♪♪
(sighs)
♪♪
You waited this long, Lieutenant.
Maybe you'd better wait a minute longer.
What happened to your horse?
Slipped in a gopher hole, went lame.
They say what they want?
Cattle.
(sighs)
(cattle lowing)
I lose any more beeves, I won't have enough money
to pay pen fees at Rail Head.
Did you tell them that?
COLBY: I told them.
Now you better try.
(Rowdy sighs)
Mr. Yates?
That's right.
I'm Lieutenant Walker.
I want a hundred head of your best steers.
All right, Lieutenant.
Kansas City prices, gold on the line.
Mr. Yates,
an officer in the field is not authorized to deal in cash.
I'll requisition the steers I want.
Is that a fact, now?
WALKER: Your requisition will be waiting for you at Camp Broxton.
The commander will authorize payment to you there.
You mean, you're not gonna give me any gold, or...
requisition now, hmm?
No.
Yet, you want a hundred head of my prime stock?
Yes.
No, uh... no receipt, no nothing, huh?
No.
Mr. Yates, you don't need anything.
You have the word of a lieutenant
in the United States Army.
Look, I've got provisions to buy and men to pay,
and I can't do that on your word or anybody else's.
Now, if you want to buy some of my stock,
why don't you just run off
and come back with something to pay for it...
hmm?
Mount up.
WALKER: Mr. Yates?
We're going to cut a hundred steers
from your herd.
Over my dead body you are, Lieutenant.
(horse neighs)
You better get your lieutenant back to your base now.
Your trail boss said to come back
with something more than words.
We will.
You just declared yourself war with the United States Army.
Well, if I did, it's my war,
and I'll settle it in my own fashion.
I don't need your help.
-♪ Rollin', rollin', rollin' ♪ -(whip cracks)
♪ Rawhide ♪
(whip cracks)
-(whip cracks) - Hyah! Hyah!
- Hyah! - (Whip cracks)
(men calling to cattle, whistling)
Hyah!
(cattle lowing)
Hyah!
- Hyah! - Hyah!
(horse sputters)
Whoa!
There's a pretty good graze-over spot
about a mile the other side of that next rise.
We could make it there for camp if we push 'em real hard.
What's the matter with the graze right ahead?
Nothing, except the other one would be that much further on.
What are we doing, running from something?
No, but, uh, maybe we ought to be.
Quince? Simon?
Bunch 'em in. We're gonna bed down.
Man says bed 'em down.
That's what the man said.
Ah, swing 'em in! Bed 'em down!
-(men calling to cattle) - You heard the order.
Yeah, I heard.
All right, then, lay out the camp.
- That's your job. - know my job.
Any time you can dig up another guy to do it better,
you just let me know.
I might, only you picked a heck of a spot
for me to start digging.
(men calling to cattle, whistling)
♪♪
Come on, Smitty.
We better get on out there
and give the boys with the herd a chance to eat.
Wish, fix me up something, will you?
Yes, sir.
- Quince? - Yeah?
Now, the grass is good here,
so we're gonna bed "em down till noon tomorrow.
Then we'll hightail it till dark.
All right.
ROWDY: Five or six miles out, the grass is nothing.
A goat couldn't feed there, much less a whole herd.
I see.
Is that all?
Huh? Yeah, that's all.
All right, spit it out. What's bothering you?
You know mighty well what's bothering me.
You got us in a shooting war with the Army, that's what.
As far as I'm concerned, I didn't start it.
Oh, other than the fact that you shot a lieutenant.
Look, I nicked a young punk who was trying to run off
with 2 hundred head of my steers.
Well, whether he's a punk or not,
he's still a lieutenant in the U.S. Army,
and you shoot a lieutenant, you shoot the Army.
You shoot the Army, and the Army shoots back.
What did you want me to do, let him run off with the whole herd?
Or maybe, better yet, shoot me?
He didn't have any right to shoot you.
That's swell; you tell him that
while I'm laying there with a hole in my forehead.
Well...
Next time, that's just what they're liable to do.
Because you mark it down for yourself,
they'll be back here with enough men to make you eat that gun.
Well, it's my responsibility.
I'll stand behind it.
That's, uh, if they'll let you.
I shot him.
Oh, boy. You expect us to let you stand up alone?
The Army wouldn't let us do that if we wanted to.
No, when you declared war for yourself,
you declared war for all of us.
What do you expect me to do, apologize to the man?
Look, lieutenant or no lieutenant, Army or no Army,
I'm not gonna let some young punk run off with my herd!
As far as shooting the man,
I'd do the same thing all over again if I had to.
Fine. Only next time,
why don't you try shooting yourself a colonel, huh?
Or maybe even a general. Then you'd have
Custer and the whole Seventh Cavalry hightailing it after us.
I'm not asking you to see it the way I do.
Good, because I don't.
This is your trail herd, and you run it the way you see fit.
Only without me,
'cause when this drive is finished, I'm quitting.
Oh, now you've gone and done it.
He doesn't mean that.
He's just making a lot of noise.
I never saw a man mean anything more.
You just better be glad that he don't mean it now.
I mean, before the Army comes down on us.
(wind whistling)
How many men did he have with him?
15, 20. No more.
Well, it's an unfortunate situation,
and entirely your fault.
You've got a lot to learn about the conduct
of a lieutenant in the United States Army
in dealing with civilians.
That man shot me.
- After you drew your gun first. - Only after he...
Only after you blew it up into something you couldn't handle.
Does that mean we take no action against him?
No one shoots one of my men and gets away with it. Jackson?
Those men ready?
Yes, sir.
That arm interfere with your riding?
I said riding, not shooting.
I heard you, Captain.
See to it you remember it. Mount up.
(men calling to cattle, whistling)
Move 'em out, move 'em hard!
You figuring on running the marble off "em?
If I have to, I'll run the hoof rind off "em.
You ain't gonna outrun them Army boys,
no matter how hard you push.
You see a sign of troopers? Where?
No, no, no. Just saying, is all.
Well, next time, don't say anything
unless you see something.
Sure.
Only, if, uh, Mr. Yates wants to get clear of them Army boys
by handing down orders that by pushing the beeves, he...
Mr. Yates don't do nothing except go his own way
and face up to it if he has to.
I'm the one that's telling you to haze them beeves.
Sure.
Just thought you felt the same as us
about what he done, that's all.
What difference does that make?
You just keep bunching this drag and putting ground behind us.
(cattle lowing)
You want me?
That's why I called you, unless you quit already.
I told you when I was quitting.
You've been running the beeves and the men too hard.
I want you to lay 'em over for a while.
How long?
Till I get back.
I'm gonna scout ahead for water.
Any objection?
If I offered any, would you bother listening to them?
No.
About what I figured.
♪♪
Bates and Sims,
you take cover over there with the lieutenant,
and the rest of you stay with me.
Prepare for trouble.
♪♪
(gunshot)
I told you to be alert, not ambush the man.
He's dangerous.
I got the wound to prove it.
Well, you'll answer for it later.
You two men, tie him on his horse.
(cattle lowing)
♪♪
Lieutenant...
follow me, and the rest of you men stay here.
I'm Captain Jacob Masters.
Who's second in command here?
Your trail boss has been wounded.
Not seriously, but he needs attention.
Wish, see to Mr. Yates.
What happened?
He was grazed by a bullet.
He's lucky to be alive.
I figure that was a piece of luck for you, too.
Thanks for bringing him in.
Just a minute.
We have other business.
What would that be?
First, a lieutenant of the United States Army
was fired upon and wounded.
But by his own admission, he acted foolishly,
and his wound wasn't serious.
Now, since your trail boss was wounded,
you can either call the account even,
or you can press charges.
I'll buy the first. What's the second?
I'm here for that hundred head of steer.
Mr. Yates told your lieutenant there
that he'd have to have Kansas City prices.
I figure he'd tell you the same thing.
I'll pay Kansas City prices.
I think he meant in gold.
The same as gold.
I'll give you a requisition
redeemable for gold at any Army post.
The nearest is Camp Broxton, up ahead.
How's he doing?
He's still unconscious, Simon.
CAPTAIN: Let me explain something to you.
The United States Army has a legal right
to requisition provisions
or take 'em by force, if necessary.
Now, you have a choice.
You can either accept the situation,
or you can fight.
I suggest you don't fight.
My men are very accurate.
I'll take your requisition.
All right, men, cut out a hundred head.
Ordinary run-- not all prime, not all scrub.
(cattle lowing)
(groans)
(grunts)
Here, you shouldn't be getting up.
I been in there all day and half the night,
like you said. Now I'm all right.
You're not all right. You hurt all over.
Just got a headache, that's all.
Figure out what happened.
You lost your temper again, that's what happened.
Jed! Quince!
You trying to wake the beeves?
You gave 'em a hundred head of our beeves?
How could you have done that?
It was either let 'em go or start another war with the Army.
And you can't fight the Army.
That crease on the side of your head ought to prove that.
A hundred head of beef
that I same as carried on my back all the way from Texas.
And for what?
That requisition for gold, that's for what.
For all I know, this requisition is
just a worthless piece of paper.
No, it's just as good as gold.
Captain said so.
Turn it in to Camp Broxton, 40 miles ahead.
Well, I'm gonna find out if it's as good as gold,
and it better be.
Oh, boy, if he don't get gold for that paper,
he's really gonna come back here raging and storming.
Aiming it right at us, too.
At me, you mean.
Only, you're wrong, both of you. So is he.
Just so happens I forgot to tell Rowdy
I wasn't staying on to finish the drive.
I'm pulling up stakes right now.
Why don't you two tell him for me, huh?
♪♪
Hold it, there.
Now, look, I'd like to talk to your commanding officer.
Yeah? What about?
Well, it's about payment for some cattle
that I sold to the Army.
He never bought no cattle.
Yeah, yeah, I know that.
Uh, there's another outfit about 50 miles or so south of here.
Well, what'd you come here for, then?
My business is with your commanding officer,
not with the guard at the gate.
Now, will you let me through, huh?
Sergeant of the guard! Post number one!
Oh...
What's going on here, Sentry?
He wants in.
That so?
I got some business with your commanding officer.
Yeah, what kind of business?
It's, uh, about payment on some cattle that I sold to the Army.
We never bought no cattle.
You see, it was this other outfit...
We never bought any cattle.
I know that!
Then why bring this to me?
Here, now, you can't do that.
- What is this? What is this? - I want my pay.
Pay? Pay for what?
For cattle I sold to the Army.
Cattle? I bought no cattle.
I know; it was another outfit 50 miles south of here.
- Another detachment south of here? -Right.
They must be newly assigned. Let go of that man.
But he broke in without permission, sir.
I'll ask you later how that was possible.
Now, leave him here with me.
Sergeant.
Now, I don't like to keep people out on legitimate business,
but there are just a handful of us here
and we have to keep on the alert.
Yeah, what happened to the rest of you?
Well, one company is out rounding up a band of Indians
that strayed off the reservation.
Another is chasing a paymaster that ran off with the payroll
of the Tenth Regulars.
Another is hunting the Denner Brothers,
some white raiders, pillagers, looters.
Worse than Indians and very elusive.
What can I do for you?
It's about this requisition here.
Oh, requisition.
Did this, uh, Captain Masters say
what he was assigned to in this area?
Well, you see, it wasn't me that, uh,
made the deal with him; it was one of my men.
But he said something about, uh, surveying
and mapping, uh... some dams or some project in the area.
Oh.
Well, that explains the lack of communications between us.
They're engineers and we're cavalry.
I'm sorry, I can't help you.
- You can't? -No, this is an engineers' requisition.
I doubt if any cavalry post
in the United States would honor it.
The simple truth is, we have no gold.
No gold?
No. Even buttons seem to be in short supply.
- Well, why? - Well, the regular shipment
from the Quartermaster Depot is overdue.
Long overdue.
It seems that even the paymaster's forgotten us.
But tell me something.
Why did you accept a requisition from this Captain Masters?
Why didn't you insist that he pay you in gold?
He had gold?
Newly assigned to the area--
it means that he had ample funds for provisions.
Yeah, but if he had gold, why didn't he just pay me off,
rather than to send me up here to you?
Well, you're on the frontier and money's scarce.
Sometimes it's better to spend somebody else's.
What it amounts to is he's robbed me.
Now, wait a minute, you can't talk like that
about a captain in the United States Army.
The heck I can't.
He knew you wouldn't pay me even if you had the gold.
- Didn't say that. - He knew that I got this far
up the trail, it'd be too late to turn back.
Are you too far?
Well, I would've been if I'd have stayed with the herd,
but I rode on ahead.
That's what's crossed him up.
I'll have the gold or my cattle back,
or Captain Masters dead on the ground, you can bet on that.
♪♪
How do?
What do you want?
Uh, I want to see, uh, Captain Masters.
He ain't here.
Yeah, when do you expect him back?
Couldn't say.
What about the lieutenant?
He's gone, too.
And you don't know where he is, either?
No, I don't.
By any chance, would they be out surveying or mapping?
Couldn't say.
Well, if you'd give me sort of maybe an idea where they are,
I could run out and meet them.
Don't know where they are.
You don't mind if I wait here, do you?
It's your time.
(Rowdy sighs)
- Howdy. - Howdy.
Am I too late to get a bite?
Nope. I'll dish you up something.
Looks like it could...
boil up your liver. (chuckles)
- Could. - Yeah.
Mmm. Good.
- It won't hurt you none. - Tell me, how many men
do you have to feed around here during the day?
COOK: Oh, a dozen, sometimes more.
What'd you ask for?
Mm. Just making conversation, that's all.
It don't pay to ask a lot of questions.
ROWDY: Maybe I'll just wander around then, stretch my legs.
Can't get in trouble that way.
You can if you get too close to them tents.
- ROWDY: Why? - Never mind why.
Just stay away from them.
I'll do that.
(Rowdy whistling a tune)
(cook coughs)
♪♪
What are you snooping around for?
Huh? Oh. (chuckles)
No, I'm not snooping.
I just, uh, tied my horse in the shade there.
If you had any sense, you'd get on that horse and start riding.
No, no, no, I... I came to see the captain.
That's what I got to do.
Suit yourself.
(sighs)
Tell me, that tie down there-- is that regulation?
I'm wearing it that way, ain't I?
- Yep. - Then it must be regulation.
Where are you going?
Thought I'd try some of your cook's coffee,
if you don't mind.
(sighs)
♪♪
Jackson.
Just couldn't keep your nose out, could you?
Couldn't help it. The smell was too bad.
And it's gonna get worse before it gets better.
Couldn't get much worse.
All right, on your feet.
Up.
Over there.
Hold it right there.
Tie him up.
If I told you once, I told you a hundred times,
don't tangle with the Army.
You know, if there's one thing I hate,
it's a trail boss who just won't listen.
For a man who's long on advice,
I don't see that you've done any better.
Difference between us is, I fell into this bear trap,
you walked into it.
To think of it, you must've heard me out there--
how come you didn't sing out?
The results would have been the same.
I just wanted to see if you had sense enough to walk out.
- MASTERS: Jackson! - Yes, sir.
MASTERS: You men hold it here.
Lieutenant.
(footsteps approaching)
Well, you couldn't stay away, could you?
ROWDY: I came to get paid for my cattle.
They'll pay you at Camp Broxton.
There's no gold at Camp Broxton,
and they wouldn't give it to me if they had it.
LIEUTENANT: They're required to pay.
ROWDY: Not according to the major who's there.
You just, uh, you just give me my gold,
and I'll be on my way, hmm?
You'll get nothing now.
ROWDY: Why don't you drop the pose.
You're no more a lieutenant in the Army than I am.
No?
What am I, then?
ROWDY: Nothing but a rotten thief.
What'd you do to the men that you took those uniforms off of?
Just what are you saying, mister?
COLBY: You know what he's saying, just as well as I do.
If you were mapping and surveying, you'd be engineers.
But there are quartermaster insignia on your wagons
and cavalry insignia on some of your men,
and one of your men is wearing a tied-down gun.
Hardly Army regulations.
Took a hundred head of our cattle to feed
what your cook says is 12 men.
At ease, Lieutenant.
Well, you boys have sharp eyes.
But then, maybe you've heard about us.
Yeah, you're probably the ones
who robbed the supply train headed for Camp Broxton.
Which Denner are you, huh?
I'm Joseph Denner.
This is my brother Karl.
How do you do?
ROWDY: Major told me you two were loose in this territory.
He'd love to know you were the ones
are holding up his supply train.
Unfortunately, you won't be able to tell him.
Prime pair of thieves you are.
JOSEPH: You used the word "thieves.”
I like the word "soldiers" better.
No matter what you call it, it still smells.
At one time, General Sam Houston
led what they called a "pack of thieves."
They ended up by forming the Republic of Texas.
You figuring on doing the same?
I'll own this country or die in it.
ROWDY: Likely by the end of a rope.
JOSEPH: Aside from that,
I'm holding you for a summary court-martial.
Now, if you're convicted, you'll be executed.
In the meantime, I'm impounding your herd.
You're what?
Karl.
Get the men ready.
That uniform you stole must've really put you out of your head.
My men won't let you near that herd.
Well, they will when they hear it's either that or your life.
- And his, too, now. -You won't get away with it, Denner.
By now, they already know you're not Army.
Besides, they can match you gun for gun.
Well, let's see what their guns can do against a cannon.
Cannon?
JOSEPH: Make sure these men are here when we get back.
Yes, sir.
You're really gonna have to do something
about that temper of yours.
That's another thing that's gonna get worse
before it gets better.
We're gonna have to get out of this place.
♪♪
Make sure those charges ride steady.
Sergeant, you're in charge until I return.
Make sure the prisoners are secure.
Yes, sir.
Take a position in the rear, Lieutenant.
Yes, sir.
♪♪
Jackson, isn't it?
That's right.
I had a cousin named Jackson once in Texas.
He was about as snarl bit as you.
Yeah? What happened to him?
He was out in the fields one day and bent over and...
...someone came along and threw a brand on him.
Last I heard of him, they took him off
with a load of beef to Kansas City.
Why, you...
(grunting)
(gunshot)
Let's get out of here.
So, you lost your temper again, huh?
Afraid so. Here.
Let's see what a couple of borrowed guns can do
against a cannon.
Lieutenant.
You men, now hold it here.
Lieutenant, you follow me.
Good.
They put the cattle in the valley,
and they made camp in a handy place to train a cannon.
That way, if we shell their camp,
we won't hurt any cattle.
KARL: Money on the hoof.
- Enough money to... - Enough money to buy that spread
south of the Rio.
Let's get back, Lieutenant.
Lieutenant...
position the cannon up there.
(cattle lowing)
(men calling to cattle, whistling)
Hyah!
The herd guard's all on.
How 'bout some chow?
You know, there's times when you come up
with some mighty smart ideas, Simon.
(laughs)
Cannon's in position, sir.
Line up, Lieutenant.
When I raise my arm...
...that'll be the signal to fire.
(cattle lowing)
Hear Rowdy ain't turned up yet.
You heard it right.
Well, we got something turning up now.
♪♪
Send a man out here!
That's the Army for you; always in time for chow.
- Looks like a powwow. - Yeah,
with guns behind it.
Looks like I'm elected.
Do you recognize this requisition?
Yeah, I recognize it.
I only show it to you as proof
that Mr. Yates came to my camp.
Otherwise, I wouldn't have it.
Just where is Mr. Yates now?
I'm holding him prisoner, along with the other man Colby.
What for?
If you want to see them alive again,
you'll turn your entire herd over to me.
Aw, you want the cook pot, too?!
What's he mean, ransom?
He means he's a cattle rustler.
The United States Army doesn't hold people for ransom.
Rustlers.
Just dressed up in Army clothes, that's all.
Rustlers?
We're men of vision, courage, skill,
with nerve to see what they want and take it.
You call us rustlers if you like.
Now do you understand?
You can see how accurate my cannoneers are.
The next one will land right in the middle,
unless several of your men go with my troops
out to the herd guards and have them lay their arms down.
You have your orders.
Have four men step out here and drop their gun belts.
Pick off those two men on the hill!
Let's get out of here!
Let's go!
(horse neighing)
Joseph.
Joseph!
♪♪
ROWDY: Good job of cleaning up.
Now, if you could tell me who's minding the herd?
I clean forgot.
That's my job.
Hey, I smell coffee boiling over.
Who was it said they didn't get any?
And I'd like to congratulate you
on getting your herd back together.
Well, thanks.
We lost a little time, but I think we can make it up.
I want to thank you for all the things you've done for us.
I appreciate the new uniform,
even though it does have a bullet hole in it.
You're welcome, Major.
Uh, you could do me a favor, if you would.
Yeah?
I'd like to buy ten head of your best steers.
Well, we'd be glad to let you have 'em
at Kansas City prices, gold in hand.
Well, I, uh... I have no gold,
but I have something here just as good.
A requisition?
U.S. Army? Uh... we'll be paid
at any camp or, uh, fort in the country?
Yes.