Glyn, have a biscuit.
Whoa!
This is good. Bring 'em up for a night camp.
Hello, funny face. Hey. Eat a good biscuit. Mrs Prentiss made it.
I make better.
I don't know how much better, but I will say they're harder.
We got three hours left in the day. Why don't we keep on?
We got water here. It may pay out by night.
Marjie promised to scrub out a shirt for me.
I did not! I didn't promise. I said maybe.
Bring it to the wagon. I'll scrub it out. But I won't like it.
Why not? Your mother used to scrub ten shirts.
20. And pants too.
- He hasn't got ten. Have you? - No.
One on, one off, one in the wash.
Make your circle right near to the stream there.
I think I'll ride out for a couple of hours.
Might be an easy trail past the hills there.
- You stole a horse. Anything to say? - Cut him loose!
Drop your gun. All right, untie him.
Come on, over there. Move.
About this horse. I really didn't steal him, if that makes any difference.
- It doesn't. - That's what I thought.
Why did you step in?
- I just don't like hangings. - It's a funny thing, I don't either.
- You riding south? - No, I'm going north.
Taking some folks up in the Columbia river country. Farmers. Nice folks.
Settlers, huh? Is that your trade, a guide?
No, not exactly. I've been doing a lot of things. I ran into these folks in Missouri.
I thought I might try my hand at farming or ranching if I can find me some cattle.
They make good biscuits. You'll like 'em.
I didn't catch your name. Or did you say it?
McLyntock. Glyn McLyntock.
Glyn McLyntock?
- From the Missouri country? - That's right.
- You're gonna go farming? - Or ranching.
If I can get me some cattle.
Come on, let's get those biscuits.
I thought we were out of Cheyenne country. What do you make of that?
Shoshone. Real mean when they want to be.
Lately they want to be. They cut up some trappers last week for their rifles.
- They got rifles? Know how to use them? - No.
- How did you get out of the Black Hills? - Lucky I guess.
Glyn, you're late.
You'd better get some supper before Marjie eats it all.
We got beans, tea and biscuits.
- Soft ones this time. - Those biscuits I was telling you about.
- I see you found yourself a friend. - I found him hanging around.
I guess I missed your name. Or did you say it?
Cole. Emerson Cole.
You're Jeremy Baile. Glyn told me about you.
Are you Emerson Cole of Kansas way?
Yeah.
Yeah, you're gonna like these biscuits.
Laura. Laura, this is Emerson Cole here.
He's hungry. Give him something to eat, will you?
I was thinking about tomorrow.
We can save a lot of miles if we go straight north.
This place we're headed for, 1 50 miles east from Portland.
- Just over that tall mountain, isn't it? - That's right.
- You say we should go here. - Uh-huh.
I think we should go so.
You could go so, but that mountain up there,
that tall fellow with the white hair,
he's about two miles high.
Got a lot of hills around him one mile high, so you climb and climb.
- Just one mile? Is that too bad? - It isn't very good when it's straight up.
You've got the food to think about.
By the time you get your grounds cleared and houses built, it'll be winter.
If you haven't arranged supplies from Portland, what'll you eat?
I guess you're right. It was just an idea.
A lot of people had the same idea. Most of them are still up there under the snow.
- Glyn, where you been? - Up in the hills.
You been eating this food all the way from Missouri?
- Wearing the same shirt too. - I can't scrub it with you in it.
I'm not in this one.
Night birds. I haven't heard them before.
They're sort of a special kind. They live up in the hills.
- Redwing orioles. - Yeah, from Canada.
Yeah, from Canada. From, uh...
They're sort of plaintive. I hope they nest near our farm.
Don't you like them?
No, not for neighbours.
Mrs Prentiss got a lot of boiling water. What about the shirt?
You're a nuisance. I'm sorry for your wife, whoever she's going to be.
Because I like a clean shirt?
Get up from there. I wanna do my chores.
I always point this toward the north star.
Where is it? There we are.
And then come morning we'll know where we're going.
- Is that the way you travel? - Always.
But I never pick the same star.
Tomorrow it might be that big fat one up there.
The next day I might take a fancy to that little skinny one over there.
I'll tell her. She's my sister.
- Nice girl, that. - Yeah, real nice.
- Your girl? - No.
- Yeah. Redwing orioles. - From Canada, huh?
How many you figure?
About six or ten. If they were a big war party, they'd have come barging in.
- You ever tangle with any of these? - Yeah, a time or two.
I was with Martinsen up in the Snake.
Indians! Indians!
Douse the fires! Put out the lanterns!
Take cover!
All right, Glyn, I'll take care of her.
Come on, get under the wagon!
Stop shooting at moonbeams!
Hold your fire till you can see what you're shooting at!
Which they won't.
They're using that for cover beyond the stream.
Keep an eye on them. Don't let them waste any more lead.
Are you gonna go out after 'em?
That's better than having them come in after us.
- No need for you to go out there. - I know it.
I'll move in. You try and call one up.
- Five of 'em. - Less one.
Stay here. I'll send you an oriole.
And one makes five.
You'll do exactly as I say, Jeremy. You'll drive slowly.
And two hours' rest at noon.
What about the Shoshones? They might come back.
- I doubt it. - Indians or not, I want a smooth road.
- How's Laura this morning? - Fair to middling.
And I hope to keep her that way.
- Morning. About that shirt, I'm sorry. - Why? It needed scrubbing.
- Did you find it? - Mm-hm.
Well, thanks. That's real nice of you.
What with the excitement and everything, I thought...
- I used the bucket to put out the fire. - I'm afraid it's a little scorched.
Slightly. You can put out fires with sand too, you know.
Laura, five, six days we'll be in Portland.
We'll take an easy trail and go slow. Think you can take it?
I'll take it.
- You're going with us? - I picked out another star last night.
A big fat yellow one hanging over California.
It's all full of gold and I'm gonna try and find it.
- We'll miss you. - Thanks.
Here's a present for you, funny face.
- Sorry you're not coming along. - I'm not much at farming or ranching.
- Uh-huh. Well, I'll be seeing you. - Yeah.
Wagons, roll! Get up there!
We'll go slow, Laura. We'll take it nice and easy. Get up there, you!
Come on! Keep it moving! Get up there!
Get up there! Keep moving!
- California's back that way. - I know.
You could swing west along the Columbia river, head down the coast.
That's what I figured.
About this business of ranching, are you sure you're gonna go through with it?
- Very sure. - McLyntock of the border a rancher!
I don't get it. Who you running away from?
A man by the name of Glyn McLyntock.
- What happens when he catches you up? - I don't think he's gonna catch me up.
I think he died on the Missouri border.
You're wrong. He'll catch you up one of these days.
- Does the old man know about you? - No.
Want me to tell you what'll happen when he finds out?
Maybe I'd rather wait and find out for myself.
Blow that whistle, Adam! We got wagons.
We got wagons coming to town.
Tie her down and let her whoop.
Yes, Captain Mello, I got her down. Got her blowing fit to bust.
Fit to bust.
- What happened? - She busted.
We never should have left the Mississippi.
Welcome to Portland. Glad to see you, sir. And you, little lady.
- Where do you hail from? - Missouri.
- Hear you got good farming country. - We have. It's yours for the taking.
- How much of a drive is it? - Two weeks, but I can cut that in half.
I can take you to the rapids in my steamer.
- Think you can make it? - Maybe yes, maybe no, but we can try.
I'm Tom Hendricks.
I own the boat, so if we hit a rock I'll be the only one to lose.
I'm McLyntock. This is Cole here. Jeremy Baile up there.
Jeremy.
My name's Don Grundy. I run the saloon and the town's only restaurant.
It's good food. I got me a Chinese cook.
- Say, do we know each other? - We do now. Howdy.
Howdy.
Pick yourself a tree and stop in the shade.
Any place suits you suits us. Make yourselves comfortable.
We need a doctor. You got one around?
- Trouble? - We ran into some Shoshones.
Jeremy's daughter caught an arrow. It's up high but it's painful.
We'll take care of that in no time at all.
That's my boat, the River Queen.
Captain Mello is the best man in the Oregon Territory with an arrow wound.
When he's sober.
Captain! Captain Mello!
Got a job for you. Arrow wound.
- Whereabouts? - Right up here. Part of the head's still in it.
If you can point to it, it ain't serious.
Just leave it alone. It'll fall out by itself in due time.
Adam, what are you doing to that whistle?
I just unbusted her.
Never should have left the Mississippi.
About that arrow - just leave it alone.
It's not me. It's a lady over there in the first wagon.
Take her over to the Hendricks place. I'll get my kit and be along directly.
- Adam! Fetch me a clean set of cuffs. - Cuffs?
You can trust him. Tell your people to make themselves comfortable.
Tonight we'll have a little get-together. Might have some fiddle music.
We'll give you a real Oregon welcome.
# Two can swing with an elbow swing Now the opposite gal with a pigeon wing
# Same two gents do the same old thing Now your own with a left-hand whirl
# Round and round with a pretty little girl Swinging like swinging on the gate
4800, and two is 5,000 dollars.
- You made a deal, Mr Hendricks. - That's right.
Captain Mello will take you upriver in the morning.
- About our supplies? - I have them listed.
Flour, sugar, salt. Enough to carry you through the winter.
- You'll send them up in the fall? - The first week of September.
By then you'll have your ground cleared and houses built.
- You can scare up some cattle for us? - I'm sure I can.
There it is. There's your arrowhead. Clean as a whistle.
Let her rest for about a month and she'll be ready to do the spring ploughing.
She's a right nice little lady. Real pretty too.
- You got a husband picked out for her? - No, I'm afraid she'll do her own picking.
- Can I see her? - For a minute.
She's upstairs there in that room beyond the balcony.
Just a little dampness keeps down fever, miss.
Take your clumsy hands away from her. You'll pat the brains out of her head!
Don't tell me how to do my patting.
When I pats, I pats gentle. Sort of soft and soothing.
It's gonna put her right off to sleep.
Laura, how are you?
Not too bad, thanks to my wonderful doctor.
- Can't we take her upriver? - No.
Little missy's gonna stay in that bed for a month, maybe longer.
Doc Warren's due in Portland next week and I want him to look over my work.
- It might be better if he had a look. - A whole month?
Why not? I'll be happy to have her as my guest.
Aunt Tildy'll take care of her as if she were her own daughter.
What do you know about taking care of little girls?
I been taking care of Captain Mello for 40 years or more.
- Go on! Go on! - She'll be all right.
I'll take her upriver with me when I bring your supplies next September.
- Hurts, doesn't it? - Yes.
Sometimes it's good to cry a little.
Sometimes it's good to dance a little too.
Funny how a man's face will stick in your mind.
- I'd swear we've met before. - I'm sure it was a friendly meeting.
- Did you say you were from Kansas? - I didn't say. But I am.
Let's have a little punch. Marjie, would you care for some?
- I'd love some. - There you are. Glyn? Good.
May I buy you gentlemen a drink?
That's right friendly of you, stranger.
- Are you a gambling man? - I am.
- Do you figure to stay in Portland? - I do.
Sorry to disappoint you, but Don handles all the gambling in town.
Perhaps you can accommodate me. I have time for a few hands of poker.
- Glyn, I think this is our dance. - Excuse me.
But if you're too busy to dance with me now,
I'd be happy to wait until you're free.
Perhaps our friend here would like to have my dance.
- Marjie, may I present Mr... - Trey Wilson of San Francisco.
- Pleased to make your acquaintance.
I'm Marjie Baile. Shall we dance?
Later, if you please. I have some business with these gentlemen.
Well, I hope you lose!
- About those few hands of poker... - If you wish.
Marjie, I didn't mean to be rude over there.
This is my dance, isn't it?
- Yes, it is. - Come on, then. Let's go.
- Right handsome fellow, isn't he? - I've seen handsomer.
- Like me, for instance? - You're very handsome.
- In an elderly sort of way. - Elderly... Yeah.
- Could I cut in, sir, please? - How's that?
Oh! Well, if you insist, young man.
One.
Join me in a drink.
Three.
Now I remember.
There was a killing in Kansas City at the Trail's End Saloon.
You were one of the Missouri border raiders.
I'll take mine from the top.
- You got it from the top. - That last one came from the bottom.
Deuce of spades.
You're a liar!
You're real fast with that gun, kid, but you're soft. Someday it'll kill you.
- You sure he was right about that card? - Yeah. I knew Grundy.
Is that why you killed him?
Or was it because he knew you?
Careful with those apple trees. They mustn't get hurt.
- Is them apple trees? - Yes. These are plums. These are pears.
All different. We'll have the finest fruit in all the world upriver.
Them ain't apple trees. I seen an apple tree when I was a kid.
It was as big as a house.
All aboard that's coming aboard! Hurry up! Haul that gangplank aboard!
- Goodbye, Marjie. - Goodbye. Goodbye.
You've decided to stay in Portland?
For a while. Then I thought I'd drift down to California.
- Still following that star? - Better than having a star following you.
- Yeah. I'll see you. - Everybody aboard?
Haul up the gangplank. Let's go. Hurry up.
- Don't forget you're coming up to see me. - If I have time.
Looks like we might have a romance in the making.
Trey's a good boy. I don't like that man Cole.
- Why not? - I heard Grundy say he was a raider.
Lots of people used to raid. Some of them decided to change.
That kind can't change.
When an apple's rotten, you must throw it away or it'll spoil the whole barrel.
There's a difference between apples and men.
Stand by to cast off! Clear your bow lines!
Ease off on the stern lines! Easy there! Clear the bow!
Cast off all lines!
- Mind if we come up? - No, if you keep out of the way.
I got enough people up here giving orders to my crew now.
- Half astern. - Half astern!
- Full astern. - Full astern!
Beautiful, aren't they?
Those are the ones you wanted to drive over in the wagon.
- We'd have made it. - Sure.
Of course, this way is easier.
- How far upriver can we go? - Another 40, 50 miles.
Then we come to the rapids?
No way of getting the boat past, unless you take it apart and carry it.
You sure you don't want me to do that too?
Never you mind.
Someday we'll have a portage past the rapids and boats on the upper river.
- Keep her in closer to the bank. - Why?
It's better going. I came up last year in a canoe and we stayed close to the bank.
This ain't no canoe.
This is it. This is as far as you can go.
Yeah, I see what you mean.
But the wagons'll take us around the rapids.
In a day or two you'll see some of the finest country God put on this planet.
It's what I've always dreamed about, Glyn.
A new country where we can make things grow.
We'll find a valley where the earth is rich.
Where the mountains shelter us from the north wind.
We'll use the trees that nature has given us.
Cut a clearing in the wilderness.
We 'll put in roads. Use the timber to bridge the streams where we have to.
And we 'll build our homes, Glyn.
Build them strong to stand against the winter snows.
There 'll be a meeting house, a church.
We 'll have a school.
Then we'll put down seedlings.
There'll be apples, pears.
In a few years we'll bring fruit to the world such as the eyes of man has never seen.
All of this is good.
But it'll be for nothing unless we get enough food for the first winter.
Lately I've been watching the snow clouds over those mountains.
In a few weeks we'll be iced in.
It's bad, Glyn. Bad. I'm worried.
- Any word from Portland? - None at all.
I thought those supplies were coming in September.
So did l, and here it is the middle of October.
We've come to the end of the flour. Another week, no more bacon and beans.
- No more nothing in two weeks. - I hadn't realised it was that bad.
No use worrying you men. You had your work to do.
Mello may be having trouble with his boat. But Hendricks should have let us know.
We should ride down to Portland and find out what's the matter.
I'm worried about Laura. No word. Nothing.
Let's get started down there tomorrow morning.
Come and get it!
Come and get it or I'll feed it to the hogs!
I wish I had a couple of hogs.
We gotta find a way to get across that mountain.
If we can, we can save a week or ten days on a trip to Portland.
If we can't find a way, somebody'll have to come and find us under ten feet of snow.
- This is good country. - Real good country.
Let's hope we can keep it this way.
Missouri and Kansas was like this when I first saw 'em. Good. Clean.
It was the men who came in to steal and kill that changed things.
We mustn't let it happen here.
Where did they come from, these people?
I don't know, but I don't like it.
Captain Mello!
Hey, Captain Mello! Are you aboard?
Well, hello. Ain't seen you for months.
- That's the trouble. Where've you been? - Here, tied up to the dock.
Adam, fetch me another bottle of whisky. We got company.
I fetched the last bottle we got and you drunk it empty.
We never should have left the Mississippi.
I tell you, we never should have left the Mississippi.
Come aboard and I'll send for refreshments.
- Captain, what's happened to this town? - Gold, that's what.
Some fool went out in the hills and got himself some dust.
This town's gone plumb crazy ever since.
- What about our supplies? - There they are on the dock.
Your horses and cattle are over yonder.
- Why weren't they sent upriver? - Tom Hendricks' orders.
- You'd better see him about it. - I think I will.
You'd better get up steam. We need these things upriver.
- We're starting right now. - There's no need to be disappointed.
You see that price there? That's what flour was worth when you bought it last spring.
See this? That's how it's climbed ever since.
- But it's our flour. We paid for it. - It was your flour.
You fellows wanna make a dollar apiece?
Five dollars?
I'll give you ten dollars apiece for one hour's work.
- And a bottle of whisky? - It's a deal.
Get 'em to get this stuff aboard. Is that all right with you, Captain Mello?
- If that's the way it's gonna be, yes. - Thank you, Captain.
- Glyn, find out about Laura. - All right.
You're a little naked to go calling on Hendricks with no gun.
- Can I get you one? - No, thanks.
What's the chance of a fellow buying $1,000 of blue chips?
Glyn! Good to see you. What brought you into town?
A real tired horse!
Hey, Trey! Let John take your hand.
Looks like that star of yours brought you a real pot of gold.
If I'd got here first, but I got here late so I'm working as Hendricks' pit boss.
- It's quite a layout. - Hello, Trey.
- Have you heard about the gold strike? - Yeah.
- How are the folks? How's Jeremy? - Fine.
And his daughter... What was her name?
You know very well what her name was. Her name's Marjie.
She's beautiful and will probably marry one of those fellows that proposed to her.
That's fine. She's a very nice girl. If I were the marrying kind...
Never mix marriage with gambling. The percentage is against you.
- Let's have a drink. - Glad to see you, Trey.
Whisky. Two.
- How's Laura? The shoulder? - Fine. She runs the gold scales.
59 ounces, give or take a grain.
Just about the only person in town you can trust.
Well...
$1 240. How will you have it? Credit or coin?
Just give me a credit slip, miss.
Then you can step out and come help me spend it.
That'll be enough of that.
They'll help you spend your money.
Looks like you've got yourself a reputation.
Some folks think I'm almost as fast as that raider from Missouri.
What was his name? McLyntock?
- Friend of yours, honey. - Oh.
- Laura. - Hello. I'll be right with you.
Bradley, take the scales for a moment.
How's everybody upriver? We've been worried about you. Haven't we, Cole?
We're all pretty well. Marjie, she's all up to her neck in romance.
Mrs Prentiss is playing schoolteacher.
Your dad's been wondering what kept you in Portland so long. So have l.
- Well, l... Tell him that l... - Tell him you like it in Portland.
Laura doesn't think farming'd be much fun. Frankly I don't blame her.
Uh-huh.
- That mean you're not going upriver? - No, Glyn, I like it here.
It's exciting.
We've had such a wonderful time. You'll have to tell Dad I'm staying here.
Maybe you'd better tell him yourself.
He's at the dock with Captain Mello.
You might just as well, honey. You're gonna have to tell him sometime.
- I asked you if she was your girl. - That's right. You did.
- Hope you don't mind. - I don't.
- Where do I find Hendricks? - I'll show you.
Maybe you'd better get back to your work.
Maybe I'd better.
It'll run you $850. I'll take it in cash.
- Those prices are way out of line. - Tomorrow it'll cost you $1,000.
Next week you won't get it at any price. This is the last load going upriver.
We'll take it, but it's robbery.
Come on.
Hello, McLyntock.
- How goes things at the settlement? - Not bad. Kinda short on food.
Wondering why our supplies haven't been sent.
Had trouble getting them. When they come I'll ship them up to you.
- When will that be? - Two, three weeks. A month at the most.
There's a lot of ice along the river bank. It might be frozen solid.
If it freezes, I'll pack your supplies up.
- What if we get snow on the mountains? - Don't argue.
I'll give you back your money.
I don't want money, I want those supplies in the dock. Our food. Send it upriver.
Don't tell me what to do. I can get 50 times what you paid for that food.
It's gold. Do you understand? Gold.
- Here's your money. Give me that receipt. - You made a deal, you'll stick to it.
1 00 people are depending on that food for the winter.
Do you expect them to starve while you feed miners?
- That's your problem. - I know.
Do you need any more men to load that steamer?
- You got the wrong fellow. - No, I ain't.
You hired Shorty and Red and Long Tom, and I can do more work than any of them.
Are you talking about the River Queen being loaded?
Sure, with all them cattle and boxes and barrels and stuff.
I wanna make ten dollars and a bottle of whisky.
Wait a minute. You're not going anywhere.
Behind you.
- Having a little trouble? - A little.
Should have hit him in the shoulder, kid.
- Now what? - I'm going to the docks. Want to come?
Have we got any choice?
Pick them up on the street!
Pick up a lantern!
Get on your horses!
- Pull up the gangplank! - We can't leave for another half-hour!
That's what you think!
- Get inside, quick! - Stand by to repel boarders!
Adam, full speed astern! You hear me?
Adam, full speed astern!
Full speed astern!
Are you sure you wanna come along?
This is a fine time to ask me!
Stop wasting lead. We'll ride to the rapids and pick them up when they come in.
- I sure wanna thank you, Captain Mello. - What for?
- For getting us out of trouble. - Trouble? That wasn't any trouble.
Things like that happened on the Mississippi every day.
- Ain't that so, Adam? - Yes, but we were younger then.
- It just requires a little bit of thinking. - Then you'd better start thinking.
Hendricks and his men are headed for the rapids.
- Think we can beat 'em to it? - Not a chance.
They'll be there three or four hours 'fore we are.
- Got any ideas, Glyn? - I got a few.
Oh, uh... thanks for your gun.
Think you can get along without it?
I'll get along.
- Didn't Laura talk to you? - She didn't tell me about him.
I guess she figures Cole would make a good husband. Maybe she's right.
She's not right. His kind never change.
I hope you're wrong, Jeremy.
I sure hope you're wrong.
- Captain Mello! - Captain!
Can you pull her over to the bank?
I could, but we're 20-odd miles below the rapids yet.
I know. Just get her over there.
Adam, put her over to the shore.
Easy does it. We don't wanna get hung up.
- What happens when we reach shore? - We unload.
Then what?
Remember you talked about finding a road across the mountain?
We're gonna try and find one.
Miss Laura, here's one of Captain Mello's coats and caps
so you can have a whole outfit.
Fine, Adam. Thank you.
Down easy. Hold it. Hold it.
Come on, you. Give him a hand here.
Help 'em hitch the horses up. Come on!
Hey! That's quite an outfit. Where did it come from?
Adam and I did some exploring. Found a bit here and a bit there.
- Do you approve? - Very much. Especially the cap.
Look out, Captain!
Come on, let her down easy.
I guess that does it. I figure you owe us another ten dollars. Maybe twenty.
And the bottle of whisky. Ain't that right, Shorty?
- And the whisky. - That's what we figure.
You'll get paid when we reach the settlement.
You know how to drive a four-up?
We ain't going over no mountain. I ain't driving no team.
- You want to get to the gold camp. - Not over the mountain.
When we get a grubstake we're going to the diggings, but not with you!
I'll tell you what I'll do.
You help us get these supplies to the settlement,
I'll see to it that each one of you gets a grubstake worth 200, 300, 400 dollars -
enough food to send you through the winter.
And if we say no?
He broke my pipe.
He broke it again.
The law won't let you get away with this.
What law?
It's a deal. We get you to the settlement, you grubstake all of us.
Uh-huh. All right, now, let's get 'em rolling. Come on!
Looks like you're ready to shove off.
Best of luck to you, and I hope you make it 'fore the snow comes.
How does a man say thank you when he owes so much?
You don't owe me anything, Jeremy.
It's been a pleasure to work with nice people.
There's 1 00 people beyond those mountains -
1 00 people who'd have never gotten through the winter without this food.
- Let me thank you for them. - Didn't do a thing.
Adam, come and say goodbye to these nice people.
- Goodbye. - Godspeed wherever you're headed for.
But where are we headed for?
Back down to Portland, then maybe we'll just keep on going.
But where, for instance?
We never should have left the Mississippi. Maybe we'll go back to it.
It may take you quite a while to find it.
We got time. We got all the time in the world, ain't we, Captain?
All the time in the world, Adam.
We'll head back to Natchez and Mobile, New Orleans...
- Think you can handle 'em? - We may lose a few, but we'll try.
All right, let's roll 'em out. Come on.
Let's move!
All right! Come on! Get on there!
Come on!
Get up there!
Come on!
Get up there!
Faster!
Get up there, boy!
Whoa! Whoa!
- You can get out and stretch if you like. - I'd like.
- Take 'em up. Roll 'em along. - They're tired and so are we.
You've been pushing hard since morning. How long you intend keeping on?
Just as long as we got daylight. Now, send 'em along.
- Send 'em along. - When do we noon?
- We don't. - I'm hungry.
You want Hendricks and his men to sit down and eat with you? Go on!
- I thought we left them at the river. - We did, but he's right.
As soon as Hendricks finds where we cut away, he'll be tailing us.
- Then what? - I don't know. But I'm gonna find out.
- Looks like we're running from Hendricks. - Looks like.
What happens when he catches up with us?
- Could be we see a good fight. - You gonna be in it?
- Aren't you? - Not me.
I ain't gonna bring food to a lot of settlers just for a grubstake.
Same here, only we aren't gonna bring this food to the settlement.
- When do we take over? - I'll let you know.
Pass the word along to the others. Tell them to keep their mouths shut.
Where do you figure to put down for the night?
There's flat ground by the stream ahead of us. It might do.
- Any news? - Yeah. All bad.
Hendricks' men are climbing the second rise.
- How many has he got? - 30 or 40. I didn't count them.
- How much time do we have? - Two hours, tops.
Uh-huh. There's a little box canyon off to the left and a waterfall at the end of it.
Take the cattle up there and meet me back at the wagons.
Make your circle there by the falls, Jeremy.
Come on!
Bring your teams in and unhook 'em.
Make a wide space between the wagons.
You're in trouble.
Two men on that ledge can cut the wagon crew to pieces.
Why give Hendricks all the odds?
Cole's right, Glyn. Couple of men on that ledge and we wouldn't have a prayer.
That's what I figured. Let's get some fire started, see what we can do about coffee.
There's what we're after.
Spread out and attack!
All right, let's get out of here! Let's go!
- They've had it. Let 'em go. - Why? Why?
If you don't know, I can't tell you.
It's too bad. He seemed like a real nice fellow.
He was. Until they found gold.
Hey! Go on, boy! Go on!
- Hello! - Looks like we got company.
Glad to see you. We thought Hendricks never would get that food to us.
A week and the snow'd have blocked the trail.
The crowd at the gold camp will be glad to see you.
- We're not going to the gold camp. - That ain't our food?
I'm afraid not. There's a settlement up around the bend of the river.
- What happened to our food? - Hendricks promised us it this week.
We paid him ten times what it was worth.
- Hendricks is dead. - What about us?
We can't get through the winter without grub.
I'm sorry. I'd like to give you some of ours but we got barely enough.
- What'll we do? - You can spend the winter in Portland.
Winter in Portland! Do you know what that means in money?
We could take a million dollars in gold out of those hills.
We're not gonna shut down. I'll tell you what we'll do.
Anything you paid for that grub, we'll give you ten times what it cost.
Ten times. You'll get $100,000 for what you've got in those wagons.
Hey, that's a lot of money.
Yeah, that's a lot of money.
I'm afraid our food is not for sale.
- Why not? - Because it's more important than money.
It means a new life for 1 00 people.
I don't suppose you can understand me, but I can't take money for people's lives.
You're sure you won't change your mind?
- I'm afraid not. - I'll talk to you later.
Roll 'em out! Follow me downhill and we'll go up the next gully.
Get up there! Go on!
Whoa!
Untie your spare wheel. I'll get the other wagons to a flat spot. We'll help.
Roll 'em up around the lead wagon! Around here!
- Come on! - Get up there!
Get this tongue right under the axle.
Give me a hand with the wheel.
- Bear down on it. - You got it clear?
All right.
All right, a little up. Up she goes.
A little higher. A little higher.
A little more.
- A little more. - Higher.
Higher.
About an inch. A little more.
Let go and we'll get all three of them. Now!
Jeremy!
- Why, you... - Hold it, McLyntock.
- We're taking over. - We're going to the gold camp with this.
Glyn!
Stay where you are, boys. Everything's gonna be real nice.
All right, get up! All of you, help with this wagon. Come on!
Trey, get that wheel off Jeremy.
Hurry up! Come on! Hey, get in there!
All right, now. Lift it up. More! More! Get it up! More!
- Is he clear? - Yeah.
Thanks.
Forget it.
- How does it look? - Be in the snow in the morning.
Another day and we'll reach the summit.
- How's your father feeling? - He's asleep.
Glyn, he still doesn't trust Cole. It's an old-fashioned idea of his.
He believes once a man has gone wrong, that's the end of it.
- You don't agree? - No.
Any man can make a mistake.
He can make lots of mistakes.
But when he meets a woman and falls in love with her...
I see what you mean.
And... you do believe it?
That men can change. Some men.
Yes, I believe it. I've told it to Jeremy.
Thanks, Glyn.
Good night.
- How's the old man? - Asleep.
- He's a tough old bird. - He sure is.
He's, uh...
He's a little worried about you, Cole,
now that you and Laura are gonna get married.
- You are getting married? - Looks that way.
What's the old man worried about?
He knows who you are. Or maybe I should say he knows who you were.
- Does he know who you were? - No.
What happens when he finds out?
Maybe he'll find out I'm right.
You're not right. They won't let you change.
You're a fool to lug this food to the settlement.
After you get it there, what happens? They pay you off with a thank you.
They find out you're the McLyntock from the Missouri border and they kick you out.
- Maybe. - Why not take this stuff to the gold camp?
What would you rather have, $1 00,000 or a thank you somebody will take back?
Could be they won't take it back.
If they don't, I figure that's worth more than $1 00,000.
Maybe.
And then again, maybe not.
Any way you look at it, it's strictly a gamble.
See you in the morning.
Get the cattle up ahead to break trail.
- When did this happen? - He was born a few days ago.
When we hit timber line he had trouble.
Put him in one of the wagons.
- When do we noon? - Soon as we hit the ridge.
Come on.
- Which way do we go from here? - Off to the left there.
Four or five more days, we'll be at the settlement.
It's right across the river.
- Isn't that the gold camp? - That's right.
Closer. We can make it in two days.
We're going to the settlement.
Cole, stop them! Stop them!
Let him go. Step back. Get out of the way.
Drop it.
- Ain't you working with us? - No. You're working with me.
- What happens to him? - Give him enough food to get to Portland.
- I say we get rid of him. - Get back in your wagons.
All of you!
- Sorry you had to see that, Laura. - I'm not.
It gave me a chance to see you for the first time.
- You didn't like it, huh? - I hated it.
It won't look so bad for the payoff.
$1 00,000 is a lot of money.
And I like a woman who's not afraid to kill.
Come on.
Roll 'em out! To the gold camp!
You couldn't take it, huh?
- If I don't go? - You'll go.
If you hurry, you'll make it before it snows.
Red was right. You should have used the gun.
Yeah.
I figure we're even.
Maybe I'm one up on you.
- I'll be seeing you, Glyn. - You'll be seeing me.
You'll be seeing me.
Every time you bed down you'll look back into the darkness and wonder if I'm there.
And some night I will be. You'll be seeing me.
I thought for just a while I'd lost my daughter.
I haven't.
But we've failed, Laura.
All those people I brought across the country,
their money is gone.
All their work for nothing.
All for nothing.
- What is it, girl? - I thought I saw him.
- Glyn? - Yeah.
Even if he does follow us, what can he do?
I don't know, but I do know that he'll follow us.
He won't stop trying. Not while he lives.
Come on!
Hey! Whoa! Hey!
Keep moving. We got another two hours.
- I got a dry axle. - Pull out of line and grease it.
Wullie! Pull around Red and keep moving!
Comes a day I square things with that guy.
- For what? - Pulling me off McLyntock.
I should have killed him. Next time I see him, I will.
That might be sooner than you think.
Take a look up the trail.
McLyntock! Is he crazy?
I wouldn't know.
- Drive slow. - Where you going?
- After McLyntock. - You'd better watch out.
- He's fast. - Yeah, but he has no gun.
There's a good trail ahead, all the way.
- Hold it, Cole!
- You got the jumps? - Yeah. Seems like. Who's riding herd?
They're all right. Soon as I get some coffee, I'll go back with them.
- You and Red, ride herd for a while. - Red ain't here.
Where is he?
- Where's Red? - He went back up the trail.
- Why? - McLyntock was following.
Red took a gun and went after him.
- I drove slow but he didn't come back... - Idiot!
- Get those wagons rolling! - Why the excitement? He's only one man.
- Get on those wagons, I tell you. - I ain't rolling no wagons.
Get those wagons rolling!
- Trey, what's happened to him? - I don't know.
I don't know, but I don't like it.
Roll 'em out!
Turn back!
- Where did he get the gun? - I'll give you three guesses.
- He's up on the ledge. - He was aiming at me.
It's Glyn. He's got a gun.
Don't be a fool. He could have knocked you out of the saddle if he wanted.
Turn back!
- Turn your teams. - Where do we go now?
There's a trail a mile back. Turn off toward the river and circle the canyon.
On account of one man? If you're afraid of him, I'm not.
- How about you, Lock? - It's all right with me.
- You can do it, Lock. - Get him in the back.
Give us about an hour. We'll take care of him.
Suit yourselves.
How long have they been gone?
A little over an hour.
I thought they'd have him by now.
What's worrying you? They work good at night.
- I've seen him work at night. - Wullie's smart. He'll play it safe.
Catch him when he's sleeping.
- That was Wullie. He got him. - That wasn't a six-gun. It was a rifle.
Wullie didn't have no rifle.
Neither did Lock.
That was a rifle too.
You satisfied?
The trail's a mile back. Start rolling.
Going around the canyon won't do any good.
- Glyn will stop us again. - Without a horse? It's a good trick.
- We'll have to travel fast. - Long Tom! Take the last wagon.
Leave your horse tied off. Drive the lead wagon. I'll ride herd.
I think it would be better for you in the front seat.
- What's the matter? Afraid? - Yes.
So am l.
Watch your driving. Watch the road.
I wanted to be sure she was all right. I wouldn't want her to get hurt.
She's doing fine.
Whoa!
It'll be easy after we make the bend in the river.
- How far is it to the gold camp? - Two hours at the most. If we...
How did he get here?
Jeremy. Come down here.
Trey's horse was tied to the tailgate. Did you cut it loose?
Yes.
Stop it, Cole, or I'll kill you!
I told you you were too soft.
I should have killed you.
Come on!
Use your rifles. Cover me when I ride through.
- Where are you going? - To the gold camp.
Let's see him against hungry miners.
- Suppose they won't help us? - They'll help us.
When I tell them we got enough food for the winter.
All right. Cover me.
For the first time in my life, I want to see a man killed.
- Well, he made it. - Yeah, he made it.
- What about McLyntock? - Maybe we killed him.
No, you didn't.
Drop 'em.
Let 'em go.
All right, now pick up those rifles. We may need them.
- All right, Glyn. - I knew you'd get here.
I'm here. Let's get across the river. Can you drive?
- I'll drive. - I'll drive one too.
- Think you can handle a four-up? - I can try.
All right. Come on, Trey, let's get the cattle.
Put 'em in, Jeremy. Keep 'em moving.
Laura, keep close to the lead wagon.
Get up there!
- Can you make it? - Yes. Get up!
Get up there, you! Come on, boys!
Hey! Come on! Get up there, you!
All right, hold on, Laura!
Come on!
Come on! Get up! Get up!
Ho!
Come on!
Let's get out of here!
I'm sorry, Glyn. Did the rope burn your neck?
No, you didn't do that, Trey.
That's been there for quite a while.
Since you were a raider on the Missouri-Kansas border?
And some vigilantes tried to hang a gunman.
Just one of those rotten apples?
I was wrong.
There is a difference between apples and men.
Really there is.
- Jeremy! - Good man, Jeremy! I knew you'd do it!
You're talking to the wrong man. See the fellow in the third wagon.
- Whoa! - Then you did come up to see me!
Just for a visit. I had nothing else to do.
- Oh. - Wait a minute.
Marjie! Marjie, my darling!
Good boy, Trey.
Get outta here, you two. Go on!
Whoa! Whoa!
Glyn. Thank you.
Ha! Come on!