Original subtitles

Oh, boy.

Come here, soldier.

Tie this animal back up.

All right, Sergeant Carmody.

Keep these horses from breaking up my boat. I'll hold you personally responsible.

Couldn't be helped, Captain. Maybe that horse senses Indians.

Indian?

Yeah.

He's been tracking us for the past half an hour.

He'll follow us every twist and turn all the way up to Missouri.

Why didn't you tell me about this sooner? What for?

Can't do.

He's there. He's following us.

Oh, Captain, what commotion?

Oh, just a couple of horses got loose in the cargo deck, that's all.

Well, I'm scared stiff. What were the Indians and all?

The Indians? Why, there's only one.

Oh, no, you look right over there.

There's five of them.

When did the others get here?

A few minutes ago.

Captain, is something wrong?

Wrong? No, no.

Well, I've seen Indians before at Fort Omaha,

but I've never seen anything like this. They

don't even look at us. They just follow.

Well, let's just say they're going in the same direction. Nothing to worry about.

Hey, if you'll excuse me, ladies.

I don't care. I'm scared.

You're a guard unit now.

When we get up there, you'll be a regular army again.

So remember, you'll be the last outpost on the Missouri. If you see Indians.

Don't forget for a minute, he's your enemy.

He's a Stone Age savage.

Dirty, ragged, hostile.

To him, you're just a scalp.

Don't you forget it for a minute.

You're a dead man.

Any questions?

Attention.

Dismissed.

Sergeant, I want to know what's going on.

I don't think I understand, Captain. You hired us to carry rifles and ammunition.

There was no mention of an Indian war, not even a hint of it.

Those Sioux warriors out there are painted for trouble.

I'm not at liberty to discuss it with you, Captain Holden.

All right, then let's understand one another.

At the first sight of any hostile action against my boat,

I cancel a contract and turn back.

Now, is that perfectly clear?

Perfectly clear, Captain. Good day.

Oh, may we join you, Captain?

Oh, ladies.

Yes, of course. I welcome a little congenial company for a change. Sit down.

How do you ladies like a little coffee?

Oh, no, not for me. Thank you.

Do you think we'll arrive at the fort on schedule, Captain?

Well, there's no reason why we shouldn't.

Oh, we may be a few hours late,

but then that's not bad for a tricky river like Missouri.

What are you two ladies going to do up there?

Well, there's a dance hall up near the fort.

And?

And, uh, Kitty's looking for a husband.

Ma'am, I beg your pardon, but, uh, do you know what the Frontier Army is like?

Well, I've met plenty soldiers before, Captain.

I worked in a dance hall near Westport, and there was whole garrison out there.

Some of them are real nice.

If I were you, I'd turn around and go right back downriver.

You spend much time in an army camp, you won't find anything except trouble.

I can take care of myself, Captain.

What are you trying to do, start a war?

I was just trying to shoot me a couple Indians.

What's going on here?

Your hate campaign seems to be quite effective, sergeant.

Your boy here just tried to get himself an Indian.

Well, I was just trying to... That's enough, corporal.

Go to your quarters.

Yes, sir. All right, men, back to work. There's nothing to look at here.

Maybe you don't know it, Sergeant, but the Indians are like anybody else.

They don't like to be shot at. Don't tell me about

Indians, Captain. Well, maybe somebody ought to.

They lifted my hair, but I lived through it.

No, don't tell me about Indians.

I'm sorry about that.

That doesn't change anything.

My getting you to Fort Union on schedule depends

on having as few incidents as we can.

You keep riling them up out there, and they'll be able to jump us at Atkins Landing.

We weren't making any stops. And just what do you propose to burn for steam?

Straw?

We'll load wood at Atkins Landing this afternoon. It'll take about 40 minutes.

May I remind you of something, Sergeant?

You may run this part of the army, but I run this boat.

Still no sign of life? No, no. Give him another blast.

Aye, sir.

Shake him up again, Mr. Travis. Right, sir.

Maybe Homer didn't hear the whistle. Yeah,

and maybe he knows about the Indians and headed south.

All right, throw those lines secure and tie them fast.

I'm going into the cabin.

Keep the army on board here.

I don't want one of those hothead soldiers mistaking me for an Indian, huh? Right.

Homer Atkins!

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High... Homer Atkins!

...shall abide in the cellar of the Lord.

For he is my refuge, my fortress, my God.

In him I will trust.

All right, I think that's enough for now, Abby.

You run along into your room.

Yes, Papa.

Well, Captain?

Everybody deaf around here? Didn't you hear my whistle?

We need wood.

Yes, we heard you.

But I tell the Kesslers to stay in their cabin.

The wood is outside and the hay is in the barn.

Help yourself.

All right, Homer. What's the trouble?

You're bringing soldiers upriver. That means more fighting, more killing.

How did you know I was carrying soldiers?

Mirrors.

The Indians flash word from one hill to another faster than a bird can fly. Food,

medicine, and guns. It's a small guard unit. There'll be no trouble.

They're boiling over.

They're sending out for all the sub-chiefs and all their clans.

And they will sweep over this country like a norther.

Are you sure of that?

I am sure. All right, you tell the people in

the other cabin to get their things together.

You do the same. We'll take you both down river.

Thought you were going up to the Ford. Not anymore, I'm not.

Gray!

Everything all right?

No, everything's not all right.

Tell Connor to keep her hot. We're pulling out. Roger. If I get any help here,

you better get up a crew and get that wood aboard.

Yes, sir. We got trouble. We've been taking Ben like sheep to a slaughter.

Indians on the rampage up north. I figured the sergeant knew.

I know he knew all along.

We're turning around. We're going back.

Bring them to the water, Troll. Give them a drink, then lead them around.

Who told you to take those horses off the boat?

I know my job, Captain. The horses need exercise. Take them back on board.

We're turning around and going back to St.

Louis.

You can't do that.

You've got a choice to make.

You can either go back down river with us,

or you can take your supplies ashore here.

It's only about a day's ride to the fort. If you're lucky,

you can get there in time for the battle. You know that.

Homer Atkins was good enough to tell me that's more than I can say for you.

That makes no difference about us.

Those supplies have to get up river. Well, then get somebody else to do it, not me.

I'm not risking the Enterprise. You leave me no choice, Captain.

The lives of a great many men depend on those supplies.

I'm declaring martial law. Martial law?

I'm taking your boat into official custody.

Get a couple of men, get him on board. He's hurt pretty bad. How many did they get?

I don't know about the crew, but they got a couple of the soldiers.

You think that's it?

Yeah, for now, maybe. Move fast. Yeah, testing

their courage. Bunch of young bucks, probably.

What do we do now?

Get that wood on board as fast as we can.

I don't see how we can go off and leave these people, Greg.

We'll take everyone with us who wants to go,

but I'm not getting mixed up in the Army's troubles. We've got enough of our own.

Post a guard. Get that wood on board. All right.

Hey, mister. Yeah? We gotta get in that boat with you. All right.

My name's Kessler. He's my wife and my son. I'm Joshua. Got room for one more?

Of course. You better get your things together and get on board right away.

Joshua, I can't go. I gotta find Andy Jackson.

Andy Jackson? Who's he talking about? Well, that's a very important person to him.

That's his dog.

Oh, don't worry about your dog, Sonny. I'll find him for you.

You promise?

Yeah, I promise. Now go on, scoot.

You get on the boat with the Kesslers, and they'll look after you.

Aren't you coming, Papa?

Yes, yes, of course, but there's a few things I gotta do first.

You know your Papa loves you very much, don't you?

But Papa... No, no, no, you run along.

Quick about it.

Come on, shall we have a look around the riverboat?

Come on, come on, Joe.

You won't forget my dog.

I won't forget, son. Come on, come on.

You intend to stay, don't you?

This is my home.

My wife Eve and I built it with our own hands, out of the wilderness.

And what about the Indians?

Well, the main tribe's further north.

I don't think they'll bother with me. If you're so sure,

why'd you send your daughter aboard? So she could come back one day.

I'll make my peace with this tribe. They know me.

That's the way you feel about it? All right.

You need ammunition? No, I'm not going to fight them.

They know I won't cause them any trouble.

I'm not going to argue with you. And what about...

The line's aboard! Mr. and Mrs. Kessler!

Hurry, get on the boat! Mrs. Kessler!

I'll help you get him aboard. No, Dad. No, Dad.

Don't go out there, Master Chip.

Where are they?

They'll be all right.

They're probably coming on board this very minute, Billy.

If you want me to, I'll show you how to make the cat in a cradle.

And I'm worried about Andy Jackson, too.

Sir, we haven't got enough wood to cast off. We'll make do. Check the aft lines.

All lines clear, men!

Full steam ahead, Connie!

Now let her go, Captain.

No, that's all the kid has left.

They're not coming, are they?

You're gonna be all right.

I'll get you some water.

Lola and I brought all the wounded in here. I hope it's all right.

Of course, of course.

Except Sergeant Carmody.

He's in your cabin.

He's asking to talk to you.

Kitty, are you all right?

I'll see to the sergeant.

It's just that he was so young.

This country doesn't put a premium on being young. I, uh,

I was looking for the children.

Who's your children?

An old girl was mine.

Oh, I put them in a cabin, a man named Joshua.

Oh, how much obliged?

You look like you need some help in here.

The first thing I'm going to do is get you some coffee.

Look like you could use it.

I could, thank you.

My name is Homer Actons.

My name's Kitty Durian.

Come on, Kitty.

You look tired. Give you some rest. I'll take over.

Thank you.

Sergeant.

We're moving, aren't we?

But... Oh, Captain, you want to see that?

Yes.

My dispatch case, there in the chair. You give it to me.

Captain, when you get to the fort, see that Colonel Simmons gets it.

Intelligence plans, orders, all that. I hate to disappoint

you, Sergeant, but we're turning back.

I see. We'll get Corporal Jenkins in here.

Thomas, Corporal Jenkins in here on the double.

Aye, aye, sir.

Must be nice, Captain, having no loyalties.

I don't know any man like that, Sergeant.

You did what you had to do. Now I got to do the same. I've got loyalties.

You may not like them, but I've got them.

Corporal?

Yes, sir?

Come in here. Corporal, the captain will put you ashore.

You get to the fort the best way you can.

Give this to Colonel Simmons.

It's up to you now, Corporal.

I can't go, Sarge.

You mean you can't go? I ain't your man, Sarge.

The first sign of killing, and I ran.

I'm sick, Sarge.

Not sick.

Yeller. I know.

I'm scared. I'm so scared I can't walk.

They killed me out there, Sarge.

Yes, they probably would.

Sue can smell a coward in the dark.

I'll do it myself.

Is he dead? Is old Sarge dead?

Yeah, he's dead.

I'm sorry, Sarge.

I'm sorry.

Hold it in half, Connie. Let the current do the work.

How much wood have we got in hours?

Fifteen, sixteen maybe.

How many hours if you were against the current?

Against the current? Yeah, that's what I say.

We'd have to pull on full power. We'd be out of wood by morning sometime.

What's the nearest grove above Atkins?

About 30 miles to chop our own wood. There's no station there.

What are you thinking?

I'm thinking about those 500 soldiers and wondering if they were at the gamble.

Uh-huh.

Well, what are we waiting for? Let's turn this car around. Boy,

no sense in wasting steam.

Full steam ahead, Connie. We're going back upriver.

As well as could be expected, I guess.

It's the boy I'm worried about. I couldn't get him to eat his breakfast.

Huh?

Where is he?

How's Andy Jackson this morning?

He's fine.

Well, that's good. That's just fine.

Hey, Chip, I'd like to ask you advice about something. Uh-huh. You know,

we're kind of short-handed right now.

And I need somebody to carry water down to the men in the boiler

room and fetch me my charts from my cabin and help Mr.

Frazier out in the pilot house, you know, things like that.

It's very important work.

Yes, sir.

Well, you wouldn't know anybody who could do a job like that, would you?

But I know that you're very busy and everything.

Do you want me to help?

Well, do you think you can find the time?

Yes, sir.

Well, that's great. That's just great.

I guess you start out by helping Mr. Frazier open the pilot house, huh?

Then you can help him look for Indians.

I'm sorry I said that, Jim.

Are we going to see more Indians?

Well, maybe. I don't know.

You're not afraid of them, are you?

Yes, sir.

I guess I am.

Well, it's not bad to be afraid, Chip.

All of us are afraid of something or other, I reckon.

I don't like fire on a boat, for instance. It scares me.

But when you grow up to be a man, well,

then you have to realize that sometimes you have to keep going,

regardless of how you feel.

Can you understand that, Chip?

I think so.

It isn't easy to be a man, is it?

No. No, sometimes it sure isn't.

But just because it isn't easy, why don't you let

that stop you from being a man? You understand?

All right.

All right. Now, did you report up to Mr. Frazier up in the pilot house, huh?

Do you suppose I could take Andy Jackson with me?

Why, I don't see why not. But before you go, you stop down in the galley, huh?

A man can't do a full day's work on an empty stomach.

Yes, sir.

The bunch we ran into yesterday are signaling the main camp.

How come you know so much about Indians?

I did some trading with them for a time.

Back when this country was what I really call country.

There's too many people now. A man can't breathe.

Oh.

I reckon I'd better fix up a muster roll of the men you've got to fight with,

Captain. What do you know about muster rolls?

War of 1812, Captain.

General Jackson wouldn't have got very far without me.

General Jackson?

You're provoking a fight by taking this part of the river, Captain.

It's the Sioux River, and they feel like they own it.

Yeah, well, we'll just have to take our chances again.

They only want to be left alone.

I wouldn't have lost Eva if I'd learned that a lot sooner.

What, your wife? Yes. What does she have to do with it?

Well, she paid for my mistake.

One night an Indian came to our door, drunk, wanting a handout.

Eva was gonna feed him.

But I threw him out. There was a fight, and he shot Eva before I killed him.

Spell in my arms, Captain. Took her three days to die.

You can't blame yourself for that.

I raised my hand against my fellow man, and I was punished, but no more. Homer,

we're going to need every able-bodied man we have on board this boat.

Well, you can count me out.

Kitty and Lisa are great big catfish. It was this long and this wide around,

and Kitty said it meowed.

Oh, I'm much obliged to you for taking care of her.

Well, you're certainly welcome. I enjoyed it.

Homer, you better get her off the deck. The channel cuts close to shore here.

They may be lying away for us. All right.

Come along. Thank you.

I don't want you men to break out to Max's.

We gotta get those rifle cases open.

In a hurry, huh? Hop to it.

Mr. Travis, you'll save time if you let me handle it.

Those army rifle crates are mighty tough to crack. I've had experience.

All right, come on. They're all yours.

What are you doing?

Oh, I'm just setting out these water buckets

in case the Indians decide to burn the boat.

You know, if they can't take the supplies, I'll try to destroy them.

Well, what are you going to do now?

I've had to burn your place.

Go back, I guess.

Out here?

Where I belong.

What's going to happen to your little girl?

Who's going to teach you how to read and write?

Well, she don't need to know them things.

Well, of course she does, Mr. Adkins.

Anymore you can't get anywhere without knowing how to read and write.

Well, there's no sense in arguing the point here.

You know what's the matter with you?

There's a lot of things wrong with me.

That's what's the matter with you. You talk like an old man, and you're a young man.

You just don't understand.

Yes, I do.

I don't know exactly what happened to you,

but I know that if a man is really a man, he stands up to life.

There's so much fighting in this world as it is.

She was the wrong kind, not half enough of the right, I'd say.

Mr. Atkins, time's running out.

Think about it.

What's happening up there?

I didn't have enough steam to hold in the curtain. Well, you put us in the mud.

It's going to take a lot of power to back up. We'll have to cut wood now.

Captain, the Indians. Well, this is what they've been waiting for.

Nothing's going to stop them now.

All right, Robbie, pick up the axes. You soldiers,

we'll start up the ammunition. On the double.

Ben!

Ben, tell Connie to bank the fires. Get the engine crew out here on the double.

No need to bank the fires, Gray. Connie just burned the last tick of wood.

All right, get out of here.

I'm going to shower.

Right.

Oh, Captain, Lola's watching the children. They're in the salon with the wounded.

That's fine. The wood party will keep an eye on the boat. Rusty.

Better hang on to this. You know how to handle one of these things?

No, but I can figure it out.

I'm going to be pretty resourceful when I have to be.

I'm sure you can.

Captain, would you keep an eye on Homer Atkins?

Of course.

Good luck.

What was that all about?

Our little dancing girl is becoming a woman.

She's beginning to make domestic clucking sounds.

I won't fight, Captain. All right, Homer, all right.

But we need somebody to guard the riverside of the

boat in case they decide to attack from there.

No, they won't. The current's too strong for swimming

and the hump of power in canoe people.

I won't fight them, Captain, but I can swing an axe as well as the next man. Good,

good, Homer. We need all the help we can get. Go pick yourself out an axe, huh?

Polka, Carney, come here.

Only cut enough wood to get out of here and pull us into the fort.

Do I have to take him with me? Well, of course. Why not?

He said he's going to give me lessons, not a swinging axe. Take him with you,

Carney. You might learn something new.

All right, everybody, on the double.

You shouldn't be out here in the open.

As long as I'm taking care of the children, I'm all right.

Well, that's not the point.

What is it?

Well, I've been thinking about what you said in the next letter since. Oh,

I'm not talking about myself. I'm thinking about Abby. Now,

if anything happens to me, well,

I'd be much obliged if you'd see to it that she got an education.

Nothing's going to happen to you.

So we saw some dust over that hill.

Want me to take a look? No, when they're ready, they'll come to us.

Here they come. Hold your fire.

He's a canny old devil, isn't he?

He stays just outside our range to make the rest of his tribe think he's invincible.

Down to the left.

Down to the right. They'll be coming from the north.

Well, they're not going to charge us down here in the open.

They'll probably throw it down through the trees.

Stay put.

I won't stand a better chance if we spread out. Over this way, boys.

You got any extra ammunition?

No, there's no such thing as extra.

What about here?

Thanks.

Travis! I don't believe it.

Carney, you better check and see if we got enough wood to get going, huh?

We haven't even got enough to fire the boilers.

Uh, Joshua, we'd better throw up some kind of breastworks around here.

It'll give us a little protection.

Anyway.

And, uh, you'd better move the women and children and wounded men off the boat.

Off the boat? Off the boat. Well, they'll be safer there.

Not in a tinderbox that can't move.

All right, Captain.

Andy Jackson! Andy! There you are! Come on!

Mr. Carney!

Carney!

Yes, sir. How many cases of gunpowder have we got left? Two and a half. Well,

once would be sufficient.

Bring that up and link the fuse to me on the double. You gonna set a trap?

That's a general idea. Aye, sir.

Told ya!

You're the only one left on his feet. I need some help.

All right.

The odds are pretty bad. 100 to 1, maybe.

You still want to do it?

Yes, sir.

Ben!

Hey, Ben, I want you to do something for me.

Anything at all?

You better mean that.

If they break through, if there isn't any chance, I want you to...

I want you to fire the boat.

Your what?

We mustn't let those supplies get into their hands.

Stay with women and children.

You live with the Indians, you know what they're like.

Don't let them take anybody alive.

I want to apologize, Captain.

Old Sarge.

I still don't know why I'd done it, but I've been doing a lot of thinking.

We're all gonna die someday, I reckon.

I reckon.

Miss Lola, the Indians won't hurt Andy Jackson, will they?

Why, honey, nobody would want to hurt a cute dog like that.

Anyway, I'm going to find a place to hide him.

You've been very lonely, haven't you?

Yeah, I suppose so.

But then I didn't have any hopes. I guess that was my trouble.

You have hopes now?

Mm-hmm. I'm glad.

Yeah, for the first time in years, I feel...

At peace with myself, you know what I mean?

And if things had been different, well, after a while,

I would have asked you to marry me.

I would have said yes.

You would really?

Well, I would love being your wife.

I guess it sounds a little silly coming from me. They're gonna attack again?

But you're gonna fight, huh?

Man has to do what he can.

Why don't you log that medicine man's stop out the last time? On top of that one.

All right, I won't be able to see him come over the hill.

Give me a whistle.

I don't know.

You got about a minute to get to that log before it blows.

Look, he stopped at the wrong log.

It's not gonna work. I can make it. I can make it. I can make it work.

I failed.

I failed again. No, you didn't. Lush. Lush.

How do you feel? Just like a man.

Ben, we'll be pulling into Fort Union in about ten minutes.

Have the men stand by for landing.

I've already passed the word.

They're passing you a compliment, Captain. They're calling you a big thunder.

They won't want any more of you for a while.

It seems kind of a shame, though, after all

those fine breastworks I threw up. Captain.

Huh? Oh. Could I ask you a question? Yes, of course.

Excuse me.

Well, I wondered if you'd mind doing us a favor

since you were the captain of the boat.

Why, anything at all.

Well, after the cargo's unloaded, would you have

time to perform a... A wedding ceremony?

I'd be delighted. Hi, Joe.

Come here.

Here's your coffee, Captain, sir.

What are you supposed to be?

I'm your cowboy, officially.

Officially? Who hired you? I hired him.

Oh.

Oh, you hired him.

Hey, it's a downright disgrace for a fine boat like this to run without a cabin boy.

A big two-stack stern wheeler like this has to have a cabin boy.

It's the rules of the river. And what do you know about the rules of the river?

I was first mate in a Memphis Belle for two years.

We're about to dock. I've got to see if the crew's ready.

Stand by for landing. Who hired you?

Stand to your lines, you lovers. Look sharp. We're coming in. Aye, aye, sir.

Stand to your lines.

We're not playing games. Aye, aye, sir. Off a big boat, Captain. Off our lines.

Water line's clear!

Yeah, it's a big boat.

Send to your lines!

All right, now, cabin boy, I take cream in my coffee. Don't ever forget it.

Yes, sir.

I'll do it, lad.