3 Godfathers (1948) Movie Script
Fill up the canteens, Kid.
And don't forget that big water bag.
All right, Bob.
- Is that the place?
- That's it.
- Where's the bank? At this end of town?
- Me? I don't know.
The last time I was there,
there was nothing...
no bank, no railroad.
There was a little cantina...
and the most beautiful girl
named Josefina, that played the guitar.
We're robbing a bank,
not looking up old friends.
Yes, I know.
But I sure wish we were rustling cows.
- You want to change your mind, too, Kid?
- Not me.
Well, you better think it over.
I hate to take you along.
This is no cinch, like rustling a few cows.
I thought it over, Bob,
and I ain't backing down.
No, sir, I ain't backing down.
Look, Kid, the border's over yonder,
just 60 miles.
Why don't you light out?
We'll join you. Promise you.
I ain't backing down.
Then remember...
all you do is hold the horses. No shooting.
Well, at least the cows,
they don't shoot back.
Mount up.
That's right friendly of them.
I know why I didn't recognize him.
She has changed his name.
She used to call him "tarantula. "
You know, a big bug with legs.
"Welcome" is more neighborly, right, Kid?
Yeah, I guess so.
Yeah, I'm Sweet. Looking for me?
No, neighbor. Just admiring your shingle.
That's a mighty pretty name, B. Sweet.
You fellas come in with that cattle outfit?
No, just riding through. Little business.
Cattle?
Talked about it some.
What happened, man?
Nothing, sir.
Perley, come get your breakfast.
Perley Sweet?
Now, that is a right pretty name!
She just calls me that.
Most everybody calls me Buck.
Buck Sweet.
I didn't know you had company.
Just passing the time of day
with these here cowpokes.
Ma, why don't you fetch us
some coffee out here?
I'd be mighty proud to.
You not only got a pretty name,
Mr. Sweet.
- You got a mighty pretty wife.
- Thank you.
She's a little sprung now, but I'll tell you...
that little woman used to be
the best dancer in this whole territory.
I'll bet you were
mighty spry yourself, Perley.
I could kick a little.
Why don't you fellas light?
No, we better be moving on.
If you're looking for work...
you'll find most of the cattlemen
down by the bank.
- Where is that?
- Right down the street a piece.
Now, you boys have some hot coffee.
I know you've been riding a long ways.
And I can tell you're from Texas
by your hats.
Yes, ma'am. We're from Texas, all right.
Besides, you're carrying slickers.
Don't rain much in these parts.
Did you come in by the Old Mormon Trail?
- Yes, ma'am, we did.
- Didn't use much water. Got a full bag.
Did you happen to meet up
with my niece and her husband?
They're coming out
by the way of New Jerusalem.
No, ma'am, we didn't.
I don't see
how they could have missed them.
They're coming out by wagon,
and expecting them for Christmas.
Perley went up in the mountains
and cut a big piney tree this morning.
Do you think that he could have missed
the turnoff at Terrapin Tanks?
Be just like him to.
Never knew such a shiftless fella.
Tried everything but preaching.
It don't take much brains to drive a wagon
from New Jerusalem to Welcome.
- Lf he did, he'd never get here.
- Another cup?
No, thanks.
Say, I bet you put eggshells in
to settle the grounds, like Ma used to do.
- 'Course I do. Where you from, son?
- From Abilene.
And what's your name?
My name's William,
but everybody calls me "The Abilene Kid. "
I bet they called you "carrot-tops"
when you went to school.
- "Brick-top," ma'am.
- They did? Me, too.
Thanks for stopping by, boys.
- Coffee was real nice.
- Mighty nice, ma'am.
Thank you very much, ma 'am.
I'm sure proud
to have made your acquaintance, ma'am.
Thank you, son.
Well, Perley, thanks.
Hope you have
a nice crop of apples this fall...
I'll be seeing you boys, probably.
I do declare,
but you're a sight for sore eyes!
You kind of
got the advantage of me, ma'am.
I mean all of you. I'm so sick of the East.
For the past two years,
I've been back east in Denver, Colorado...
hobbled up in a boarding school...
till I just love the sight
of anything sitting a horse.
- And that Charro saddle!
- See, Bob?
And what is your lovely name, seorita?
My name? Lordy, my father's
president of the bank. Tolliver Latham.
- I expect you do business with him.
- We aim to, ma'am.
Ruby, my girl!
Welcome. Welcome to Welcome!
Welcome home, Miss Ruby.
Remember, Kid, you don't do no shooting.
I thought so.
Real desperado type.
Pete, quick, get on your horse!
- Sorry, Miss Crumly.
- Tell me what's the matter.
Little bank robbery. Come on, get going!
Come on, Kid! Step up!
Haul it, Pete!
Get those bandits!
Don't let them get away!
Blast one at 'em, Pete. Hang on, Kid.
Again, Pete.
Pull up, men.
- Gosh, Marshal, you missed them.
- They ain't paying me to kill folks.
Them Texas boys gonna be mighty thirsty
before they get to water.
- Back to the depot, Curly.
- The depot?
Yeah, the depot. The railroad depot.
Giddup.
You hurt bad, Kid?
- No, but I bled like a stuck pig.
- Don't try to talk, Kid.
That Perley character...
You know, he busted that on purpose.
Take a mouthful, Kid.
That's enough.
All right, men, raise your right hand.
As duly appointed Marshal
of the territory of Arizona...
I hereby deputize you
for the sum of $3 a day to find...
- Hey, watch them pack mules, will you?
- I'm doing the best I can.
Come on along, girl.
- You unload them pack horses.
- Get them on there.
Come on, Curly, I'm late!
- Come on, Curly, get them mules.
- Now, where was I?
Say, Buck, I thought
we were gonna get $5 a day.
I don't spend tax money that easy.
$3 a day and found.
Now, you solemnly swear
to uphold and enforce the law. Say, "I do. "
- I do.
- Good.
Can I drag it now, Buck?
I'm eight hours late now.
Don't bust your bellyband, Luke.
We'll be aboard.
- Marshal.
- Yes, Mr. Latham?
Shouldn't you deputize more men?
The bank can't risk
letting these desperadoes escape.
Sets a bad example.
I don't want you to fret none, Mr. Latham,
but if it's gonna worry you...
Boys, Mr. Latham here
just put up a reward.
$100, dead or alive,
for every one of them poor fellas.
- Thank you, Mr. Latham!
- You got them for $100.
Thank you, Luke.
Good luck, Marshal!
Give the Kid a swig of water, Pete.
Drink it up, Kid.
Plenty more when we get to
Mojave Tanks. Drink it up!
There she is, fellas.
There she is, Mojave Tanks!
Water, Kid.
Water.
A thousand gallons of it.
You're gonna feel a whole lot better,
a whole lot cooler...
once we wash up that shoulder.
Go ahead, Kid.
Boy! I'm gonna skin me down to the hide...
climb up that ladder,
and dive in that tank, right to the bottom.
Never come up!
Gosh! That a man should have
such a great big thirst like I have...
and only water to quench it with.
Anyway, cheers, friends.
Get down.
Ain't no sign of anything.
But that's no guarantee they ain't around.
You boys keep your eyes open.
- Sure, Buck.
- You mind what I told you, now.
At night, two men stay awake while
one sleeps. They won't rush two of you.
- I'd like to see them try it.
- Just don't get careless.
Ben, I'll take that deck of cards
in your pocket.
I ain't paying you pitch players
to sit in the shade all day and claim low.
- Shall I drag her, Buck?
- Drag it, Luke.
Drag her, Jake!
Sons of bitches! Let's rush them.
Six-shooters against Winchesters?
I've seen enough.
That Perley character... Tin star.
A lot smarter than I thought.
Well, let's take a look at it.
Up here's where we come from. Welcome.
Railroad winds around and makes a bend
here at Mojave Tanks, where we are now.
Then it moseys off again to the southeast.
Down here's the Mexican border.
- 50 miles, I figure.
- 60.
How's 60, then?
So that Perley character
starts playing checkers with us.
He figures we'll head this way, and right.
It's the first water.
So he jumps us
and stakes out his deputies. No water.
So he figures our next move
will be up to Apache Wells.
Right.
So he jumps on his freight car
and heads that way.
And he'll be there, setting waiting.
He can keep squatting on his hunkers
from now till Christmas...
'cause we ain't gonna be there.
We're doubling back on our tracks
to Terrapin Tanks.
- But that's up to the north.
- We'll get our water.
We'll hole up in the piney woods
until the Kid feels better.
Then while that marshal's sitting,
getting calluses on his rump...
we'll set out to the east...
jump the tracks there,
and be over the border.
Yes, that's good.
But where are we gonna get some water?
It looks like you and me are gonna chew
a lot of barrelhead cactus...
if we can find any.
Kid gets the canteen.
All right, Kid. Come on.
Get in the saddle.
- What are you doing?
- I'm tired of riding.
Besides, it cost me nothing.
It come with the horse.
Wind's getting hot.
S, what they call in my country
a "Santa Ana... "
from the clouds of dust...
that follow the cavalry
of the illustrious General Santa Ana.
Let's make for that draw!
Kid, are you all right?
My shoulder. It kind of throbs.
- Could I have a little water, Bob? Please?
- Sure, Kid.
Take it slow.
That's enough.
Where did you picket the horses?
I tied the horses right there to the bushes.
But devils must have come in
the middle of the night and let them loose.
My God!
But what have I done to deserve this?
I was always a good person.
That's what happens to me
after my decision to come here...
to this land, with these two fools.
- Shut up!
- What did I do to end up with these idiots?
Looks like we've got to walk a piece.
Well, what are we waiting for?
- Perley Sweet, what are you doing here?
- Hello, Miss Florie.
You seen three men come through here
begging for water?
If I'd seen anything like pants
around here...
they wouldn't have had to beg
for anything.
Come on, Curly,
get that stock off of there, will you?
- We ain't got all day.
- I'm doing the best I can, Marshal!
- Come on, Curly, move!
- Hurry it up, will you?
Wait a minute!
What are you getting excited about?
I'm not excited. Come on, boys.
Fixing to stay here for a while?
Lordy! If this ain't
a Christmas present for me.
A whole passel of men!
- Come on.
- That's right.
- How's Cousin Carrie Lou doing?
- Right pert, Florie. Come on, Curly!
Well, her loss is my gain.
There ain't been a soul around here
to listen to me...
- since my old cat got tired and left.
- I'll bet it was a tomcat.
Can I drag it now, Buck?
- I'm 16 hours and 29 minutes late.
- Drag it, Luke.
- Get that on there, boys.
- Drag it, Jake.
There she is, men. Water!
Lots of water.
What is it?
You hear anything?
Cover me, Pete.
There's a fine old state of affairs
at the tanks.
- They ain't dry, are they?
- Worse than that.
It's a tenderfoot wagon.
A man and his woman.
They come from New Jerusalem.
They made the tanks, all right,
but the water was a little low.
Mr. Tenderfoot ain't got sense enough
to dig out the sand...
sit back and wait
for that sump hole to fill up.
No, sir. Besides, he don't take kindly
to using a shovel.
He puts in a stick of dynamite
to start the water running.
- The fool!
- So he stuck in his dynamite.
Only fool's luck
he didn't blow himself up doing it.
- I wish he did.
- But he didn't.
He just put Terrapin Tanks
out of business forever.
He cracked the granite floor
of that sump hole...
and busted down her sides.
The tanks are dry.
And they'll stay dry.
They can have cloudbursts in this country
from now till I get religion...
them tanks will never hold
another drop of water.
Fool tenderfoot's dead, I guess.
But he's gonna keep right on
killing people, just the same.
Men will come here, banking on water.
Five or six years,
there'll be a dozen skeletons...
around them busted tanks.
But that ain't biting me half as hard
as what he went and done next.
He let his stock nose around and lick up
that alkali slop below the tanks.
It drove 'em plain loco.
They took off up the canyon,
hunting water, with him right after them.
That's four days ago. He ain't back yet.
So we don't need to waste no time
speculating on his case...
or feeling sorry for him.
That wouldn't have been so bad...
but he left his woman alone in that wagon.
Yeah, she's there right now.
She had a little water,
so it wasn't so bad till yesterday.
Then it gives out.
Been pretty hard on her, in there all alone.
She's a nice little woman, too.
28 or 30, I'd guess.
Too blasted good for the cuss she married.
But still, that ain't the worst of it.
No, sir.
Not by a long shot.
She's gonna have a baby,
and she's gonna have it now.
I'm a tough bird, an awful tough old bird...
but I'm not going back in there!
Pete, you gotta go.
You gotta do something for her.
You ought to know something
about these cases. You do, don't you?
Wasn't you married to a woman
down on the Ro Bravo?
Didn't she have kids for you?
Sure, Bob. Sure, she did.
But, you know...
An Indian woman is different.
God, our lord...
tells them what to do with babies,
how to born them.
But, a gringa...
Poor girl.
Yeah, my sister, she had all the neighbors,
the doctor, nice white sheets, and...
Pete, I'm not passing the buck.
I'm just ruminating for information.
Pete, please...
Who are you?
Seora...
please do not be afraid of me.
I have come to help you.
Ain't no use there, Kid.
Only water we're gonna get
is right over here.
Barrelhead.
It ain't the best water,
and it will take time.
But I guess we got plenty of time now.
- Yeah, Pete?
- Bob, I'm going to need the water now.
- Give it to him, Kid.
- How is she?
I don't know. It is her first baby.
Come on,
let's get back to squeezing barrelhead.
She wants to see you...
all of us, together.
Did she have...
A boy.
I can't see you.
- You're the one that found me.
- Yes, ma'am.
- What's your name?
- Robert, ma'am.
Robert Hightower.
William Kearney, ma'am.
I'm proud to make
your acquaintance, ma'am.
And you're Pete. Bless you.
S, seora.
Pedro Encarnacin Arango
y Roca Fuerte...
at your service, ma 'am.
Will you save my baby?
Yes, ma'am. I'll save him.
And I will help.
Me, too, ma'am.
Poor little son.
You'll be all alone in the world
when Mother leaves you...
won't you, sweetheart?
And you'll miss me so.
Nobody to tuck you into bed at night.
Nobody to teach you your prayers.
Nobody to kiss the little sore spots...
when you fall and hurt yourself.
Nobody to tell your little secrets to.
I want you, all of you...
to be my baby's godfathers.
You will be, won't you, Bob Hightower?
You will, Bill Kearney? Pedro? Promise me.
I will, ma'am.
Yes, ma'am.
It will be a big honor, seora.
And his name.
I call him Robert...
William Pedro...
Hightower.
And when he's a fine, big, brave man...
like his godfathers...
you tell him about his mother...
who so wanted to live...
for him.
Lift him up, please.
Let me kiss my baby.
It's getting dark.
We must be moving on...
Robert William...
All right, Kid, go ahead.
Is that all, Kid?
Them's all the words I know, Bob.
Then, amen.
Yes, sir.
The more I think of that big fella
in the Texas hat...
the more I admire him.
Hurry up there, Curly!
We're hurrying, Buck.
I get him behind bars
eating some of Ma's cooking...
I'm gonna play him a game of chess.
He'd be right good at it, too, I'll bet.
Pay attention here, you fellas.
Come on, pay attention.
Stock's ready.
Now, it stands to reason
that he'd head south for Mojave Tanks.
We should have reached there before
he did, two horses packing three men.
And I don't take him for any tomfool to go
rushing three men that's got Winchesters.
So I figured that his next move...
would be to push right on through here
to Apache Wells, where we are now.
I hate to admit it, but he's outguessed me.
They might have give out
in that sandstorm...
Not that breed of cat.
They could have made for Dobie,
down this way.
No, that's too far.
So's Dos Hermanas, down here.
They must have gone somewhere, Buck.
Yeah, and mighty cute, too.
He's doubled back on his tracks...
and holed up right here at Terrapin Tanks.
That's where we're going.
We ain't gonna waste no time.
Let's go collect him.
All right, Buck.
You fellas keep your eyes open
for strangers. Remember that reward.
- Okay, Buck.
- All right, Buck.
Tell Cousin Carrie Lou
I'll be dropping in around New Year's...
maybe with a new husband.
Gosh, Buck, we want to go with you!
You'd be a whole lot safer.
First thing, seems to me, we ought to give
Robert William Pedro a bath.
A bath?
I wasn't figuring on that at all.
I was thinking about feeding him.
I'm for tubbing him, all right.
Of course, sooner or later,
we've gotta swab him down.
But he's such a little fellow, Bob.
- He won't use much water.
- He'll fit nice into this dishpan.
I was just wishing he could stagger along
for a few days without bathing.
I don't know much about infants...
but little Robert boy here
looks clean enough for me.
Didn't you ask his mother nothing?
Do you think I was gonna
drive the lady crazy...
with a bunch of silly questions?
In my opinion, gentlemen, taking a bath
is the least of little Robert's troubles.
He's just naturally gotta eat and
wear something better than this towel.
It'll plumb scratch the hide off of him.
When a mother's gonna have a baby,
she fixes up things for him.
Sews clothes real nice...
and knits pretty little kickshaws
and what all.
Maybe there's something for our godson
in that tail box.
She had a heart, this mother.
She made really nice things for her baby.
Don't leave me out here all alone!
How long you gonna be?
They don't expect him to walk
in them things.
And he ain't gonna wear that.
Now, this is something.
This is really something.
Canned milk.
That thick stuff ain't fit to squirt in coffee.
She wasn't figuring to feed him coffee,
was she?
This is for Pedrito
when he fixes himself up...
and he touches his guitar
under the balcony of a seorita.
Bob, this is it.
Dr. Meechum on Caring for the Baby.
See what the doctor allows
about bathing a newborn.
Here is a Biblia.
A Bible book.
"Bathing the baby.
"Too much care cannot be exercised...
"in performing this most important part
of the baby's... "
There's a word here
I don't like to say in front of a little baby.
Spell it.
T- O-I-L-E-T-T-E.
Toi-letty?
What in the blazes is a toi-letty?
It's a... Don't you know?
I guess Robert boy ain't got no toi-letty
in his war bag.
No, seores.
Toi-letta, she is not an evil word.
A toi-letta is a little green tin bathtub...
about the size of my arm.
Costs dos pesos.
When we get to town...
we round up the best dad-blamed
green toi-letty money can buy.
Remember that, Pete. Crack along, Kid.
What's the doc got to say next?
"The first bath
should not be administered...
"until the baby is at least a week old. "
If I had a sick polecat,
I wouldn't send for that Doc Meechum.
A week without a bath.
That's all right for a grown boy...
that ain't supposed to bathe
between water holes...
or in town on Saturday night,
sparking his gal.
But a baby!
I'll lay my silver spurs the doc's wrong.
Come again, Kid.
"Immediately after birth, the nurse...
"should rub the baby's body with olive oil.
"Or if olive oil is not available...
"with some clean, pure lard or grease. "
Grease!
- That?
- Sure, grease. Wait a minute.
Grease.
- Who's gonna grease him?
- You. You are boss wrangler.
It don't sound regular, Bob, I'll admit,
but it's right here in the book.
I ain't convinced nohow.
This godson of ours is starting life
slippery enough without greasing him.
- But you got to follow the book, Bob.
- Sure!
Maybe it will prevent Pedrito from chafing
and from getting saddle blisters.
Me and you have always been...
Wouldn't you like...
No, it's all right.
Cut out the Mex lingo around the kid,
will you, Pete?
First thing you know, he'll be talking it.
We got to raise him
with good old American habla, like his ma.
Hand over the pot.
We'll slick him up a mite.
Easy, easy.
- Pull his legs over a little bit.
- Get your finger out!
All right.
Bob, you ain't throwing a half hitch
on a pack mule.
There. That will do it.
That kid's dideed, all right,
and dideed to stay.
Cut out that Mexican.
Ain't you feeling good, Kid?
My shoulder kind of throbs.
We'll spare you
a couple of swigs of water in a little bit.
You'll feel a lot better.
You better see
what the doc is dealing next.
Food. Eat.
No, I got it, Pete. I got it right here.
"Feeding the baby.
"The best and surest method...
"is the one which nature has provided. "
Say that again.
"The one which nature has provided. "
- Well, that's out.
- Here, this is comforting.
This is downright comforting.
The doc allows that
there's times when a newborn infant...
won't thrive on
nothing but condensed milk.
- We got some right here.
- Six cans.
Looks like you're going to
get some chow, Robert boy.
All right, Robert William Pedro,
but you're going to get fed.
You better get a can of
that condensed milk and some matches...
- Bob!
- Yeah, Kid.
Let me hold him.
Gosh, Kid, you think you ought to,
with that arm and all?
Let me hold my godson.
Just for a little while.
Thanks, Bob, for taking me along and all.
That is pretty, what the Kid is singing.
It's what the folks back home
would call a lullaby.
- Pete, what...
- It's all right!
Okay, Pedrito. It's time to eat.
Go ahead. Come on, man.
Take it. It's good for you. Come on.
Boy, he hops to it like a drunkard
at a Fourth of July barbecue.
A couple hours, and we'll have to
set them up again for little Robert boy.
I'm for moving on now, Bob. Honest, I'm...
Just lie back
and take it easy while you can.
That's the last of the gringo-head cactus.
She is finished.
I've been figuring. There ain't more than
three shots apiece in these six cans.
That's 18 shots. We've used two already.
Leaves 16.
That little Pedro has enough for four days.
That's right. The Doc says little William
is to get a slug every six hours.
Which doesn't leave much water
for us godfathers.
There's always enough for you, Kid.
Here, have one on the house.
I've done a heap of ornery things...
but I ain't stealing the water
that belongs to my godson.
Too bad the doc didn't tell us
where to get water in the Arizona desert.
Wrong book for that. Just a minute.
Maybe Nuestro Seor has put here
what to do in the Bible book.
Don't! It's bad luck!
I can see it all mapped out: Where to find
our next water, where to head.
Maybe it says we should head back
for Mojave and that reception committee.
Or over to Apache Wells,
where old Perley is sitting.
Don't be too sure
Buck Sweet is twiddling his thumbs.
I think we ought to
get out of here quick, now!
Where? Where, you jughead?
North to Cairo? Northeast to Damascus?
Or east to New Jerusalem?
60 miles or more
with the Kid in the shape he's in?
And this punk?
Don't give me any more of your Bible talk.
I'd have outfoxed that marshal
if they hadn't saddled this kid on us.
Why didn't somebody stop me
before I promised that woman?
I don't want to grow no long white beard
in the Yuma penitentiary.
May my beard grow clear
till it gets down to my foots...
may it get a nest of prison rats...
before I break my promise
to a dying woman!
- Who said I was breaking my promise?
- Why don't you kill the little fellow?
- Feed him to the coyotes!
- Why, you chili-dipping horse thief!
- Horse thief?
- Yes, horse thief!
Stop talking Spanish in front of the kid!
Now you see what you did?
You make cries the baby!
You waked the baby! Don't blame me!
Sure, nothing!
It says right here where we're to go,
just like it's told everything about all this.
You fellas don't understand.
You think this is all just chance?
Just accidental,
like us coming here this way?
Finding the mother, helping her...
The infant in the manger.
The star so bright last night.
I ain't talking out of no fever sweat,
Bob, honest I ain't.
You think we had anything to do
with what's happened?
No, sir, we didn't.
No more than you had anything to do
with throwing the book...
so it would open in the place
where I've been reading.
Where it tells where we're going to next.
- Listen, I'll read it.
- No, Kid.
Go ahead, Kid,
if it makes you feel any better.
"And when the days...
"of her purification were accomplished...
"according to the law of Moses...
"they lifted up the child
and brought him to Jerusalem...
"to present him to the Lord. "
It says Jerusalem right here in the book.
New Jerusalem.
Look, Bob, maybe Nuestro Seor...
he no care very much
what happens to a simple cattle thief.
But if I was in a gambling house,
I would play the Kid's number.
You would?
All right, let's get cracking along.
Kid, me and Pete will spell each other
carrying the infant.
I'm toting my godson my share of the way.
That's part of it.
That's in the book, too.
There was three wise men
come from the East, wasn't there?
Three wise men. I'm one of them.
I'm betting on you, Kid.
All right, Pete, which way's Jerusalem?
Why, that way, Bob.
Can't you see the star?
Look, water.
- That ain't water, Kid.
- Salt.
It's a salt lake. We got to cross it.
- No.
- Just a little bit, Kid.
Don't be a fool, Kid. Drink it.
- You got to.
- No!
He shouldn't have
made me swallow that, Bob.
- That's all right.
- You shouldn't have done it, Pete.
Once we're across the flats,
we're through the worst of it.
Here.
- What are you doing?
- It will be easier crossing the sand.
There's plenty of rough country
over there, Kid.
I ain't figuring on going that far.
No, sir.
I ain't figuring on that at all.
Take your horses down to the tanks, boys.
Fill up your kegs first.
- Sure need it, Marshal.
- They'll drink her dry, Buck.
Curly, take a look in that wagon.
Gosh, Buck, there's been a woman here.
Left her dresses all this and that way.
What are they like?
One's real nice, sort of faded,
but soft, like silk.
- Is it red?
- Yeah, it's red with a...
Has the top got all little white ribbons
all around the rim?
It sure has, Buck.
That was her wedding dress.
Fourth of July.
Red and white, carrying a little blue fan.
Come on, Curly.
Those fellas have done watered up...
and then dynamited our tanks, left us dry.
Lot of boys stick up stagecoaches,
and banks, and one thing or another.
But a man that would dynamite
a water hole in this kind of country...
is downright criminal.
- How about giving the stock...
- Can't.
- Can't we just wet our whistle?
- Can't.
You heard Mr. Latham when he said $100,
dead or alive.
I'll add $50 to it. I'd like 'em dead.
It's time. Water.
If I whimper for water, Pete...
don't give it to me. Promise.
- Promise.
- It's a promise, Kid.
137th psalm.
One-three-seven. Read, please.
"By the rivers of Babylon...
"there we sat down...
"yea, and we wept...
"when we remembered Zion. "
"We hanged our harps upon the willows. "
"If I forget thee, O Jerusalem...
"let my right hand forget her cunning.
"How shall we sing the Lord's song...
"in a strange land?"
"Our Father, who art in heaven... "
"Our Father... "
"Now I lay me down to sleep.
"I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
"If I should die...
"before I wake...
"pray the Lord...
"my soul to take. "
God bless Mom and Pop...
and sister.
Make me a good boy.
Amen.
When do we set up the drinks again...
for Robert William?
I think about 50 minutes.
They're slipping it easy
to the Kid up there.
Poor boy.
Made him a little boy again.
It's broke.
Your leg?
- She's busted. I'm ashamed.
- Maybe I can fix it.
- Waste time.
- I can make a travois Comanche-style...
- and drag you.
- Waste time.
On the other side of the mountain,
New Jerusalem.
You will make it.
When does little Pedro eat next?
Not for more than two hours.
Adis.
Guess I better get moving along.
Maybe you better leave me your pistol.
The coyotes, you know?
Yeah, sure, Pete.
Coyotes.
I'm sorry I called you
a chili-dipping horse thief back there.
It's all right.
I just remembered what tomorrow is.
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas, Pete.
Our Father...
who art in heaven...
make some space...
in your Holy Land...
for this poor Pedro.
Mount up. Let's get going.
"... unto Jerusalem... "
"... a donkey tied, and a colt with her:
"Loose them, and bring them unto me. "
A donkey and his colt.
You just try stealing a man's burro
in this country!
They'd string you.
That's it, Kid.
Sing it.
Sing a lullaby.
This is where she ends, godson.
This is the end of the trail, little Robert.
So, you break your promise
to a dying woman?
I can't go any further.
Of course you can, Bob.
What does the book say?
- Follow the book.
- Get up on your knees, you sack of dung!
You can't...
You got no right to call me that.
I'm going.
But you quit talking Mex
in front of the infant.
You quit it, you hear?
- You're doing fine, Bob. Just fine.
- Sure I am.
Just think of the cantina
in New Jerusalem.
Yeah, I'm thinking of it.
A glass of beer.
- A big cool, cool glass of beer.
- Yeah.
Five glasses of cool beer.
You'll make it.
Sure I will.
Merry Christmas, everybody.
Merry Christmas to all.
Set 'em up, bartender.
Milk for the infant...
and a cool, cool beer for me.
A baby!
Turn around, Texas.
Turn around and draw.
Perley, you old hay shaker.
You got me.
Looks like the baby's pappy...
is a mighty sick man.
Texas, you're about half-smart.
Jury still out, Curly?
Yep, still out.
The boss says, "Come and get it. "
I'll thank you to remember
there's only one boss around here.
Yes, sir, and she says, "Chow's down. "
- Morning, Carrie Lou.
- Morning, Bob. Sit right here.
Thank you.
Folks at the courthouse said you looked
mighty handsome in those new jeans.
Thanks, Carrie Lou.
And especially in those boots
with the Lone Star stitched on them.
Yeah, they're real comfortable.
Hope the batter on this chicken
is to your liking.
- Looks good.
- A little syrup for them corn oysters?
Corn oysters? I didn't get no corn oysters.
I only had but two ears of sweet corn.
All right, seeing what he did
for little Buck.
Little Robert.
I told you he wouldn't stand for
a name like that for a little Perley.
His name
is Robert William Pedro Hightower.
Yes, of course it is,
until the court changes it.
Ma!
Bob, have some coffee, will you?
You ain't eaten much lately.
- You off your feed or something?
- I'm worrying.
Don't worry about it.
Maybe the judge won't give you
the full 20 years.
It ain't that.
I could do 20 years standing on my head.
I'm worrying since I hefted little Robert
this morning. He's losing weight.
It's only natural for new babies
to lose a little weight, Bob.
He didn't lose any when I was nursing him.
No. We're giving that little dear
just every care we can.
If he were our very own
we couldn't love him more.
Ma, don't carry on, now.
One thing you can count on,
Bob Hightower...
you couldn't find better hands
to leave the little mite in...
than Perley's and mine.
- That's right, Bob.
- Sure.
Maybe. You two being
his uncle and aunt...
sort of distant relations, you might say.
See, Ma, I knew he would.
I knew I had you pegged right.
Look, you just sign this paper
right there on the "X," see?
Wait up, now. Wait up. What is all this?
The adoption papers, of course.
I ain't anxious
to turn my godson to pasture.
You just said right there
that we were distant relations.
I never.
- The jury's coming in, Buck.
- How they look?
They look like a passel of pallbearers.
Your Honor, we find the prisoner guilty
according to law...
but under exterminating circumstances.
Before passing sentence upon you,
Robert Marmaduke Hightower...
Now, have you anything you wish to say?
No, sir. I guess I ain't.
You ain't?
It seems, in this case...
we have a mighty fine set
of extenuating circumstances...
notably dealing with an infant child
you claim to be your godson.
He is my godson.
And now we come to the question
of the infant's custodianship.
Who gets him, etc.
- Your Honor, if the court pleases...
- Yes, I know.
I got your application right here.
Prisoner, have you any objection
to the Marshal and Mrs. Sweet...
taking this here child?
If you mean permanent,
I got plenty of objections...
but if it's temporary, that's different...
providing, of course, they guarantee
to give him a good education and such.
And just what specific do you mean
as "and such," etc.?
Teach him good horse sense, respect...
say, "Yes, sir" when he's spoke to, and...
That seems reasonable.
Do you agree, Buck?
Sure, Wiley.
But what Ma and me wanted
was to have little Buck permanent.
Sure you would,
but you ain't going to get...
little Robert William Pedro
permanent, Perley.
Now, that's as it may be,
etc. And so forth...
Robert Marmaduke Hightower...
it is within the power of this here court...
to sentence you to a term of 20 years
in the penitentiary.
However, this here court...
may be willing
to suspend that sentence indefinite...
providing you sign this here paper...
yielding your godson
to the Marshal and Mrs. Sweet...
and furthermore providing
that you never again set foot...
in the township of Welcome,
territory of Arizona.
You can throw the book at me, Judge.
I ain't gonna do her.
I ain't breaking my promise
to a dying woman.
That's just what I been waiting for
to hear you say, son.
I hereby give you the minimum sentence
under the law:
One year and one day.
Court's closed, bar's open.
Double bourbon, bartender, if you please.
Bye, friend.
I'll be awfully good to little...
Robert William Pedro.
- Goodbye, Bob.
- I know you will, Carrie Lou.
Goodbye and good luck, boy.
A year in jail will do you real good.
Thank you, ma'am.
Bye, Bob. Good luck.
- Goodbye, Perley, you old hay shaker.
- Goodbye, Bob.
Say, kind of look after my deputy,
will you?
See he gets started home
from Yuma all right.
You know, he's never been away
from Welcome before.
Sure, I'll take care of him.
Put him on the train myself.
- Mr. Hightower.
- Miss Latham.
I want to thank you
for that Lady Baltimore cake.
- I'm mighty glad you liked it.
- It would have been a lot lighter...
without that hacksaw you baked in it.
Proud to haul you, son.
Can I write to you, Mr. Hightower?
Can I call you Bob?
I'd be proud for you
to take your pen in hand, Miss Latham.
And don't forget that big water bag.
All right, Bob.
- Is that the place?
- That's it.
- Where's the bank? At this end of town?
- Me? I don't know.
The last time I was there,
there was nothing...
no bank, no railroad.
There was a little cantina...
and the most beautiful girl
named Josefina, that played the guitar.
We're robbing a bank,
not looking up old friends.
Yes, I know.
But I sure wish we were rustling cows.
- You want to change your mind, too, Kid?
- Not me.
Well, you better think it over.
I hate to take you along.
This is no cinch, like rustling a few cows.
I thought it over, Bob,
and I ain't backing down.
No, sir, I ain't backing down.
Look, Kid, the border's over yonder,
just 60 miles.
Why don't you light out?
We'll join you. Promise you.
I ain't backing down.
Then remember...
all you do is hold the horses. No shooting.
Well, at least the cows,
they don't shoot back.
Mount up.
That's right friendly of them.
I know why I didn't recognize him.
She has changed his name.
She used to call him "tarantula. "
You know, a big bug with legs.
"Welcome" is more neighborly, right, Kid?
Yeah, I guess so.
Yeah, I'm Sweet. Looking for me?
No, neighbor. Just admiring your shingle.
That's a mighty pretty name, B. Sweet.
You fellas come in with that cattle outfit?
No, just riding through. Little business.
Cattle?
Talked about it some.
What happened, man?
Nothing, sir.
Perley, come get your breakfast.
Perley Sweet?
Now, that is a right pretty name!
She just calls me that.
Most everybody calls me Buck.
Buck Sweet.
I didn't know you had company.
Just passing the time of day
with these here cowpokes.
Ma, why don't you fetch us
some coffee out here?
I'd be mighty proud to.
You not only got a pretty name,
Mr. Sweet.
- You got a mighty pretty wife.
- Thank you.
She's a little sprung now, but I'll tell you...
that little woman used to be
the best dancer in this whole territory.
I'll bet you were
mighty spry yourself, Perley.
I could kick a little.
Why don't you fellas light?
No, we better be moving on.
If you're looking for work...
you'll find most of the cattlemen
down by the bank.
- Where is that?
- Right down the street a piece.
Now, you boys have some hot coffee.
I know you've been riding a long ways.
And I can tell you're from Texas
by your hats.
Yes, ma'am. We're from Texas, all right.
Besides, you're carrying slickers.
Don't rain much in these parts.
Did you come in by the Old Mormon Trail?
- Yes, ma'am, we did.
- Didn't use much water. Got a full bag.
Did you happen to meet up
with my niece and her husband?
They're coming out
by the way of New Jerusalem.
No, ma'am, we didn't.
I don't see
how they could have missed them.
They're coming out by wagon,
and expecting them for Christmas.
Perley went up in the mountains
and cut a big piney tree this morning.
Do you think that he could have missed
the turnoff at Terrapin Tanks?
Be just like him to.
Never knew such a shiftless fella.
Tried everything but preaching.
It don't take much brains to drive a wagon
from New Jerusalem to Welcome.
- Lf he did, he'd never get here.
- Another cup?
No, thanks.
Say, I bet you put eggshells in
to settle the grounds, like Ma used to do.
- 'Course I do. Where you from, son?
- From Abilene.
And what's your name?
My name's William,
but everybody calls me "The Abilene Kid. "
I bet they called you "carrot-tops"
when you went to school.
- "Brick-top," ma'am.
- They did? Me, too.
Thanks for stopping by, boys.
- Coffee was real nice.
- Mighty nice, ma'am.
Thank you very much, ma 'am.
I'm sure proud
to have made your acquaintance, ma'am.
Thank you, son.
Well, Perley, thanks.
Hope you have
a nice crop of apples this fall...
I'll be seeing you boys, probably.
I do declare,
but you're a sight for sore eyes!
You kind of
got the advantage of me, ma'am.
I mean all of you. I'm so sick of the East.
For the past two years,
I've been back east in Denver, Colorado...
hobbled up in a boarding school...
till I just love the sight
of anything sitting a horse.
- And that Charro saddle!
- See, Bob?
And what is your lovely name, seorita?
My name? Lordy, my father's
president of the bank. Tolliver Latham.
- I expect you do business with him.
- We aim to, ma'am.
Ruby, my girl!
Welcome. Welcome to Welcome!
Welcome home, Miss Ruby.
Remember, Kid, you don't do no shooting.
I thought so.
Real desperado type.
Pete, quick, get on your horse!
- Sorry, Miss Crumly.
- Tell me what's the matter.
Little bank robbery. Come on, get going!
Come on, Kid! Step up!
Haul it, Pete!
Get those bandits!
Don't let them get away!
Blast one at 'em, Pete. Hang on, Kid.
Again, Pete.
Pull up, men.
- Gosh, Marshal, you missed them.
- They ain't paying me to kill folks.
Them Texas boys gonna be mighty thirsty
before they get to water.
- Back to the depot, Curly.
- The depot?
Yeah, the depot. The railroad depot.
Giddup.
You hurt bad, Kid?
- No, but I bled like a stuck pig.
- Don't try to talk, Kid.
That Perley character...
You know, he busted that on purpose.
Take a mouthful, Kid.
That's enough.
All right, men, raise your right hand.
As duly appointed Marshal
of the territory of Arizona...
I hereby deputize you
for the sum of $3 a day to find...
- Hey, watch them pack mules, will you?
- I'm doing the best I can.
Come on along, girl.
- You unload them pack horses.
- Get them on there.
Come on, Curly, I'm late!
- Come on, Curly, get them mules.
- Now, where was I?
Say, Buck, I thought
we were gonna get $5 a day.
I don't spend tax money that easy.
$3 a day and found.
Now, you solemnly swear
to uphold and enforce the law. Say, "I do. "
- I do.
- Good.
Can I drag it now, Buck?
I'm eight hours late now.
Don't bust your bellyband, Luke.
We'll be aboard.
- Marshal.
- Yes, Mr. Latham?
Shouldn't you deputize more men?
The bank can't risk
letting these desperadoes escape.
Sets a bad example.
I don't want you to fret none, Mr. Latham,
but if it's gonna worry you...
Boys, Mr. Latham here
just put up a reward.
$100, dead or alive,
for every one of them poor fellas.
- Thank you, Mr. Latham!
- You got them for $100.
Thank you, Luke.
Good luck, Marshal!
Give the Kid a swig of water, Pete.
Drink it up, Kid.
Plenty more when we get to
Mojave Tanks. Drink it up!
There she is, fellas.
There she is, Mojave Tanks!
Water, Kid.
Water.
A thousand gallons of it.
You're gonna feel a whole lot better,
a whole lot cooler...
once we wash up that shoulder.
Go ahead, Kid.
Boy! I'm gonna skin me down to the hide...
climb up that ladder,
and dive in that tank, right to the bottom.
Never come up!
Gosh! That a man should have
such a great big thirst like I have...
and only water to quench it with.
Anyway, cheers, friends.
Get down.
Ain't no sign of anything.
But that's no guarantee they ain't around.
You boys keep your eyes open.
- Sure, Buck.
- You mind what I told you, now.
At night, two men stay awake while
one sleeps. They won't rush two of you.
- I'd like to see them try it.
- Just don't get careless.
Ben, I'll take that deck of cards
in your pocket.
I ain't paying you pitch players
to sit in the shade all day and claim low.
- Shall I drag her, Buck?
- Drag it, Luke.
Drag her, Jake!
Sons of bitches! Let's rush them.
Six-shooters against Winchesters?
I've seen enough.
That Perley character... Tin star.
A lot smarter than I thought.
Well, let's take a look at it.
Up here's where we come from. Welcome.
Railroad winds around and makes a bend
here at Mojave Tanks, where we are now.
Then it moseys off again to the southeast.
Down here's the Mexican border.
- 50 miles, I figure.
- 60.
How's 60, then?
So that Perley character
starts playing checkers with us.
He figures we'll head this way, and right.
It's the first water.
So he jumps us
and stakes out his deputies. No water.
So he figures our next move
will be up to Apache Wells.
Right.
So he jumps on his freight car
and heads that way.
And he'll be there, setting waiting.
He can keep squatting on his hunkers
from now till Christmas...
'cause we ain't gonna be there.
We're doubling back on our tracks
to Terrapin Tanks.
- But that's up to the north.
- We'll get our water.
We'll hole up in the piney woods
until the Kid feels better.
Then while that marshal's sitting,
getting calluses on his rump...
we'll set out to the east...
jump the tracks there,
and be over the border.
Yes, that's good.
But where are we gonna get some water?
It looks like you and me are gonna chew
a lot of barrelhead cactus...
if we can find any.
Kid gets the canteen.
All right, Kid. Come on.
Get in the saddle.
- What are you doing?
- I'm tired of riding.
Besides, it cost me nothing.
It come with the horse.
Wind's getting hot.
S, what they call in my country
a "Santa Ana... "
from the clouds of dust...
that follow the cavalry
of the illustrious General Santa Ana.
Let's make for that draw!
Kid, are you all right?
My shoulder. It kind of throbs.
- Could I have a little water, Bob? Please?
- Sure, Kid.
Take it slow.
That's enough.
Where did you picket the horses?
I tied the horses right there to the bushes.
But devils must have come in
the middle of the night and let them loose.
My God!
But what have I done to deserve this?
I was always a good person.
That's what happens to me
after my decision to come here...
to this land, with these two fools.
- Shut up!
- What did I do to end up with these idiots?
Looks like we've got to walk a piece.
Well, what are we waiting for?
- Perley Sweet, what are you doing here?
- Hello, Miss Florie.
You seen three men come through here
begging for water?
If I'd seen anything like pants
around here...
they wouldn't have had to beg
for anything.
Come on, Curly,
get that stock off of there, will you?
- We ain't got all day.
- I'm doing the best I can, Marshal!
- Come on, Curly, move!
- Hurry it up, will you?
Wait a minute!
What are you getting excited about?
I'm not excited. Come on, boys.
Fixing to stay here for a while?
Lordy! If this ain't
a Christmas present for me.
A whole passel of men!
- Come on.
- That's right.
- How's Cousin Carrie Lou doing?
- Right pert, Florie. Come on, Curly!
Well, her loss is my gain.
There ain't been a soul around here
to listen to me...
- since my old cat got tired and left.
- I'll bet it was a tomcat.
Can I drag it now, Buck?
- I'm 16 hours and 29 minutes late.
- Drag it, Luke.
- Get that on there, boys.
- Drag it, Jake.
There she is, men. Water!
Lots of water.
What is it?
You hear anything?
Cover me, Pete.
There's a fine old state of affairs
at the tanks.
- They ain't dry, are they?
- Worse than that.
It's a tenderfoot wagon.
A man and his woman.
They come from New Jerusalem.
They made the tanks, all right,
but the water was a little low.
Mr. Tenderfoot ain't got sense enough
to dig out the sand...
sit back and wait
for that sump hole to fill up.
No, sir. Besides, he don't take kindly
to using a shovel.
He puts in a stick of dynamite
to start the water running.
- The fool!
- So he stuck in his dynamite.
Only fool's luck
he didn't blow himself up doing it.
- I wish he did.
- But he didn't.
He just put Terrapin Tanks
out of business forever.
He cracked the granite floor
of that sump hole...
and busted down her sides.
The tanks are dry.
And they'll stay dry.
They can have cloudbursts in this country
from now till I get religion...
them tanks will never hold
another drop of water.
Fool tenderfoot's dead, I guess.
But he's gonna keep right on
killing people, just the same.
Men will come here, banking on water.
Five or six years,
there'll be a dozen skeletons...
around them busted tanks.
But that ain't biting me half as hard
as what he went and done next.
He let his stock nose around and lick up
that alkali slop below the tanks.
It drove 'em plain loco.
They took off up the canyon,
hunting water, with him right after them.
That's four days ago. He ain't back yet.
So we don't need to waste no time
speculating on his case...
or feeling sorry for him.
That wouldn't have been so bad...
but he left his woman alone in that wagon.
Yeah, she's there right now.
She had a little water,
so it wasn't so bad till yesterday.
Then it gives out.
Been pretty hard on her, in there all alone.
She's a nice little woman, too.
28 or 30, I'd guess.
Too blasted good for the cuss she married.
But still, that ain't the worst of it.
No, sir.
Not by a long shot.
She's gonna have a baby,
and she's gonna have it now.
I'm a tough bird, an awful tough old bird...
but I'm not going back in there!
Pete, you gotta go.
You gotta do something for her.
You ought to know something
about these cases. You do, don't you?
Wasn't you married to a woman
down on the Ro Bravo?
Didn't she have kids for you?
Sure, Bob. Sure, she did.
But, you know...
An Indian woman is different.
God, our lord...
tells them what to do with babies,
how to born them.
But, a gringa...
Poor girl.
Yeah, my sister, she had all the neighbors,
the doctor, nice white sheets, and...
Pete, I'm not passing the buck.
I'm just ruminating for information.
Pete, please...
Who are you?
Seora...
please do not be afraid of me.
I have come to help you.
Ain't no use there, Kid.
Only water we're gonna get
is right over here.
Barrelhead.
It ain't the best water,
and it will take time.
But I guess we got plenty of time now.
- Yeah, Pete?
- Bob, I'm going to need the water now.
- Give it to him, Kid.
- How is she?
I don't know. It is her first baby.
Come on,
let's get back to squeezing barrelhead.
She wants to see you...
all of us, together.
Did she have...
A boy.
I can't see you.
- You're the one that found me.
- Yes, ma'am.
- What's your name?
- Robert, ma'am.
Robert Hightower.
William Kearney, ma'am.
I'm proud to make
your acquaintance, ma'am.
And you're Pete. Bless you.
S, seora.
Pedro Encarnacin Arango
y Roca Fuerte...
at your service, ma 'am.
Will you save my baby?
Yes, ma'am. I'll save him.
And I will help.
Me, too, ma'am.
Poor little son.
You'll be all alone in the world
when Mother leaves you...
won't you, sweetheart?
And you'll miss me so.
Nobody to tuck you into bed at night.
Nobody to teach you your prayers.
Nobody to kiss the little sore spots...
when you fall and hurt yourself.
Nobody to tell your little secrets to.
I want you, all of you...
to be my baby's godfathers.
You will be, won't you, Bob Hightower?
You will, Bill Kearney? Pedro? Promise me.
I will, ma'am.
Yes, ma'am.
It will be a big honor, seora.
And his name.
I call him Robert...
William Pedro...
Hightower.
And when he's a fine, big, brave man...
like his godfathers...
you tell him about his mother...
who so wanted to live...
for him.
Lift him up, please.
Let me kiss my baby.
It's getting dark.
We must be moving on...
Robert William...
All right, Kid, go ahead.
Is that all, Kid?
Them's all the words I know, Bob.
Then, amen.
Yes, sir.
The more I think of that big fella
in the Texas hat...
the more I admire him.
Hurry up there, Curly!
We're hurrying, Buck.
I get him behind bars
eating some of Ma's cooking...
I'm gonna play him a game of chess.
He'd be right good at it, too, I'll bet.
Pay attention here, you fellas.
Come on, pay attention.
Stock's ready.
Now, it stands to reason
that he'd head south for Mojave Tanks.
We should have reached there before
he did, two horses packing three men.
And I don't take him for any tomfool to go
rushing three men that's got Winchesters.
So I figured that his next move...
would be to push right on through here
to Apache Wells, where we are now.
I hate to admit it, but he's outguessed me.
They might have give out
in that sandstorm...
Not that breed of cat.
They could have made for Dobie,
down this way.
No, that's too far.
So's Dos Hermanas, down here.
They must have gone somewhere, Buck.
Yeah, and mighty cute, too.
He's doubled back on his tracks...
and holed up right here at Terrapin Tanks.
That's where we're going.
We ain't gonna waste no time.
Let's go collect him.
All right, Buck.
You fellas keep your eyes open
for strangers. Remember that reward.
- Okay, Buck.
- All right, Buck.
Tell Cousin Carrie Lou
I'll be dropping in around New Year's...
maybe with a new husband.
Gosh, Buck, we want to go with you!
You'd be a whole lot safer.
First thing, seems to me, we ought to give
Robert William Pedro a bath.
A bath?
I wasn't figuring on that at all.
I was thinking about feeding him.
I'm for tubbing him, all right.
Of course, sooner or later,
we've gotta swab him down.
But he's such a little fellow, Bob.
- He won't use much water.
- He'll fit nice into this dishpan.
I was just wishing he could stagger along
for a few days without bathing.
I don't know much about infants...
but little Robert boy here
looks clean enough for me.
Didn't you ask his mother nothing?
Do you think I was gonna
drive the lady crazy...
with a bunch of silly questions?
In my opinion, gentlemen, taking a bath
is the least of little Robert's troubles.
He's just naturally gotta eat and
wear something better than this towel.
It'll plumb scratch the hide off of him.
When a mother's gonna have a baby,
she fixes up things for him.
Sews clothes real nice...
and knits pretty little kickshaws
and what all.
Maybe there's something for our godson
in that tail box.
She had a heart, this mother.
She made really nice things for her baby.
Don't leave me out here all alone!
How long you gonna be?
They don't expect him to walk
in them things.
And he ain't gonna wear that.
Now, this is something.
This is really something.
Canned milk.
That thick stuff ain't fit to squirt in coffee.
She wasn't figuring to feed him coffee,
was she?
This is for Pedrito
when he fixes himself up...
and he touches his guitar
under the balcony of a seorita.
Bob, this is it.
Dr. Meechum on Caring for the Baby.
See what the doctor allows
about bathing a newborn.
Here is a Biblia.
A Bible book.
"Bathing the baby.
"Too much care cannot be exercised...
"in performing this most important part
of the baby's... "
There's a word here
I don't like to say in front of a little baby.
Spell it.
T- O-I-L-E-T-T-E.
Toi-letty?
What in the blazes is a toi-letty?
It's a... Don't you know?
I guess Robert boy ain't got no toi-letty
in his war bag.
No, seores.
Toi-letta, she is not an evil word.
A toi-letta is a little green tin bathtub...
about the size of my arm.
Costs dos pesos.
When we get to town...
we round up the best dad-blamed
green toi-letty money can buy.
Remember that, Pete. Crack along, Kid.
What's the doc got to say next?
"The first bath
should not be administered...
"until the baby is at least a week old. "
If I had a sick polecat,
I wouldn't send for that Doc Meechum.
A week without a bath.
That's all right for a grown boy...
that ain't supposed to bathe
between water holes...
or in town on Saturday night,
sparking his gal.
But a baby!
I'll lay my silver spurs the doc's wrong.
Come again, Kid.
"Immediately after birth, the nurse...
"should rub the baby's body with olive oil.
"Or if olive oil is not available...
"with some clean, pure lard or grease. "
Grease!
- That?
- Sure, grease. Wait a minute.
Grease.
- Who's gonna grease him?
- You. You are boss wrangler.
It don't sound regular, Bob, I'll admit,
but it's right here in the book.
I ain't convinced nohow.
This godson of ours is starting life
slippery enough without greasing him.
- But you got to follow the book, Bob.
- Sure!
Maybe it will prevent Pedrito from chafing
and from getting saddle blisters.
Me and you have always been...
Wouldn't you like...
No, it's all right.
Cut out the Mex lingo around the kid,
will you, Pete?
First thing you know, he'll be talking it.
We got to raise him
with good old American habla, like his ma.
Hand over the pot.
We'll slick him up a mite.
Easy, easy.
- Pull his legs over a little bit.
- Get your finger out!
All right.
Bob, you ain't throwing a half hitch
on a pack mule.
There. That will do it.
That kid's dideed, all right,
and dideed to stay.
Cut out that Mexican.
Ain't you feeling good, Kid?
My shoulder kind of throbs.
We'll spare you
a couple of swigs of water in a little bit.
You'll feel a lot better.
You better see
what the doc is dealing next.
Food. Eat.
No, I got it, Pete. I got it right here.
"Feeding the baby.
"The best and surest method...
"is the one which nature has provided. "
Say that again.
"The one which nature has provided. "
- Well, that's out.
- Here, this is comforting.
This is downright comforting.
The doc allows that
there's times when a newborn infant...
won't thrive on
nothing but condensed milk.
- We got some right here.
- Six cans.
Looks like you're going to
get some chow, Robert boy.
All right, Robert William Pedro,
but you're going to get fed.
You better get a can of
that condensed milk and some matches...
- Bob!
- Yeah, Kid.
Let me hold him.
Gosh, Kid, you think you ought to,
with that arm and all?
Let me hold my godson.
Just for a little while.
Thanks, Bob, for taking me along and all.
That is pretty, what the Kid is singing.
It's what the folks back home
would call a lullaby.
- Pete, what...
- It's all right!
Okay, Pedrito. It's time to eat.
Go ahead. Come on, man.
Take it. It's good for you. Come on.
Boy, he hops to it like a drunkard
at a Fourth of July barbecue.
A couple hours, and we'll have to
set them up again for little Robert boy.
I'm for moving on now, Bob. Honest, I'm...
Just lie back
and take it easy while you can.
That's the last of the gringo-head cactus.
She is finished.
I've been figuring. There ain't more than
three shots apiece in these six cans.
That's 18 shots. We've used two already.
Leaves 16.
That little Pedro has enough for four days.
That's right. The Doc says little William
is to get a slug every six hours.
Which doesn't leave much water
for us godfathers.
There's always enough for you, Kid.
Here, have one on the house.
I've done a heap of ornery things...
but I ain't stealing the water
that belongs to my godson.
Too bad the doc didn't tell us
where to get water in the Arizona desert.
Wrong book for that. Just a minute.
Maybe Nuestro Seor has put here
what to do in the Bible book.
Don't! It's bad luck!
I can see it all mapped out: Where to find
our next water, where to head.
Maybe it says we should head back
for Mojave and that reception committee.
Or over to Apache Wells,
where old Perley is sitting.
Don't be too sure
Buck Sweet is twiddling his thumbs.
I think we ought to
get out of here quick, now!
Where? Where, you jughead?
North to Cairo? Northeast to Damascus?
Or east to New Jerusalem?
60 miles or more
with the Kid in the shape he's in?
And this punk?
Don't give me any more of your Bible talk.
I'd have outfoxed that marshal
if they hadn't saddled this kid on us.
Why didn't somebody stop me
before I promised that woman?
I don't want to grow no long white beard
in the Yuma penitentiary.
May my beard grow clear
till it gets down to my foots...
may it get a nest of prison rats...
before I break my promise
to a dying woman!
- Who said I was breaking my promise?
- Why don't you kill the little fellow?
- Feed him to the coyotes!
- Why, you chili-dipping horse thief!
- Horse thief?
- Yes, horse thief!
Stop talking Spanish in front of the kid!
Now you see what you did?
You make cries the baby!
You waked the baby! Don't blame me!
Sure, nothing!
It says right here where we're to go,
just like it's told everything about all this.
You fellas don't understand.
You think this is all just chance?
Just accidental,
like us coming here this way?
Finding the mother, helping her...
The infant in the manger.
The star so bright last night.
I ain't talking out of no fever sweat,
Bob, honest I ain't.
You think we had anything to do
with what's happened?
No, sir, we didn't.
No more than you had anything to do
with throwing the book...
so it would open in the place
where I've been reading.
Where it tells where we're going to next.
- Listen, I'll read it.
- No, Kid.
Go ahead, Kid,
if it makes you feel any better.
"And when the days...
"of her purification were accomplished...
"according to the law of Moses...
"they lifted up the child
and brought him to Jerusalem...
"to present him to the Lord. "
It says Jerusalem right here in the book.
New Jerusalem.
Look, Bob, maybe Nuestro Seor...
he no care very much
what happens to a simple cattle thief.
But if I was in a gambling house,
I would play the Kid's number.
You would?
All right, let's get cracking along.
Kid, me and Pete will spell each other
carrying the infant.
I'm toting my godson my share of the way.
That's part of it.
That's in the book, too.
There was three wise men
come from the East, wasn't there?
Three wise men. I'm one of them.
I'm betting on you, Kid.
All right, Pete, which way's Jerusalem?
Why, that way, Bob.
Can't you see the star?
Look, water.
- That ain't water, Kid.
- Salt.
It's a salt lake. We got to cross it.
- No.
- Just a little bit, Kid.
Don't be a fool, Kid. Drink it.
- You got to.
- No!
He shouldn't have
made me swallow that, Bob.
- That's all right.
- You shouldn't have done it, Pete.
Once we're across the flats,
we're through the worst of it.
Here.
- What are you doing?
- It will be easier crossing the sand.
There's plenty of rough country
over there, Kid.
I ain't figuring on going that far.
No, sir.
I ain't figuring on that at all.
Take your horses down to the tanks, boys.
Fill up your kegs first.
- Sure need it, Marshal.
- They'll drink her dry, Buck.
Curly, take a look in that wagon.
Gosh, Buck, there's been a woman here.
Left her dresses all this and that way.
What are they like?
One's real nice, sort of faded,
but soft, like silk.
- Is it red?
- Yeah, it's red with a...
Has the top got all little white ribbons
all around the rim?
It sure has, Buck.
That was her wedding dress.
Fourth of July.
Red and white, carrying a little blue fan.
Come on, Curly.
Those fellas have done watered up...
and then dynamited our tanks, left us dry.
Lot of boys stick up stagecoaches,
and banks, and one thing or another.
But a man that would dynamite
a water hole in this kind of country...
is downright criminal.
- How about giving the stock...
- Can't.
- Can't we just wet our whistle?
- Can't.
You heard Mr. Latham when he said $100,
dead or alive.
I'll add $50 to it. I'd like 'em dead.
It's time. Water.
If I whimper for water, Pete...
don't give it to me. Promise.
- Promise.
- It's a promise, Kid.
137th psalm.
One-three-seven. Read, please.
"By the rivers of Babylon...
"there we sat down...
"yea, and we wept...
"when we remembered Zion. "
"We hanged our harps upon the willows. "
"If I forget thee, O Jerusalem...
"let my right hand forget her cunning.
"How shall we sing the Lord's song...
"in a strange land?"
"Our Father, who art in heaven... "
"Our Father... "
"Now I lay me down to sleep.
"I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
"If I should die...
"before I wake...
"pray the Lord...
"my soul to take. "
God bless Mom and Pop...
and sister.
Make me a good boy.
Amen.
When do we set up the drinks again...
for Robert William?
I think about 50 minutes.
They're slipping it easy
to the Kid up there.
Poor boy.
Made him a little boy again.
It's broke.
Your leg?
- She's busted. I'm ashamed.
- Maybe I can fix it.
- Waste time.
- I can make a travois Comanche-style...
- and drag you.
- Waste time.
On the other side of the mountain,
New Jerusalem.
You will make it.
When does little Pedro eat next?
Not for more than two hours.
Adis.
Guess I better get moving along.
Maybe you better leave me your pistol.
The coyotes, you know?
Yeah, sure, Pete.
Coyotes.
I'm sorry I called you
a chili-dipping horse thief back there.
It's all right.
I just remembered what tomorrow is.
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas, Pete.
Our Father...
who art in heaven...
make some space...
in your Holy Land...
for this poor Pedro.
Mount up. Let's get going.
"... unto Jerusalem... "
"... a donkey tied, and a colt with her:
"Loose them, and bring them unto me. "
A donkey and his colt.
You just try stealing a man's burro
in this country!
They'd string you.
That's it, Kid.
Sing it.
Sing a lullaby.
This is where she ends, godson.
This is the end of the trail, little Robert.
So, you break your promise
to a dying woman?
I can't go any further.
Of course you can, Bob.
What does the book say?
- Follow the book.
- Get up on your knees, you sack of dung!
You can't...
You got no right to call me that.
I'm going.
But you quit talking Mex
in front of the infant.
You quit it, you hear?
- You're doing fine, Bob. Just fine.
- Sure I am.
Just think of the cantina
in New Jerusalem.
Yeah, I'm thinking of it.
A glass of beer.
- A big cool, cool glass of beer.
- Yeah.
Five glasses of cool beer.
You'll make it.
Sure I will.
Merry Christmas, everybody.
Merry Christmas to all.
Set 'em up, bartender.
Milk for the infant...
and a cool, cool beer for me.
A baby!
Turn around, Texas.
Turn around and draw.
Perley, you old hay shaker.
You got me.
Looks like the baby's pappy...
is a mighty sick man.
Texas, you're about half-smart.
Jury still out, Curly?
Yep, still out.
The boss says, "Come and get it. "
I'll thank you to remember
there's only one boss around here.
Yes, sir, and she says, "Chow's down. "
- Morning, Carrie Lou.
- Morning, Bob. Sit right here.
Thank you.
Folks at the courthouse said you looked
mighty handsome in those new jeans.
Thanks, Carrie Lou.
And especially in those boots
with the Lone Star stitched on them.
Yeah, they're real comfortable.
Hope the batter on this chicken
is to your liking.
- Looks good.
- A little syrup for them corn oysters?
Corn oysters? I didn't get no corn oysters.
I only had but two ears of sweet corn.
All right, seeing what he did
for little Buck.
Little Robert.
I told you he wouldn't stand for
a name like that for a little Perley.
His name
is Robert William Pedro Hightower.
Yes, of course it is,
until the court changes it.
Ma!
Bob, have some coffee, will you?
You ain't eaten much lately.
- You off your feed or something?
- I'm worrying.
Don't worry about it.
Maybe the judge won't give you
the full 20 years.
It ain't that.
I could do 20 years standing on my head.
I'm worrying since I hefted little Robert
this morning. He's losing weight.
It's only natural for new babies
to lose a little weight, Bob.
He didn't lose any when I was nursing him.
No. We're giving that little dear
just every care we can.
If he were our very own
we couldn't love him more.
Ma, don't carry on, now.
One thing you can count on,
Bob Hightower...
you couldn't find better hands
to leave the little mite in...
than Perley's and mine.
- That's right, Bob.
- Sure.
Maybe. You two being
his uncle and aunt...
sort of distant relations, you might say.
See, Ma, I knew he would.
I knew I had you pegged right.
Look, you just sign this paper
right there on the "X," see?
Wait up, now. Wait up. What is all this?
The adoption papers, of course.
I ain't anxious
to turn my godson to pasture.
You just said right there
that we were distant relations.
I never.
- The jury's coming in, Buck.
- How they look?
They look like a passel of pallbearers.
Your Honor, we find the prisoner guilty
according to law...
but under exterminating circumstances.
Before passing sentence upon you,
Robert Marmaduke Hightower...
Now, have you anything you wish to say?
No, sir. I guess I ain't.
You ain't?
It seems, in this case...
we have a mighty fine set
of extenuating circumstances...
notably dealing with an infant child
you claim to be your godson.
He is my godson.
And now we come to the question
of the infant's custodianship.
Who gets him, etc.
- Your Honor, if the court pleases...
- Yes, I know.
I got your application right here.
Prisoner, have you any objection
to the Marshal and Mrs. Sweet...
taking this here child?
If you mean permanent,
I got plenty of objections...
but if it's temporary, that's different...
providing, of course, they guarantee
to give him a good education and such.
And just what specific do you mean
as "and such," etc.?
Teach him good horse sense, respect...
say, "Yes, sir" when he's spoke to, and...
That seems reasonable.
Do you agree, Buck?
Sure, Wiley.
But what Ma and me wanted
was to have little Buck permanent.
Sure you would,
but you ain't going to get...
little Robert William Pedro
permanent, Perley.
Now, that's as it may be,
etc. And so forth...
Robert Marmaduke Hightower...
it is within the power of this here court...
to sentence you to a term of 20 years
in the penitentiary.
However, this here court...
may be willing
to suspend that sentence indefinite...
providing you sign this here paper...
yielding your godson
to the Marshal and Mrs. Sweet...
and furthermore providing
that you never again set foot...
in the township of Welcome,
territory of Arizona.
You can throw the book at me, Judge.
I ain't gonna do her.
I ain't breaking my promise
to a dying woman.
That's just what I been waiting for
to hear you say, son.
I hereby give you the minimum sentence
under the law:
One year and one day.
Court's closed, bar's open.
Double bourbon, bartender, if you please.
Bye, friend.
I'll be awfully good to little...
Robert William Pedro.
- Goodbye, Bob.
- I know you will, Carrie Lou.
Goodbye and good luck, boy.
A year in jail will do you real good.
Thank you, ma'am.
Bye, Bob. Good luck.
- Goodbye, Perley, you old hay shaker.
- Goodbye, Bob.
Say, kind of look after my deputy,
will you?
See he gets started home
from Yuma all right.
You know, he's never been away
from Welcome before.
Sure, I'll take care of him.
Put him on the train myself.
- Mr. Hightower.
- Miss Latham.
I want to thank you
for that Lady Baltimore cake.
- I'm mighty glad you liked it.
- It would have been a lot lighter...
without that hacksaw you baked in it.
Proud to haul you, son.
Can I write to you, Mr. Hightower?
Can I call you Bob?
I'd be proud for you
to take your pen in hand, Miss Latham.