Rawhide (1959) s04e28 Episode Script
Gold Fever
Rollin', rollin', rollin' Rollin', rollin', rollin' Keep movin', movin', movin' Though they're disapprovin' Keep them dogies movin' Rawhide Don't try to understand 'em Just rope and throw and brand 'em Soon we'll be living high and wide My heart's calculatin' My true love will be waitin' Be waiting at the end of my ride Move 'em on, head 'em up, head 'em up, move 'em on Move 'em on, head 'em up Rawhide Let 'em out, ride 'em in, ride 'em in, let 'em out Cut 'em out, ride 'em in - Rawhide - Rollin', rollin', rollin' - Rollin', rollin', rollin' - Hyahl Thanks.
Varmint.
Sounds like a ghost.
When are we gonna get off of this graveyard of a mountain? As, uh, soon as Clay gives the word.
Huh.
How's it look? The whole pass is all right, I guess.
You could lose a grown steer down those old mine shafts, though, and the mountain's full of 'em.
- Anybody still around there? - No, it's like riding through a graveyard.
Busted-up machinery, busted-down shacks - Get a look at the town? - Yeah, from a distance.
I didn't see any reason to poke around that old ghost town at night.
Yeah, once the gold veins give out, a town's got about as much a chance as a sheep with its throat cut.
Howdy! Howdy, friends, how are ya? Howdy! Well, I'm sure surprised to find anybody around here.
Yes, sir.
- My name is Hosea Brewer.
- Howdy.
My name's Favor.
- I'm trail bossin' this outfit.
- Pleased to meet you.
You, uh, still prospectin' these parts? Yeah! Yeah, that's right.
Everybody else moved on.
Always intended to follow them someday, but, uh - Never got around to it.
- That was ten year ago.
Yeah, that's right.
Now, me and Tilly there were were too old, and sort of set in our ways.
Mr.
Brewer, we'd like to sit around and socialize, but we got a lot of work to do.
Well, sure, sure.
Nobody stays on Lost Mountain no more.
Well, let's get moving, Rowdy.
Oh, Wish.
As soon as you're through feeding the night shift, you can move on to noon camp.
Thought you said there was nobody left up here.
Well, ain't any prospectors left, except maybe ghosts.
- How do you make a living up here? - Don't have to.
Live off the land.
Except, uh, always lookin' for an outcropping.
Might lead me back to mother lode.
- It was here once? - So was the Garden of Eden, but the Good Lord hasn't seen fit to lead us back to that, neither.
Now, see there, I was wonderin' if you got another one of these.
You see, Tilly kicked the hitchings loose the other day and lost mine.
No, mister, that's the only shovel I got.
Is that so? Well, I'd uh I'd be willing to pay for it.
Well, that ain't the point.
How'd I dig my fire pit? How'd I level my wagon, dig my wheels out of gumbo? Oh.
Well, you see, it ain't so easy for me to get off of this here mountain.
Now you? You Why, you could pick up another one of these first town you pass through.
Give you ten dollars.
- You aren't serious! - Well, I'm a poor man.
I need this shovel right bad.
I'd double it.
I'm not the kind of a man to take advantage.
Well, all right.
That's all right.
I understand.
I know a shrewd fellow when I see one.
Give you 25 for it.
All I got is this here dust, but uh worth at least that much.
- More like 30.
- Is it a deal? Sure.
I'll give you the pick, too, if you want it.
You will, huh? Hey, uh Well, that's fair enough! Thank you.
Thank you very kindly.
Come on, Tilly! These good people have got work to do, and uh So do we.
Yes, sir.
So do we! All that gold dust for that beat-up shovel? Suppose he's on to something? Oh, no, no.
That mountain's been picked cleaner than a hound's tooth.
Yeah, these old sourdoughs, they get a little overcooked in the sun.
Now, where do you think you're going? I'll eat something cold later.
You'll eat something cold.
I offered him anything cold, he'd scream like he was bit.
Well, come on, men.
I got it all ready.
Come on, Hank.
I got to get things done here and move out! Guess I'm not feelin' so good.
I ain't hungry.
First time he ever turned down a meal.
Funny thing, my stomach's acting up, too.
Well, I'm feelin' fine, Mr.
Wishbone.
So it can't be the grub.
Those fellas must have rusty canteens.
Come on, Tilly.
What's eating you? Come on! Come on.
Hey! All right, there, Meg.
I know you're around somewhere.
Where are you? Ah.
There you are.
Come on over here! I'll bet your sister's looking all over for you.
She got them books out.
I just wanted to see where you was off to.
Why, you're sneakier than a bobcat.
Come on.
Come on.
Up! Set.
- Oh! - Up you go.
There you are.
And you, uh, stop chewing that candle wax.
Where in the world did you find her? Meg! You're gonna have to do something about her, Pa.
She is getting of an age where I can't handle her.
Oh, she's all right, Priscilla.
Not much different than you and Jessie when you were growin' up.
Oh, we didn't grow up wild as weeds.
Ma was alive, and there was a town here.
And there will be again.
You'll see.
- Now, don't track up the house.
- Not even with pay dirt? I'm really on to it this time, Priscilla.
Oh, sure, Pa.
I know, I I know what's pulling you down today, honey.
Oh, let me forget it.
Next year, it's gonna be different for you.
You're gonna get a present now, anyway.
Happy birthday, honey! No.
Oh! What's going on down there? Oh, Pa's just showing me Ma's necklace.
But I want you to have it.
It's all you have in the world.
You keep it, Pa.
But I don't need it! If this new lead pans out, I can get a dozen strings like these.
It'll be like it was in the old days, when the high-grade ran 64,000 a ton.
And with your dowry, you'll be the catch of the territory.
And Meg's gonna be schooled in Europe, and you, Jessie, you're gonna have presents from Well, right now, I think it's more important that we get that well fixed.
You mean You mean, to waste time tinkerin' at that Oh, I don't care, Pa.
It's all right with me.
Jessie and I won't have to do any more cooking and scrubbing.
And Meg can get filthy and stay that way.
Or maybe we'll all get so thirsty we'll just have to leave this cursed mountain.
Plenty of water down in Dutch Flats.
Water and decent, civilized people.
That wasn't fair, Priscilla.
Well, somebody's just got to keep reminding him.
We all get stuck up here much longer, - you'll be as old and ugly as I am.
- Cill! Now, what pa meant, I'd have to be rich to get a husband, well, I don't mind being an old maid.
And no dowry is worth burying you and Meg up here.
We have time to wait, and maybe If we ever do get to someplace where we could know people, I'm gonna tell 'em, I don't intend to marry.
And you and Meg will be free.
You won't have to sit around waiting for Pa to foist me off first on some poor man.
Now you just wait a moment before you make up your mind.
- Pa will strike it! - Oh.
Ma believed in that dream, too.
She's buried out there.
Cill, if we gave up now, and Pa had to leave this mountain, you know what would happen to him.
I know.
Oh, Jessie You're a good girl.
Now you better put that necklace back where it belongs.
Mushy, what in tarnation did you do with the frying pan? And the dish pail and the rest of Bone, what's going on here? Why aren't you headed for noon camp? - And where's Clay? - He's disappeared, along with about half of my pans! - Has anybody seen Hank? - Oh, I did.
He's down by the stream.
In fact, he's washing one of your pans, Mr.
Wishbone.
Washing? Pannin' gold, more likely.
Find out who else is missing.
Rowdy, get the rest of the men back here, and fast.
Right.
Cill! Jessie! Someone's coming! A man! - Meg, you stop that foolin'.
- Come look! Hello, Mr.
Brewer.
Remember me? Let me see.
You're the curious fella wondered if I still prospected around here.
Yeah, you remember me all right.
What are you carryin' that critter for? Well, steep going's a little hard on calves.
They drop out and get lost to coyotes.
- I saw your tracks, and I thought - I'd like some meat, eh? Yeah.
You ain't gonna kill him! Oh, this is my daughter, Meg.
She's right fond of animals.
Oh, well, why don't you ask your pa, and maybe you could raise him, and you Well, that's my older daughter, Jessica.
Well, I had no idea.
And that's my oldest daughter, Priscilla.
No idea at all, ma'am.
Pa, look! There's another one.
Well, looks like, while you was followin' me, that fellow was followin' you.
Yeah.
And another one! What are you waitin' for, girls? Set the table! We got callers.
Clay, Hank, Les, Nelson and Morse.
Now, they'll be back, boss.
Tail down and crawlin'.
Everyone knows there ain't no pay dirt up here.
Nor any gold at the end of a rainbow.
But if any of you are itching to go chasing, let me know about it right now.
If any of you still got any doubts, I'm sending Rowdy into Dutch Flats to sign on some new drovers.
- Señor Boss - I got nothing more to say.
As long as we're short-handed, we'll drive the herd real slow and easy.
Now get back to work.
Boss, Clay might have just gone to check the noon camp.
Yeah, I mean, losing Hank and the rest of 'em ain't so bad, but Clay was turning out to be a pretty fair drover.
I thought I made myself clear.
You made yourself clear, all right.
That way, they don't draw any trail-end pay.
That's their mistake.
Are you riding into town, or am I? No, no.
I'll go.
Well, I wish you fellas all the luck in the world.
It could happen.
Yes, sir, who knows? I've been lookin' for the mother lode all my life.
Why, you might just stumble onto it, yes sir.
Would you like some more coffee, Mr.
Forrester? Oh, yes.
Please.
And the name is Clay, if I'm not being too forward.
Oh Oh, no.
Of course not, Mr.
Forrester.
- Clay? - Clay.
- Oh, I'll see if my calf's all right.
- Yeah.
- Pa, another one! - Oh! Well, come in, mister.
Join your friends.
You ought to be honored, Mr.
Brewer.
That's Rowdy Yates.
Our ramrod.
Didn't exactly come here to join my friends.
Have a seat, Rowdy.
Is there some of that chicken left, Priscilla? - I'll fetch it.
- No, I ain't visitin', Miss.
Nonsense! We have more than enough.
Stop acting like a ramrod, Roddy.
Join the party.
I came here to talk some sense into you people.
You know, Mr.
Favor's sending me into Dutch Flats to get replacements for all of you you too, Clay.
- Well, we ain't stoppin' you.
- I'm not ready to leave yet, Rowdy.
Do you realize, you're going to be stuck out here in the middle of nowhere, without jobs? It doesn't look like nowhere to me.
Uh, Mr.
Yates Look, Mr.
Brewer, if you're smart, you'll get rid of them.
They're pretty rank when they've been drinking.
Well, I wish I could persuade you to stay.
No, I can't.
I got business in Dutch Flats.
That's a four-hour ride.
Everybody's going to be asleep when you get there.
Can't do any business or find food till morning.
Oh, I think you'd better eat, Mr.
Yates.
Yeah! She's, uh She's right about that.
Well, uh, I guess I'd better be running along Jessica, get Mr.
Yates some hot coffee.
- Um, Pa.
- Yeah? Will you play us a tune on the music box? Yeah, I guess some music would be a good idea.
Oh, uh, Priscilla? - Would you care to dance? - Oh, well, no thank you.
- Why don't you ask my sister? - Well, because I asked you, that's why.
She's a little young for me, don't you think? Jessica, why don't you ask Rowdy to dance? He's pretty good.
- Uh, that wouldn't be proper.
- You go ahead.
- How come you ain't dancing? - Be careful, this is hot.
Maybe she don't feel like dancing, hmm? Don't tell me what to do.
You ain't boss of me no more! Drink that and sober up, will ya? Drink it yourself! - Rowdy! - Easy, Rowdy.
Come on, Hank.
Let's finish that ham.
- How about you, Mr.
Brewer? - Yeah, sure.
Deal me in.
- I'm so sorry! - It wasn't your fault.
You can't go out in the cold like this.
You'll catch your death.
- No, I'll be all right.
- No.
You come with me.
You can wear this shirt of Pa's while I dry yours.
- Oh, thanks.
- Oh, that's Mom.
She's a very beautiful woman.
You take after her.
Thank you.
I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to stare.
Well, that's all right.
We don't see too many girls on the trail drive, either.
That makes us even.
I suppose you think we're sort of strange, living out here alone.
Well, I didn't say that.
Well, it's not bad.
We've got everything we need.
Priscilla's got books for Meg's schooling, and there's nothing about prospecting that Pa don't know.
He was here when the town was just booming.
Yeah, I understand it was quite a place.
And it will be again! Look.
You see this necklace? Those are real nuggets right out of the mother lode.
Whew.
Yeah.
Must have been something to see.
I'll show it to you.
Whew.
There's never been a bonanza to match it.
Mm.
And your, uh Your pa, he says there's more of this stuff in that land around here? Oh, don't, Rowdy.
I'm sorry, I You don't belong on this mountain.
And it was wicked of me to tempt you.
It's feedin' time.
Would you like to come see my animals? They're upstairs in the attic.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
You go right along.
I'll be up in a minute.
I'd say that little filly was pretty taken by you.
She could tell you a lot or has she already? Is that why you're buttering up the other one? - Maybe.
- You're a real sidewinder, Clay.
You know, if you'd seen that gold that Brewer's throwing around, you might not be so high and mighty.
All I'm looking for is trail-end pay.
I don't get no gold dust in my eyes.
Yeah, uh, maybe the game ain't worth it, but there's one more card I got to see first.
- One.
- I'm out.
Pop? - Yeah, what is it? - It's that Mr.
Clay.
He's been asking questions.
You know, about where you dig and all.
He's got a knife he wants to give me.
But I said nothing.
Always knew you had the sense in the family.
Think Pris is dumb to like him? No, not necessarily.
Honey You remember that old gold rocker? - So far from the blasted creek? - Blasted's right! That's where you said all the words I gotta forget.
Yeah.
Well, uh You could sort of keep him out of trouble if he dug there, huh? He's gonna be awful angry.
But I'll hold my ears.
There you are, Rowdy.
Oh.
Well, thanks, Jessica.
It looks better than it did when it was new.
I found out.
The little one.
Meg.
She told me where to dig.
Well, make it six feet under, for all I give a darn.
I'll count you in.
Don't do me any favors, will you, Clay? Oh, come on.
I need you.
As soon as Hank and the others find out, - well, there'll be no holdin' 'em.
- It's gonna be your worry.
- I got business in Dutch Flats.
- Look, I give you my word.
Either we strike pay dirt tomorrow, or we ride back together.
Now what's wrong with that? - Well - We won't get back any later, if we ride tomorrow.
- Tomorrow.
- Uh-huh.
See this? Here's the old rocker, just like she said.
This is it! Huh? There's prospecting holes all over these hills, Clay.
- These diggings are all played out.
- Aw, come on.
You agreed to take a look.
Howdy! You two ain't thinkin' of prospecting around here, are you? Is there any reason why we can't? - You got a claim here, or something? - No.
Ten years, I never found a trace of anything here.
Reckon it was all worked out.
- Ten years, that's good enough - You know he can't let on anything.
He's just trying to scare us off.
I'll bet you cowpokes wouldn't know gold if you saw it.
Well, I've panned before.
Do tell.
I'll lend you my shovel, and the bucket.
Look, you said you'd give it a try.
Give it a try, huh? Yeah.
Now I've heard everything.
Yes, sir.
You got any idea what it really takes to wash gold up here, have you? Well, first you got to tote your water clear up from that crick.
Yes, sir.
'Course, you could use that old rocker there.
When it's full of dirt, it's mighty heavy.
It needs a lot of water.
Crick is a long way down there.
Ain't as easy as, uh, sittin' in a saddle all day.
Lettin' your horse do all the work.
All right, Clay, we'll trade off.
You dig for a while, and I'll haul the water.
All right, come on.
Back him up, Mushy.
- Back up.
- Easy.
- Wishbone.
- Finish hitchin'.
Any sign of Clay or the others? Well, no, but I got an idea, boss.
So have I.
I don't want them trailing after us looking for their gear.
- Dump it.
- Just dump it and leave it right out here.
Exactly.
All right, but somebody better tell them.
I don't want them holding me responsible.
Oh, I'll tell 'em.
You just dump it.
Not so fast, not so fast.
You're going to sluice out that pay dirt.
All right, if you know so much about it, you do it yourself.
You can do the digging, too.
I'm through with this.
You fellas don't know from beans.
Yeah, well, nobody's asking you, Brewer.
You had any sense, you wouldn't shout all over the diggins.
There you are.
You asked for it.
Look at them, working away like a bunch of beavers.
We thought you'd be back at Dutch Flats by now, Rowdy.
Guess he didn't really care about us strays after all.
Huh, Clay? Find what you're really looking for, Ramrod? Now, you get your get your hands out of there! Look, Hank.
It's gold! And the whole rocker's full of it! We got a whole sluice of 'em! Yes.
It's gold! Look, Rowdy! We're in! We're rich! I told you.
I told you, huh? Hey, get out of here.
Come back with that.
Come here.
All right, now! You simmer down.
You with those nuggets, put them back in that rocker, less you want to trade them for some lead.
What's the matter with you, Brewer? You burned just because your didn't strike it? Neither did you, Mister.
Take it easy, Brewer.
It happens we're all friends around here.
Ain't that right, Clay? Well, come on, Rowdy, tell them! All right.
Now that we got that settled, you and your three men get up on that ledge a piece.
Lots of land there where you can stake out your own claims.
All right, old man.
Let's go.
Now, you tell me something, old timer.
Just what are you fishing for? - Fishing? - Yeah, that's right.
Me and Rowdy could've handled them drovers.
We didn't need any help from you.
Always looking for a hook, ain't you? Matter of fact, didn't want a lot of shooting around her because of my girls.
My daughters hadn't taking a shine to you, I'd have run you off with them other fellas.
Whoa, that's mighty big talk for an old man.
Maybe.
Long as that bunch hangs around up there, you're going to need all the help you can get.
Yeah, I ain't worried about them.
Well, you should be.
You take my advice.
You get into town as fast as you can and register this claim.
Finding gold is one thing.
Hanging onto it is another.
You know, he's got a point there.
Well, uh, aren't we supposed to dig some more first? Just enough hole to prove you worked the claim.
Uh, can we keep on using your shovel? Yeah, and my pick, too.
Now, you get going.
I'll have my daughters bring you some food.
You know, that old geezer's right.
Soon as they find nothing up there, they're bound to be back here sure as shooting.
Hey, Hank, what's this? We got it, Hank.
Wait, let's see it.
It's fool's gold again.
Don't you have enough brains to tell the difference? Maybe that's what we saw down there in the rocker.
That was the real thing all right.
Ain't never seen nothing to touch it.
Put some right there.
Get some more water.
Hank, maybe if we just keep on digging deeper.
Rowdy? You You really should eat something.
This is awfully nice of you girls to bring us something out here.
Outside of Pa, I don't know who else I'd rather see strike it.
Yeah, well, you might change your mind after we've been around here for a while I don't think so.
I just hope that you've hit the real thing.
What do you mean? Pa's found colors here, too, but it's just been tailings.
No, we found nuggets.
I think it's worth registering.
Pa says you have the makings of a real hard rock man.
When you come back from registering your claim, we're going to have a celebration.
You're coming back tonight.
Fast as we can ride.
Please be careful.
Oh, I will.
You don't think I want to miss a celebration, do you? Something else I've got to do in Dutch Flats besides file that claim.
I've got to make sure I get those replacements for Mister Boss.
Oh, I was just saying, Boss, about the replacements I wasn't going to let you down.
Oh, no.
No, no, no.
Don't bother.
I'll pick up the five new drovers myself, along with signing up a new ramrod.
Boss? Who you calling boss? You've got more gold under your feet than he'll ever see droving in a hundred years.
Yeah, but I still let him down.
I'll set up your location marker! You fellas better git if what Meg tells me is true.
What's that? - I heard them talking.
- Who? The others.
They said Pa's helping you and they could dig there and not find nothing, so two of them's going into town to file a claim on this place here where you're digging.
Thanks.
Let's go.
Someone coming! It's them all right.
We can still out run them.
I'm going to make sure of that.
I'm gonna leave all my ammunition with you.
When you run out, circle back and help Morse and Nelson to the diggins.
They don't need me.
There's only the old man and the girl.
I know, but Clay and Rowdy can walk back there and make a fight of it.
Here, take this.
Let them think just that.
Here, you take my gun and start shooting, huh? Where you going? Try to find my horse.
You'll never make it.
We ain't going to make it much here, either.
Keep him busy, huh? All right.
I'm sorry.
I can't use all of you.
I just need four drovers and a ramrod.
I did some ramrodding for the Donahue Brothers.
Been up the Chisholm with 'em, the Sedalia Look out! They're fightin' to get to the Assay Office! Look, I'm sorry about breaking things up around here.
I'll pay for it.
You must've struck something big to risk your life for it.
Maybe yes, maybe no.
You filing alone or with a partner? No, my partner is up on Lost Mountain.
- Lost Mountain.
- Lost Mountain? Yeah.
Oh, Mr.
Clark.
We might as well get that business done now.
It would be fine if you want to sign up.
Haven't your heard, Mr.
Favor? There's a new strike up on Lost Mountain.
Lost Mountain? Yeah, I've got to lay in my supplies before they're all gone.
But Oh, Mr.
Hacker.
Sorry.
Going out of business.
Yeah.
There.
If you only knew how much you look like your mother.
Oh, except for the necklace.
Pa, it's gone.
What's gone? The necklace.
It was here last night.
I was showing it to Rowdy, Oh, you don't think that he could Oh, no, of course not.
But he was the only one outside of us that knew where it was.
Jessie I moved it.
Oh.
Oh, Pa.
Oh, wasn't that awful to think that about Rowdy? He's a fine young man.
I know.
Oh, I know.
You think he's going to like me? Yes, sir.
Oh, Pa, Mom's dress fits, but the necklace would just make it perfect.
Could I wear it? Uh, well Please, just for tonight.
Just show me where it is, and I'll go get it.
I don't rightly know where it is.
I can't say.
Well, why not? Well, Jessie Oh, Pa, you never were very good at foolin'.
Jessie, you see Look, I did it for Priscilla.
You did what? I seeded the boy's claim with it.
Oh, Pa.
Now, Jessie, I knew how you girls was feeling, see, and I figure it was the only sure way of keeping 'em here.
What do you think they're going to say after they find out there's nothing there? I'll make them my partners.
I'm really onto something, Jessie, but, see, I'm a little old, and I need them to help work the place.
They'll never forgive us when they find out.
Yes, they will.
I'll handle it.
Now, Jessica, you keep your mouth shut.
Hm? Better get off.
I think the horse can't make it on this hill.
We'll walk it.
Lucky for me it was a piece of rock that hit my face and not a bullet.
That makes us even.
Skinned my elbow and lost my horse.
Who cares? Look, we got this file paper, and that's all that counts now.
- Our worries are over.
- Yeah.
Take cover! - The law'll handle them.
- Sure.
In the meantime, they'll salt away all those nuggets of ours that they can lay their hands on.
Yeah, we ain't got a cartridge left between us.
Brewer will have some.
You know, he might even give us a hand.
Yeah.
Oh, but those diggin's are going to be hard to take.
I don't want no bows.
No, you like burrs and bugs.
Girls, Clay and Rowdy are here.
Get your claim all right? Yeah, but it wasn't easy.
You got any shells to fit this? What's the trouble? Les and the others are working our claim.
You want to give us a hand? Let's not be hasty.
No reason for anybody to get all shot up.
And it's for nothing.
Jesse, I agree.
There's other ways to do this.
How? Well, for instance, I go and have a little talk with them.
They've got no quarrel with me.
They ain't going to listen to you either.
I don't mean to hand this over to you, old timer.
This is our fight.
It's really ours, too.
What she means is shooting can be risky for all of us.
Now, if I can't settle this thing my way, there will be plenty of time for fireworks later.
Priscilla, get the boys cleaned up.
We'd better wash that out.
Jessie, I'm counting on you to see that they keep out of trouble, and don't start none yourself.
Understand? You're worried about your Pa, ain't you? He can take care of himself.
You know, you'd make a real good nurse? Oh, thank you, sir.
What's bothering you, Jessie? All I can think about is that you two were almost killed.
That could happen on a trail ride just as easily as here.
Sure, I'd just as soon risk my neck for a goldmine any day.
What's the matter, Jessica? Nothing! I'll be all right.
You know, Pop, I just can't believe it.
Hank.
Hey, it looks like you ran into trouble.
Yeah.
What's he doing here? Ask him if you don't believe me.
The old codger's trying to tell us they beat you to it.
He's right.
They did.
Maybe now you'll clear out of here.
Sure, but we're going to dig some pay dirt out of here first.
You could dig here from now till doomsday, you wouldn't turn up tobacco money.
What about them nuggets? You seen them.
Sure, I seen them.
I seen them before you.
I put them there.
All them nuggets? - You put them there? - That's right.
My gals took a shining to them fellas, and I salted this claim so they'd hang around here a little longer.
That's a real good story, Pop, and I'd believe you if you wasn't all fired anxious to get us out of here.
I ain't going to be responsible for no more trouble.
Somebody's apt to get killed.
There's sure one way to find out about all this.
That's right, Pop.
Now, you dig! Something must've happened to him all right.
Are these the right caliber? Yeah, great.
Thanks.
- Here.
- Let's go.
Rowdy, please don't go.
Now, I don't want Clay to go, Jess, but if Pa is in trouble Pa's got only himself to blame, Cill.
Why should we let Rowdy and Clay take any more chances? There isn't any gold.
There never has been.
It's all a lie.
What are you talking about? What do you call these? Those are the nuggets from Mom's necklace.
But why would Pa do that? Oh, Cill, he thought he had to.
He thought that if they struck it, that maybe they'd stay, and then maybe Maybe you'd catch yourself a couple of prize suckers.
Is that it? Well, Priscilla didn't know.
But you did, huh? Rowdy, don't.
She did it for me.
Would a girl as pretty as Jessica have to cheat to catch a man? Priscilla! Priscilla! It's Pop.
I followed him.
Those men are going to hurt him.
He said there ain't no more gold, but they don't believe him.
Serves him right.
Rowdy, let's go.
Maybe we can get our jobs back.
You were mighty anxious for Pa's help when there was gold involved.
Now that he's in trouble, it's a different thing.
Isn't it? That ain't the reason.
Pa's in trouble because of those men.
Clay brought them here, but you were supposed to take them away.
Well, I tried.
Well, not very hard.
I warned you not to stay, not to get gold fever.
Oh, don't ask him for help.
We can go ourselves.
No, no, we'll go after him.
But there are four of them and only two of you.
Sure, you really taught her to count good, didn't you.
Wait a minute.
Here's all the help we need right here.
How we get them to move? I know Brewer got us to do it.
Yeah, come on.
Let's stampede them.
This way! Nothing, not a god darn thing.
All right, Brewer, you give us a lot of fast talk, a lot of rich outcropping you Where is it? It's, uh, up the mountain a piece.
All right, take us there.
I can't promise nothing.
I've seen indication, of course That ain't what you were saying before.
Now, let's go.
Here we are.
Keep all them horses They'll be back.
Gold.
There we are, gold.
It's gold! It's gold.
Look! Look! Now, look, I've found color on this mountain lots of time, but it never led to much.
I couldn't take you to the mother lode if my life depended on it.
But it does, old man.
It does.
Hey, what's going on down there.
I'm taking it all from here.
Hank, they're jumping our claim.
Must've struck something.
Look at them.
They going crazy? Dirty jumpers! Come on! Hi, Pop.
- Where you going? - It's gold! Let me go.
What's the matter? Are you fellas out of your minds? - No, you are.
- Come on.
Come on.
After all these years, everything we've ever dreamed of people in the streets, excitement and now we're leaving.
Yeah, but you wouldn't want to have anything to do with any of them now.
They've got the gold fever bad.
Oh, I know of a few cases that have been cured.
Uh, I hope that Clay doesn't feel beholden or anything.
I mean Priscilla doesn't expect anything out of him.
No, he's kind of a sensible fella, you know.
After all, a girl's got to think about herself, too.
Pa sold his digging equipment and the house.
We can have all kinds of pretty clothes, and, well, Priscilla will have all kinds of chances now that we're leaving.
She can't just take the first man she sees.
Can she? Man would be lucky to get a girl like that.
It's awful good of you to rescue Pa seeing you were so angry at Jessica and me.
Well, you can't exactly blame a father for acting like a father, especially when he's got three girls to marry off.
You don't suppose Rowdy took Pa's maneuvering serious.
As a matchmaker, Pa is a much better miner.
Rowdy, nah.
He knows a drover's life isn't anything to offer girls like you.
Jessica's so pretty.
Prettiness isn't the only thing a man looks for in a wife.
Are you trying to ease your conscience because you think that you made a fool of me? No, no, that's the truth.
You wait till you get to town.
You'll find a whole bunch of solid, respectable citizens just waiting for a girl like you.
Oh.
Where's Pa? Oh, he's packing some of Ma's things.
What's the matter? Somebody says he struck it on the other side of the hill.
We've got to get Pa going before he hears about this, or we'll be here the rest of our lives.
I hitched Tilly to the backboard.
Pa, we're leaving! What's your hurry? No sense dawdling.
And leave some room for my animals.
Come on, Pa.
Can't a man take a last look around? Pa, you've been looking at it for the last 30 years.
Come on.
You hear about the strike on the hill? That's what all the rush is about, huh? You don't have to worry about me anymore.
I'm through.
I've been watching those gold-crazy people over there.
Bit like seeing myself, looking in the mirror.
I wouldn't care if somebody said they found golf right here in our front yard.
We're through being ghosts.
We're going.
Oh, Pa.
Hey, who's gear is that? Uh, well, a couple of drovers came by and said they was experienced, so, well, since we were short handed You mean you found somebody around here willing to sign on? Any objections? After losing two days to gold fever and being short handed, of course not.
Where are they? Uh, come on out, fellas.
Call these men experienced? I know greenhorns when I see them.
Looks like they're going to take a lot of breaking in.
You knot-heads think you can ride drag? Uh, well, uh uh Anything you say, sir.
All right, then git.
I've got no objection to your cooking, Wishbone.
When it comes to hiring drovers Oh, well, give them time, boss.
Give 'em time.
I don't get it, Mr.
Wishbone.
Get what? I'd have sworn those fellas was Mr.
Rowdy and Mr.
Clay.
Head 'em up! Move 'em out! Rollin', rollin', rollin' Rollin', rollin', rollin' Keep rollin', rollin', rollin' Though the streams are swollen Keep them dogies rollin' Rawhide Through rain and wind and weather Hell-bent for leather Wishin' my gal was by my side All the things I'm missin' Good vittles, love, and kissin' Are waiting at the end of my ride Move 'em on, head 'em up, head 'em up, move 'em on Move 'em on, head 'em up Rawhide Count 'em out, ride 'em in, ride 'em in, let 'em out Count 'em out, ride 'em in Rawhide Rollin', rollin', rollin' Rollin', rollin', rollin' - Hyahl - Rollin' rollin', rollin' Hyahl Rawhide - Hyahl - Rollin', rollin', rollin' Hyahl
Varmint.
Sounds like a ghost.
When are we gonna get off of this graveyard of a mountain? As, uh, soon as Clay gives the word.
Huh.
How's it look? The whole pass is all right, I guess.
You could lose a grown steer down those old mine shafts, though, and the mountain's full of 'em.
- Anybody still around there? - No, it's like riding through a graveyard.
Busted-up machinery, busted-down shacks - Get a look at the town? - Yeah, from a distance.
I didn't see any reason to poke around that old ghost town at night.
Yeah, once the gold veins give out, a town's got about as much a chance as a sheep with its throat cut.
Howdy! Howdy, friends, how are ya? Howdy! Well, I'm sure surprised to find anybody around here.
Yes, sir.
- My name is Hosea Brewer.
- Howdy.
My name's Favor.
- I'm trail bossin' this outfit.
- Pleased to meet you.
You, uh, still prospectin' these parts? Yeah! Yeah, that's right.
Everybody else moved on.
Always intended to follow them someday, but, uh - Never got around to it.
- That was ten year ago.
Yeah, that's right.
Now, me and Tilly there were were too old, and sort of set in our ways.
Mr.
Brewer, we'd like to sit around and socialize, but we got a lot of work to do.
Well, sure, sure.
Nobody stays on Lost Mountain no more.
Well, let's get moving, Rowdy.
Oh, Wish.
As soon as you're through feeding the night shift, you can move on to noon camp.
Thought you said there was nobody left up here.
Well, ain't any prospectors left, except maybe ghosts.
- How do you make a living up here? - Don't have to.
Live off the land.
Except, uh, always lookin' for an outcropping.
Might lead me back to mother lode.
- It was here once? - So was the Garden of Eden, but the Good Lord hasn't seen fit to lead us back to that, neither.
Now, see there, I was wonderin' if you got another one of these.
You see, Tilly kicked the hitchings loose the other day and lost mine.
No, mister, that's the only shovel I got.
Is that so? Well, I'd uh I'd be willing to pay for it.
Well, that ain't the point.
How'd I dig my fire pit? How'd I level my wagon, dig my wheels out of gumbo? Oh.
Well, you see, it ain't so easy for me to get off of this here mountain.
Now you? You Why, you could pick up another one of these first town you pass through.
Give you ten dollars.
- You aren't serious! - Well, I'm a poor man.
I need this shovel right bad.
I'd double it.
I'm not the kind of a man to take advantage.
Well, all right.
That's all right.
I understand.
I know a shrewd fellow when I see one.
Give you 25 for it.
All I got is this here dust, but uh worth at least that much.
- More like 30.
- Is it a deal? Sure.
I'll give you the pick, too, if you want it.
You will, huh? Hey, uh Well, that's fair enough! Thank you.
Thank you very kindly.
Come on, Tilly! These good people have got work to do, and uh So do we.
Yes, sir.
So do we! All that gold dust for that beat-up shovel? Suppose he's on to something? Oh, no, no.
That mountain's been picked cleaner than a hound's tooth.
Yeah, these old sourdoughs, they get a little overcooked in the sun.
Now, where do you think you're going? I'll eat something cold later.
You'll eat something cold.
I offered him anything cold, he'd scream like he was bit.
Well, come on, men.
I got it all ready.
Come on, Hank.
I got to get things done here and move out! Guess I'm not feelin' so good.
I ain't hungry.
First time he ever turned down a meal.
Funny thing, my stomach's acting up, too.
Well, I'm feelin' fine, Mr.
Wishbone.
So it can't be the grub.
Those fellas must have rusty canteens.
Come on, Tilly.
What's eating you? Come on! Come on.
Hey! All right, there, Meg.
I know you're around somewhere.
Where are you? Ah.
There you are.
Come on over here! I'll bet your sister's looking all over for you.
She got them books out.
I just wanted to see where you was off to.
Why, you're sneakier than a bobcat.
Come on.
Come on.
Up! Set.
- Oh! - Up you go.
There you are.
And you, uh, stop chewing that candle wax.
Where in the world did you find her? Meg! You're gonna have to do something about her, Pa.
She is getting of an age where I can't handle her.
Oh, she's all right, Priscilla.
Not much different than you and Jessie when you were growin' up.
Oh, we didn't grow up wild as weeds.
Ma was alive, and there was a town here.
And there will be again.
You'll see.
- Now, don't track up the house.
- Not even with pay dirt? I'm really on to it this time, Priscilla.
Oh, sure, Pa.
I know, I I know what's pulling you down today, honey.
Oh, let me forget it.
Next year, it's gonna be different for you.
You're gonna get a present now, anyway.
Happy birthday, honey! No.
Oh! What's going on down there? Oh, Pa's just showing me Ma's necklace.
But I want you to have it.
It's all you have in the world.
You keep it, Pa.
But I don't need it! If this new lead pans out, I can get a dozen strings like these.
It'll be like it was in the old days, when the high-grade ran 64,000 a ton.
And with your dowry, you'll be the catch of the territory.
And Meg's gonna be schooled in Europe, and you, Jessie, you're gonna have presents from Well, right now, I think it's more important that we get that well fixed.
You mean You mean, to waste time tinkerin' at that Oh, I don't care, Pa.
It's all right with me.
Jessie and I won't have to do any more cooking and scrubbing.
And Meg can get filthy and stay that way.
Or maybe we'll all get so thirsty we'll just have to leave this cursed mountain.
Plenty of water down in Dutch Flats.
Water and decent, civilized people.
That wasn't fair, Priscilla.
Well, somebody's just got to keep reminding him.
We all get stuck up here much longer, - you'll be as old and ugly as I am.
- Cill! Now, what pa meant, I'd have to be rich to get a husband, well, I don't mind being an old maid.
And no dowry is worth burying you and Meg up here.
We have time to wait, and maybe If we ever do get to someplace where we could know people, I'm gonna tell 'em, I don't intend to marry.
And you and Meg will be free.
You won't have to sit around waiting for Pa to foist me off first on some poor man.
Now you just wait a moment before you make up your mind.
- Pa will strike it! - Oh.
Ma believed in that dream, too.
She's buried out there.
Cill, if we gave up now, and Pa had to leave this mountain, you know what would happen to him.
I know.
Oh, Jessie You're a good girl.
Now you better put that necklace back where it belongs.
Mushy, what in tarnation did you do with the frying pan? And the dish pail and the rest of Bone, what's going on here? Why aren't you headed for noon camp? - And where's Clay? - He's disappeared, along with about half of my pans! - Has anybody seen Hank? - Oh, I did.
He's down by the stream.
In fact, he's washing one of your pans, Mr.
Wishbone.
Washing? Pannin' gold, more likely.
Find out who else is missing.
Rowdy, get the rest of the men back here, and fast.
Right.
Cill! Jessie! Someone's coming! A man! - Meg, you stop that foolin'.
- Come look! Hello, Mr.
Brewer.
Remember me? Let me see.
You're the curious fella wondered if I still prospected around here.
Yeah, you remember me all right.
What are you carryin' that critter for? Well, steep going's a little hard on calves.
They drop out and get lost to coyotes.
- I saw your tracks, and I thought - I'd like some meat, eh? Yeah.
You ain't gonna kill him! Oh, this is my daughter, Meg.
She's right fond of animals.
Oh, well, why don't you ask your pa, and maybe you could raise him, and you Well, that's my older daughter, Jessica.
Well, I had no idea.
And that's my oldest daughter, Priscilla.
No idea at all, ma'am.
Pa, look! There's another one.
Well, looks like, while you was followin' me, that fellow was followin' you.
Yeah.
And another one! What are you waitin' for, girls? Set the table! We got callers.
Clay, Hank, Les, Nelson and Morse.
Now, they'll be back, boss.
Tail down and crawlin'.
Everyone knows there ain't no pay dirt up here.
Nor any gold at the end of a rainbow.
But if any of you are itching to go chasing, let me know about it right now.
If any of you still got any doubts, I'm sending Rowdy into Dutch Flats to sign on some new drovers.
- Señor Boss - I got nothing more to say.
As long as we're short-handed, we'll drive the herd real slow and easy.
Now get back to work.
Boss, Clay might have just gone to check the noon camp.
Yeah, I mean, losing Hank and the rest of 'em ain't so bad, but Clay was turning out to be a pretty fair drover.
I thought I made myself clear.
You made yourself clear, all right.
That way, they don't draw any trail-end pay.
That's their mistake.
Are you riding into town, or am I? No, no.
I'll go.
Well, I wish you fellas all the luck in the world.
It could happen.
Yes, sir, who knows? I've been lookin' for the mother lode all my life.
Why, you might just stumble onto it, yes sir.
Would you like some more coffee, Mr.
Forrester? Oh, yes.
Please.
And the name is Clay, if I'm not being too forward.
Oh Oh, no.
Of course not, Mr.
Forrester.
- Clay? - Clay.
- Oh, I'll see if my calf's all right.
- Yeah.
- Pa, another one! - Oh! Well, come in, mister.
Join your friends.
You ought to be honored, Mr.
Brewer.
That's Rowdy Yates.
Our ramrod.
Didn't exactly come here to join my friends.
Have a seat, Rowdy.
Is there some of that chicken left, Priscilla? - I'll fetch it.
- No, I ain't visitin', Miss.
Nonsense! We have more than enough.
Stop acting like a ramrod, Roddy.
Join the party.
I came here to talk some sense into you people.
You know, Mr.
Favor's sending me into Dutch Flats to get replacements for all of you you too, Clay.
- Well, we ain't stoppin' you.
- I'm not ready to leave yet, Rowdy.
Do you realize, you're going to be stuck out here in the middle of nowhere, without jobs? It doesn't look like nowhere to me.
Uh, Mr.
Yates Look, Mr.
Brewer, if you're smart, you'll get rid of them.
They're pretty rank when they've been drinking.
Well, I wish I could persuade you to stay.
No, I can't.
I got business in Dutch Flats.
That's a four-hour ride.
Everybody's going to be asleep when you get there.
Can't do any business or find food till morning.
Oh, I think you'd better eat, Mr.
Yates.
Yeah! She's, uh She's right about that.
Well, uh, I guess I'd better be running along Jessica, get Mr.
Yates some hot coffee.
- Um, Pa.
- Yeah? Will you play us a tune on the music box? Yeah, I guess some music would be a good idea.
Oh, uh, Priscilla? - Would you care to dance? - Oh, well, no thank you.
- Why don't you ask my sister? - Well, because I asked you, that's why.
She's a little young for me, don't you think? Jessica, why don't you ask Rowdy to dance? He's pretty good.
- Uh, that wouldn't be proper.
- You go ahead.
- How come you ain't dancing? - Be careful, this is hot.
Maybe she don't feel like dancing, hmm? Don't tell me what to do.
You ain't boss of me no more! Drink that and sober up, will ya? Drink it yourself! - Rowdy! - Easy, Rowdy.
Come on, Hank.
Let's finish that ham.
- How about you, Mr.
Brewer? - Yeah, sure.
Deal me in.
- I'm so sorry! - It wasn't your fault.
You can't go out in the cold like this.
You'll catch your death.
- No, I'll be all right.
- No.
You come with me.
You can wear this shirt of Pa's while I dry yours.
- Oh, thanks.
- Oh, that's Mom.
She's a very beautiful woman.
You take after her.
Thank you.
I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to stare.
Well, that's all right.
We don't see too many girls on the trail drive, either.
That makes us even.
I suppose you think we're sort of strange, living out here alone.
Well, I didn't say that.
Well, it's not bad.
We've got everything we need.
Priscilla's got books for Meg's schooling, and there's nothing about prospecting that Pa don't know.
He was here when the town was just booming.
Yeah, I understand it was quite a place.
And it will be again! Look.
You see this necklace? Those are real nuggets right out of the mother lode.
Whew.
Yeah.
Must have been something to see.
I'll show it to you.
Whew.
There's never been a bonanza to match it.
Mm.
And your, uh Your pa, he says there's more of this stuff in that land around here? Oh, don't, Rowdy.
I'm sorry, I You don't belong on this mountain.
And it was wicked of me to tempt you.
It's feedin' time.
Would you like to come see my animals? They're upstairs in the attic.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
You go right along.
I'll be up in a minute.
I'd say that little filly was pretty taken by you.
She could tell you a lot or has she already? Is that why you're buttering up the other one? - Maybe.
- You're a real sidewinder, Clay.
You know, if you'd seen that gold that Brewer's throwing around, you might not be so high and mighty.
All I'm looking for is trail-end pay.
I don't get no gold dust in my eyes.
Yeah, uh, maybe the game ain't worth it, but there's one more card I got to see first.
- One.
- I'm out.
Pop? - Yeah, what is it? - It's that Mr.
Clay.
He's been asking questions.
You know, about where you dig and all.
He's got a knife he wants to give me.
But I said nothing.
Always knew you had the sense in the family.
Think Pris is dumb to like him? No, not necessarily.
Honey You remember that old gold rocker? - So far from the blasted creek? - Blasted's right! That's where you said all the words I gotta forget.
Yeah.
Well, uh You could sort of keep him out of trouble if he dug there, huh? He's gonna be awful angry.
But I'll hold my ears.
There you are, Rowdy.
Oh.
Well, thanks, Jessica.
It looks better than it did when it was new.
I found out.
The little one.
Meg.
She told me where to dig.
Well, make it six feet under, for all I give a darn.
I'll count you in.
Don't do me any favors, will you, Clay? Oh, come on.
I need you.
As soon as Hank and the others find out, - well, there'll be no holdin' 'em.
- It's gonna be your worry.
- I got business in Dutch Flats.
- Look, I give you my word.
Either we strike pay dirt tomorrow, or we ride back together.
Now what's wrong with that? - Well - We won't get back any later, if we ride tomorrow.
- Tomorrow.
- Uh-huh.
See this? Here's the old rocker, just like she said.
This is it! Huh? There's prospecting holes all over these hills, Clay.
- These diggings are all played out.
- Aw, come on.
You agreed to take a look.
Howdy! You two ain't thinkin' of prospecting around here, are you? Is there any reason why we can't? - You got a claim here, or something? - No.
Ten years, I never found a trace of anything here.
Reckon it was all worked out.
- Ten years, that's good enough - You know he can't let on anything.
He's just trying to scare us off.
I'll bet you cowpokes wouldn't know gold if you saw it.
Well, I've panned before.
Do tell.
I'll lend you my shovel, and the bucket.
Look, you said you'd give it a try.
Give it a try, huh? Yeah.
Now I've heard everything.
Yes, sir.
You got any idea what it really takes to wash gold up here, have you? Well, first you got to tote your water clear up from that crick.
Yes, sir.
'Course, you could use that old rocker there.
When it's full of dirt, it's mighty heavy.
It needs a lot of water.
Crick is a long way down there.
Ain't as easy as, uh, sittin' in a saddle all day.
Lettin' your horse do all the work.
All right, Clay, we'll trade off.
You dig for a while, and I'll haul the water.
All right, come on.
Back him up, Mushy.
- Back up.
- Easy.
- Wishbone.
- Finish hitchin'.
Any sign of Clay or the others? Well, no, but I got an idea, boss.
So have I.
I don't want them trailing after us looking for their gear.
- Dump it.
- Just dump it and leave it right out here.
Exactly.
All right, but somebody better tell them.
I don't want them holding me responsible.
Oh, I'll tell 'em.
You just dump it.
Not so fast, not so fast.
You're going to sluice out that pay dirt.
All right, if you know so much about it, you do it yourself.
You can do the digging, too.
I'm through with this.
You fellas don't know from beans.
Yeah, well, nobody's asking you, Brewer.
You had any sense, you wouldn't shout all over the diggins.
There you are.
You asked for it.
Look at them, working away like a bunch of beavers.
We thought you'd be back at Dutch Flats by now, Rowdy.
Guess he didn't really care about us strays after all.
Huh, Clay? Find what you're really looking for, Ramrod? Now, you get your get your hands out of there! Look, Hank.
It's gold! And the whole rocker's full of it! We got a whole sluice of 'em! Yes.
It's gold! Look, Rowdy! We're in! We're rich! I told you.
I told you, huh? Hey, get out of here.
Come back with that.
Come here.
All right, now! You simmer down.
You with those nuggets, put them back in that rocker, less you want to trade them for some lead.
What's the matter with you, Brewer? You burned just because your didn't strike it? Neither did you, Mister.
Take it easy, Brewer.
It happens we're all friends around here.
Ain't that right, Clay? Well, come on, Rowdy, tell them! All right.
Now that we got that settled, you and your three men get up on that ledge a piece.
Lots of land there where you can stake out your own claims.
All right, old man.
Let's go.
Now, you tell me something, old timer.
Just what are you fishing for? - Fishing? - Yeah, that's right.
Me and Rowdy could've handled them drovers.
We didn't need any help from you.
Always looking for a hook, ain't you? Matter of fact, didn't want a lot of shooting around her because of my girls.
My daughters hadn't taking a shine to you, I'd have run you off with them other fellas.
Whoa, that's mighty big talk for an old man.
Maybe.
Long as that bunch hangs around up there, you're going to need all the help you can get.
Yeah, I ain't worried about them.
Well, you should be.
You take my advice.
You get into town as fast as you can and register this claim.
Finding gold is one thing.
Hanging onto it is another.
You know, he's got a point there.
Well, uh, aren't we supposed to dig some more first? Just enough hole to prove you worked the claim.
Uh, can we keep on using your shovel? Yeah, and my pick, too.
Now, you get going.
I'll have my daughters bring you some food.
You know, that old geezer's right.
Soon as they find nothing up there, they're bound to be back here sure as shooting.
Hey, Hank, what's this? We got it, Hank.
Wait, let's see it.
It's fool's gold again.
Don't you have enough brains to tell the difference? Maybe that's what we saw down there in the rocker.
That was the real thing all right.
Ain't never seen nothing to touch it.
Put some right there.
Get some more water.
Hank, maybe if we just keep on digging deeper.
Rowdy? You You really should eat something.
This is awfully nice of you girls to bring us something out here.
Outside of Pa, I don't know who else I'd rather see strike it.
Yeah, well, you might change your mind after we've been around here for a while I don't think so.
I just hope that you've hit the real thing.
What do you mean? Pa's found colors here, too, but it's just been tailings.
No, we found nuggets.
I think it's worth registering.
Pa says you have the makings of a real hard rock man.
When you come back from registering your claim, we're going to have a celebration.
You're coming back tonight.
Fast as we can ride.
Please be careful.
Oh, I will.
You don't think I want to miss a celebration, do you? Something else I've got to do in Dutch Flats besides file that claim.
I've got to make sure I get those replacements for Mister Boss.
Oh, I was just saying, Boss, about the replacements I wasn't going to let you down.
Oh, no.
No, no, no.
Don't bother.
I'll pick up the five new drovers myself, along with signing up a new ramrod.
Boss? Who you calling boss? You've got more gold under your feet than he'll ever see droving in a hundred years.
Yeah, but I still let him down.
I'll set up your location marker! You fellas better git if what Meg tells me is true.
What's that? - I heard them talking.
- Who? The others.
They said Pa's helping you and they could dig there and not find nothing, so two of them's going into town to file a claim on this place here where you're digging.
Thanks.
Let's go.
Someone coming! It's them all right.
We can still out run them.
I'm going to make sure of that.
I'm gonna leave all my ammunition with you.
When you run out, circle back and help Morse and Nelson to the diggins.
They don't need me.
There's only the old man and the girl.
I know, but Clay and Rowdy can walk back there and make a fight of it.
Here, take this.
Let them think just that.
Here, you take my gun and start shooting, huh? Where you going? Try to find my horse.
You'll never make it.
We ain't going to make it much here, either.
Keep him busy, huh? All right.
I'm sorry.
I can't use all of you.
I just need four drovers and a ramrod.
I did some ramrodding for the Donahue Brothers.
Been up the Chisholm with 'em, the Sedalia Look out! They're fightin' to get to the Assay Office! Look, I'm sorry about breaking things up around here.
I'll pay for it.
You must've struck something big to risk your life for it.
Maybe yes, maybe no.
You filing alone or with a partner? No, my partner is up on Lost Mountain.
- Lost Mountain.
- Lost Mountain? Yeah.
Oh, Mr.
Clark.
We might as well get that business done now.
It would be fine if you want to sign up.
Haven't your heard, Mr.
Favor? There's a new strike up on Lost Mountain.
Lost Mountain? Yeah, I've got to lay in my supplies before they're all gone.
But Oh, Mr.
Hacker.
Sorry.
Going out of business.
Yeah.
There.
If you only knew how much you look like your mother.
Oh, except for the necklace.
Pa, it's gone.
What's gone? The necklace.
It was here last night.
I was showing it to Rowdy, Oh, you don't think that he could Oh, no, of course not.
But he was the only one outside of us that knew where it was.
Jessie I moved it.
Oh.
Oh, Pa.
Oh, wasn't that awful to think that about Rowdy? He's a fine young man.
I know.
Oh, I know.
You think he's going to like me? Yes, sir.
Oh, Pa, Mom's dress fits, but the necklace would just make it perfect.
Could I wear it? Uh, well Please, just for tonight.
Just show me where it is, and I'll go get it.
I don't rightly know where it is.
I can't say.
Well, why not? Well, Jessie Oh, Pa, you never were very good at foolin'.
Jessie, you see Look, I did it for Priscilla.
You did what? I seeded the boy's claim with it.
Oh, Pa.
Now, Jessie, I knew how you girls was feeling, see, and I figure it was the only sure way of keeping 'em here.
What do you think they're going to say after they find out there's nothing there? I'll make them my partners.
I'm really onto something, Jessie, but, see, I'm a little old, and I need them to help work the place.
They'll never forgive us when they find out.
Yes, they will.
I'll handle it.
Now, Jessica, you keep your mouth shut.
Hm? Better get off.
I think the horse can't make it on this hill.
We'll walk it.
Lucky for me it was a piece of rock that hit my face and not a bullet.
That makes us even.
Skinned my elbow and lost my horse.
Who cares? Look, we got this file paper, and that's all that counts now.
- Our worries are over.
- Yeah.
Take cover! - The law'll handle them.
- Sure.
In the meantime, they'll salt away all those nuggets of ours that they can lay their hands on.
Yeah, we ain't got a cartridge left between us.
Brewer will have some.
You know, he might even give us a hand.
Yeah.
Oh, but those diggin's are going to be hard to take.
I don't want no bows.
No, you like burrs and bugs.
Girls, Clay and Rowdy are here.
Get your claim all right? Yeah, but it wasn't easy.
You got any shells to fit this? What's the trouble? Les and the others are working our claim.
You want to give us a hand? Let's not be hasty.
No reason for anybody to get all shot up.
And it's for nothing.
Jesse, I agree.
There's other ways to do this.
How? Well, for instance, I go and have a little talk with them.
They've got no quarrel with me.
They ain't going to listen to you either.
I don't mean to hand this over to you, old timer.
This is our fight.
It's really ours, too.
What she means is shooting can be risky for all of us.
Now, if I can't settle this thing my way, there will be plenty of time for fireworks later.
Priscilla, get the boys cleaned up.
We'd better wash that out.
Jessie, I'm counting on you to see that they keep out of trouble, and don't start none yourself.
Understand? You're worried about your Pa, ain't you? He can take care of himself.
You know, you'd make a real good nurse? Oh, thank you, sir.
What's bothering you, Jessie? All I can think about is that you two were almost killed.
That could happen on a trail ride just as easily as here.
Sure, I'd just as soon risk my neck for a goldmine any day.
What's the matter, Jessica? Nothing! I'll be all right.
You know, Pop, I just can't believe it.
Hank.
Hey, it looks like you ran into trouble.
Yeah.
What's he doing here? Ask him if you don't believe me.
The old codger's trying to tell us they beat you to it.
He's right.
They did.
Maybe now you'll clear out of here.
Sure, but we're going to dig some pay dirt out of here first.
You could dig here from now till doomsday, you wouldn't turn up tobacco money.
What about them nuggets? You seen them.
Sure, I seen them.
I seen them before you.
I put them there.
All them nuggets? - You put them there? - That's right.
My gals took a shining to them fellas, and I salted this claim so they'd hang around here a little longer.
That's a real good story, Pop, and I'd believe you if you wasn't all fired anxious to get us out of here.
I ain't going to be responsible for no more trouble.
Somebody's apt to get killed.
There's sure one way to find out about all this.
That's right, Pop.
Now, you dig! Something must've happened to him all right.
Are these the right caliber? Yeah, great.
Thanks.
- Here.
- Let's go.
Rowdy, please don't go.
Now, I don't want Clay to go, Jess, but if Pa is in trouble Pa's got only himself to blame, Cill.
Why should we let Rowdy and Clay take any more chances? There isn't any gold.
There never has been.
It's all a lie.
What are you talking about? What do you call these? Those are the nuggets from Mom's necklace.
But why would Pa do that? Oh, Cill, he thought he had to.
He thought that if they struck it, that maybe they'd stay, and then maybe Maybe you'd catch yourself a couple of prize suckers.
Is that it? Well, Priscilla didn't know.
But you did, huh? Rowdy, don't.
She did it for me.
Would a girl as pretty as Jessica have to cheat to catch a man? Priscilla! Priscilla! It's Pop.
I followed him.
Those men are going to hurt him.
He said there ain't no more gold, but they don't believe him.
Serves him right.
Rowdy, let's go.
Maybe we can get our jobs back.
You were mighty anxious for Pa's help when there was gold involved.
Now that he's in trouble, it's a different thing.
Isn't it? That ain't the reason.
Pa's in trouble because of those men.
Clay brought them here, but you were supposed to take them away.
Well, I tried.
Well, not very hard.
I warned you not to stay, not to get gold fever.
Oh, don't ask him for help.
We can go ourselves.
No, no, we'll go after him.
But there are four of them and only two of you.
Sure, you really taught her to count good, didn't you.
Wait a minute.
Here's all the help we need right here.
How we get them to move? I know Brewer got us to do it.
Yeah, come on.
Let's stampede them.
This way! Nothing, not a god darn thing.
All right, Brewer, you give us a lot of fast talk, a lot of rich outcropping you Where is it? It's, uh, up the mountain a piece.
All right, take us there.
I can't promise nothing.
I've seen indication, of course That ain't what you were saying before.
Now, let's go.
Here we are.
Keep all them horses They'll be back.
Gold.
There we are, gold.
It's gold! It's gold.
Look! Look! Now, look, I've found color on this mountain lots of time, but it never led to much.
I couldn't take you to the mother lode if my life depended on it.
But it does, old man.
It does.
Hey, what's going on down there.
I'm taking it all from here.
Hank, they're jumping our claim.
Must've struck something.
Look at them.
They going crazy? Dirty jumpers! Come on! Hi, Pop.
- Where you going? - It's gold! Let me go.
What's the matter? Are you fellas out of your minds? - No, you are.
- Come on.
Come on.
After all these years, everything we've ever dreamed of people in the streets, excitement and now we're leaving.
Yeah, but you wouldn't want to have anything to do with any of them now.
They've got the gold fever bad.
Oh, I know of a few cases that have been cured.
Uh, I hope that Clay doesn't feel beholden or anything.
I mean Priscilla doesn't expect anything out of him.
No, he's kind of a sensible fella, you know.
After all, a girl's got to think about herself, too.
Pa sold his digging equipment and the house.
We can have all kinds of pretty clothes, and, well, Priscilla will have all kinds of chances now that we're leaving.
She can't just take the first man she sees.
Can she? Man would be lucky to get a girl like that.
It's awful good of you to rescue Pa seeing you were so angry at Jessica and me.
Well, you can't exactly blame a father for acting like a father, especially when he's got three girls to marry off.
You don't suppose Rowdy took Pa's maneuvering serious.
As a matchmaker, Pa is a much better miner.
Rowdy, nah.
He knows a drover's life isn't anything to offer girls like you.
Jessica's so pretty.
Prettiness isn't the only thing a man looks for in a wife.
Are you trying to ease your conscience because you think that you made a fool of me? No, no, that's the truth.
You wait till you get to town.
You'll find a whole bunch of solid, respectable citizens just waiting for a girl like you.
Oh.
Where's Pa? Oh, he's packing some of Ma's things.
What's the matter? Somebody says he struck it on the other side of the hill.
We've got to get Pa going before he hears about this, or we'll be here the rest of our lives.
I hitched Tilly to the backboard.
Pa, we're leaving! What's your hurry? No sense dawdling.
And leave some room for my animals.
Come on, Pa.
Can't a man take a last look around? Pa, you've been looking at it for the last 30 years.
Come on.
You hear about the strike on the hill? That's what all the rush is about, huh? You don't have to worry about me anymore.
I'm through.
I've been watching those gold-crazy people over there.
Bit like seeing myself, looking in the mirror.
I wouldn't care if somebody said they found golf right here in our front yard.
We're through being ghosts.
We're going.
Oh, Pa.
Hey, who's gear is that? Uh, well, a couple of drovers came by and said they was experienced, so, well, since we were short handed You mean you found somebody around here willing to sign on? Any objections? After losing two days to gold fever and being short handed, of course not.
Where are they? Uh, come on out, fellas.
Call these men experienced? I know greenhorns when I see them.
Looks like they're going to take a lot of breaking in.
You knot-heads think you can ride drag? Uh, well, uh uh Anything you say, sir.
All right, then git.
I've got no objection to your cooking, Wishbone.
When it comes to hiring drovers Oh, well, give them time, boss.
Give 'em time.
I don't get it, Mr.
Wishbone.
Get what? I'd have sworn those fellas was Mr.
Rowdy and Mr.
Clay.
Head 'em up! Move 'em out! Rollin', rollin', rollin' Rollin', rollin', rollin' Keep rollin', rollin', rollin' Though the streams are swollen Keep them dogies rollin' Rawhide Through rain and wind and weather Hell-bent for leather Wishin' my gal was by my side All the things I'm missin' Good vittles, love, and kissin' Are waiting at the end of my ride Move 'em on, head 'em up, head 'em up, move 'em on Move 'em on, head 'em up Rawhide Count 'em out, ride 'em in, ride 'em in, let 'em out Count 'em out, ride 'em in Rawhide Rollin', rollin', rollin' Rollin', rollin', rollin' - Hyahl - Rollin' rollin', rollin' Hyahl Rawhide - Hyahl - Rollin', rollin', rollin' Hyahl