Original subtitles

Sam, you want somethin' to eat, go get it yourself.

[Sam barking]

Ahh.

I've been sent out on a lot of peculiar details by a lot of peculiar captains.

The first time I ever been sent out to hunt jackrabbits.

Well, it's better than huntin' Indians.

And it ain't only jackrabbits. Now Doc Paul said

we was to kill and bring back any animal looked like maybe it was mad.

You ever seen any animal that looked happy? I mean

downright bustin'-out happy?

Well, now I ain't ever looked a jackrabbit or coyote

right square in the eye, at least while it was still livin'.

Yeah.

We ain't gonna win no medals. That's for sure.

Huntin' gophers and

ornery chipmunks.

And besides this cost me a lot of money.

I coulda probably got me a big poker game down at the cantina.

Look, that, uh, reminds me, Barton.

You're into me pretty deep and I need the money.

Now today's payday, so we better settle up when we get back to the fort.

Oh, now hold on, Mills.

That'd take every bit of my pay.

Take more than that, but I'll take it for a start.

Look, I got a kid brother I'm tryin' to put through college.

You know I got a system.

It's gonna pay off in the long haul but

sometimes you got to ride out these little losin' streaks.

You got a permanent losing streak and I'm tired of supportin' it.

I just want what you owe me.

There's a big game tonight, and I got to get into it.

It's a chance to make a real killin'

and I feel a real lucky streak comin' on.

Look, you're not gettin' into a game tonight.

–Now I don't wanna go to the captain about this. –All right.

I'll settle up with you.

Good.

Hey

you musta picked up quite a bundle this past month.

About, uh, about three hundred.

Not countin' what you was light.

I, uh, I guess I was just lucky.

Your luck and my system, I'd be a millionaire.

[Wolf howling]

Hey Bart, a white wolf.

Now there's a beauty for Doc Paul.

And we get a good price for that pelt besides.

Hey, Mills.

[Groans]

Paid in full.

[Wolf howling]

[Blows whistle]

Ha!

Ha!

[Sam whimpering]

Sam.

Come here, boy.

Sam.

–Come here, boy. –[Sam growling]

Come here, Sam.

Sam. Come here, Sam.

Sam.

Sam!

–Come here, Sam! –[Sam barking]

Sam!

[Sam barking]

You look like your breakfast gave you a run for your money.

Come on, Sam. Let's get back to the fort.

♪ ♪

[Sam barking]

(Soldier) Open the gate!

[Sam barking]

You been keepin' company with a skunk?

Here you are, Mrs. Keergo.

I, uh, think that's everything.

Thank you.

Emberato!

Somethin' I picked up for you.

Gee, thanks. Sure is pretty.

What is it?

Well, it's, uh, it's a piece of petrified wood.

It used to be a tree maybe a million years ago.

A million years?

Well, you know, give or take a year or so.

I got somethin' else for you, too.

[Blows whistle]

Gee, thanks.

Yeah, that's okay.

Welcome back, Hondo.

You gonna stay around for a while?

–I'd like to. –Good.

It, uh, depends on Richards, but...

[Gasps]

Well, you've always said Sam doesn't like to be petted or played with.

You better go wash the jam off your face.

Don't have to. Sam already did it.

Besides, I have lots to ask Emberato about this piece of wood

and about Vittoro and the Apaches.

There's plenty of time later, I guess.

Right, Emberato.

He's so easy to handle when you're around.

Come on, Sam. Let's go.

Gimme a beer.

[Sam growling]

Shut up, Sam.

[Sam barking]

Get out of here, Sam!

Sure can't figure that.

I've always been real friendly with ol' Sam there.

Well, I can't figure it either. You don't bother him and he don't bother you.

Maybe he's comin' down with somethin'.

We had another dog go mad here yesterday, Hondo.

Had to shoot him.

Doc Paul's got men out huntin' wild animals that look mad.

Says there some kind of a epidemic goin' around maybe.

Yeah.

Yeah, hydrophobia.

Sure hope Sam hasn't got it.

Course it's kinda hard to figure why he jumped on me that way for no good reason.

Hondo, uh, maybe you oughta take the dog outside.

Put a head on it.

Bar's no place for a dog.

Besides, he looks like he's comin' down with somethin'.

Yeah, that's right.

Now wait a minute, men.

Sam didn't take a chunk outta me.

No harm done.

But maybe...

[Sam growling]

Maybe you oughta take him outta here anyway, Hondo.

Look, mister, a dog don't catch a disease by just breathin' desert air.

Hondo, Sam runs loose.

He hunts and kills wild animals.

How do you know he didn't get it from one of them?

Same as I know you didn't even if you're foamin' at the mouth.

It's no joke, mister.

The sickness is goin' around.

Get him outta here, Hondo. Sawyer's right.

He come in here snappin' and growlin' for no reason.

Come on, Sam. Let's get outta here.

If there is anything around here, this is where you'll get it.

Sure hope they don't have to put ol' Sam away.

What's the matter with you, Sam? I'm only askin' Hondo here to

stake me to a little beer to

wet my whistle.

[Sam growling]

Sam

what's botherin' you?

That there is Trooper Mills' horse.

Mills is a friend of yours, ain't he?

Yeah, I guess you could say that.

Well, Apaches never got him anyway.

If they got the rider, seems like they'd want the horse.

Do you know there weren't no sign of Indians and nobody else where we picked this animal up.

[Clears throat]

Uh, that trail dust just about got me stopped up.

How come that trail dust never bothers your talkin' none?

Hondo, you know I never could figure out how you can just stand there

just stand there when there's a whole saloon full of conversation juice right beside you.

Hey, Hondo

did you hear about the hydrophobie scare?

Yeah, they sent me and about a dozen other fellas out

to round up some animals for ol' Doc Paul to work on.

Well, game was scarce so we split up and

that's when we found this horse here.

[Sam growling]

You know, it...

You know it seems like Sam has got somethin' against Barton.

I sure wouldn't know why.

Well, Barton is everybody's pigeon.

You need five dollars all you gotta do is play him a hand of poker.

Maybe Sam oughta play him a game of poker.

[Buffalo laughs]

(Buffalo) We followed the trail up into the rocks, and then I lost it.

(Buffalo) We never did see no sign of Trooper Mills.

Barton, you were the last one to see him.

Yes, sir. Yes, I was.

I took off after a coyote, and he lit out in another direction.

Never saw hide nor hair of him again.

Apaches, Mr. Baker?

No, no. No Apache would ever let a loose horse get away from him

if he had to run him down on foot.

Buffalo's right, sir. The Indians count their wealth in horses.

Besides, Mills was too smart to get himself killed or hurt.

Meaning what?

Captain

Mills is my friend. I don't want to speak out against him.

I want an answer, Corporal.

Well, sir, it's just that

he kept sayin' about how he was fed up with Army life.

Every soldier says that at one time or another.

That's what I figured, sir.

So I didn't pay no attention when he bragged about how he had a

fool-proof scheme to desert and he wanted me to go along.

You should have reported that to me.

Well, sir, if I reported every man who

says he'd like to run off I'd be keepin' you company regular.

[Snorts]

Captain, I don't believe Mills deserted.

He's been in trouble before. You know that.

I know that, and it didn't amount to anything.

So you said at the time.

Well, we proved that at the time.

Nevertheless, his record is spotty and inconsistent.

Now, Cap'n, you know that if a fella was gonna try and desert in this country

he wouldn't try on foot.

His plan was to make everybody think he was killed.

His horse wandering loose in the desert would be proof.

By the time anybody found the horse, he'd be long gone.

He figured it's just too much desert for

for us to waste time lookin' for him.

Well, a deserter would keep his horse. That's for sure.

Well, sure.

Mills said he knew a place where he could get another one.

Sure hate to be talkin' like this.

But you are, huh?

Meet me in the cantina, Hondo?

No!

Well, I guess I gotta scratch for my own beer then.

Sergeant, take a patrol. Look for Mills.

He might have fallen off his horse, be lying hurt out there somewhere.

Yes, sir.

Well...

He may be hurt, or he may have deserted.

This time I think you're wrong.

Maybe. I've been wrong before.

[Chickens clucking]

Come on, Johnny.

Now, put the peas in the pan

and the pods in the bag.

All right?

Peas in the pan and the pods in the bag.

Right.

[Sam whimpering]

Hello, Sam.

Better go lay down.

Go lay down.

How'd you get up there?

Get him, Sam.

[Sam growling]

[Gunshot]

Johnny, what is it?

Did Sam bite you?

No, it was a white wolf that bit Johnny.

What happened?

Johnny got bit.

Hondo said it was a white wolf.

A white wolf nothin'. It was his dog. Look at him.

Shut up, Sam.

That there's a bite all right.

Of course there's no way to tell who did it, a wolf or a dog.

A dog bite. Sam's bite.

Angie, he's just stunned.

Better get him inside and put him to bed.

Get a doctor.

I'll take him.

Did you see the white wolf, Mrs. Dow?

(Angie) All I saw was Sam.

Sure hate to think ol' Sam's got hydrophobia.

'Course after the way he snapped at me down at the cantina. Now this.

Hondo, you gotta kill that dog

right now.

[Sam growling]

Hey, Hondo.

I don't like to see a dog go mad.

I like animals.

But I like kids more.

I got four kids, and they gotta be protected.

Yeah, why don't you try feedin' 'em sometime

instead of supportin' the saloon?

Don't try and change the issue, Hondo.

You gonna shoot that hound or not?

Liebel's right. He should be killed.

He's mad. Shoot him before he bites somebody else.

Look, it was a white wolf that bit Johnny and I was here to see it.

Your saddle's slippin', mister.

Sam bit him.

Now if you're not gonna kill that dog, I'll do it for you.

Barton, gimme your gun.

Look, Liebel, nobody's gonna kill that dog.

I told you men the truth.

There isn't any white wolf. You're a liar.

Mister, you better think before you use that word again.

Now hold on, men. Hold on.

Maybe Hondo's right.

Maybe he can show us that white wolf.

I ain't gonna sit around here and wait while he maybe tracks down some white wolf.

Only a mad dog would chew a boy's arm up that way.

I don't want him attackin' the rest of our children.

I know how you feel, Liebel. Kids are helpless.

Let's get him! [Gunshot]

Beat it, Sam.

You men better cool off a little bit.

I'll take care of Sam.

He can't stay in there forever.

What was the shooting about?

Hondo, sir. His dog's gone mad.

When we tried to take the animal, he fired at us.

He didn't shoot at us. He shot over our heads.

Sam bit little Johnny. He's got hydrophobie.

Ah, what are you talkin' about? If Sam's got hydrophobia

Hondo'd be the first one to do somethin' about it.

Well, maybe Hondo's got hydrophobia the way he's been acting.

You got somethin' there, Liebel.

[Crowd murmuring]

All right, hold it down. Hold it down!

Mr. Lane.

I can hear you, Captain.

Bring that dog out.

I'm not handin' a dog over to that mob.

Then hand him over to me.

I'm an officer of the United States Army, Mr. Lane, not the leader of a mob.

I won't tolerate lawlessness from you or these people.

If that dog attacked Johnny, he's gonna have to be destroyed.

If not, he won't be harmed.

Think it over.

Sam

now I know you don't like bein' handled.

Well, I don't see any bites or scratches from that wolf.

You're all right.

I wonder how Johnny's doin'.

I'm worried about him. He's still unconscious.

Well, that was a blessing while I was cauterizing the wound.

He's slightly in shock. The rest will be good for him.

That cauterization, will it keep him from having hydrophobia?

Well, it will help, but to be quite honest I can't tell you exactly until I examine the dog.

Mr. Lane, I've got better things to do than stand here and argue with you about a dog.

Then go do 'em.

This is an order. Do you realize the consequences of what you're doing?

Captain, I don't care about any consequences.

Just don't you or anybody else try to come through that door.

Sam

you couldn't have run us into a tighter trap than if you planned it like a second lieutenant.

I know how you feel.

I don't like it anymore than you do, but the only way out is the way we came in.

[Crowd murmuring]

How's the boy?

Well, he's conscious.

–Is the dog still in there? –Yes.

If he is, I would like to examine the dog because I must conclude whether he is rabid or not.

The door is barred from the inside

and Mr. Lane doesn't make idle threats.

I'm gonna tell you somethin' else about that ringtail siwash in there, Captain.

If he says somethin' you can just about bank on it.

Now this white wolf...

Johnny musta seen what bit him, and if he did

he could tell us whether it was Sam or the wolf.

–Now... –An excellent idea, Mr. Baker.

–Can we talk to the boy? –Yes, of course.

Sam would never bite me.

It was a wolf, I tell you. It was a wolf.

Besides, you said Emberato saw it.

So did I.

I admire your loyalty, Johnny.

But it's important that you tell us the truth.

I am telling the truth. Sam's a good dog.

Johnny

with dogs they're all good, huh?

But sometimes they get a sickness.

I don't care what anybody says. It was a wolf.

Sure, it was a wolf, Johnny.

You and me know that, don't we? A big, black wolf.

Yeah, Buffalo. It was black and as big as a bear.

He come at me and he...

What is it?

Hondo said it was a white wolf, Johnny.

(Liebel) Now look sharp, folks. Give us some room.

Give us some room. Watch the load.

Now wait a minute, men.

You smash that door down, there's liable to be some shootin'.

–Yeah, we shoot the dog. –And maybe Hondo'll shoot one of you first.

He's pretty riled up.

Now let me try talkin' to him just once more.

–It ain't gonna do you any good, Barton. –We'll see.

Hondo

you ain't bein' reasonable.

We know how you feel about that dog.

The hardest thing in the world is for a man to shoot his own dog.

Now we won't ask you to do it.

I'll take him outside the fort someplace and

it'll be quick and painless.

And what do you think we oughta do now?

I guess there's nothin' to do but smash that door down.

Now you're talkin' sense.

(Captain Richards) Hold it.

Hold it!

Get that thing out of here.

We've got a right to protect our families.

Sir, I've tried to reason with Hondo, but the longer we wait to get that dog

the tougher it's gonna be.

That decision's my responsibility, not this mob's.

Get that thing outta here!

(Doc Paul) Monsieur Capitán

Uh, excuse me, Caporal

This, uh...

this Hondo is usually a reasonable man, no?

No.

Well, yes and no.

Well, then at least permit me to speak to him, huh?

Monsieur Hondo!

It is Dr. Paul.

How's Johnny, Doc?

That is what I wanted to talk to you about.

But in order to understand each other

reasonable men should not keep a door between them.

All right.

Let's reason together, just the three of us.

You, me, and Sam.

Barton, get this mob outta here.

Yes, sir.

All right, let's move along.

I'll put two men on guard, and I'll be in my office.

Thank you.

It might be ugly, Doc, but

that's about all. He's healthy.

Monsieur Hondo, this hydrophobia

"rabies" as we call it, is a very strange disease.

One moment a dog appears to be perfectly healthy

and the next moment he spreads death.

Now, I was fortunate enough to study in Paris

under Dr. Louis Pasteur

and he has discovered a cure.

–For people or dogs? –Oh, no, no, no. For people.

like young Johnny, but...

the cure must be started within twenty-four hours.

Otherwise the boy will die.

Why don't you go ahead and treat him?

Because the cure takes twenty-one days

each day one of considerable pain.

Now, it is possible we could avoid giving the injections to Johnny

and save him a great deal of suffering.

Well, how do we do that?

If you will permit me to examine Sam and make sure there is no sign of infection.

–Yeah, all right. –No, no, no.

The examination must be made of his brain.

His brain? You mean...

You mean you'll have to kill him?

Now look, Doc.

If there's somethin' wrong with this dog

he'd be bitin' anybody and everybody, right?

–Probably. –Well...

he's not bitin' me, or he's not bitin' you.

Well, that is curious, yes. But, uh...

Look, Doc, we're just wastin' our time lookin' at this dog.

We gotta find out if that white wolf has got hydrophobia

because he's the one that bit Johnny.

Yes, if there is a wolf.

Now look, Doc. I'll make you a deal.

You give me twenty hours to find that white wolf.

If I'm not back by then

the dog's all yours.

That's very fair.

I will ask Capitán Richards to give you twenty hours.

All right.

And, uh, Monsieur Hondo

it is my sincere hope that this white wolf is not a phantom of your mind.

And if the Apache's had lost a feather in this area

my patrol would've found it.

So if Mills didn't have a horse cast away

he must've used wings.

Mr. Lane was wrong.

Mills did desert.

We'll find him, Mr. Baker

if we have to scour every inch of that desert.

I want him brought back.

Yes?

Oh, excuse me.

Did you find Mr. Lane reasonable, Doctor?

Monsieur Capitán, I have a request from Monsieur Hondo

that he be permitted to search for the wolf.

You tell him to turn over that dog and he can do anything he likes.

If not, I'll use force.

Captain

You try takin' Sam away from Hondo

there's gonna be a lot more folks in this fort need a doctor

or an undertaker.

Oh, the dog will be left locked in the shed

and if Hondo is not back in twenty hours

I have his permission to take the animal.

Look, Captain

if you're plannin' on leadin' a detail out to search for Mills

you don't want Hondo on your back.

He'll keep his word.

I'll talk to him.

Mr. Lane, you've got twenty hours to find that phantom white wolf of yours.

Come on out.

The dog'll be protected.

(Hondo) Do I have your word on that?

–You have my word. –(Hondo) Okay, Captain.

I thought I told you to get these men outta here.

Yes, sir. We're just worried about poor ol' Sam.

See that there's a padlock put on that door.

Yes, sir.

I'll find him, Sam.

I'd like to get a couple of pounds of fresh meat.

It's for wolf bait.

Reckon that meat's gonna help you find that critter?

I figure if I don't find him, maybe he'll find me.

Well, I tell you what. I gotta lead a patrol out to

try and find that Trooper Mills.

I'll keep an eye skinned for that white wolf of yours.

Thank you.

Thanks, Angie. Uh....

I'll see you later. Say hello to Johnny for me.

(Angie) Hondo...

Hondo, I didn't see a white wolf.

Well, I hope you understand.

When I saw Johnny lying on the ground with Sam over him...

I understand. At the time

nothin' or nobody meant anything to you except your son.

Well, Angie, Johnny means a lot to me, too.

I hope you believe that.

(Liebel) Thank you very much, gentlemen.

Liebel, it seems you know both sides of the cards

the way luck sets on your shirttail.

I told you were a born loser, Barton.

You're a saddle-blanket gambler.

Here, you shuffle.

You deal. I like the way you do that.

Sarge, you wasn't out very long lookin' for Mills, was you?

Well, we backtracked from where we found his horse.

Pounded cactus and swallowed dust for about three hours and then lost his trail.

That Mills is a smart one alright.

Yeah, he sure is.

He either went straight up or straight down.

The captain's leadin' another patrol out after Mills.

If it was me, I'd turn some bloodhounds loose after him.

They wouldn't find him anymore than you did.

Maybe a lot easier to find than a white wolf.

Hondo can track bees in a blizzard. He'll find him.

Willie, the Lord poured your brains in with a teaspoon

and somebody joggled his arm.

There ain't no white wolf.

Somebody oughta do somethin' about Hondo's dog.

They will in less than twenty hours.

I was usin' my system one time down in Texas

three hands in a row I stood pat on a little pair of eights.

Well, I got the best system of all.

–It's called luck. –Yeah?

Well, I'm bettin' twenty dollars right now

that things are gonna go my way.

He's loose! The mad dog busted loose!

(Soldier) There goes the dog! Get him!

[Gunshots] (Soldier) Get him!

Let's mount up. We gotta get that dog for sure now.

He's out of the fort. Let him go.

–What about the rest of you? –Not me.

Not me, Barton.

Sarge?

We got no orders to leave the fort.

We got no orders not to either.

Besides, he might come right back here and chew somebody up.

Come on!

There he goes.

Let's go. We're almost up to him.

[Rattlesnake rattles]

[Gunshot]

Let's go.

Liebel was right. Ain't no sense in chasin' that dog.

He'll be in Mexico before we run him down.

Look, we got to get that dog.

Besides, if he's got hydrophobia he'll die out here anyway.

Well, I'm gonna make sure.

[Sam barks]

So you busted out?

Well, you probably got half the fort on your tail.

Tracks leads ahead, not back, Sam.

I got no time to argue with you. There's nothin' back there.

We gotta catch that lobo.

[Sam barks]

What is it, Sam? What do you got?

What is it? What do you got here?

I get it, Sam. You been here before.

[Sam growling]

[Gunshot]

Well, Sam, we better get him back to the fort.

[Gunshot]

Get out of the way, Sam.

Hondo, drop it!

I figured it might be you, Barton.

So, Sam saw you kill Mills here and bury him, huh?

I always liked old Sam up until then.

[Sam barks]

[Sam barks]

This is a million years old. Did you know that?

It's called petrified wood. Boy, is it old.

And this is a whistle.

Sam, get off of that bed.

Come on, Sam. Get outta here.

How do you feel, Johnny?

Just fine.

When can we go out and find some of this old wood?

Well, just as soon as Doc Paul says so.

You, uh, get some rest, all right?

I'll see you later.

And don't let that dog back in here.

Sittin' on my horse in the middle of this draw I could see way off down there's this

little ol' Injun comin' on a tiny little burro

and right behind him was this big fat lady. I guess it's his wife.

She's ridin' a tall horse. But she gets up just near to...

Hey, Hondo

that's pretty darned good news ol' Doc Paul hung on us, huh?

I think we oughta celebrate findin' out that white wolf don't have no hydrophobie.

Yeah, well, what sort of celebratin' did you have in mind?

Well, I had in mind startin' at the cantina.

That's what I figured you figured.

I'll be there. Just, uh...

give yourself a head start.

Oh, I like that, that head start.

Hondo

I want to apologize to you

and Sam.

Save it, Angie. Sam gets kinda nervous about apologies anyway.

Mr. Lane.

The sergeant said you wanted to see me.

–Yeah. –Can I do something for you?

Well, you can do about five dollars worth for me.

Five dollars worth of what?

Well, isn't that what the Army pays for the bounty on wolf pelts?

Oh, bounty is paid after the necessary forms are filled out... in triplicate.

Yeah.

Bring them to me for my signature.

Then draw the money from payroll.

Mrs. Dow, I was very happy to hear about Johnny.

Thank you, Captain.

–Will you give him my best? –Uh-huh.

Good day.

Hondo...

thanks.

You know, Sam, I'm gonna spend that five dollars on a steak yea-thick for me.

[Sam growls]

You go find yourself a fat sage hen or a jackrabbit.

Open the gate!

♪ ♪