"Come on, mccain, what's the matter?" "You afraid I'm gonna beat you?" "You know, blue boy has had a sore foreleg all week." "An' if I go racin' 'im," "He's just gonna turn up lame for sure." "Oh, go on an' blame it on" "Your old horse, if you can call that nag a horse." "What's that thing?" "Noah!" "Are you alright?" "You alright, boy?" "You hurt?" "I'm very sorry, I misjudged the hitchin' post." "Shut up, you!" "What happened, boy?" "It was him, pa, he scared my horse." "Made 'im throw me." "It was an accident." "We meant no harm, I am very sorry." "I oughta take that pigtail" "O' yours an' wrap it around your neck." "Fact I think I will." "But it was an accident, I saw it." "Fergus!" "Ain't you a little big to be pushin' boys around?" "You see what he done to my kid?" "Well, your boy looks alright." "Why don't you leave this man alone?" "It was an accident." "Well, mccain standing' up for the china boy, I mighta knowed." "Now, you climb aboard your wagon an' get" "Fergus, why don't you cool off?" "It was an accident." "Now, go on, huh?" "Knight in shining' armor!" "Come on, boy!" "Thank you." "There we are." "I am very grateful, thank you." "I did not mean to bring" "Trouble, we only came to buy supplies." "You've come to the right" "Place." "I'm sure milly here can help you out." "Thank you." "We need one pound" "Of salt an' twenty pounds of rice." "Twenty pounds, my goodness!" "We're travelin' a long way." "Where are you headin'?" "The next hill, always the next hill." "How would you like a cookie?" "Sure he'd like a cookie." "What's your name?" "Wang lee." "On the road, my son and I passed a nice stream with clean" "Water, a tree for shade." "Could we camp there tonight, please?" "Why not, it's a free country." "My name is lucas mccain, this is my boy, mark." "My name is wang chi." "Please," "Mr. Mccain, you an' mark must bring me all your clothes to fix" "An' clean." "Tomorrow they will be ready." "Well, that won't be necessary mr." "Please, mr." "Mccain, I must do this to show my gratitude." "Alright." "A little starch in" "Our shirts might feel good for a change, huh, mark?" "Yeah, we've been boiling' them for so long I've almost" "Forgotten what starch feels like." "Your shirts will be just like new." "Thank you." "Pa?" "Hmm?" "Are all chinese people that polite?" "Ah, most of 'em are, son, that's the way they're raised." "They've got a great deal o' respect an' humility." "Yeah, I guess so, but they" "Sure look funny the way they dress an' braid their hair." "Now, mark, next time you're near a mirror, take a good look" "At yourself." "Then you'll figure out what you'd look like if you" "Lived in china." "Come on, let's get some lunch." "Hey, what the heck are you doin' still here?" "Waitin' for you, pa." "See what" "You're gonna do if that chinese don't leave." "You let me worry about that," "You get along home now." "Back fence of the corral needs fixin'." "I'll be along shortly." "You'll be home for supper?" "Ain't I always?" "Well, not when you get to drinkin'." "I told you I'll be home, now, get along with you!" "Ugh!" "I seen it happen up the cripple creek." "You let in one, the first thing you know, the whole place is" "Full of 'em." "Takin' over the town, owning' everythin'." "You're gonna maybe dirty up" "His laundry a little bit, vince, hmm?" "I'll buy you a drink, huh?" "Thank you, amy." "Dig in, son." "Make that three, amy." "Hello, micah." "Hey, I ran into dave wallace," "He told me about that ruckus with the chinese." "Noise mostly, vince fergus talkin' big." "Yeah, I sometimes wish that troublemaker had taken his mind" "To pack up an' leave." "Him an' noah, both." "Pass the salt please, pa?" "Hey, noah, in school today, mark?" "No, sir." "I've gotta have a talk with his pa." "Both of them for that" "Matter." "Gettin' tired of warnin' them." "Chinese laundry men, eh?" "Hmm." "I once had a chinese cook in montana, took better care o' me" "Than my mother." "You know, north fork could stand a good laundry." "Mrs. Betry hard on your dress shirts?" "To tell you the truth, I think she boils them in lye." "Now, fergus, just what was that all about?" "Well, we are just gettin' our town rid of that" "Troublemaker, marshal, that's all." "Micah, mr." "Wang did nothing." "They hardly had time to load their supplies when these two" "You oughta be ashamed" "Of yourselves, just scared that little boy half to death." "Fergus, some day you're gonna push people a little too far an'" "Then somebody is gonna push you back." "Well, that to me was just" "Funnin'." "You ain't taking' that chinese part again, are you?" "It's a free country, isn't it?" "When you an' foster get" "To drinking' like you do, you seem to forget that." "You two go on home before I lock you both up." "By the way," "Fergus, if your boy misses school" "Anymore, you're gonna have to explain it to the circuit judge." "I teach my boy, he got all the learning' he needs." "Yes, you set 'im a fine example." "Like the man says, it's a free country." "That's right, governed by laws to keep the peace an'" "Educate our children." "To mention two of 'em." "You break either one" "Of 'em an' you're gonna be in big trouble." "Now go on home." "You know, micah, I remember hearin' an old chinese sayin'" "Once, he who makes trouble gets more than his share." "Well, I heard the same thing only it..." "Came from ireland." "Hallo, mr." "Wang chi." "The creek's back that way." "We have caused trouble, so we are leavin'." "Now, look, what happened back there in town wasn't your fault." "The next hill, always the" "Next hill." "Well, we must be leavin'." "Goodbye, mr." "Mccain." "Oh, wait." "We could use a good" "Laundry in town." "Micah even said so himself." "We have found many towns that need a good laundry," "But we are never welcome." "They say we make trouble." "But all I wish to do is to settle peacefully," "Work hard and send my son to school." "Well, now, I think mark is right," "Why not stay here for a while, we've got a good school." "If there's any trouble, I'm sure it'll be taken care" "Of by the marshal." "You know, mr." "Wang chi, mark an' I are a little selfish" "About this, can't do a good job on our dress shirts." "Yes, lee, should be in school." "Well, then, why not try it for a few weeks?" "Alright, my son?" "Yes, father!" "Good, we'll be your first customers." "I'll be by first" "Thing in the mornin' to drop off" "The dirty laundry an' pick up wang lee for school." "We will try, very hard." "You know somethin', pa, if wang lee, is gonna go to school with" "Me tomorrow, he oughta cut off" "That pigtail, makes him look like a girl." "Mark, apaches wear their hair" "Long an' there's nothin' girlish about them." "Yeah." "Sure are a lot of funny people in the world." "Now, look, son" "Oh, I know, go look in the mirror." "Come on, I'll beat you home." "For you, mark, that is very easy." "My horse is very slow," "Like an old woman, she's pulled the wagon too long." "I guess that won't be fair, how'd you like school?" "Very much, the teacher is very nice." "Hey, uh, girls wear pigtails," "How come you don't tie a ribbon in yours like she does?" "Leave him alone, noah." "Come on" "I was talkin' to 'im, mccain." "Yeah, I think a pretty pink ribbon would look just fine." "I said, leave him alone!" "You- you choked me." "You tried to kill me." "You were gonna kill me." "If you touch mark here again, I may not be so careful." "You're gonna be sorry, you're gonna be real sorry." "Trouble is like a weed," "Once it starts to grow, it covers everything." "There you are, mr." "Wang, that oughta do it." "You are very kind." "I'm happy to do it." "Just as" "Long as you remember to buy your soap an' your starch from me." "Only you, I promise." "Also I" "Will do your dresses for no charge." "Oh, no, no, no." "Let's keep" "This strictly on a business basis." "Very well, until tomorrow." "'til tomorrow, wang chi." "Uh-uh." "Still got some." "You're drinkin' kinda slow today, les." "Oh, don't worry, I'll catch up." "Good mornin'." "A nice cool glass of beer, please." "Hey, uh, barkeep, you got any of that rice beer?" "He wouldn't like nothin' unless it was chinese rice beer," "Ain't that right?" "On such a hot day, even rice beer would be good." "Just a minute!" "Now you ain't doin' that right." "There now, that's a real nice drink, you try it." "Thank you, but I do not care for hard spirits." "About time you learned." "You come in here for a drink, you got one." "Now, you drink it." "Pa!" "Pa?" "What's the matter, boy?" "His kid, he tried to kill me, he choked me to death." "He what?" "!" "Him an' mark mccain," "They jumped me." "An' his kid, he tried to strangle me." "My son would not do that, he knows better." "He done it, pa." "He hurt me bad, I could have died." "Well, that's not true, he started it." "Did you touch this boy?" "He attacked my friend unfairly, father." "Two aging' one, that's dirty fighting'!" "Hold it, laundry man!" "I told you to clear out." "Now, maybe you" "Don't hear so good, or maybe you think I'm talkin' just to hear" "Myself talk." "Well, you had your chance." "No!" "You shut up, boy." "Put that gun down, fergus." "Unless you wanna go up against this rifle, an' it will about" "As fair as you takin' on mr." "Wang chi." "His boy liked to kill my noah!" "He tried to hurt mark." "Noah, was bullying' lee, callin' 'im a girl." "I did not!" "All I said was..." "What did you say, noah?" "Alright, boys, who started it?" "Seems to me you're usin' pretty" "Strong measure to settle a boys' argument, fergus." "Why if he'd left when" "I told 'im to?" "There wouldn't be none of this trouble." "Why don't you just try staying' clear of wang chi," "An' everybody will be better off." "Now, you get your boy an' go about your business." "Go on." "Mark?" "What really happened?" "Well, he kept on tellin' wang" "Lee, that he oughta put a ribbon in his hair like a girl." "You know, mr." "Wang chi, I can see where it might be difficult" "For the boy if he keeps wearin' his hair like that." "By law, chinese must wear queues, mr." "Mccain." "I understand." "But..." "This isn't china, it's america." "But without our queues," "We cannot return home." "I'm sorry you had to fight for lee." "That's alright, we're friends." "Come, my son, we cannot find trouble in hard work." "If you wait a minute," "I've got a couple of shirts in my office that need laundering'." "Your clothes will be ready this evening, mr." "Mccain." "That will be fine, mr." "Wang." "Son, I'll be back in a few" "Minutes, I'm goin' down to the livery stable." "Alright." "Come on, son, you'd better hurry." "We've gotta pick up our dress shirts tonight." "Oh, I can do that tomorrow, we won't need 'em until Sunday." "Tomorrow you wanted to ride" "Out to the north range with me, remember?" "Oh, that's right, I forgot." "You'd forget your head if it wasn't fixed on real good." "Mr. Wang chi is gonna make things a lot easier for us," "Huh, son?" "Yeah." "You know somethin', pa?" "Hmm?" "I think mr." "Fergus would have really used that gun on mr." "Wang" "If you hadn't have showed up." "Vince fergus talks big, mark." "He was just tryin' to scare mr." "Wang chi, that's all." "Don't forget behind the ears, boy." "I don't understand why" "Mr. Fergus doesn't like mr." "Wang in the first place." "Well, mark, there're just some people in this world who" "Think they're better than others." "Well, the good book says everybody is just the same!" "Doesn't matter who you are." "You believe that, you'll be alright." "It's the truth." "Well if everybody is supposed" "To be just the same, how come we're not?" "What do you mean?" "Well, how come some people are like mr." "Wang, an' others," "Well, like us." "How come there" "Are so many different kinds of people?" "Well, son, you ask a question like that, it's like askin' why" "Isn't every day the same?" "Some" "Days the sun shines, other days it rains, but it's still a day." "I think the good lord thought" "About that when he made the world an' all the people in it." "And you know what else I think?" "What?" "I think he kinda figured that" "We'd get tired of each other if we all looked the same." "You mean on the outside." "That's right, son, on the" "Outside." "On the inside, there's no difference." "I think I understand now, pa." "I know you do, son." "Course lee still does need a haircut." "You don't see any boy his size tryin' to give 'im one, do you?" "No." "Uh-uh." "Uh-uh." "That shirt needs a trip to mr." "Wang chi's." "You put on a clean one, then we'll ride over there." "Alright." "We are fortunate, father," "To have such good water." "It's very clear an' clean." "The secret of clean laundry is to start with clean water." "Go to sleep, my son." "When we are finished, father." "Father?" "Yes?" "I am glad we're staying in north fork." "I am not." "What begins badly, usually ends badly." "We cannot always run, father, the road will soon end." "Those who travel the wrong road," "Will then have to travel it again." "It is better we stay here an' face the trouble." "Such wisdom from one so young makes me very proud." "Then we will stay, a long time?" "Yes, a long time." "It is good" "That we settle down where we have a friend like mr." "Mccain." "Two friends, don't forget mark." "Yes, mark." "My father told me," "When I was a little boy like you, that the value of" "Friendship is far greater than all the treasures in the world." "Do you believe that, son?" "I know it is good to have a friend, my father," "Even if he is so different." "How do you mean?" "In english, it is difficult to say, but the way he wears his" "Hair, an' his eyes, they slant so funny." "True, but eyes are meant to see with, not to look at." "And it is good that all faces are" "Different, then we don't get tired of looking at each other." "What is it?" "Who is there?" "Perhaps it's only the horse." "Yes, perhaps the horse." "Lee!" "I told you, didn't I?" "But you wouldn't listen." "Well, now you" "Gonna get it good." "Les, proceed with the ceremony." "Hey, vince, it ain't quite dry." "Well, dry it!" "I told you." "I told you, didn't I?" "Told you to" "Quit town, to leave?" "Told you I didn't like your kind, didn't I?" "Alright, get up!" "Get out of here, kid." "Lee:" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Shut up!" "Hey, les, get 'im off me, get 'im off me." "Do it." "Lee:" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Father!" "You alright, vince?" "That china boy likely broke my neck." "I'm gonna fix you good," "China boy." "I'm gonna fix you real good." "Go away!" "Leave us alone," "You've done enough." "You've taken my home, what more do you want?" "He's just tryin' to prove what a big man he is." "Alright," "Drop your guns, both of you." "This ain't none of your business, mccain." "You made it my business," "That's my laundry." "Lee, come over here." "No!" "Keep 'im away from me!" "You sure can fight, pa." "Laundry business is very bad." "Well, now, mr." "Wang chi, I'm" "Not so sure about that." "Not when you've got a real good helper." "Go on, clean it up." "All of it." "Oh, now, listen here, mccain." "Clean it up!" "But be careful of what's left of my shirts." "Look at this, micah." "No skin off my back- whoa!" "You know, you were lucky the circuit judge just told you get" "Out of the territory, instead of givin' you a jail sentence." "Where are you headed?" "Well, now, I'm just glad to be leavin' this crummy town," "And its crummy people." "Folks are the same everywhere, fergus." "You an' your" "Boy have a lot to learn about gettin' along with other people." "You better keep that in mind." "You like?" "Yeah." "But..." "But now you just look like everyone else." "Sure, american." "Hey, pa, micah!" "Come here quick." "Lee." "Wang." "Look at wang lee." "Well." "Like father, like son." "Now we are home."