Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 2, Episode 27 - The Gift - full transcript

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Throw me that towel, will you?

Where's Pa?

He left before daylight.

Didn't you hear him?

I reckon he's still fretting
about Little Joe.

Yeah, I know. He, uh...

He was asking when we were
driving the horses in yesterday

why Joe went to Yuma.

You didn't tell him, did you?



No sense in spilling the beans
at this point.

Yeah. Even so, I sure do hate
to see Pa so worried.

You don't... you don't reckon

anything could have happened
to Little Joe, do you?

No, he can take care of himself.

- Don't worry.
- Yeah.

Just think how it's gonna be
when he rides into town,

and Pa sees
what he's brought him.

Yeah. I ain't thought
of much else all week.

Corporal!

Chet?

Chet, where did it happen?

Two days south of here, sir.

Cochise has got the whole
Apache nation stirred up.



Burned our wagon,
gave me this souvenir.

Apaches between here and Yuma.

Uh, reckon he knows anything
about Little Joe?

I don't know,
but I'm going to ask him.

Hey, you two men,
get him to the company doctor.

Be careful.

Lieutenant,
I'd like to ask the scout.

My youngest son is in Yuma,

and he's two days overdue
getting back.

Well, he just told me
there isn't a white man

between here and Yuma
that's left alive now.

Yo!

Dismount!

Whoa...

Pa, what-what
you figuring on doing?

I'm going to try
to get the army

to send out a patrol
to look for Little Joe.

Hmm. You're planning
on going with them?

Yes, I am planning
on going with them.

Well, in that case, so are we.

You two will stay right here

and keep an eye
on those horses we bought.

It's quite enough that one of my
sons wouldn't do as he was told.

Pa, Adam and me have been
talking it over,

and we think there's something
you ought to know.

I've raised a pack of stubborn,
mule-headed, stump-brained...

Pa...

I told him once,
I told him ten times--

"Wait here at Tyson Wells,"
I said, "Wait here," I said.

- Pa...
- But no, no,

he's got to run off somewhere,
can't stay put.

Does my word mean anything
around here anymore?

- Pa!
- What?!

Pa, me and Adam want to tell you
something if you'll calm down.

- I am calm!
- You're shouting.

I'm not shouting!

Now, what is it
you want to tell me?

We want to tell you
why Joe went to Yuma.

Well, it's about time

somebody started telling me
something around here.

Pa, it was a...

kind of secret between Adam
and me and Joe and...

Now, will you two make sense?

We're-we're trying to, Pa...

Joe went to Yuma to buy a horse.

A horse?!
Jumping Jehoshaphat.

Haven't we bought enough
Arizona horses in the last week

to keep the Ponderosa overrun
with horses

for the next ten years?!

Pa, this wasn't just any horse.

It was a...
it was a gift for you.

A gift?

For your birthday.

We, uh...

We've been planning it
since last year.

We even wrote every...

every horse breeder
from here to Kentucky.

Yeah, you see,
we wanted it to be the...

greatest horse we could find.

We wanted him to...

Wanted him
to say something that...

we just couldn't say.

What was it you couldn't say?

Well, Pa, we...

I reckon we...

We just didn't know
how to say we loved you.

Old fools make poor fathers.

Apache.

They destroy everything always.

Did you know these people?

Sí.

A good man.

His wife.

Two little girls.

They had a good place here.

We got to find some water.

How?

The Apache are between us
and Fort Tyson.

The horses are so thirsty and...

Ah...

My young friend is thirsty, too.

Here, have a drink, a big drink.

No. Look, I had my share.

No, go ahead.
We'll split it, you first.

Thanks.

A fellow could drown
in all this water.

Uh, maybe we can ride
around the Apache.

There's no riding around them.

Cochise and his men
are everywhere.

They will not stop
until the army stops them.

Well, we could get pretty
thirsty waiting for that.

But even thirstier
if we try to go back.

I guess you're pretty sorry
you left Colonel Greene, huh?

No.

Wherever the big white one is--

that's where I belong.

Yeah.

Here.

That's all the water you got.

Oh, that's all right.

I had my share.
It's better for him than me.

You really think a lot
of that horse, don't you?

He is my life, amigo.

We understand each other,
this horse and me.

Better to have a horse like this
than to be born rich.

Well, rich or poor, we'll only
last another day in this sun.

Sí.

But the horses won't.

Amigo...

I know where is some water.

How far is it?

Very near.

Very dangerous.
Perhaps too dangerous.

The Apaches, huh?

No. Worse.

Comancheros, bandits.

These men do not fear
the Apache.

They trade with them.

They have a camp
in those mountains over there.

Sound like real nice playmates.

How do you happen
to know where the camp is?

Because I was once one of them.

You were a comanchero?

Some call it that.

Some say I was a bandido.

But whatever you call it,
whenever they catch one,

they put a rope
around his neck, see?

I was caught.

It was Colonel Greene
who cut me down, gave me a job.

I have not been back
to that camp in the hills since.

Well, what chance do you think
we have with them?

Does the kangaroo mouse have
a chance with a rattlesnake?

Well, well,
perhaps a little one.

Um, our rattlesnake is a man
called Sam Wolfe.

You know that name?

Sure, I've heard
the name Sam Wolfe,

but I-I thought it was a legend,
not a real man.

He is a king here.

Cruel, cunning,
deadly as a desert.

Even Cochise fears him.

I wish there was some other way.

Well, there is one other way.

What one is that, amigo?

We could ask the Apache
for some water.

Well...

we go this way
to see the bandidos.

The Indians are still raiding

some isolated ranches
and settlements.

If they decide
to raid Tyson Wells,

I'll need every soldier
I have here.

I'm sorry,
but my hands are tied.

I appreciate your position,
Lieutenant.

Good luck, and as soon as I can,

I'll put my troops
at your disposal.

Thank you, Lieutenant.

You weren't figuring
on leaving without us, were you?

I thought I told you two
to stay with the horses.

You hear him tell us that?

I don't recall hearing
nothing like that.

Looks like you're gonna
have some company,

whether you want it or not.

If all three of us ride out
of here today,

it's likely that none of us
will ever get back.

Our place is with you,
no matter what happens.

Pa, you-you can't ride out
of here without us.

Don't you understand
what I'm trying to tell you?

Yes, sir, we understand.

But we also understand
that Little Joe is in trouble.

He might even be dead.

I... I don't know.

But I do know one thing.

Whatever's happened to Little
Joe has happened to all of us.

And we're still a family.

Yeah.

Yeah, we're still a family.

Let's go.

No, no. Don't act surprised.

They've been watching us
for half an hour.

Pretend we're expected.

Yeah, that's a little tough
to do

when somebody's shooting at you.

We're safe for a while.
They will not harm us.

At least not until they take
what they can get from us.

Oh.

Hand me your rifle.

IAdelante!

IAndale!

¡Vámonos! ¡Adelante!

Look at that white horse, Sam.

Yeah, I see it.

Sam, I got to have that horse.

Prettiest animal
I ever saw in my whole life.

I've seen it before.

It's Colonel Greene's horse.

¡Vengase! ¡Andale, muchachos!

And if I'm not mistaken,
that's Emeliano there with it.

Emeliano...

Put that thing away, boy.

Emeliano was a good man.

Might be again
with a little persuading.

Well, if it ain't
my old friend Emeliano.

¿Como está, amigo?

This is my friend,

Señor Joe Cartwright of Nevada.

I'm Sam Wolfe.

This is my camp here.

Not much of a camp, but...

...it's all we got.

Actually, all we wanted
was some water

for ourselves and our horses.

What makes you think
you're gonna get any?

You stay out of this.

So you want water, huh?

That's right.

Well, I got water.

Only it's kind of hard to come
by in this country, you know?

Well, we got money,
we're willing to pay for it.

What do we want
with your stinkin' money?

We could kill you and take it--
just that simple.

Remind this cub
to whom he speaks, amigo.

I never have like him.

Ease off.

And you take it easy.

You know what I'd do to anybody

who ever touched
my little brother?

If you want him
to stay untouched,

tell him to keep his mouth shut!

Well, you sure ain't changed
none, have you, Emeliano?

I thought Colonel Greene
would have beaten the backbone

right out of you by now.

Takes a great deal
to change a man, señor.

I am thirsty.

My horses are thirsty.

My friend is thirsty.

Bring me some water.

- You ain't gonna...
- Do just as I tell you!

Sam Wolfe never let a friend
of his go thirsty in the desert.

Only there's just one thing,
Mr. Cartwright.

This here camp's kind of
out of the way, you know?

Mighty expensive
bringing in supplies.

Business ain't been
too good lately.

Yeah. How much you want?

All you got.

Well, now, this is mighty nice.

Must be several hundred dollars
in here.

Only it ain't enough.

Well, that's all we've got.

Not all, friend.

You got something there
that's better than money.

I'll take that there
white horse,

and you can have all the water
you can drink.

Nobody touches that horse.

Oh, sorry,
you ain't got no choice.

I got him, Sam. I got him!

Get away from that horse, kid!

No, I seen him first!

I said, get away. He's my horse,
and don't you forget it.

Whoa! Whoa, there! Whoa!

Ha! Ha!

Whoa, there.
Whoa, there, boy.

Ha! Ha!
Whoa, there!

Whoa, there, boy! Whoa! Whoa!

Another one across the street,
but he's asleep.

I have observed him.

How tough would it be to get
the one outside the door?

Well, it would be difficult.

Yeah.

But our friends...

were very careless.

Yeah, I'm kind of glad
you're on my side, Emeliano.

No, it is I
who am fortunate, amigo.

Someone comes.
Get back to bed.

Yeah.

Well, does a wolf fear
the rabbit so?

Emeliano, you're the only rabbit
that I ever saw that could bite.

I accept the compliment, amigo.

I meant it as one.

How's your friend?

He will live.

Not for long.

Tomorrow,
we'll have a turkey shoot,

and he'll be our turkey.

We will make excellent targets,
amigo.

I didn't mean you, Emeliano.

I'm giving you a chance to live.

You're a good man.

I always liked you.

I want you to come back
and join up with us, Emeliano.

I'll split with you,
same as before.

What of this one?

I'll give you the first shot.

If you're a friend of his,

be over with quick.

And the white horse?

Uh-uh.

That one's mine.

This horse means much
to me, amigo.

Much as your life?

Perhaps.

I'll give you until noon
to think it over, Emeliano.

Adios.

He's a nice fellow.

Turkey shoot, huh?

This is his favorite sport.

They let a turkey run
across the desert

and shoot at him with rifles.

Does the turkey ever get away?

Oh, it has never been known
to happen, amigo.

Well, I'll give you a run
for your money.

Me, muchacho?

You got the first shot.

I did not say I would take it.

Look, he offered you your life!

What is that?
Life without honor?

You know, my father used
to read me a...

a passage from the Bible.

It went something like,

"It's better to be a living dog
than a dead lion."

You ought to think about it.

Look at me, amigo, look at me.

Outside in the corral
is a great horse.

Tell me, have you ever seen
such a horse?

No, I haven't, but...

And this horse...

This horse speaks to me,
sings to me.

You understand?

Yeah, I understand.

Now, do you...?

Do you think I would let a...
a pig like this,

a beast like this Wolfe,
have this horse?

No!

I would rather die first.

Look at me, amigo.

I have always wanted a son
my own all my life.

I am too ugly to...

even have a wife...

To think...

my horse would be a gift
from a boy to his father.

This moves me, amigo.

Fear nothing, amigo.

I feel for you
like I would my own son.

Let's see about getting out
of here then.

Oh.

Hey, companero?

Huh?

What do you want,
eater of toads?

Some of that which you drink,
for a favor.

Ugly one, who are you
to ask a favor of me?

Uh, I have money here
in my hand.

Let me see your money.

First your bottle.

Come on,
give me the bottle, huh?

No. I know.

I know, old brother of toads.

You want to escape.

You want to?

Go ahead, try it.

I'll kill you.

Now, get him out of sight.

Right.

Any trouble?

No difficulty.

The former owner
will not be needing this.

Where are the horses?

- This way. Come.
- All right.

You do that
pretty good, señor, eh?

Yeah, well, I learned
from an expert.

We got to find that horse.

I'm not going to leave here
without him.

I'm glad to hear you say that.
Neither am I.

We split up,
we'll meet back here later.

All right.

MAN
Come on here! Come on...

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Go on!

Through there! Come on!

Come on, come on...

Now. Come on!

Settle down, there! Come on.

Come on here.
Settle down here, you...

I'm gonna put your head
in that... now.

Come on, slow down.

Come on, you white devil! Aah!

Ha-ha! Slow down! Come on!

Whoa, eh! Whoa!

Come on, you white devil.
Slow down.

Oh. Whoa! Whoa!

Go over here. Come on.
Come right here...

Come. Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

Settle down here, you...

Whoa!

Yeah!

Whoa, Blanco.

Whoa. Whoa, Blanco.

Whoa.
Whoa, Blanco.

Whoa, whoa.

We got plenty trouble now,
amigo.

¡Creo que le pegara el caballo!

¡Sí, asi parece!

You take the big white one.

Right.

Whoa. Whoa!

¡Ay! ¡El blanco!

¡Escaparon los prisioneros!

Saddle up!

No.

No!

Get my horse, Cayetano.

Sí, jefe.

Take him in the house.

Every man rides!

How many do you count?

This... and this.

Yeah, I count the same.

The horses are tired.

I think we should fire
some shots,

have them scatter,
then we ride on.

Right.

What do you make of that?

Ah, it's an old trick.

They have split up.

There is a way around this mesa.

If four of them ride fast,
they can be waiting for us

when we come out of the canyon.

We just can't sit here
and wait for Wolfe

and the others
to catch up to us.

You got a plan?

Yeah, suppose we ride down
through the canyon,

go as fast as we can to
the other end and wait for them?

The big white one--
he could make it that fast.

My horse--too slow, too tired.

All right, you follow me.
Get there as quick as you can.

What of the others behind you?

I guess they'll be along.

That's what I like
about you, amigo.

You do not worry about tomorrow
until tomorrow gets here.

Let's just hope it gets here.

Hold them back
with a couple of shots.

You're a good general, amigo.

They come to surprise you,
and you surprise them, huh?

There's three of them out there.

That evens the odds
a little, huh?

Thanks.

Por nada.
His name was Rafael.

I always planned to kill him
some day anyway.

Well, that leaves one more.

Must be Cayetano.

He was always
a good friend to me.

I will hate to have to kill him.

Sometimes I just
can't figure you out, Emeliano.

Why? I am a simple man.

I have my loves, my hates.

Mostly, I look out
for my own hide.

They will be coming
from our back soon.

Yeah, only we're not going
to be here.

- Let's go.
- No, Joe!

Uh.

That Cayetano is the best shot
of them all.

Easy, easy. Rest, amigo. Rest.

We'll be riding out soon.

Hey, you know,
when we get back home,

first colt from that big
white one's going to be yours.

Oh, no, amigo.
That-That... That is too much.

No, I insist.

You cannot do that. This horse
belongs to your father.

He will not like it.

No, he's not going to mind.

That's a promise-- you're going
to get the first colt.

Your father must be
a very rare man, amigo.

Yeah, I think so.

I think you'll think so, too.

When one is young,

there is always hope, amigo.

When one gets older and tired,

he does what he must do.

Come on, let's get out of here.

I'm sorry.

You're a good man, amigo.

I wish things could have
been different.

What's this all about?

Get on the big white one,
amigo, and ride.

There's a chance.

I'd rather let you have him
than give him to Sam Wolfe.

What's the matter with you?

You think I'd ride off
and leave you?

You have no choice.

Sam Wolfe did not offer
you a job.

A job? We killed his brother!

You know you haven't got
a chance back there.

Yes, I do.

I will become a bandido again.

It is a good life, amigo.

You take care
of this horse, amigo,

or I will come for you myself.

The Ponderosa's not
that far away.

Emeliano...

Go as I ask,
or I'll kill you now!

It'll make me stand big
in the eyes of Sam Wolfe.

You take your choice, amigo.

Don't worry.

I'll take care of him.

Go!

Adios, white one.

That's the most powerful horse
I ever saw.

Take at least three horses
to run him down.

You two got the fastest horses.

Get off and give me the reins.

Leave the canteens on.

Might take me two or three days
to run him down.

Come on.

You are...
You are from Fort Tyson?

Yeah, we're from Fort Tyson.

There is a boy,
a boy on a white horse.

Yes, yes,
a boy on a white horse.

It's my... It's my son.

You are the father.

And the brother.

I should have known...

you are a close family.

You saw my son?

Sí, sí.

He... He ride to the desert.

They chase him.

If you hurry...

What are you trying to say?

There was no other way.

My horse... was tired.

But alone, on the big white one,

there was a chance.

You did this for Little Joe?

Sí, sí.

And the big white one...

- he is a fine horse, amigo.
- Mm.

Your son...

he tell me of the Ponderosa.

The big horse...

he will be happy there.

Tell y... tell your son...

Yeah.

I'll tell him.

Stay there, Adam!

I gotta get to Little Joe.

Pa, you'll never make it--
they got us pinned down tight.

I'm just about
half tired of this.

And it's not getting us any
closer to Little Joe, either.

Yeah.

Listen, Adam... why don't
you cover me and I'll...

No, you're too big a target.

- Pa! -Pa!

Whoa!

There's one left.

He's over there
behind that rock.

All right, I drive him out,
and you nail him, okay?

- Ready?
- Wait a minute, wait a minute.

Okay.

Hyah!

I'm sorry.

Well, howdy, friend.

I, uh...

I just finished me off
a horse thief.

Caught him stealing
my horses last night.

You're a liar.

Now, lookie, friend...

that kind of talk's gonna
get you into a lot of trouble.

Like I said,
he's a horse thief.

He's my son!

Pa... Pa...

That's enough for now, Joe.

Pa, I tr...
I tried to get through.

Never mind that now, son.

I... I have to talk.

There was a vaquero
with me-- Emeliano.

I know.
I talked with him.

So he's alive, then.

No. He...

he wanted you and the horse
to get through.

Emeliano.

He was a good friend, Pa.

He really loved that horse.

It was such... it was
such a beautiful horse, Pa.

Ran his heart out for me.

I know, son.

We...

we wanted to...

we wanted
to give you that horse.

I tried not to lose him.

We wanted to give him
to you as a gift.

I have my gift, son.

Joe!

He's all right, boys.

Let's get him home.

Thanks.

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