"there's a hound dog out in Texas he says he belongs to me when he's on the trail I can follow his tail through the land of the wild country he was born to roam the mountains the prairie land so free" "he can go anywhere run the fat from a bear chase a bobcat to his mountain lair or run him up a tree in the land of the wild country" "I call my hound dog Savage Sam he runs so wild and free and if he don't know where I am he takes after me through the land of the wild country we were born to love the country old Savage Sam and me" "we were born in the west in the land that's best but folks out here never get much rest with dogs and boys like me in the land of the wild country" "I call my hound dog Savage Sam he runs so wild and free and if he don't know where I am he takes after me through the land of the wild country we were born to love the country old Savage Sam and me" "we were born in the west in the land that's best but folks out here never get much rest with dogs and boys like me in the land of the wild country" "Sam, you thieving' rascal," "You better let me have that." "A little savage, ain't ya?" "Old Savage Sam." "All right, keep it." "But I tell you, if Travis catches you with that side of meat," "He's just liable to knock you Sky west and crooked." "Dang your hide, Jumper!" "Get out of there!" "How many times do I gotta tell you to quit eating' the sweet corn?" "Now git!" "Bit off more than you could chew, huh?" "What's for breakfast?" "Bacon and mush." "And milk, after you finish the milking'." "Bacon and mush." "Bacon and mush." "Every mornin' in the world it's bacon and mush." "Why don't you cook something different once in a while..." "Than bacon and mush like Mama does?" "'cause I'm not Mama, that's why." "Now you better go milk that cow." "Milk the dang cow." "If you get an early start," "Maybe we can finish scrubbing that new patch of ground by night." "How much longer will Mama and Papa be in San Antone?" "Oh, could be a couple of weeks yet." "Till Grandma dies?" "Now who said she's gonna die?" "You know, Grandma won't like it up there in Heaven." "There's nothing to do all day but squat around on a cloud," "Trying to pick one of them old guitars." "Harps, not guitars." "Harps, guitars..." "it's all the same difference." "Grandma don't know how to play neither one." "Grandma's been sick before, and she's got well." "Of course, maybe they'll teach her how to play." "I don't suppose them angels has got much else to do." "What's all this talk about dying?" "I was just thinking, if Grandma dies," "Mama's gonna be mighty sad." "It'll mean she'll have to wait around until she dies..." "Before she gets to see Grandma again." "Then we'll all be tore up 'cause we won't get to see Mama again till we die." "I don't like it." "Well, don't worry about it and maybe you'll live longer." "Me, I ain't never gonna die." "I'm gonna live forever." "Why don't you milk that cow so you have something to live on?" "Now git." "Milk the cow." "Grub the brush." "Bacon and mush." "Arliss." "What?" "You know, I was just thinkin' we could use some fresh meat." "And if we get through with the work in time, we might go huntin'." "Huntin'?" "You mean it?" "That's if we get through with the work," "Which won't be likely if you don't get to the milking'." "I'll have that old cow dry as a sunflower pod afore the bacon's half fried." "old Dan Tucker was a mighty man he washed his face in a frying pan combed his hair with a wagon wheel and he died of a toothache on his heel so get out the way for old Dan Tucker get out the way for old Dan Tucker" "get out the way for old Dan Tucker he's too lazy to come to supper" "Get him, Sam!" "Fire right back, Sam!" "Fire right back, boy!" "Out fancy her, boy!" "Go on, in and out." "She'll never lay a horn to ya!" "What on earth?" "yee-haw!" "Arliss, get that dog outta here!" "Dang you, Sam." "Now git!" "Travis, you quit taking sides!" "Go on!" "Get outta here!" "It's all right, Sam." "You had her beat." "Get outta here!" "I sent you out here to milk, not start a stampede." "I was milking'." "easy, girl, easy." "Easy, girl." "Easy, girl." "Actin' like a six year old." "I oughta cut me a sprout and thrash your britches." "Guess you think you're the boss, big as Papa, huh?" "Well, Papa left me in charge and said for you to do what I said!" "Now go calm that cow down and finish milking'!" "All right." "Make me!" "I'll bash you with this bucket!" "Wait till I get my hands on you." "Arliss!" "Ow!" "Arliss!" "Ow!" "You quit chucking' me, you hear?" "I hear!" "Arliss, you quit that, or these chickens won't lay for a month." "Sic him, Sam." "Grab him!" "Arliss!" "I'll learn you to boss me around." "Stay with him, Sam!" "Arliss!" "Sam, quit that." "you quit hitting' my dog!" "When I get outta here, I'll wear your tail end to a frazzle." "Arliss!" "Uncle Beck!" "Say, what's going on?" "I could hear you hollering on the next ridge." "Oh, what'd you got treed there, a panther?" "No, sir." "Just Travis." "Travis?" "You mean your brother Travis?" "Yes, sir." "Well, I'll be doggoned." "What you rockin' him for?" "Well, dang it, he's getting too big for his britches!" "He's always bossing me around." "Oh." "Tellin' you what you can do and what you can't, huh?" "Yes, sir." "He never lets me have a say about nothin'." "and he works me like a slave." "Tsk, tsk, tsk." "Well, I don't blame you for rockin' him then." "You don't?" "No, sir." "If it was me, I wouldn't stand for it one minute." "'cause I know what you're going through, Arliss, 'cause your Papa..." "Used to treat me exactly the same way when I was little." "Every minute of the day, something like this," ""Beck, you go chop the wood." ""Beck, go fetch the horses." "Beck, go slop the hogs." "Beck, go milk the cow."" "That's why I wanted to kill him a thousand times." "Who, Papa?" "You betcha." "Anything makes me killing' mad..." "Is some great big, lazy, overgrown boy..." "Workin' his poor little brother half to death." "Let's get some brush." "We'll set fire to it and burn him out of there." "Burn him out?" "Sure." "Like smoking' a possum out of a hollow log." "You mean, do that to Travis?" "Well, no, that wouldn't do neither, no." "Dang fire's liable to spread and burn the whole place down." "Well, here you go." "Use this." "Blast him outta there with that." "Now, it'll make some holes in that door you could pitch a dog through." "But that's Travis in there." "I know that, Arliss." "That's what you been telling me." "Now keep that arm steady, boy." "Steady." "see, now get that front side down." "Make her set right there in the middle of that groove." "Remember, you gotta squeeze that trigger." "Aim a foot below the top of that door, and you're gonna catch him..." "Right smack between the eyes on the first shot." "You crazy or something?" "You think I wanna kill my own brother?" "Well, Arliss, that's the general idea I got from the way you was whammin' them rocks in there." "Well, I didn't aim to kill him." "Oh." "But you kill squirrels with rocks, don't you?" "And you killed that big turkey gobbler with a rock." "Didn't you?" "Now, I believe if it was me, I'd just go wash the dirt out of that bucket..." "And finish milking' up the cow." "Yes, sir." "Ah, ahem." "I reckon she'll give you the milk without you holdin' my gun on her." "Huh?" "Oh." "I reckon she will." "I don't see how you do it, Uncle Beck." "Now, any way I try to manage him, it's like poking' a stick in a hornet's nest." "Well, that's generally the case with being the older brother, Travis." "Maybe what you gotta do is learn to out figure him." "hey, smells like something's afire." "It's the bacon!" "Dang that Arliss!" "Can't even milk a cow." "Hey, I picked... whee..." "I picked this up in town for you." "A letter." "Yep, San Antone it says." "It must be from your Mama and Papa." "Mama says the doctor had Grandma figured for a goner," "But she fooled them." "That don't surprise me none." "Crowd you to kill that little ol' lady with a chopping' axe." "That's about the way Mama puts it." "She says, "it will be a while before Grandma is back on her feet." "But she's just doing fine."" "Well, I bet on it too." "I never will forget that little old lady back in Sedalia." "When me and your Papa was nothin' but tow-shirted kids," "We couldn't swipe a peach, turpentine a cat," "Ride the old milk calf, nothin'," "Without Grandma Bailey swarmin' all over us, three times a day." "Burnt the breakfast, didn't you?" "I got another batch started." "Mama never let the breakfast get burnt." "Always had it ready for me to eat," "The minute I finished milking'." "Now, maybe your Mama didn't have to spend so much time ducking' rocks neither." "I best be movin' on." "Oh, you don't aim to eat with us?" "No thanks." "I don't blame you..." "bacon and mush." "I ate early." "I got to hunt up a missing heifer." "Probably hold up in some thicket with a new calf." "New calf!" "Golly, maybe I better go help you hunt her." "Now you better help your brother finish the grubbing' because your Papa wants to sow..." "That new ground of winter wheat, quick as he gets home." "Aw, heck!" "You need any help, you let me know, hear?" "I'll be looking in on you every now and then." "You remember what I said now." "You got to learn to outfigure him." "Outfigure who?" "Outfigure who?" "Oh... nobody." "Nobody particular." "Well, holler when the bacon's fried." "I'm near starved." "Where you going?" "While you're cookin' up the grub, I'll go harness up Old Jumper." "He can pack in the deer we shoot when we go huntin'." "I said we might go when we get the work done." "There's plenty of time to get Old Jumper." "I need him, anyhow, to ride to work on." "Ride?" "That field ain't a quarter mile off." "If you think I'm gonna do all that walking', then work too, you're crazy." "Be too plumb wore out to hit a lick." "Now, confound it, Arliss, if you're figuring' out some new... figuring' out what?" "Figurin' out some new way to make work easier," "Why, that's fine." "And takin' Old Jumper to drag that brush," "I don't know why I didn't think of that myself." "Well, come on, Arliss." "Go get 'em." "All right." "I'll bring along an extra rope to clear away the brush with." "Good idea." "That's right smart thinking, Arliss." "Atta boy, Sam." "Warm up that scent, boy." "Sam's fixin' to pick up a varmint trail." "Go get him, boy!" "nudge him out, boy." "He's in there someplace." "All right, Arliss, she's tied." "Tote her down." "Stay with it, Sam." "You'll get him directly." "All right, Jumper, giddap." "Come on, Jumper, giddap." "Whoa, Jumper!" "Whoa, Jumper!" "Dang you, whoa!" "Arliss!" "You and Jumper sure made a mess out of that." "What do you mean?" "He piled the brush right where you wanted it." "It sounds like Sam struck a hot one." "Yee-hoo!" "Lookie yonder!" "Yee-hoo!" "Go get him, Sam!" "Man, oh, man, ain't he makin' that ol' cat get high behind?" "One thing you can say for old Sam, anytime he takes to a trail, he'll hang with it," "Better than any dog I ever heard tell of." "Come on, Travis." "We'll mount up, and we'll jump her and follow her." "We got work to do, remember?" "But that ol' cat's been raiding the chicken roost." "We gotta catch him." "Sure we do." "And when Sam trees him, we'll go right out and get him." "But, meanwhile, we'll just keep grubbing brush, right?" "Who ever heard tell of workin' when you could chase a bobcat?" "Now, Arliss, come on back here." "I'll set your britches to smokin', you hear me?" "Travis!" "Travis Coates!" "Mr. Searcy." "Injuns!" "Injuns raiding all over the place!" "Get your gun, boy." "Get some bullets." "Break out a fresh keg of powder!" "Injuns?" "Where, at salt licks?" "Could be." "By now, they're liable to have wiped out the whole settlement." "Burnin', killin' scalping'." "Draggin' poor screamin' women off to a fate worse than death." "Lisbeth, honey, would you mind slipping' down?" "This poor old pony is gettin' a mite winded." "Yes, Papa." "Well, who saw the Indians, Mr. Searcy?" "Well, I don't know." "Best I could learn..." "Is they struck at loyal valley last night." "Old Wiley crup, he come up with 16 head of horses missing' this mornin'." "What's that I smell cooking', boy, frijole beans?" "But, Mr. Searcy, missing horses don't have to mean Indians." "Horses can stray." "Not them horses." "Crup says Injuns got 'em." "Told Todd McDougal they did." "But he didn't set eyes on 'em." "Wiley said it sounded like Injuns to him, and you know Wiley wouldn't tell a lie, 'less maybe there's a little money involved." "them beans just about done, ain't they, boy?" "What's that dog after, Injuns?" "No." "Sam and Arliss are trailing' a bobcat." "Thunder-ration, boy." "Don't you know no better than that?" "Lettin' a helpless youngun run footloose through them hills just swarming' with savages." "Them red devils are liable to haul off and scalp that boy any minute." "Eat that dog too, if you ain't watching'." "Injuns are partial to dog eating'." "If I was you, I'd go get him," "Before we even bother to set a foot under that dinner table." "Oh, well, it might not hurt to go get him." "Yeah, well, you just do that." "You just do that." "Lisbeth, honey, you might ought to water this poor old pony." "Shuck him out a few ears of corn too." "Build back his strength a little." "Yes, Papa." "And while you're out there rounding' up the youngun," "I'll just be neighborly like and go and look at them beans of yours." "Be a cryin' shame if they was left to burn." "Tarnation, them beans is hot!" "You know, about them Indians, that's mostly just scare talk, wasn't it?" "Well, you know Papa, always trying to make things bigger than they are." "Sometimes I wish he wouldn't, well, you know, go on so much." "Oh, that ain't your fault." "Did you happen to hear just what Tom McDougal did say?" "Well, now, yes." "What he told Papa was that what Mr. Crup said if it were ten years ago," "He'd just bet it was Indians who stole those horses." "Yeah, that's about what I figured." "It's been a long time since Apaches come out of those high mountains on a raid." "Well." "Still need to round up Arliss, though." "I'm gonna finish that grubbin' before sundown." "Um, would... would you care for a mite of company?" "I ain't seen a bobcat in some time." "Close up, that is." "Well, yeah, sure." "Sure." "Wouldn't hurt none to hang on to my belt." "Make more sense than falling off." "Did you hear about Betsy Miller and George Floyd?" "No." "What about 'em?" "Got married last Thursday." "Got married?" "I didn't know they was old enough." "Oh, yes." "Betsy's eight months older than me." "And George, well, he's at least a few months older than you." "That's more than old enough." "Wouldn't you figure?" "Yeah, sounds like." "My Mama and Papa were even younger when they got married." "is that so?" "Oh, yes." "Mama says, "getting married is the best way..." "For two folks to really get to know each other."" "listen." "I think I hear Sam." "He's right over yonder." "Well, I don't hear him now." "Me neither." "Be real quiet." "I wanna listen." "that's Jumper." "There he is." "go get him, Sam!" "Arliss, you come outta there." "Not till we get this old bobcat, I ain't." "You leave that bobcat alone." "You keep messin' with him, he's liable to eat you alive." "He can't." "I'm holdin' him off with a stick." "Listen to him squall when I poke him." "Pesky Arliss." "Tryin' to reason with him..." "Is like butting' your head up against a stoop and pole stoke." "I'd better go in and get him." "Sic him, Sam!" "Just kill him!" "That'll teach him to leave our chickens alone." "Arliss, you get outta there." "Travis, you leave go of me." "Not till I get you out of here." "I ain't comin' out till I'm darn good and ready." "Well, you get good and ready 'cause you're comin' out." "Oh, no, I ain't!" "Ow!" "You let go!" "Quit kicking me!" "Dang you, Travis, let go!" "Come on!" "Arliss." "I'll learn you, Travis Coates." "Ow!" "Now cut it out!" "You stop rockin' Travis, you hear?" "Ow!" "Hang on to him." "All right, Arliss." "You asked for it, and you're gonna get it." "Dang you, Travis Coates, when I get big, I'm gonna fix you good." "Hold it." "Hold it!" "We better make a run for it." "Travis!" "You leave my brother alone!" "Get him, Sam!" "Chew on him, Sam." "Murderer!" "Uncle Beck!" "Yah!" "Yah!" "Yah!" "Aah!" "Travis!" "It's all right." "It's all right." "They're just having fun with him." "Arliss, you gotta quit fighting' 'em." "That little varmint bothers me again and I'll kill him." "And get us all killed before we get a chance to escape." "Look out!" "You come back here with my hat, you yellow-bellied coward!" "Arliss, quit rilin' him." "Next time he'll be lifting more than your hat." "So wild to get a scalp, he'd even take it from a baby." "Who you callin' a baby?" "Arliss!" "You've got to quit fighting back, do you hear me?" "Yeah, I hear." "That's the one that killed Sam." "The one what stole my hat." "Killed Sam?" "Chopped him down with a chunk of wood while you were unconscious." "I tell you, he'll pay for that." "Listen, don't start anything." "You're gonna mess up any chance we got of gettin' away." "All right, but I'll get him." "Travis, what's to happen to us if we don't escape?" "Don't fret, Lisbeth, we'll get away." "But supposin' we don't, what then?" "Well, it's kinda hard to figure." "They'll probably make me into one of their slaves, more than likely." "Oh, no!" "Only reason I can figure for them not killing me right off." "Well, I ain't gonna be no slave, and I'll swear to that." "No, being a youngun, they'll probably make you an Indian." "I'd like to see 'em try." "I'd just like to see 'em." "You just simmer down." "They ain't gonna make no injun out of me." "Travis?" "Yes." "What do you reckon they figure to do with me?" "I ain't really give that proper thought." "They'll make me some Indian's squaw, won't they?" "Lisbeth." "That one." "He's as much as claimed me, hasn't he?" "Say, maybe that's the way to do it." "Do what?" "Get away." "Let's get some other injun and that one into a fight..." "Over who gets Lisbeth for his squaw." "And in the fuss, you and me could make a run for it." "Arliss!" "Then we can hightail it outta here and bring back help." "Maybe she won't be married yet." "Travis!" "Hush up!" "If they're gonna make her a squaw anyway, what's the harm?" "Arliss, be quiet!" "Listen, Lisbeth." "Nobody's gonna touch you." "I promise." "But if you try to fight them, they'll kill you." "I'd rather be dead than see one of them lay a hand on you." "Mush." "That one your Uncle Beck shot, he's different from the others, isn't he?" "Yeah, he's Comanche." "You can tell by his hair." "Others are Apache." "Why does he run instead of ridin'?" "Is he crazy?" "No, it's easier to run." "Jouncin' around that horse hurts his wounded leg." "Well, I hope that bullet wound bleeds him to death." "Look at 'em, stuffing' their bellies." "This meat tastes funny." "Wonder what it is." "Horse meat, more than likely." "Horse meat?" "Where's Old Jumper?" "Probably with the horses." "No, he ain't." "He ain't with the horses." "Travis, they've killed him!" "They went and butchered Old Jumper." "Now how do you know?" "I can't see him nowheres." "I can't eat none of Old Jumper." "I tell you, I can't." "You don't know it's Jumper." "If it ain't him, where's he at?" "Well, he could have gotten away." "I didn't see him get away." "You didn't see him get butchered neither." "Now, Arliss, sit there and eat 'cause you don't know when you're gonna get another chance." "But what if it is Old Jumper?" "If it is Old Jumper, he won't mind." "Jumper will know you gotta eat." "Sure." "You know," "Jumper was a good ol' mule." "Plowed our corn, packed in our meat." "Hauled our crops." "Drug up the logs for the cabin, Papa said." "And now he's keeping us from starving to death." "Do you remember the time the hogs cut up you and Old Yeller so bad..." "And Jumper had to bring you in home?" "Arliss, could you just hush up about Old Jumper?" "Remember how we used to have to tie a drag log to his foot..." "To keep him from jumpin' into the corn?" "Sure was a good old mule." "Dang their stinkin' hides." "Somebody's gonna pay for killin' Old Jumper." "And I know just who." "That oughta teach you something about butchering' Old Jumper." "Put me down!" "Gimme back my shirt!" "What are they doing to him?" "They admire his spirit." "Gonna make an Indian out of him." "Lisbeth." "Lisbeth." "Get my knife out of my back pocket." "How will I ever open it?" "Bring it up to my mouth." "Shh." "Arliss." "Arliss!" "Shh." "Be real quiet now." "I'm cutting you loose." "Arliss, you gone crazy?" "I wasn't leaving' without my pants." "Let's git." "Travis, that's Sam." "Sam!" "Sam's alive!" "Come on." "Look out!" "let me go!" "You leave him alone!" "No!" "no!" "No!" "Travis, that's Sam again!" "Aah!" "He's on the trail." "Come on, Sam." "Bring Uncle Beck!" "Troops, ho!" "Travis, look!" "Forward, ho!" "Wait!" "Wait!" "That's a really scared bunch of Indians." "Apaches from what I could see through the dust." "Yeah." "Well, there's no use chasing 'em any farther." "I wonder what devilry they've been up to." "Horse stealin' it looks like." "Left by twos." "Ho." "Wait!" "Wait!" "Easy, boy." "Whoa, now." "I won't hurt you now." "Whoa, now." "Hold it now." "Hold it, boy." "Easy." "Sam." "Hey." "What's the matter, Sam?" "It's me, Travis." "hey." "Come here, you old hound, you." "Sure am glad to see you, boy." "Listen, Sam." "If anything's gonna be done for Lisbeth and Arliss," "Looks like we gotta do it." "Come on, boy." "Let's pick up that trail." "Hey!" "Sam, come here." "Come here, Sam." "Come here." "Sam, now listen." "You gotta hold back or you'll outrun me." "We gotta work together on this or we don't stand a chance." "All right, let's try again." "Sam!" "Sam!" "Sam." "Sam, wait." "Sam." "Come back." "Get him off of me!" "Travis!" "Travis." "Quit that." "Quit that, boy." "Travis!" "Take it easy now." "Easy." "Easy, Travis." "You settle down now." "Take it easy." "Settle down now." "Travis." "Travis." "Uncle Beck." "Easy now." "Easy, Travis." "We're with you now." "Gosh doggone it." "Tried..." "tried to choke a man to death." "well, get him some water, crup." "Lisbeth, my baby girl, is she all right?" "What about Arliss?" "Back's bad sunburned." "Them bruises look ugly too." "Best grease 'em." "Todd, get that bacon rind out of my saddlebag." "Here, son." "I have a clean shirt in my saddlebag." "Here." "Easy." "Easy now." "You kill any of them cutthroat savages?" "they still got my horses?" "Them thievin' devils." "Sam." "We gotta get Sam!" "Sam?" "He got a hot trail on them Indians." "We gotta catch up with that dog before it gets dark." "You think you can make it?" "He's gotta make it." "I tell you, them red devils so much as touch my little girl..." "Of course I can make it." "Let's go then." "You can eat while we're riding." "Now hold on a minute, Beck." "We got a little problem here." "Seven men and six horses." "Ride double." "Why, it's gonna be tough enough of keepin' up with that dog riding' single." "And I say let's leave the boy here and we'll pick him up on the way back." "I'm goin'." "Now lookie here, boy." "I won't hold nobody up." "I'll take it afoot." "Afoot?" "Sure, I'll run alongside and hang onto somebody's saddle, like the Comanche." "Comanche?" "I thought you said them was Apaches." "They are Apache, all but one." "Whoever heard of a Comanche runnin' with Apache?" "What difference does it make?" "Our job's to find 'em." "Beck's right." "Find 'em and kill 'em." "You say that Comanche kept up hanging on the saddle?" "Yes, sir." "Well, if he can do it, so can we." "Get up on that horse and finish eating'." "I'll take the first turn." "If we don't catch up with them before they get to the mountains we're never gonna find 'em." "Wiley, uh, I could use a chaw myself." "Come on." "all right, who's next?" "I believe I am, Beck." "no, you ain't." "Yeah, it's your turn." "Bud Searcy here's the only one that ain't run yet." "Well, is that a fact?" "I reckon I lost count." "You mind toting' this for me?" "This old gun ain't no good, Searcy." "An old pony'd get swayback just a packing' it." "No good?" "Did I ever tell about the time I blew a hole through two savages..." "Ridin' side by side a thousand yards away?" "never did see two more surprised Injuns, till today." "Not to mention the buffalo a-runnin' alongside 'em." "Come on, bud." "Beck, he's too old to run." "Who's too old?" "Happen to know I'm eight year younger than pack underwood." "Yeah." "Eight years younger and a hundred pounds heavier." "Why, 50 yards on foot and your eyeballs would be a-stickin' out on their stems." "Crup, if he wants to run, let him run." "Now let's git." "Too old." "Did I ever tell you about the time I run a deer down on foot?" "Save your wind, Searcy." "Look at that." "Could be Sam." "Uncle Beck, it's Sam!" "All right, hold it." "Hold it." "No shooting'." "Beat 'em off with your ropes." "Hyah!" "Hyah!" "Get out of here!" "Hyah!" "Hyah!" "Get out of there!" "Hyah!" "Hyah!" "Go on!" "Get up!" "Get up!" "Hyah!" "Hyah!" "Go on!" "Get out of here!" "Get!" "Get up there!" "Get up!" "Easy, boy." "Good old Sam." "Let me see what they did to you." "Cut him up much?" "Well, they chewed up his paw pretty bad." "Oh." "Think he can take the trail?" "I don't know." "Try him." "All right, Sam." "Come here, boy." "Come here, boy." "Come to me." "Come on, Sam." "What are we gonna do now, Beck?" "I say leave him here and let's get to riding'." "The trail's gonna be tougher to follow from here on, especially at night." "Without that dog we ain't got a prayer." "But that hound can't even walk." "Hand him up here, Travis." "Wiley crup, you done that on purpose." "Ah, quit your "bellerin'." Searcy, a good bath never hurt you none." "Man, now I guess I seen everything." "Blowhards and pot hounds allowed to ride while good men are left afoot." "All right, who runs now?" "Reckon I do." "You reckon you can?" "Sure." "Let's git." "Travis." "Yes, sir?" "Take Sam down and see if he can pick up the trail." "Supposin' he can't?" "He will." "Go, Sam." "Please, Sam." "Arliss, Sam." "Go find Arliss." "Come on, Sam." "That's it, Sam!" "Stick with it, Sam." "Travis, go on, pick him up." "We're on the right trail." "What'd I tell ya?" "still say we're puttin' a heap of Faith in a lame dog." "Right now a lame dog's all we got." "Don't tell me about right and wrong." "I'm not trying to tell you anything, pack." "Then don't argue with me about injun killing." "I wasn't arguing." "I merely said the reason the Indians fight so hard..." "Is the white man's crowding in, killing off the buffalo." "That's all." "Them Injuns don't own the land, they don't own the buffalo." "Maybe not, but after thousands of years they feel as though they have a right to it." "They're gonna learn different." "And I learn 'em." "Sometimes hard to tell who the savages are." "Dirty injun lover!" "Quit that!" "Quit it out, I said!" "Quit that!" "He can't talk to me that way!" "I said, quit it." "We go fighting' amongst ourselves, we're never gonna catch no Injuns." "Travis, you spell crup a while." "It's about time." "My feets wore off clean up to the hipbone." "I didn't mean to get him so upset." "I know that." "I never saw a man so full of hate." "Well, there's things that can sometimes breed hate in a man." "Not like that." "You're new out here, white." "You're gonna find this is a hard country." "You go to fighting' it, and it fights you right back every inch of the way." "Ain't Virginia." "I realize that, Beck." "I mean, out here..." "A man puts in a crop of corn and..." "You bust your back watering it and hoeing it," "And just before harvest it gets set on by hoppers." "They hate the land." "And you got about 50 head of cattle ready for market." "Then blight comes along and kills 'em all off." "You get so you hate everything'." "But not other people the way he does." "Look, a couple of years ago, pack come home..." "He come one day and he found his cabin burnt to the ground..." "And his wife and three kids was killed." "All of 'em was scalped." "And he about went crazy grieving'." "That can turn into hate real easy." "Come on, Sam." "That's a boy." "I just thought you ought to know." "Come on." "all right, let's go." "Look it." "They buried that fire and let out in a hurry." "How long do you figure?" "It couldn't be long." "The sand's still warm." "If we're that close behind them red devils, now's the time to crowd in." "That's what we're gonna do." "Travis, go get Sam." "Come here, Sam." "Whose turn is it to run?" "It's mine, Beck." "Notice how many snakes and spiders are movin' about?" "Yeah." "Come on." "Let's go." "If it wasn't the middle of the day, I'd say those birds are heading for their roost." "They are." "It's fixin' to rain." "Are you sure?" "Look it there." "Any time you see one of them old boys on the prowl..." "This far from water, you can bet it's gonna rain." "Well, if it rains, what happens to the trail?" "We'll worry about that when it rains." "That's hail!" "Crop 'em up behind Todd." "Head for them rocks!" "Head for that cave!" "This ain't the safest place in the world, but it's better than nothin'." "Not much." "If a ten-foot head of water come a boiling' down out of them hills yonder," "It'll drown every last one of us afore we get a chance to turn around and spit." "Wiley, if you knows of a better place, why don't you go crawl into it?" "We ain't through yet, Travis." "How could Lisbeth and Arliss live through all this?" "Ah, them Indians can find shelter, you can bet on that." "That's right, Travis." "They're a lot wilder, know more about the country than us." "Sure." "But the trail will be completely wiped out." "We know they're headed right for them mountains, and Sam can pick up the trail again." "Man alive, Coates." "Pickin' up a trail after a Storm like that might take days." "I'll worry about that, crup." "How long you figure these old wore-out horses gonna last?" "Till they go down." "Then what?" "Then we're gonna take out afoot." "Afoot?" "That's what I said." "Well, if that's your plan you can count me out." "Figure on goin' home, you can walk." "Try and take my horse?" "I wouldn't try it." "I'd just take it." "Coates," "I rode in here on my horse." "I aim to ride out on him anytime I please." "So don't nobody try and stop me." "Wiley, you damn move a hair..." "And I'll be obliged to blow a hole clean through your backbone." "And this close that ain't no brag." "You ain't got the gall." "Gentlemen, would you kindly step out from behind Mr. Crup?" "Thank you, gentlemen." "Now, Wiley, would you care to test my gall?" "That's better." "It stopped!" "Well, let's get movin'." "What are we gonna do about crup?" "Nothin'." "Aren't we gonna take his guns?" "He can't fight Indians without a gun." "You old jackass, you." "Wiley, I could use a chaw." "Wiley, I'm askin' you to do me a favor." "I want you to loan me a chaw of tobacco." "thanks." "Uncle Beck, wait!" "go get 'em, Sam." "Hunt it out, boy." "It's all up to you now." "Do you think he's got it?" "I know he's got it." "Stay with it, boy." "Stay with it." "come on in." "He's got it!" "Uncle Beck." "Uncle Beck, we're gettin' close." "You sure?" "Yes, sir." "I'm real sure." "Sam." "Sam." "Here, boy." "Sam!" "He's liable to run right into them Injuns." "Y'all wait here." "Wait?" "I came to kill Injuns, not to wait." "Beck said to wait." "Now I reckon we best do it." "Sam!" "Here, Sam." "Sam." "Come here." "Come here, Sam." "Come here, you." "Hold it." "Hold it." "Now quit that." "Quit it, Sam." "You bite me, I'm gonna bite you right back, you fool." "okay." "You get your mind set on one thing, you're stubborn as a one-eyed mule, ain't ya?" "All right." "Let's see what's on the other side of that hill." "Travis." "You'll be needin' some extra cartridges." "Thank you." "Did you see 'em?" "In the draw, back of that hill." "Well, let's go." "Now wait." "Now just wait!" "You wait and listen." "They're fixin' to split up." "The only chance we got is to keep 'em from gettin' to their horses." "So I'm gonna ride in and try and stampede their herd." "Y'all cover me." "Ya understand?" "Travis." "You take Sam and tie him up." "Put a muzzle on him so he can't give us away." "Yes, sir." "White, you and Todd circle that ridge." "Come up behind 'em." "Now, I'm countin' on the two of you to keep 'em from gettin' up to them mountains." "Hold your fire until you see me come into that valley because we got to surprise 'em." "Crup, you and bud take cover down at the mouth of that draw." "That way you can keep 'em from gettin' out into the open country again." "Once the shootin' starts, we'll catch 'em in a cross fire." "Now, go on." "Come on, Bud." "Let's go." "And where do I go?" "You stick with me, pack." "Get up here." "Boy, Sam sure hates being' left out." "Well, he done his part." "The rest of it's up to us now." "Come on." "We'll belly crawl from here." "Now, look, Travis." "When this thing opens up, it's gonna go fast." "So you gotta be ready for anything and everything." "Ya understand?" "Yes, sir." "Now, remember one thing." "We're out here to get Arliss and Lisbeth back." "If we got to kill some Indians to do it, that's the way it's gonna be." "Now, when you go into a fight, there ain't but one thing you can bet on." "That's you're gonna be scared." "You feel that way too?" "Man and boy, it's all the same." "They're fightin' over Lisbeth." "Dirty red savages." "Hold it." "Hold, hold it, pack." "Let 'em get good and caught up in their fighting'." "It'll give me a better chance to stampede their horses." "Stick 'im!" "Stick 'im!" "There's my little girl." "Hold it!" "Hold it!" "You heard what Beck said." "What you waitin' for?" "I'm gonna ride in now." "Y'all give me cover." "You dirty, murdering' savages." "You dirty, murderin' savages!" "No!" "Travis!" "Look out!" "Hyah!" "Uncle Beck!" "I got him, Uncle Beck!" "I got him!" "You yellow-bellied varmint, I'll fix you!" "Who's gonna help you now, you skinny little Apache?" "Get him, Sam!" "Lisbeth!" "Papa!" "Shoot him." "Shoot him." "Shoot him." "Shoot him!" "He's out of our range, but that old cannon might reach him." "Give me it!" "Let go." "Give me it!" "Let go!" "Shoot." "Shoot." "Ya did it." "Ya did it!" "Man alive, what a shot!" "Yeah." "We'll never hear the end of this." "Oh, Travis!" "Chase him clean out of Texas, Sam!" "Arliss!" "Uncle Beck!" "Sam!" "Here, Sam!" "Come on, boy." "Did you see us fighting', me and that old injun?" "I sure did." "Boy, we done that injun under, didn't we?" "Well, you had a lot of practice on your brother." "We sure cleaned his plows good." "All the time I was worryin' about you, I should've been worryin' about them Injuns." "Come on up here." "Come on, Sam." "Papa?" "Papa, please open up your eyes." "G. Searcy?" "What's the matter with Bud?" "Mr." "Crup, the water, please." "It's a-comin'." "It's a-comin'." "What's wrong with him?" "Dead, most likely." "Arliss." "Papa, please wake up." "His pulse seems all right." "Ah, they ain't nothin' wrong with him." "Mr. Crup!" "What happened?" "You made that brag shot, and then you keeled over, you old fake." "From hunger." "Weren't nice of you pourin' that water on me, crup." "Boy, you'll never live this down." "Two baths in one year." "Papa, are you all right?" "A mite feverish." "Tell you what, honey." "Why don't you start up a fire and cook your Papa up some hot grub?" "Bud, we ain't got time for that." "We gotta round up them horses and get on home." "come on, Sam." "What about the rest of them hostiles out there playin' dead in the grass?" "Pack, we got Arliss and Lisbeth." "That's all we come out here for." "I ain't leaving' till I make sure every one of them savages is dead." "Well, you're gonna have to kill 'em all by yourself, 'cause the rest of us goin' home." "Anytime you feel strong enough to ride by yourself, you just say so." "Oh, yes, Travis." "Just as soon as I feel strong enough, I'll let you know." "Crup, did you see how steady-handed I was..." "When I lifted my trusty old 55 and..." "Bud, I seen how lucky you was, and I don't wanna hear no more about it." "Mr. White." "Mr. White, I bet down in Virginia," "You never did see a shot like the one I put through that injun." "'course it weren't nothin' unusual." "There were a time once I..." "Excuse me, Mr. Searcy." "I believe Beck needs me." "Hello, little Arliss." "Well, hi, Mr. Searcy." "Well, boy, I guess you must be powerful grateful to me." "I run halfway across Texas on foot just to save you and my little girl." "Oh." "G. Searcy, did you see me and old Sam when we took on that injun?" "No, I didn't." "But I don't reckon you was watchin' when I made that shot?" "Well, no, I wasn't." "But let me tell you." "I busted him with some rocks, and then Sam, he nailed him good." "And afore we got through with that poor old injun," "I'll bet he wishes he never even thought of runnin' off with me." "Now look, Arliss." "It don't seem proper for a boy to brag on hisself." "Why, this ain't no brag, Mr. Searcy." "Every word I'm about to tell you is the gospel truth." "You see, the day we was caught, Travis and Lisbeth was scared," "And Sam, he was hurt." "So I had to start out fightin' them Injuns all by myself." "There was one injun took a particular dislikin' to me right from the start," "So I knew I had to fix him proper." "See, I had this little plan right up here in my head," "And one day when he wasn't lookin'," "Why, I got me a club and I busted it right over his head." "Then dang them, they threw me right in a pond, but I fought 'em off just the same." "You know, I never will forget the day they killed and ate Old Jumper." "I picked me up a tree branch and clubbed the injun right over the head and laid him low." "Then danged if I didn't have to fight off half a dozen of 'em." "I'd have licked 'em too if one of them hadn't..." "Sure you don't wanna come to the ranch and get some grub?" "Nope, I'll just be helpin' crup drive those horses back to his place." "Then I'll be for wantin' to get back home." "I reckon." "Well, uh, you tell the rest of 'em I'm beholden." "It was just somethin' that had to be done." "It was then and there they decided to make an injun out of me, 'cause of my bravery." "And I'll tell you somethin' else, Mr. Searcy..." "I can't wait to hear it, boy." "I was just gettin' ready to escape when Uncle Beck come down that hill..." "Just a rippin' and a tearin'." "Thought we'd never see this place again." "It looks good, don't it?" "Well, bud, you wanna come in and have a little bite to eat?" "I think I better." "I'm hungry, and my ears plumb wore out." "I'll finish my story later, Mr. Searcy." "It do got a finish, don't it?" "Yes, sir." "I was savin' the best part for last." "Jumper!" "Jumper, you're alive!" "We didn't eat you after all." "I'm so glad." "You don't know how I missed ya or how happy I am to see ya." "How many times do I gotta tell you to keep out of this here corn patch?" "Now get, you ornery mule!" "Dang mule!" "let me help you down." "Thank you." "Well, I guess I better go fix some grub." "No, Travis." "Cookin' is woman's work." "You go fetch some wood." "He's clean hooked, Bud." "She's planted his corn for good." "Yeah." "Funny thing," "I never could learn for sure what my little Lisbeth liked in him." "Must've asked her a thousand times." "She never let me know." "But now I can see for myself." "He must put her in mind of me." "You?" "When I was his age." "Oh." "'course I've never been "tooken" by them Injuns." "Much too smart for that." "You was better lookin' too?" "Well, not much." "Maybe a mite." "But I was a much better horseman and marksman as you can plainly see from that shot I made." "Yeah, that was dandy." "Stay with him, boy!" "Arliss." "Arliss!" "Arliss." "Arliss!" "He's quite a boy." "Yep." "Kind of reminds me of me when I was a boy." "Sam!" "Go get him, Sam!" "Nail him, boy." "You got him!" "Go get him, Sam!" "Eat him up!" "Get him, Sam!" "Eat him up, boy!" "we were born in the west in the land that's best but folks out here never get much rest with dogs and boys like me in the land of the wild country" "{{{ the end }}}"