

Yeah, I know, but man
is a foolish animal.

Takes him forever
to learn that.
And by then, it's too late.

- Ben.
- [ Chuckles ]

You get some sleep,
Florence Nightingale.

[ Door Closes ]

[ Horses Approaching ]

All right,
get off that horse.

[ Spits ]

Come on! Move!

[ Laughs ]

You got to be made
of india rubber, boy.

When we said
bye-bye last night,

you looked more like one
of them carcasses we got hangin'
from the rack over there.

Now, what can we do for you,
uh, Mr. Strattan?

A side of beef?

Or, uh, a jug
of Medicine Bow mineral water
for your miseries?

[ Laughing ]

Well, I want
my nest egg back.

Oh.

You hear that, boys?
He wants his nest egg back.

[ Laughing ]

You can't lick us, boy.

So why not join us?

Just look around.
Did you ever see
a sweeter set-up?

Nobody'd ever
find us here.

And it's a lot slicker
and safer than tryin'
to move 'em out on the hoof.

The only trouble is
time's runnin' out on us.

Purty just come back. He says
it's already beginning to snow
up there in the mountains.

Now, what we need
is a quick killin'
to beat that storm.

And you, you just
might be the rouser
to show us the way.

Now, it'd be easy as pie
for you to cut half
a hundred strays off fringe...

of one of them
Shiloh herds up there.

And you just drive 'em
on down here, and my
butcher boys will go to work.

And by nightfall,

we'll have the wagon
loaded with hides
and carcasses,

and we'll be on our way,
with the snow to cover
our trail.

So... how's that sound,
Mr. Strattan?

One chance
for you to get
your nest egg back...

and a lot more besides.

Buck.

His gun.

[ Men Shouting, Whistling ]

[ Whistles ]
Ho!

Jim, a bunch of them critters
ran off into the woods.

Give us a hand.Right!
[ Whistles ]

[ Wind Blowing ]

[ Whistles ]
Hah!

[ Horse Approaching ]

Ceece.

He's over by
the tongue of the wagon.

Why'd you do it, Ben--
just to tick me off?

Even if you wanna go out
and drink all night,

at least you
could've come back
first thing this morning.

We needed you, Ben.

They had a job to do.
You had a duty to come back.

That's right-- a duty.

Well, don't just sit there
noddin' your head.
Say hogwash or somethin'.

No. No. You go ahead
and you tell me off good,
'cause I deserve it.

Don't just
keep agreeing with--

No, you're, uh--

You're right-- every word of it.

Well, the truth is
that I wish that, uh--

[ Chuckles ]
Well, I wish I did
come home with you last night.

But I didn't, and, uh--

I gotta ride out of here, Jim.

Only this time,
I ain't comin' back.
I want you to come with me.

Now, if we don't hit
the trail now,

and I mean right now,
we're gonna be snowed in here
for the winter.

And a winter
in a place like Shiloh, why,
it would just drive me batty.

- Ben, we never tried.
- Well, I want you
to go ahead now.

You get back to the ranch,
and you pack our things now.

I'll settle up with the foreman,
and then there's one other
little score I gotta settle,

and, uh-- and I'll meet you
down at Medicine Bow, huh?

We'll-- [ Slapping Knee ]
head for the sunnier
climes, huh?

I can't go with you, Ben.

I gotta stay here
and finish this job.
I can't leave it half done.

I'm needed here.
And I gave 'em my word.

And my word means
as much as my life.
Isn't that what you taught me?

But look, soon as them cattle
are safe down in the valley,

why, I'll quit
and I'll come after you.

I'll meet you there--
somewhere, anywhere you want.

I wish you'd change your mind
and stay on here with me.

We could work side by side
just like we always have.

[ Virginian ]
Let's go, men.
Cows are getting lonely again.

Been talkin' your ear off.

I-- I guess
your stew's cold.

Oh.
[ Chuckles ]

Oh, that don't matter.
[ Chuckles ]

You go ahead and finish up.
I'll be with the cows.

Pleased you
came back, Ben.

Thank you.

Hyah! Hah! I spotted him
about a half a mile
up the hill.

That saddle tramp
done it all right.

He cut out
the nicest little herd
for us you ever did see.

Yeah, he drove 'em right--
right out of that snow
into our ever-lovin' arms.

But there's a chill in the air.
That storm's gonna be
right on us.

Don't worry. About the time
we put the cleavers to 'em,
we'll be long gone.

Now you hurry on back there
and help him funnel 'em
through the draw...

so's we can brain 'em
one by one.

Let's go, boys!
Get ready.Hah!

[ Cattle Mooing ]

[ Whinnies ]

You look long enough,
you'll find 'em.

Why, Strattan--
the easy money
or just pure spite?

- For Jim.
- For Jim? How do you think
he's gonna feel when he--

His high-steppin' mama
up and left him cold
when he was 14.

He never had a father.
He deserves more out of life.

All right, but this
is no way to do it. Save your breath, ramrod.

Ain't nobody gonna stop me
nohow. I'm gonna use your Shiloh
cows to get my nest egg back.

- I owe him that much
before I ride out.
- Shiloh cows? What do you mean?

How else am I gonna
fight them butchers
down there in that draw?

They nailed my hide
to the wall pretty good
the other night.

Now it's my turn.
I'm gonna stampede
them cows down there.

Ought to even up the odds
a little bit.

You're a fool to try
something like that.

And I'm an even bigger fool
to wanna try to help you.

[ Ground Rumbling ]

What's going on up there?

It's a stampede!

- Hah! Get on!
- Hah! Hah!

[ Hooves Thundering ][ Groans ]

Hey! Save the wagon!

Hah!

[ Gunshot ]Move!

[ Shouting ]
Hah! Hah! Hah!

[ Shouting ]

[ Gunshots ]

[ Shouting ]

[ Shouting Continues ]

- [ Objects Smashing ]
- Hyah!

[ Groans ]

[ No Audible Dialogue ]

[ Chuckling ]
Hoo-hoo.

Well, I never seen
nothin' like that
in all my born days.

What's that called?Why, I don't know.

But Aunt Holly spent
the best part of the morning
making it.

Now, look, I can't eat nothin'
so grand and mysterious
as this...

unless I know
what it's called.

I call that
the Strattan Surprise.

[ Laughs ]And that is made
with green apples,

johnnycake crumbs,
lemon rind,

a splash of our best
Kentucky sour mash...

with a heart
of brown sugar and honey...

and crushed pecans
hidden underneath that crust.

[ Laughs ]
Holly Grainger,

you sure know
how to spoil a man.

Why, it's just
a crime and a shame what I've
been missin' all these years.

His Majesty, the cowboy.

Clay!Dear.

Elizabeth.You're back sooner
than we thought.

Well, I told you
your husband was gonna
catch us one of these days.

Virginian said
you'd be out of commission
for, uh-- for maybe a week.

Looks to me like you've
settled down for the winter.Yeah.

- How is that leg?
- Oh, it's fine. Fine.

Never mind about that.
How's that drive going?

Ah, I brought
my last few down just now.

The Virginian and Trampas
are bringing their
stragglers along,

not more than
a half an hour out.

What about them ones
I lost in the stampede?

They showed up later
down by the creek.

We may have
lost a few.

Well, you take them
out of my pay.

Oh, no.
We ought to pay you.

Got word the sheriff
picked up Burr and one
of his boys last night.

Anyway, the Virginian
said he hadn't had so much fun
since the circus came to town.

[ Chuckling ]

Well, if you ladies
would be kind enough
to turn your backs,

I'm gonna shake a leg.But the doctor said--

You don't want
them other cowpokes
to see me like this, do you?

Here.I'll never hear
the end of it.

Here. Let me
give you a hand.Oh!

No, that's fine. That's fine.
Just as long as I can use it
to get to my horse.

[ Cattle Mooing ]

Why aren't you
up there in bed?

No need for you
to go back to work yet.
Enjoy some rest.

Well, I'm ridin' out,
ramrod.

Well, didn't
Mr. Grainger tell you?He did, and I appreciate it.

But I can't.

Well, we want you
to stay on, Ben.

Top hand like you is
worth his weight in gold.Yeah.

Or whiskey, huh?

No. I'm a... trail bum,
and I like it that way.

[ Horses Approaching ]

Hey, Ben!

Hang on a second.
I'll be right there soon
as I take care of my horse.

You bet, pappy!

Be darned if I haven't spawned
a red-white-and-blue
responsible citizen.

Devil will never forgive me.

Listen. Uh, you give this
to him, will ya?

Not right now,
but someday when he needs it.

You know,
like when he has his girl
and starts his own family.

You wouldn't ride out
of here without him,
now, would you?

Well, he's...
got a home here now.

Even I know that.Aw, Ben.

No, he don't need me no more.
He can stand alone, and...

it's just that, uh--

It's just that that time
come a little sooner
than I expected.

Aren't you even
gonna say good-bye?

No, I can't.

Not to Jim.
Not straight-out cold.

Jim!

Maybe not good-bye,
but you owe him something.

How's your leg, Ben?
The foreman here
told us about it.

Just fine. Fine.
How are you?

- I couldn't be better.
- [ Chuckles ]

Yeah, I know you.
You come back bone-tired
after a long day there,

and you're gonna sleep
for a couple of weeks,

and suddenly
you're all finished
and you're full of ginger,

and you turn cartwheels
going into chow.

[ Laughs ]
How'd you guess?

Hey, did you tell him
about that yearling
I rescued?

Oh, I was just
fixin' to.

You know
that tricky way you taught me
how to side-wind a horse...

down a steep ravine?

Well, I saw
this yearling, and--

Will you look at me--
bragging like I was
a little kid.

I was just doing my job, Ben.

Yeah.

You know,
speaking about jobs,

uh, a real prime one
come up for me
down San Antone way.

Uh-- Uh, head buster
on a horse ranch,
you know.

But, uh, there's
just one problem there.

They don't have no, uh, spot
for a young hand like yourself.

Leastwise,
not now they don't.

So, uh, I was figurin'...

that maybe you could stay on
here at Shiloh for a little bit.

And I can get
on down there and get
something lined up.

Then I'd--
I'd send for you.

Yeah. Sure.

If it's all right
with the foreman.

We'll be needing you, Jim.

[ Ben ]
Well--

Well, you're not
gonna go now.

Well, I told 'em
I'd get down there
as soon as I could.

And I give 'em
my word, and--

[ Chuckles ]
Well, don't you
look so worried now.

I'm gonna get
my three squares every day.

I'll wash behind my ears.
I promise.

Ben, uh,
you take care now, hear?

Yeah.

Well, you do the same thing,
huh? I'll be seeing you.

Come on.

Ben.

- Good luck.
- Same to you, ramrod.

Hyah!