"Gee!" "Thanks a lot, mister." "Yes, sir." " Fill 'er up - we're outta gas." " The uh" "Regular." "Yeah, I got, let's see... 85 cents." "80 cents worth!" "Yes, sir." "Huh?" "Come on, the dough, the geeters, the money!" "Never let it be said that Johnny Maverick took a guy's last nickel." "That'll be exactly 80 cents." "There you are, my good man." "Come again." "Bye." "I don't get it, mister." "Well" "I mean, this car, and that hat, and those clothes  and my 80 cents!" "Son, you gotta have a front in the oil business." "Confidentially, I'm flat." "What's your name?" "Harold Nevins." "Are ya really an oil man?" "Tool dresser." "The best." "You interested in oil?" "Kinda." "Been pumping' gas up in Chicopee." "Chicopee?" "Never heard of that field." "It's not a field -- gas station!" "Chicopee Falls, Mass." "You get awful tired wiping' windshields, and I heard about this new oil strike in Hurleyville  so I thought I'd come out west, and be a real oil man." "Chicopee Falls." "Chicopee." "Chicopee, if you stick with me from now on, you'll see plenty of oil." "Yeah, I see what you mean." "You dirty bastard!" "Hey, you guys!" "Yeah, yeah, I'll take care of 'em." "No credit!" "And I mean, no credit!" "Alright." "Just wanted to see how you felt about it." "Break it up, you mudnecks!" "This joint is certainly losing' its class." "It's him!" "Johnny!" "Well, how are ya, boy?" "Hello, you old slush squats." "I knew I'd find ya here." "Hiya, Grits." "Great to see ya." "It's a real boon, Johnny." "The oil's good." "But it can't last!" "Boys, I want ya to meet Chicopee Nevins." "This is Grits." " Hiya, Chic" " Hiya" "This is Watch Bob." "Hello, sonny." "And don't believe a word he tells ya." "Hey, Johnny!" "You wanna hear some bad news?" "Mike Rawlins was just here." "Rawlins?" "Forget it, Johnny." "He's gone over to Sunbeam." "Someday I'm gonna get that guy, but good!" "That's the rat I was telling you about that ran out on us, owing us a month's pay." "My usual luck." "We've got us a job lined up, Johnny, and there's one waiting' for you, too." "Yeah!" "Well, boys." "Let's find a table." "I'm through breaking' my back for guys like Rawlins." "From now on, if there's gonna be any drilling for oil, it's gonna be my oil." "And I'm gonna be the boss!" "But, Johnny, that takes a lot of " "Front." "And a little maneuvering." "And front's what I got plenty of." "Yeah, you oughtta see his car -- it's a block long!" "Johnny's plum right." "If I'd of struck out for myself when I was his age, I might've settled down and had a family  instead of bein' nothin' but a broken-down oil bum." "'Antrim Bend offers $25,000 for first commercial well' -- Read all about it!" "Paper, mister?" "Paper!" "Antrim's $25,000 prize!" "Anybody interested in 25 grand around this joint?" "That's a joke!" "Antrim Bend's twenty miles from here!" "The mad torch of Hurleyville's booming' on one side of 'em, and Sunbeam on the other." "That's why they're offering' a prize." "Ain't no oil out there!" "They sunk two dry holes last summer!" "Johnny!" "I thought you was healed!" "We ain't in one way to get a steak around here." "Gimme that nickel." "Come on." "You got just the face for it." "This way, come on." "Goin' for charity, folk!" "Give to the birds!" "Come on, boys, it's all for charity!" "Thank you, thank you very much, gentlemen." "And you, sister?" "Believe me, it'll come back to you tenfold." "Thank you, thank you." " Charity!" "Charity!" " What's this for, buddy?" "Charity, brothers." "Sweet charity." "Come on, dig way down deep." "And you, sister?" "Thank you, for the time put." "Come on, Chic." "These kind people wanna give, too." "What's this for?" "Charity, brothers." "Sweet charity." "Orphans." "Dig way down deep, past the silver and into the paper." "Miss, would you like to give?" "Get in there!" "That's a boy!" "Thank you, thank you." "Thank you, thank you." "I'm surely mighty obliged." "Right this way, Chic." "Right this way." "Come on, Sloan, for charity, sweet charity." "Yeah, for what?" "Charity." "For orphans -- little bits who're stayin' orphans -- no mother." "No, no." "Give!" "Don't be a pack rat!" "I'm sorry, Maverick." "I thought it was a twenty." "That's better." "Thank you, Gus." "Thank you very much." "Congratulations." "You'll never regret it." "Charity, boys." "Sweet charity." "Here, Watch Bob." "Take care of things." "We better get outta here while everybody's happy." "Gee, a lotta men sure are charitable." "Yeah, it's better than wiping windshields!" "Wait a minute!" "Wait!" "You don't think you're gonna get away with this, do ya?" "What's the matter, bud?" "Gimme that hat." "I gotta make my donation to those poor little orphans!" "Thank you, my benevolent brother, thank you." "And good-bye." "Good-bye!" "Wait a minute!" "Who are these poor little orphans?" "Me and Chicopee." "We been havin' a terrible time." "Johnny, did ya really expect anyone to approve an oil pool to give ya a lease on promises?" "You can't get killed for trying!" "Well, maybe we could get those jobs the boys were talkin' about." "I'm not going to." "I'm so punchy I'm seeing things." "I'd've sworn that match lit up like a little torch when it hit the water!" "What?" "Where?" "Right there." "What is it, Johnny?" "Must be surface gas!" "Taste it." "Tastes like mud!" "Wonderin' if it's gas." "Taste it." "Tastes like oil!" "It's oil!" "Yeah, must be seepage, from up there." "But this is some of that Antrim Bend land they said was no good!" "What are we gonna do, Johnny?" "We're gonna buy it, to lease." "But we haven't got that kinda money -- we haven't got any money!" "Look, Chicopee." "We found this together -- we're partners." "Sure, but..." "No matter what happens, keep your mouth shut." "I'll do all the talkin'." "Come on." "Of course, I'm thinking of you, too, Mr. Smithers." "If we should happen to make a well on your property, you could buy the missus here a black silk dress everyday  yourself some store shoes  a beautiful car like mine, and send Junior to college!" "Don't wanna go to college." "Why, son!" "You want an education, don't ya?" "Nope." "Just wanna be ignorant, like Pa." "Shut up, bud." "Quite a boy ya got here." "Maverick, I'll take 10 dollars an acre, and one-eighth's royalties." "Oh, that's impossible, Mr. Smithers." "Might make it 5, and let's see..." "That would be 3,000 dollars for 600 acres." "Hey, Chicopee, be careful." "You'll break Mr. Smithers porch." "Well, what do ya say?" "Take it, Pa." "It's a deal." "It's a great deal." "I just happen to have a blank lease here." "We can fill in the figures." "Would ya take a check?" "Long as there's money in the bank, son." "That's a good one!" "Chicopee, your pen, please." "Johnny, you can't write a check!" "You haven't got a " "Any ink in the pen?" "That's ridiculous." "Of course there's ink!" "Let's see, I'll make that out to..." "John..." "John." "And Martha." "Smithers." "Smithers." "Three thousand." "There you are." "Bless you." "Well, thank you kindly." "Say, if you fellers are goin' to town, you mind I ride in with you so I can get to the bank before it closes?" "Oh, sure." "I'll go in and get my coat." "Say, Mrs. Smithers, I hate to leave here  without having some of that famous apple pie that I heard so much about in town." "Son, I ain't made an apple pie in twenty years!" "Well, I guess it's just watching you peel those apples that makes my mouth water." "Land sakes, if you was hungry, why didn't ya say so?" "Sit yourself down and I'll make ya a pie." "Ain't nobody goin' away from my house hungry!" "Mrs. Smithers!" "Look at this!" "What a gorgeous-looking pie!" "My, my, my!" "Well, I can hardly wait to get in!" "Help me there, will ya?" "Thatta boy." "Oh, what a dilly!" "Mrs. Smithers!" "Oh, it's delicious!" "My, my, my!" "I swear, Mrs. Smithers -- this is the finest pie I ever ate!" "I never tasted anything like it!" "Well, guess we better be going." "Don't move, son." "I ain't." "Well, Mr. Smithers..." "If we're goin' to town, we better get started." "No sense in me goin' now, son." "It's 'most 3:00." "I'll see ya at the bank in the mornin'." "As you wish." "Good-bye." "Good-bye." "Good-bye, Mrs. Smithers." "Good-bye, Mrs. Smithers." "Bye, son." "Kept 'em from cashing' the check today, but how 'bout tomorrow?" "We got the lease, didn't we?" "What good'll that do us when we're in jail?" "Shut up " " I gotta think!" "Wait, Johnny!" "Get outta here!" "I don't wanna hear anymore about it!" "Hey, you gotta listen to me -- we're partners!" "Not anymore, we're not." "Gimme a beer, and throw some ant powder on this guy -- he's bothering me." "Hey, Johnny!" "We're in this together now " " I know my rights!" "Oh, get out!" "Hey!" "Now listen!" "We found this together and we're gonna keep it together!" "Alright, you asked for it." "What's the idea, anyway?" "Oh, the double-crossin' ape!" "It's alright to lend 'em my money, but as soon as we find oil, he kicks me out!" "You found oil?" "Plenty of it, seepage." "Out at Antrim Bend." "Oil?" "You found oil at Antrim Bend?" "Yeah." "He told me to keep it quiet til we got our lease." "Then he throws me out because we haven't got a signed partnership!" "That's the rawest deal I ever heard!" "Yeah." "Ol' Bit, bring this boy a drink!" "You take it easy, son." "I'll see what I can do about it." "Now, don't you worry about anything, kid." "Excuse me." "Oh, Maverick!" "I just heard about your good luck." "So the guy couldn't keep his mouth shut, eh?" "Oh, now, don't let's get excited." "Sorry, bud." "How 'bout lettin' me in, say for 5 dollars an acre?" "I haven't got any leases for sale." "Oh, come on, Johnny." "Come on in and have a drink." "We'll talk this all over." "I tell ya, it's no use!" "Well, how 'bout 6 dollars?" "I wouldn't for 6 dollars." "But, Johnny...." "There he is!" "Hey, Johnny!" "Come on over here." "Have a drink!" "So ya scrubbed oil!" "Where'd ya find it?" "Hey, Maverick!" "I've been looking for you!" "Alright." "There's the dirty little rat!" "Him?" "Maverick!" "Let me in!" "Don't let Sloan talk ya out of anything!" "Son, when ya've been dead as long as I have, you'll find there's nothin' much worth gettin' worried 'bout." "Yeah, I suppose " "Dead?" "Sure, he's dead." "Been dead for years." "That's why we call him Watch Bob." "But that doesn't make sense!" "He means this." "The slug that killed me." "Yeah, happened in a saloon fight in Barlowsville, back in '96." "I was dead seven hours before the doctor pried this outta my heart." "No thanks to 'em." "I was even up there." "You mean, you were actually dead?" "You don't think I'd say so if I wasn't, do ya?" "Ben, bring me some pen and ink!" "Now, wait a minute, Sull!" "And some paper!" "Now, listen--!" "So there I was, dressed out in a shiny new robe, when all of a sudden down in Barlowsville  this horse doctor digs the bullet outta my heart, and I have to go back, pronto." "That was too bad." "Get a load of this." "7,000 bucks for half of the lease." "7,000!" "Jehosephat!" "Enough to cover the check and buy a rig!" "Easy, wasn't it?" "Easy." "Hey, Grits, Watch Bob." "I'm cutting you in on this, too." "Come on, everybody drinks on Johnny!" "Please!" "Tell us what happened!" "Hey, wait a minute!" "Here's to Maverick Number One!" "And the greatest little partner a guy ever had..." "Chicopee Nevins." "Johnny!" "Chicopee, down the hatch!" "Have another on the first million." "Drink 'em up, boys." "Hey, you fellas -- go on up there and help Campbell unload." "Make you a bet the stove smokes." "Go on, get in that cookhouse." "Nice bunkhouse you built us here, Mr. Smithers." "Yeah, I don't know what I'm gonna do with my chickens." "We make a well and you can put 'em up in the Knothill Court." "Johnny!" "Chicopee" "Let's take a look at our competition." "Pick up that brace, Don -- it won't bite ya!" "What a crew you picked for me, Peters -- where'd ya find 'em?" "They'll be alright, boss." "They'll be alright, boss!" "Come on, heave it, ya lug!" "Put some steam in it!" "Hello, Rawlins" "Say, what's the matter with you?" "What's going on here?" "So you sold your lease to 'em, eh?" "I still got an interest." "What do you wanna make trouble for?" "Trouble?" "That was no trouble." "I was just payin' 'em off for what he owes me." "Come on, Chicopee." "Cut it out!" "Now let 'em go!" "You two'll get brawling' and nobody'll make a well!" "Nobody'll make a well!" "I promise you, brother, he won't make one ahead of me!" "Go on, get back to work!" "Come on, I wanna talk to you." "Come on." "Nice goin', boys." "I'm gonna give ya the night off." "Oh, boy!" "Just a minute." "We're gonna spud in at 7:00 in the morning." "And from there on in, we'll be goin' 24 hours a day." "And I want ya back by midnight." "Sure, alright, boss!" "Thank you a lot!" "Well, kid." "Does that make me a real oil man?" "Relax and go on into Hurleyville and have some fun." "Take my car." "Thanks." "I'll stop for our food supplies at Antrim Bend." "Come on, Grits." "That's quite a lot of lettuce to be lyin' around unchaperoned." "A fella could grab it " "Oh!" "'There's a loaded Colt pointing at ya, and we'd hate to make a hole in the' " "Great sense of humor." "There's a great country, anyhow, son." "You bet!" "My partner and me are gonna bring in the first well and grab that dough." "You don't say!" "Well, I'm not tired of lookin' at it, but I gotta get over to Hurleyville to get our supplies." "Hurleyville?" "Well, that's kinda fortunate -- I'm headed for there myself." "Well, come on " " I'll give ya a lift!" "Well, that's nice of you, son." "Come on." "Thanks very much." "Just hafta hold onto this." "I hope it won't be any trouble." "No, no, no." "Very interesting, son." "Very interesting!" "Well, I'm half-partner." "Johnny's got two old pals, Grits and Watch Bob." "I see." "He gave each one of 'em five percent." "That's the kind of guy he is." "That's fine." "Got me gabbin' my head off." "You're probably in a hurry." "That's the hotel right over there, Mr. Westbrook." "Thanks." "This is a right prosperous-lookin' little town!" "I'm goin' to like it." "A man could probably do good business here." "Oh!" "You interested in the oil business, too?" "Only in the by-products." "Well, thanks, Chicopee." "And don't forget to look me up when you're in town." "Well, sure I will." "Where can I get a hold of you?" "Well, if this is what I think it is, right in here, at a corner table." "So long, Chicopee." "So long!" "Thanks again." "Good luck to ya." "Bringing in the sheaves  bringing in the sheaves..." "Oh, there you are!" "Hello, Nan." "Glad to see ya!" "Alright, start alibi-ing." "You were supposed to be in on the noon train." "Yeah!" "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." "I was on the noon train, but there was a little unpleasantness." "What, again?" "Yes, so I had to get off and continue the trip overland." "And I've been sitting in this firetrap since 10:00 this morning." "10:00, look at that!" "That's eleven hours." "Then the unpleasantness started " "After I won, of course!" "Say, I've been looking this town over." "Not so bad, eh?" "Very, very good." "That's what I thought." "There's a joint across the street " "Kelley's Rig, I just cased it." "And the lobby is " "Full of oil men, I know all about it!" "How's your hand?" "Still quicker than the eye." "Now, listen." "They put me in room 107." "You call me in the morning, will ya?" "Late?" "Okay." "Here goes, Pop." "Yes." "You better get ready to take that money outta your bank window, Mr. Jiles." "Gladly." "Just bring your well in first, Nevins." "Keep 'er blowing a thousand barrels a day for a week, and the money's yours." "It's a grand day, isn't it?" "Rainin' somewhere." "Glad you stopped by, Mr. Campbell." "Okay, Watch Bob!" "Ready when you are!" "Bring 'er down." "The cable's hooked." "I shoulda known better than to let you guys go out and get boiled last night!" "Hey, Chicopee, we got plenty of guys to do that!" "Forget it!" "I'm halfway up already!" "Go ahead, Chicopee." "Wants to be an oil man, doesn't he?" "But, Johnny!" "He ain't ready for that yet." "Oh, let 'em alone." "He'll be alright." "Peters, come here." "Take a look." "Yeah." "They've got a full day's start." "You and your crummy crew." "That's a stupid place for Campbell to leave his truck." "Yeah." "Okay, Johnny!" "Good boy, Chicopee!" "You wanna ride 'er down?" "Sure!" "Johnny!" "The truck!" "It's gone wild!" "I left it in gear with the brakes on!" "I swear I did!" "It was in gear, Johnny!" "I know it was!" "There's time to fix the rig, Johnny!" "They can't do that!" "It's jinxed, I tell ya!" "When a well kills a man, the oil runs away!" "It's jinxed I tell ya, you've gotta move that " "Oh, shut up and go on back to work!" "I'm gonna bring in that well if it kills every one of us." "Get outta here." "Go on, get out!" "Shouldn't have sent 'em up there in the first place." "The whole thing's my fault." "'Tweren't nobody's fault, Johnny." "Too bad that doc from Barlowsville weren't burning' to save him." "Instead of me." "Don't seem to be any tables." "Well, I don't mind if you don't." "You're the one that's thirsty." "Well, come on over here." "Hello, friend!" "Hello." "Fred, the usual, you know, and plenty of soda." "You sure you won't break down and have a little snort -- er, refreshment?" "No, thanks." "I never touch it." "Thanks, friend." "What're they doing over there -- gambling?" "Yeah!" "Poker." "Gee, I could watch them." "Do you think they'd mind?" "Why, not a bit." "Go on over!" "I'll join ya myself as soon as I finish my buttermilk." "Oh, you're a card." "Cards, gentlemen." "I'll take three." "Hey, Fred." "I'll take a one, gentlemen." "Hello, son." "Oh, hello there." "How are ya?" "Comin' along fine." "Don't turn around." "Slip out the back way and I'll meet ya at the hotel." "Hey, Gus..." "How'd ya do down at the Bend?" "Oh, okay, okay." "We expect a well in there anytime and " "Oh, that's fine!" "I think I'll cash in, boys, if you don't mind." "Here's 20 dollars even, I believe." "I have a little appointment." "See ya later, boys." "How are ya?" "How are you?" "Come in." "Come in." "What happened?" "Did ya see 'em?" "Who?" "Sloan, that pigeon we took for two round in Tulsa last year." "Remember, that one that called for the cops?" "Did he recognize you?" "I don't know, but oh, boy, if he did!" "Okay." "Okay, Oliver." "Pack your shirt and your marked deck and let's get goin'." "Oh, why can't I make one big killing?" "So I can go away someplace, and settle down, to somethin' respectable." "Like a nice little joint with a couple of wheels?" "Yeah!" "And your own dice?" "Yeah!" "Just enough to make an honest livin'." "Hey, Oliver." "Get me that paper over there, will ya?" "Hey, I know this kid Nevins." "He drove me in the other night." "Talked my ear off, tellin' me all about himself and his oil wells." "Nan, I gotta terrific idea!" "Fine" "I'll put it in the bag and we'll leave it on the train." "Oh, no!" "I'm not kiddin'!" "I've really got a great idea." "And I know it." "Now, we may have to lay low for a couple of days, but baby..." "This time we've struck oil!" "Yeah." "I betcha." "This is it, ma'am." "Would've been a long walk from town." "Thanks for the lift." "Can I do anything else for ya?" "No, thanks." "All I know is we're two days behind Rawlins, and we've gotta make it up." "Come in" "Hello." "Hello." "Where can I find Harold Nevins?" "Who?" "You mean --?" "Are you Johnny Maverick?" "Yeah." "Wow." "You're just like Harold described you." "Where is he?" "I'm his sister." "o, Yeah..." "Why, he isn't here." "Well, but he must be!" "He wrote me that you were partners." "And he asked me to come out here." "I'm sorry, Miss Nevins, but..." "There's been an accident." "Harold?" "Yeah." "Fell from the rig last Sunday." "I'm awful sorry." "We haven't seen each other in years." "Both working in different parts of the country." "And when he wrote me things were going so good, I..." "I thought maybe we'd be together." "We did everything we could." "I'm sure that you did." "I know it's a little late, but..." "If there's anything that Harold left unfinished or  anything that he wanted me to know, I wish you'd tell me." "Miss, see I " "And that someone could drive me back to town." "I know it's none of my business, Miss Nevins, but " "Have you any place to go, or any money?" "I'll be alright." "Oh, no." "You're gonna stay right here." "When that well comes in, you're gonna get Chicopee's-- I mean Harold's share." "That's the least I could do for 'em." "Oh, no, Mr. Maverick." "I couldn't possibly do a thing like that." "I don't wanna here anymore about it." "Hey, Watch Bob and Grits." "Take Miss Nevin's bag and put it in my room." "Take my junk and put it down in the bunkhouse." "The boss had his breakfast already?" "Yeah, he was up plenty early this mornin'." "What, mush again?" "It looks like glue!" "And after ya taste it, ya wish it was!" "What do you guys expect -- patty de foie gras?" "You know this job of mine's no party." "You call this a full-size job of cooking' grits?" "Cookshack I worked in at Big Boy was six blocks long." "Yeah, they fed twelve hundred drillers at one sittin'." "Eighty-six cooks worked at a grill the length of this shack  makin' forty-eight hundred flannel cakes at a whack." "Look, Watch Bob, take it easy." "You know they couldn't mix that much batter!" "Oh, they mixed it alright." "With a cement mixer." "Laid the cakes onto the griddle with a pressure hose -- had to!" "Yes, I was just a kid, then." "My job was to keep that six block long griddle greased." "Some job!" "'Tweren't so bad." "Just tied a side of bacon to each foot, got up on the griddle and skated from one end to the other." "This mush ain't much good, Grits." "Good morning, boys." "Another cup of coffee?" "Yeah." "Thanks." "Well, we oughtta catch up with Rawlins today." "Sure!" "This is the day!" "Say, boss." "Grits has been tellin' us about Chicopee's sister..." "When am I gonna have the pleasure?" "You'll be seein' 'er." "A pretty nice little dish, eh, Johnny?" "Now, look, boys." "I want ya to get one thing straight..." "After all, she's Chicopee's sister and she has every right in the world to be here." "Now, girl or no girl, I want you guys to keep your minds on your jobs." "Come on, cullyhead." "Let's go." "Good morning, Miss Nevins." "Gotta place for ya right here." "Say, Grits, gimme some more of that good mush." "Yeah!" "Me too!" "Say, why don't you sit 'er down over there near the fire?" "Yeah, the boss won't mind, the boss won't mind." "I don't wanna be too much trouble." "Miss Nevins, would you like some orange juice?" "I'd love some." "Orange juice?" "Edmond, Cully." "Remember the morning shift?" "Or are you boys taking the day off?" "Get outta here!" "Get out!" "What's the matter?" "Did I do something?" "Oh, no." "It's just that we're having a tough time putting down a well." "Comin' through!" "Yeah" "And, well, the boys aren't used to having a woman around here and..." "Pardon me." "I hope I'm not disrupting their work." "Don't let that worry you." "They'll just have to get used to you, that's all." "Hey, hey." "I hope it won't be too difficult." "Oh!" "No, that'll be alright." "Well, I'm kinda busy." "Excuse me, will ya?" "Hi, Johnny!" "Did ya get the hard rock bit?" "Yes." "Did a lotta talking to convince 'em, though." "Come on, heave." "Hey, what's the matter with those guys?" "Okay, drop it." "Hey!" "Who told you to slow that thing down?" "Well, ya see, it was like this..." "I told 'em to slow 'er down, Johnny." "Oh, ya did, eh?" "Well, how many times do I have to drive it into your head that we have to go at full speed to keep ahead of Rawlins?" "She won't take it!" "This rusty stuff you rented's alright for salt formations, but we're into hard rock now." "I don't care what we're in!" "We gotta make faster time." "Well, sometimes ya go faster when ya don't take chances." "Yeah, well you go and help Cully." "From now on in, I'll give the orders around here." "Alright!" "Shove 'er ahead to full speed!" "What do you want?" "I've been sitting around the bunkhouse for a week, doing nothing." "I'm sorry I snapped at ya, but every once in a while, this thing gets me." "I was just wondering if I couldn't do something to help." "We're partners, you know." "You could help Grits." "Can ya cook?" "Can Grits?" "No." "Well, what've ya got to lose?" "You're alright." "How 'bout that bit wash, Bob?" "I'll take care of that later." "Don't let 'em getcha down, old-timer." "Who, Johnny?" "He ain't asking' us to do nothin' he wouldn't do hisself." "Is it really dangerous to drill that fast?" "With that old equipment?" "It ain't too safe." "Alright, Cully." "Let's go." "Hey, Grits, you better get that coffee down to the boys, or they'll start hollering." "Well, it ain't me -- it's the stove!" "I know, I know." "Come on, get going." "Oh, alright." "Doin', doin', doin'." "What's with the dishwashing' routine?" "Are you batty?" "What are you doing around here?" "Well, I couldn't wait for the carrier pigeons." "How we doin'?" "How we doin'!" "Yeah." "This isn't a grapefruit, ya know." "You don't stick a spoon in the ground and out spurts oil." "I know." "I'd let 'em have the 25 grand prize." "We'll grab our half and scram-ola." "You know somethin'?" "The smart one in this town is on that gilpin across the way!" "Yeah, well, don't lay too much on it." "Johnny's a hundred feet in the lead." "Well, pardon me, lady." "And thank ya." "I hope I hadn't bothered ya none." "Who's this?" "Why I'm..." "He's just a tramp." "He's looking for a job, but I told 'em you didn't need anybody." "This stuff's been cut!" "Hey, you, Oliver!" "Hey, you, Oliver!" "What a wreck that guy's made outta me!" "Look at my hands!" "I couldn't shuffle a stack of slapjacks now." "That Maverick's a wild man." "Johnny!" "The rotary's kickin'!" "The hose, Steve!" "Cut the engine!" "Cut it!" "Come on, boys!" "Get in here!" "Get it off!" "Just like that!" "Come on!" "Head out, boys!" "She's blowin'!" "Watch Bob!" "Are ya alright?" "You are alright, aren't you?" "What's the matter with you?" "You can't kill a dead man!" "Just my hands that burned a little, that's all." "Quit standing' there and lookin'!" "Go on up there and see what's happened." "I'll take care of 'em." "I don't need no taken care of." "But I'll go with ya if that's what ya want." "Alright, boys." "Back to work, come on." "Hey, boss." "Maverick's in a tough spot." "Yeah." "Now you can pick up that 150 feet." "It'll be a cinch, if he has trouble casing off." "How is he?" "His hands are pretty badly burned." "I bandaged them, but he wouldn't let me do very much." "He was right, but I wouldn't listen to 'em." "Is it that bad, Johnny?" "The hole caved in, lost our tools, busted the boiler and  brought in water." "Alright, fellas, we might as well eat." "You know they're sinkin' a lotta new wells at Sunbeam?" "Yeah, and there's a couple new wells over there at Hurleyville, too." "I could of told ya this would of happened." "The minute Chicopee" "And those big companies pay good dough." "Yeah!" "And you don't take any chances on getting mashed up by third-rate equipment!" "Now, wait a minute, fellas." "I wouldn't do anything rash." "What are you, rats deserting a sinking ship?" "We don't wanna quit, but Johnny's finished -- he's all wiped up!" "When he got the well, he gave ya jobs and promised ya bonuses -- he was a great guy!" "But the minute he needed you, ya walk out on 'em!" "What can he do now?" "He promoted the lease, didn't he?" "Well, he can promote the dough to go ahead, maybe." "And maybe you guys can help by pitching in, and go down there and fix that boiler  instead of sitting around here squawking!" "Well, how do ya like that?" "I don't." "But she's right." "Come on, fellas." "Let's get out and get to work." "That is a nice thing ya did, miss, even if it don't do no good." "Oh, they made me mad." "That well means a lot to Johnny, doesn't it?" "More'n ya realize." "It ain't just the money." "Johnny's got oil in his blood." "Like me." "And like his daddy had." "I know that." "Johnny's got the same dream as every wildcat." "To bring in a well." "He could start another one, couldn't he?" "Maybe, maybe not." "But if he don't, he'll grip on til he gets like me." "Just a busted-down oil tramp." "Not much use, except for tellin' stories nobody believes." "Sorry, miss." "Here I am, a cawin' around like an old crow, when I oughtta be out there tellin' them fellers what to do." "Nan." "Nan!" "Johnny?" "Yeah" "Didn't come in for anything to eat." "Eat?" "Wish that's all I had to think about." "Well, it serves me right." "Tryin' to run a flashy front into a million bucks." "You can fix the engine, can't you?" "Maybe." "We're in water, see, and it's hundreds of feet before we get through it." "That means we have to run casing', and casin' costs money..." "Money's what we haven't got." "So I might as well go up and let the boys go." "Boy, you sure had Chicopee fooled." "What do you mean?" "He used to write me what a terrific guy you were." "That if you ever started something, nothing could stop you." "Well, what do ya expect me to do?" "Well, ya didn't have anything to start with." "And you got a lease on a rig, didn't you?" "That's right, we did!" "You know, Chicopee didn't think I could do it!" "I think ya can!" "Thanks." "Now I know why Chicopee was such a swell guy." "Johnny, before ya say anythin' " "What am I thinkin' about?" "You're my partner and I'm letting you down!" "Well, now you're talkin' like Johnny Maverick!" "Come on, we're goin' to town to do a little promoting." "I'll be ready in a minute." "Okay, I'll get the car." "Hello, Nan." "I took the liberty of packing' your bag." "Now, let's blow, will ya?" "So you couldn't stay for the last card, eh, Oliver?" "Not after the torch song you gave that crew in there." "Hey, you've fallen for that gilpin, hook, line and sinker." "Now wait a minute, Oliver." "You had a great idea." "We were gonna grab off half of the 25 grand and get out of the small time." "Right." "Well, I'm just tryin' to protect our hand, that's all." "I'm bettin' that if Johnny can promote some dough and grab off that prize  we can cash in." "Hey, wait a minute." "Wait a minute, will ya?" "Where's he gonna get any dough?" "From you!" "From me?" "Sure, you can get in some sort of a game!" "The way I'm healed, I couldn't even get into a game with pitching' pennies -- you know that." "How 'bout the ring?" "Oh, no." "Oh, no ya don't!" "The only time I hawk that emerald is for the last ditch!" "Well, this is it." "Oh, I see." "Well, suppose I do." "Suppose I get in a game, and Sloan comes in and recognizes me." "Are you gonna risk my neck to save his?" "Don't answer." "To save our party, Oliver." "I can't quite figure it, baby..." "My idea was to take him!" "Now I gotta funny feelin' that I'm bein' took!" "At 500, ye can have all ye need." "But I've got to have cash." "We haven't got 500 bucks." "Just give us the stuff and you'll get your dough." "I'm terribly sorry, Maverick, but it's got to be cash." "Maybe ye could borrow it." "Come on, Johnny." "We'll be back in the morning, Mr. Campbell." "Well, we wind up with 70 bucks." "And I've tapped every guy in town I know." "Oh, forget it." "Hey, there's Oliver." " Hello Oliver!" " Hello" "Don't get up, boys." "Well, if it isn't bad luck himself." "Deal me out." "Maybe you'd like to take over, Maverick." "You might be luckier at cards." "No, thanks." "Well, there's nothin' more I could do at the well, boss." "Why don't ya sit down and take your mind off your troubles?" "Get lucky!" "70 dollars won't help much." "Why don't you get in and try your luck?" "Whatcha got there?" "52 bucks." "I'll take it." "I wouldn't lend 'em anything, boys." "His well's washed up." "How's his position?" "Five and I'll up to ten." "I'm out." "Good enough for me." "Three naves." "That's good!" "Alright, Johnny." "I'll call ya." "I'm out." "Good enough for me." "Aces full." "Certainly beats three queens." "Go ahead." "Any part of it, man." "I'll see a hundred." "I'm through." "I never saw such hands!" "How 'bout you, Oliver?" "Well, Johnny, I'll call ya for two hundred." "That's the last of my stack." "Kings full." "Well, I've got four " "Well, I'd have sworn I had four 8's there." "I haven't." "There's three 8's and a pair of deuces." "Nanny, you're the luckiest partner a fella ever had!" "Campbell, I'm glad you're still here." "Look, I got the money." "Now get the casing out right away, will ya?" "I'm sorry, Maverick." "What do ya mean, you're sorry?" "I'm sold out!" "I haven't got any casings." "What?" "Look, Rawlins came in just after you left and bought every foot I had." "Why, you chiseling little rat!" "Johnny, Johnny!" "Didn't I tell you I'd have the dough?" "How did I know you could raise it?" "I had a chance to sell for cash!" "It's not his fault." "Alright, so Rawlins beat me to the punch." "But, look, Campbell." "I've got to have casings!" "There's no more in town, Johnny." "Maybe I could get some from Tulsa, but it'll cost ya heavy -- hauling' and all." "How much?" "About 950, but I'll figure it out for ya." "Look, Campbell..." "I got 550 dollars in cash." "I'll give ya a note for the rest." " Now, wait " " Now, you wait a minute!" "That well's coming in, the structure's perfect!" "I'll tell ya what I'll do with ya..." "I'll give ya a lead on the well for the balance." "Why, you can get more than that for it in salvage!" "What do ya say?" "Alright." "I'm crazy, but I won't wait more than thirty days for my money!" "Alright, it's a deal." "Write it out." "Can you make the well in thirty days?" "It isn't a question of 'can we' -- we gotta!" "I'll be doggone!" "If you're right, Johnny, then Hurleyville and Sunbeam are at opposite ends of one big pool." "Yeah, and that's us smack-dab in the middle." "But they're forty miles apart." "They're exactly the same structure." "Look!" "There's a Sunbeam map, here's a Hurleyville  and that's us in the middle." "There's limestone, shale, sandstone, water sand -- that's where we lost our tools..." "Slate, shale, and gas sand." "Yep!" "And you can bet your bottom dollar, we'll beat Rawlins in, too!" "An oil pool forty miles long, and us in the middle!" "And I can't tell nobody -- they'd think I's a making' up a big lie." "Come on, honey." "Why don't you put on your best bib and tuck  and let me take ya out and buy ya a dinner like an oil millionaire oughtta buy his best gal?" "Sure" "Got any dough?" "A little." "I'll treat." "Okay." "Boy, are we gonna be rich!" "Congratulations, Johnny!" "I hear you're the leader." "Congratulations, fella." "Thanks, kiddo." "You know the first thing I'm gonna do?" "I'm gonna get you a fur coat with fuzz out to there." "No, don't be silly." "You haven't got money like that." "It isn't silly." "I gotta lotta ideas about you and me." "Hey, Oliver!" "How'd you get here?" "Well, I got a ride with ol' man Smithers." "Say, Watch Bob tells me he needs some bearings." "Oh, we can get 'em later." "Sit down, have some champagne." "Hey!" "Bring another glass, will ya, waiter?" "I'd love to have a drink." "Wait a minute, I'll give ya my glass." "Watch Bob thinks this is an antiseptic." "Watch Bob hasn't been right in twenty years." "Thank you, Fred." "No, leave the bottle." "What's this about Maverick's well?" "Looks like he's gonna beat us in." "We're so cooked!" "No, just keep your shirt on." "Let me try to explain." "That's it!" "What's wrong with you, Sloan?" "I knew I'd seen that face somewheres before." "What face?" "That guy with Maverick." "He's the crook that kicked me in Tulsa." "The girl with 'em introduced me to 'em." "What?" "That girl's the sister of his partner, the kid that was killed." "Sister, my eye!" "They're just pulling another fast one." "I better tip off Maverick." "Wait a minute." "They won't get 'em for much." "Come on, I wanna talk to ya." "Johnny..." "Want another little touch of bubbles?" "Sure, if it was gold, I'd still give it to ya." "That's a boy." "Another bottle." "Hey, waiter!" "I'll get it myself." "Alright, my boy." "I don't mind takin' the sucker's money, but you didn't have to do this to 'em." "I don't like it anymore than you do." "They why'd ya let it get this far?" "He's gonna ask ya to marry 'em!" "I know it." "The worst part of it is, I want 'em to." "Gee, I'm sorry to mess up that beautiful idea of yours, but..." "No, don't worry about me, honey." "You're the one that's in a tough spot." "Are you gonna tell 'em?" "Yep." "Soon as I get a chance." "Gee, I wish I could stack the deck for ya, kid." "Thanks, Oliver." "Here we are." "Good night, boss." "Thanks for the party." "Good night." "Good night, Nan." "Boy, what a night!" "I feel like I could reach up there and getcha a whole handful of stars." "I wanna talk to you." "Nobody I'd rather talk to." "But this is important!" "Yeah, but I gotta get a drink of water first." "Boy, that champagne makes ya thirsty." "Johnny!" "What?" "Kept me waiting kinda late." "What are you doing here?" "A little note ya gave Campbell." "Where'd ya get it?" "Campbell's a business man, Maverick." "It's due today." "There's an extension on that note." "We bring that well in, we can pay it outta the Antrim Bend prize money." "Can ya bring it in by midnight?" "Of course not!" "Just a minute, Mr. Rawlins." "I'm a partner in that well, and I haven't signed that note." "Now listen, sweetheart." "Don't go pulling that partner stuff." "You and your pal Westbrook may be able to hook this sucker, but not me." "What are you talking about?" "What am I talking about?" "She's no more Chicopee's sister than she's mine!" "Go on, sweetheart." "Tell 'em how ya trimmed Sloan last year." "You're a liar " " Johnny!" "He's right." "Right?" "I've been tryin' to tell ya." "I've been tryin' to tell ya all evening." "You mean to say that you've been framing me?" "Well, at first, but not after I got to know you, Johnny." "Honest, you've gotta give me a chance to explain -- you've just got to." "Get outta here." "But Johnny!" "Get outta here!" "Watch Bob, Grits!" "Watch Bob!" "Johnny?" "Get that girl outta here, and Westbrook too!" "You mean Miss Nevins?" "Yeah." "Take 'em to town and drop 'em." "What's the matter, boss?" "Rawlins has our well." "What?" "Get a kilo of nitro and put it down the hole." "Nitro?" "That'll blow it wide open -- it'll ruin it!" "Sure it will!" "You want him to have it?" "Not my share." "Go on, get outta here!" "Watch Bob!" "Get outta here!" "Yes, Johnny!" "You're crazy." "What're you tryin' to pull?" "The well -- she blew in!" "The nitro must've brought 'er in!" "We've got oil!" "Oil!" "Oil!" "Oil!" "The well, Johnny!" "She blew in!" "Oil!" "Get 'em outta here." "Blew out the oil, didn't ya hear?" "It's oil, Johnny!" "Oil!" "I know." "Come on, Johnny!" "It's oil!" "Oil!" "The man said the bus is held up by a watershower." "Well, guess I better be gettin' back." "So long, Watch Bob." "Maybe we'll bump into each other again." "Yeah, well, I've known a lotta people in my time." "And I take people as I find 'em." "As far as I'm concerned, you're alright." "Thanks, Watch Bob." "Good-bye." "Good-bye." "Hey, Watch Bob." "Ya seen Johnny?" "Ya seen Johnny?" "Have ya?" "What's the matter?" "The well's on fire " " I gotta find Johnny!" "On fire?" "Yeah, Johnny got mad and made me blow it up." "Instead, she come gushing' in." "Then Johnny beat it for town, and now she's on fire." "I told 'em that well was jinxed." "I told 'em!" "Shut up, Grits." "Where was Johnny headed?" "Search me " " I already been to Kelley's." "He ain't there." "You jackass!" "If he brought in a gusher, he must've come for camping' equipment!" "Campbell's!" "Come on!" "I'll check these bags and meet ya there." "You sold me out, ya dirty little skinflint." "It wasn't like that, Maverick." "I'm in business to make money." "I know that Rawlins was tryin' to outsmart me." "And everybody was tryin' to take me." "But what did it get 'em?" "Nothing." "But I got me a well -- a gusher." "Look here, Campbell." "I'm gonna take that Antrim Bend prize money and I'm gonna pay you off so fast it'll make your head swim." "Sure, Johnny." "I'm awful glad you brought 'er in " "Shut up with that soft soap and get that hardware out there!" "I'm losing oil every minute." "Every minute that oil is flowing " "Johnny!" "The well's on fire!" "Yeah, sure, sure." "I'll see you later." "Johnny, it's true!" "You've got to get out there and put it out, Johnny." "While it's burnin', Rawlins can bring in his well and beat ya to the prize." "The boys went to bed and left me watchin'." "Something sacked me on the head, and when I come to, she was ablazin'." "Rawlins." "So you won't be needin' my stuff now." "You bet I will!" "Get that stuff outta there." "I'll put the fire out!" "Johnny." "Johnny, what're you lookin' for?" "Johnny." "Rawlins." "Where are you goin' with that?" "Johnny!" "Johnny!" "Rawlins, you started that fire." "I'm gonna give ya a chance to put it out." "Now wait a minute, Johnny." "I tell ya, I didn't have a thing to do with it!" "Get that hose ready!" "Hurry up!" "I tell ya, I didn't have a thing to do with it!" "Shut up!" "Cully!" "Give me that pipe." "Take this and get in there." "Hurry up!" "Put this back on." "Get busy with that water." "Hurry up." "Alright, keep goin'." "Go on!" "Keep moving!" "Get in there!" "Alright, now pull!" "Look out!" "He's snuffed it out!" "Right to the ground!" "Alright, it's out." "Let's get out." "There she is again, boss." "Of course she is -- those pipes are red hot!" "Come on." "Gimme this." "Take 'em over to the bunkhouse!" "You'll never put 'er out with nitro." "She'll just keep refiring that hot metal." "I brought the camping' equipment up, but it doesn't look like you'll kill that one in a hurry." "I'll kill that fire or it'll kill me!" "Where's your crane?" "You can't use a crane on that fire." "What do you expect to do?" "If I can put the cap over the hole, I can smother it, can't I?" "That'll never work." "You bring that crane up or I will." "Hey, Cully, Ed, Watch Bob!" "Get that crane into there!" "Pinned in!" "Nan!" "Nan, come back!" "Hey, hey!" "Come back!" "Johnny!" "Which one?" "Move both levers back!" "When ya get 'em back, release the right one!" "That's it!" "The fire!" "Get down on the floor!" "She's outta there!" "You bet!" "Go on, you guys!" "Mav and Nan's gonna have 'er blazin' again!" "What'd ya do that for?" "Aren't you a sucker for a right!" "Can't take it, eh?" "Oh, don't worry about it." "It'll be alright." "Alright, get back everybody." "Well, good luck, Johnny." "Hope it's a million dollar well!" "Johnny, it isn't any use!" "I guarantee ya this one's jinxed." "There won't be any oil." "But it won't last!"