Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 12, Episode 17 - Top Hand - full transcript

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I guess it's about time
we said hello to Weatherby.

Ben!

Ha-ha.

- Good to see you.
- Weatherby.

Billy and I was just talking about you.

- How you doing?
- Fine.

Good.

Kelly, I thought I told you
to stay off my property.

Weatherby, Kelly's with me.



My new foreman.

Yeah, all right,
as long as he's your man.

Oh, I want you to meet
my new foreman, Bert Yates.

Howdy. Mr. Kelly.

We've met.

Yeah, person all-around
top hand, Ben.

I thought he might ramrod the drive.

No, that's Kelly's job.

We agreed that my foreman
would be trail boss.

If it was anybody but him,
I'd live up to the agreement.

Kelly, Smokey found those strays
in the draw about four miles out.

- I got work to do.
- All right.

Ben, he's a troublemaker.

If you knew him like I did,
you wouldn't want...



Now, Kelly brought our herd in.

He did a very good job of it.

Ben's right.

We did agree his foreman would
boss the show.

And my herd's still out.
Logan and Correa were behind me.

- Yeah, I know...
- Logan agreed to back Ben's choice.

That's three to one,
even without Correa's vote.

You got a nice-looking herd, Ben.

- Let's go take a look at it.
- Yeah.

It's gonna be a week
before the drive starts.

A lot can happen in a week.

If I was you, I wouldn't worry
about Kelly ramrodding anything.

- How's it going?
- Real good.

I think we got all the strays
gathered in.

What's that there behind you?

I'll be a son of a gun.
He must have hermit butt.

I bet I chased him back to the herd
a hundred times ringing him down.

This'll make a hundred and one.

You better work on your arm,
old-timer.

You got to catch him, not spook him.

Didn't anybody ever tell you
about roping other people's cattle?

Oh, I was just trying to help.

You sure looked like
you needed some help.

When I need help,
I'll ask for it.

Now that you got him roped,
trudge him on in.

Yes, sir.

You're the trail boss.

What's that all about?

Weatherby wants him to be trail boss.

That's a little late for that.

Yeah, Bert doesn't think so, though.

I figured the Ponderosa hands
are needed to cook chow

as long as we're here.

Fat chance of that.
I'd have a whole hour off.

Thank you.

You wouldn't like that no better.

You wouldn't have
nothing to complain about then.

- Try me.
- Pretty good biscuits.

Can't say too much for your coffee.

Coffee can't say much for you either.

I see Logan's made it.

Yeah.

Ben, you know Kelly used
to work for me.

Did he ever tell you why I fired him?

Bottle trouble, he told me.

Whiskey.

That's right, and it got him
in serious trouble.

Got him in jail.

I know.

Well, look, I don't like a man
ramrodding a big drive like this.

I just don't like it.

He made his mistakes,
he paid for 'em.

He deserves another chance.

I guess Correa should make it
in a couple of days or so.

Yeah, look,
I see you're short of horses.

Yeah, that's why we brought
our herd in early.

Wild horse country all around here.

Figure while we're waiting
for the other herds to get here,

we can round up
as many as we want to.

Kelly gonna boss that, too?

Yeah.

You start out early in the morning.

Take the chuckwagon
and as many men as we can spare.

You know, Bert knows that territory.
Might help if I send him alone.

Might.

Good insurance, too.

You know, that's how Kelly
got in trouble.

Took crew men up in the woods
where I couldn't see 'em.

And...

You think it's gonna happen again?

I know it.

And if it does, we're having
another owners' meeting

and a new trail boss.

Well, that's fair. Ain't it?

Yes, it's fair.

"Two miles out," he said.

"Then I find a road
heading east," he said.

What he means by "a road"
is chuckos all the way to the lake.

Get out of the way. If I ever...

Is this yours?

Yes, sir.

Cinch is rottin' on you.

You're going with this outfit,
you're gonna have a wreck.

Well, I've had 'em before.

Then you ought to know better.

Harness maker's in the barn.

Go by and get you another cinch, huh?

Yes, sir.

Damn, he takes good care
of you, don't he?

Probably tucks you in every night.

He cares about as much about me
as a bull does its calves.

The Chucko Kid.

Whoo.

- Oh, Kelly?
- Yes, sir.

Pick your men yet?

Yes, sir.

- Six be enough?
- Should be if I work it right.

You know, Weatherby's sending
Bert Yates along.

I know. He's a good hand.

And he wants my job.

But so do I.

That's why I'm gonna make it.

I know you will.

I got some cinches to look at.
I better go do it.

Man, that big black stud,
he sure is something, ain't he?

That's a lot of horse.

Big as I am, he could carry me all day.

Thinking about him carrying me.

Well, take it easy now, boys.
He's mine.

You gotta catch him first.

Hold up a minute there.

We got work to do around here
before we start chasing any horses.

Bert!

Let him go! Savor the ones we got.

But I can get him.

Soon as I say, move!

How's that for a day's work,
boss man?

Fair, but no better than that.

I could've caught that black.

You'd killed your horse
if you'd had tried it.

That stud would have run you
and your horse right into the ground.

Well, now I might not have caught him
and then you'd have looked good.

You let me worry about that, will you?

After supper,
you boys get your bedrolls

and go down and stand guard
at the corral.

All night?

Yeah, all night.

Yeah, you just go on grinnin'.

I'm gonna show that old man up yet.

Yeah? At what?

Just about everything.

Roping, riding... you name it.

I'll believe it when I see it.

Yeah, well, you're gonna see it.

We work a long, hard day.

And we got more hard days coming.

The thanks we get for it's
to stand all night

with a bunch of corralled horses.

Well, that's the breaks.

Yeah, that's the breaks.

But I think, come night,
I'm just gonna take my horse,

walk him up that hill over there,

and ride into Stillwater
and get me the drink I deserve.

Any of you boys
who aren't afraid of old Kelly

are welcome to come along with me.

I'll drink to that.

Now, there's a man
after my own heart. Come on.

Aah!

Montana, you and Ames get dressed
and go down and fix that corral.

We're going to Stillwater.

I'll saddle the horses.

Well, what's the matter with you?

I got no saddle horse.

You got a wagon team.
Ride one of 'em.

Or walk.

I don't care how you get there,
just get there.

Hyah!

Where's the horses?

They broke out last night,
Mr. Weatherby.

- Where's Kelly?
- He's gone to Stillwater.

I told you he was trouble. Come on.

- Hyah!
- Hyah!

Bones, you go find us a wagon.

Sourdough, come on and help me.

Hey.

Hi, boss. Where did you come from?

Same place you're going.

Hey, wake up, Bart.

Boss, they sure left quickly.

Get in the wagon!

Come on now.

That's that wagon over here, Bones.

Ben, I tell you,
you just can't trust that...

Sourdough, get the horses.

Now, you were saying?

All right, men,
you can eat or go without.

We ride in ten minutes.

Coffee?

You better eat, son.

Just coffee.

Kelly will run you till you fall
clean out of that saddle.

- It's not me he wants.
- He already did.

I was drunk.

Next time I'll be sober.

Something you ought to know.

Kelly used to drink and brawl
when he worked for Weatherby.

He wrecked a saloon
and he beat up on some townies.

- So what?
- He killed one of them.

Sent the other two to the hospital.

There they are.

That black stud's
gonna be expecting us.

This will make the first gathering
look like a Sunday school picnic.

This time we stay with the herd
no matter what that stallion does.

Come on.

Come on!

Told you to stay with the herd.

I could have had him.
I could have had him three times.

Look, you might be Weatherby's hand,

but when you're riding with me,
you do what I say.

You know, I'm looking
forward to something.

What's that?

Hanging your hide to the barn door.

Fine-looking animals, Kelly.
You did a good job.

Not very. We had to do it twice.

- But it was worth it.
- Sure was.

They're all right.

Show him how it's done.

- Good luck.
- Thanks, Bones.

I'll need all the help I can get.

Easy now.

Easy.

Whoo, now.

Now, just hold steady.

- Pull back, back.
- Whoa.

- Whoa, baby.
- Whoa, now.

Whoa, now, just hold steady.

Watch he don't paw you.

Whoa, now.

Easy, easy.

Easy now.

Whoa, whoa, whoa!

Whoa, whoa!

Hey, Bert, I got $5 says
a boss man rides him easy.

You're on. Anybody else?

- I'll take a dollar.
- I'll take four bits of that.

Chucko Kid.

Well, she's all yours.

Hold on now, old-timer!

- Whee!
- Stay up there!

- Stay up there, Kelly!
- Hang on now, boy!

Hang in there, Kelly. You got it.

Ride him. Hang on!

Stay on him, Kel!

Why, you meat-headed old thing.

Whoa! All right, boys, let's pay up.

I thank you. Yes, sir.

Oh, that's nice.

Thank you.

Oh, well, it was a little too tough,

- wasn't it, old boy, huh?
- Yeah, for this time.

Well, I got, uh... I got $10 here
that says that I can ride that horse

if you'll just let me use your saddle.

Well, you got yourself a bet.

Okay.

All right, we'll let Bones here
hold it for us.

Yeah, so you be sure and stay on this.

Yeah, you just keep your eyes open.

Whoa.

Whoa.

Hey, Bert, I got five more dollars
that says you can't ride him either.

You're on. Anybody else?

- I'll take a dollar.
- Two bits more!

I'll take a dollar of that.

I'll take a couple dollars myself.

All right, let her go.

Ride him, Bert!

He's gonna have that horse
on top of him in a minute.

Stay in there! Dig him, boy!

Yee-haw!

- Hyah!
- Hyah!

Well, I hope it's not my turn.

Oh, I love you
when your money's gone,

but I can't be with you.

Where's my money, Bones?
Where's my money.

Oh, thank you. Yes, sir.

Oh, that's nice.

That was a good ride you made there.

Well, it was an easy ride, real easy.

You think that ride
will get you my job?

I wouldn't worry about it, old-timer.

If it's gonna happen,
it's gonna happen.

Look, you roped a steer that I missed
and rode a horse that bucked me off,

but that don't make you a trail boss.

Oh, that age will get to you, won't it?

Yes, sir, I hope
when I'm as old as you are,

that I can face it.

You're brewing for a fight, ain't you?

I'm not drunk now. You want to try it?

No, I don't want to oblige you now.

If I bust you up, I'd be short-handed,

and I need you to help me
break these horses.

All right.

All right, I'll let you back off,

but when you finish
breaking the horses,

you and me are gonna settle it.

Yeah.

We'll settle it.

Kelly?

You all right?

Yeah, I just banged my knee
a little bit.

But I've done it before.

You don't have to prove anything.

Time for supper.

Queen high, queen bets.

Two... Let's see here, two bits.

Call.

Man, did you see old Kelly's face
when he had to pay off?

Yeah, I saw it.
Same face he wears all the time.

You didn't look close.

It was the face of an old man
fraying at the seams.

Pair of queens, your bet.

Pair of queens,
I'll have to bet a dollar.

Call.

Yes, sir, his hands
were shaking, eyes watering...

You making speeches
or playing cards?

I'd have to say a little bit of both.

Cost you $2 to call.

Pass.

You know, your luck's sure
running good in this card game.

But how much luck
do you think you'd have

catching that black stud?

If I knew where he took
the rest of his herd,

I'd catch him tomorrow.

Suppose I ride out at sunrise
and locate him?

Now, Smokey, you do that

and I'll have me a big black
stallion tomorrow night.

I'll bet you twice what you got there
that you can't catch him.

You got yourself a bet.

Quincy, can I have
a couple dollars of that?

- Sure.
- Me, too.

I'm gonna have me
a big, black stallion

and money in my pocket.

Let's play a little draw.

Hey, Bert.

Whoa, whoa.

- Hey, Bert, found the stud.
- Where?

- Beyond those hills.
- Well, let's go.

Now, boys, you dealt out the cards.

You let me play out the hand.

You just be sure

and have old Kelly here
when I get back.

Are you all right?

Yeah. I'm all right.

Run, damn you, run.

If you hadn't done that, I would have.

Well, that ought of
taught you something.

Yeah, yeah, I guess, next to me,

you're the best.

Yeah.

Find yourself a shady spot
and I'll go get you another horse.

Well, how about giving me a lift?

Well, throw your saddle up here.

- Whoa.
- You don't...

Take it a little easy
or this thing will buck us off.

Keep your feet up. Right.

You just ride.

We got the herd ready
to move out, Mr. Cartwright.

Well...

- Good luck, Kelly.
- Thank you.

- Keep 'em moving now.
- Yes, sir.

See you when we get back.

- You take the lead, Bert.
- All right.

Well...

It's time for me to be getting home.

- Billy.
- Ben.

Ben.

About, uh, Kelly...

Well, I never said
he wasn't a top hand.

That's right.

You never said he wasn't.

Hmm.