Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 7, Episode 4 - The Other Son - full transcript
The following program
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It was the worst crisis
we'd ever faced
in Virginia City.
People were going hungry.
The mines were shut down tight.
They were flooded.
I wrote to my son
Adam for advice,
and he came up with a solution.
When I got to Placerville,
I found that the life-saving
shipment he had sent
and we were depending on,
had been stopped cold.
Howdy.
My name's Ben Cartwright.
They told me back in town
you'd impounded this wagon.
That's right, I did.
Well, uh,
I've got to get those explosives
through to Virginia City.
They're perfectly
safe as long as...
as long as they're
handled carefully.
I guess that's what
the Wells Fargo folks
in San Francisco thought.
Huh?
Ain't you heard about it?
Heard about what?
The explosion.
Case of that stuff sprung a leak
in the Wells Fargo office in
San Francisco two days ago.
The way they figure it,
the agent tried
to pry the lid off,
to see where the leak come from.
Mr. Cartwright, there's
a big hole in the ground
where the Wells
Fargo office used to be.
When news of that leaks
out, there won't be a man
in California that'll
drive that wagon for you.
Well, then, I guess I'll have
to drive that wagon myself.
I've got to get those
explosives through
to the mines of Virginia City.
No, I can't let you
move the wagon.
Well, why not, man?
I'm the one who'd be driving it.
There's a dozen or so
families live alongside that road
out east of town.
They'd stop you.
And I wouldn't blame them.
Well, what do you
expect me to do with it?
I expect you to get rid of it.
Just how you do
that's up to you.
But you ain't
bringing it into town.
And you ain't taking
it over any public road.
♪♪
Virginia City was depending
on that nitroglycerine,
and there was only
one way left to deliver it.
The Watson and Son pack train.
I'd known the
Watsons a long time.
They were friends.
Hey, little brother,
what's the matter?
That saw too much for you?
Here, let me have it a minute.
You got to push
your shoulder into it.
There, got the idea?
Yeah, I got the idea.
I'll tell you, you keep it.
You do the job yourself.
Then you'll be
sure it's done right.
Hey, Ellis, wait a minute.
I'm only trying to help you.
What's the matter
with your brother?
I'll be hanged if I know, Pa.
I do my darnedest
to try to help him.
He turns on me every time.
Hey, Pa?
Bet you two bits you
can't saw through this pole
without getting the saw stuck.
Son, you're mighty
free with your money.
You're forgetting you already
owe me a dollar and a half.
Well, don't hurt
yourself, old man.
Now, you gonna pay up, or
do I have to wrestle you for it?
Well, now, suppose
I wrestle you for it.
Who you gonna get to help you?
Hey, Andy, don't
hurt that old man now.
- Ben, you doggone old muskrat!
- Hey, Mr. Cartwright.
How are you?
Just fine, just fine.
Doggone it, Ben. What
are you doing around here?
- Well, I...
- I thought you'd be home
sitting with your
feet in the fire
letting the kids
do all the work.
Oh, well, any day of the
week that I can't outwork you,
- Clint Watson, you just let me know.
- You know?
You sound just like Andy here.
You're a bad influence
on him, always have been.
You look good, Andy.
Thank you.
- Yeah, where's Ellis?
- Oh, I don't know.
Probably got his nose
stuck in a book or something.
- Yeah?
- Stay and have a bite with us.
Andy here's a pretty bad cook,
but we don't have too much
trouble getting the doctor out.
You know, Ben, it's
been almost a year.
Well, you see, according
to what Adam says here,
he's contacted all the
best engineers in Boston
about this Nobel formula
for making dynamite,
and, uh, far as he's
concerned, it'll work.
I have no reason to doubt it.
Is it as dangerous
as they say, Ben?
Oh, yeah, it's all
that dangerous.
More so if you happen
to bump it around any.
What do you know about it?
Well, I read a
couple articles on it.
Well, Ellis is absolutely right.
Of course, it's dangerous,
but Adam says that he
thinks it can be packed
and packed safely.
You, uh, mind if I take
a look at that, Mr. Cartwright?
- Sure.
- That kid will read anything.
Including other people's mail.
Now, Clint, I'll tell
you something.
If I wasn't so sure, I'd say so.
Sure, it's, uh... there's
a big risk involved.
But it can be done
if we stay on top
of it every second.
Well, then, I say we do it.
It can't be any more explosive
than, uh, some of the whiskey
we've hauled across the top
of those mountains, right, Pop?
Right, son.
Tell you one thing, Ben.
If anybody can do
it, Andy here can.
How many cases
you say it was, Ben?
Eight cases.
Well, you better
take four mules,
two cases each pack saddle.
Hey, look, if we're
gonna tackle this,
I think we ought
to try to pack...
You let your brother
take care of that!
Who said anything
about you coming along?
You got to stay here
and take care of the stock.
No, I say we take
Ellis along with us.
I mean, after all, he's the
only one of us Watsons
who's an expert on the stuff.
We can hire the Johnson
boy to look after the stock.
Anything you say, Andy.
You got a deal, Ben.
Well, good.
I kind of figured I could
depend on the Watsons.
I'll bet you if I ask them,
they'd tote the devil himself
over the mountains.
♪♪
Hyah.
Come on. Come on.
Clint?
Let them blow a while down here.
Andy?
Go back and see what
happened to your brother.
For a while there, I
thought you were gonna
spend a winter in that patch.
Oh, this mule and I
just don't see eye to eye.
You got to talk to
him, little brother.
Got to talk to him.
You talk to him.
Now, look, when we get
down there, we'll switch mules.
Maybe you'll have
better luck with mine.
All right, let's give it a try.
Thanks, Andy.
That's what big
brothers are for.
Ben?
Ever have the feeling
that sometimes you favor
one of your sons over another?
Look, Clint, I guess
there isn't a mother
or father alive
who hasn't had that
feeling one time or another.
I think the world of Ellis.
Sometimes I... I just don't
know how to deal with him.
Andy, now, I-I never
have to stop and think.
I know every move he's
gonna make before he makes it.
Now, take it easy, Ellis.
All right.
Well, so far, so good.
Everything's as
fine as a frog's hair.
See what I mean, Ben?
Easy, boy.
All right.
Easy! Easy.
Easy.
Come on through, but be careful!
Get him through there!
You want to blow us
all to kingdom come?
Here, let me have it.
- I said let me have it!
- All right.
Now, can't you
do anything right?
Here, Pa, I'll handle it.
Ah, kids.
I say you want
anything done right,
you got to do it yourself.
I knew it would happen.
I should never have
brought him along.
Oh, come on, Clint,
that's rough going.
Ooh, ooh.
Ooh. Ooh.
Ellis, Pa doesn't
mean to get riled at you.
But if this stuff's as
dangerous as you say it is,
you... you got to
be more careful!
I mean, it was my idea
of bringing you along.
So... so don't make it
rough on us, all right?
You think I did that on purpose?
Ooh.
Ben?
Yeah?
Ben, you better
take a look at this.
Ooh.
Ooh.
We got to get that
broken bottle out of there.
Get over there, Clint.
Please.
Go ahead.
Get behind the rock.
Andy.
Ooh, ooh.
Ooh.
Whoa!
Ooh.
Anything we can do to help him?
No, no, just leave him alone.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
He's got it.
No, no, no. It's
just part of it.
Now he's got to get rid of it.
That wet moss is
just as dangerous
as the nitroglycerine.
♪♪
♪♪
What's he doing? He'll
blow us all to kingdom come!
No, he won't!
Once that stuff's
exposed to the air,
it's supposed to burn
itself out like kerosene.
Dad, you might as well tell Ben
we're gonna camp here tonight.
Andy says he thinks we
should make camp here tonight.
You're not gonna get
any argument out of me.
That stuff ain't too close
to the fire, is it, Ben?
No, no, I think it's
just far enough away
to keep it at an
even temperature.
I tell you, Ben, when
you lit that match,
I said, "Here we go, boys.
The sun finally got
to Ben Cartwright."
Well, I can confess to you I
wasn't exactly happy myself.
How'd you know it'd work?
Adam explained it in his letter.
Well, I have the greatest
confidence in my son Adam.
But as one father to another,
I hope I'll be forgiven
for having said
a quick little prayer
just to make sure
that my oldest son knew
what he was talking about.
What I can't understand,
Ben... If this stuff is that touchy,
how is it going to be
any better in the mines
than that giant powder
they're using now?
They're gonna mix
it, uh, with gun cotton.
Now, that makes it a,
uh... a blasting gelatin.
Now, this blasting gelatin
isn't affected by water.
So they can use it underwater
or to blast wet holes.
You just mark my words, Clint.
Inside of a month, you'll
see the biggest boom
Virginia City's ever had.
Ben, can't you think
of a better word than "boom"?
You were pretty calm
back there today, kid.
I was proud of you.
Well, I'll tell you
the truth, Andy.
I was scared.
"Scared."
I was so scared, I thought
my knees knocking together
would set that stuff off.
Is it really as dangerous
as that article said?
I don't know if
you can really tell.
Most anything's
liable to set it off
just like that.
Altitude, temperature.
Well, we're going
to be moving into
higher altitude.
And temperature's gonna
drop pretty fast from now on.
♪♪
Hey, Ellis, hold it a minute!
What for? What do you want?
Just wait here.
I'll come back for you.
Whoa, whoa.
Ooh, whoa, whoa.
Ooh.
Going back to give
Ellis a hand, Dad.
Ellis!
Whoa, now, whoa,
ooh, easy, easy!
Whoa!
What are you trying to do, boy?
I thought I told
you to wait here.
Whoa, whoa!
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Look, now, I think I can
take care of my own mule.
I don't think you can
take care of anything.
Stop it!
Ellis, Andy!
Stop it, both of you!
Ellis, what's the
matter with you?
Why don't you tell
him to leave me alone?
Leave you alone?
It's a wonder you
didn't blow us all up.
I'll take it, Pa.
You all right, Andy?
I'm all right, Pa.
I don't know what's the
matter with that darn kid.
I-I can't trust
him. I never could.
Oh, Clint, we're all
getting a little edgy.
Why don't you and
Andy stop picking on him?
Give him a chance.
Why don't you
raise your own kids?
I raise mine.
You boys better get busy.
Gonna need some more firewood.
All right, Pa.
Sure is a nip in the air.
Temperature must've
dropped ten degrees
since the sun went down.
I'll be glad when we
get over that summit.
And I'll be glad when
we get to Virginia City.
- Clint...
- Ben.
I'm sorry I yelled at you, Ben.
Oh, heck, Clint.
What are friends for?
Those darn kids of mine.
Yeah, I know.
I've been through
it a hundred times.
I can imagine.
Remember that time I
was over at the Ponderosa,
and Adam and
Hoss got into a fight?
Yeah.
Over that cow pony.
That's when Hoss wanted
to break that cow pony,
and Adam wanted
to do it for him.
Yeah.
Remember the first time I...
I brought my wife over?
That was the first time
we met Little Joe's mother.
She was a beautiful woman, Ben.
Yeah, she was beautiful.
Just didn't seem right,
her dying that way.
Bessie and I talked
about it the whole night
after the funeral.
Nine months later to the day...
Bessie died.
She should never have
had that second baby.
Oh, Clint.
I don't think Bessie'd like
to hear you talk that way.
I can't help it.
I try, but I...
I just can't do
anything about it.
I'll go on down to the stream,
get us some fresh water.
Hello, Pa!
Well, I'm sure glad
to see you boys.
Glad you finally
decided to meet us.
Well, we took off as soon
as we got your message.
As a matter of fact, we
even left before breakfast.
Yeah, he's been complaining
about it ever since.
I hope you got
something to feed him.
I'm tired of listening to him.
Well, we got plenty of good
food back over here, but, uh,
at the risk of
spoiling both of you,
I am glad to see you.
It's been a rough trip, huh?
Yeah, you know that expression
"sitting on a... on
a keg of powder"?
Well, what we've got is at
least ten times as powerful.
Well, you ain't got no
worry from here on in.
Little brother here
can fix anything up.
- Where'd you say that food was?
- Right over there.
Go help yourself.
You, too, Joe. Go
have something to eat.
- All right.
- I'm gonna get some water.
Last call for beer, Andy.
Saloon's closing.
Hoss Cartwright, I'd know
that mule's voice anywhere.
If you expect me to jump,
you're gonna be disappointed.
Boy, are we glad to see you.
- Hi, Mr. Watson.
- Hoss, you're looking mighty scrawny!
- Yeah.
- How you doing, Andy?
- Little Joe!
- Hey, Mr. Watson.
- Hey, Little Joe.
- You're gonna outgrow your brother
- in another month or two.
- I doubt that.
Here, let me take your horse
and unsaddle him for you.
- I don't want... -Hey, Hoss!
- Get up from there!
Lazy wrist!
Where's that grub?
It was kind of rough up
there on top, wasn't it?
You's not a-foolin', it's rough.
This so-called trail
ain't much better, either.
No.
Ellis!
Stay right where you
are. You hear me?
I'm not taking a chance on
that kid coming down there.
Now, you go on back up there,
and get your brother's
mule down there for him.
He can make it, Dad,
if we give him a chance.
Let him do it on his own.
Do as I say!
Go up and get that mule!
Hey, Ellis, wait a minute.
Look, I... I deserved
that poke in the mouth
you gave me the other day.
I had no business
yelling at you like that.
Well, I got a little hot under
the collar myself, Andy.
Well, I guess we both did.
Yeah.
Now, go on out of here.
Hey, little brother?
When we get to Virginia City,
you and me gonna go out
and see the sights, all right?
All right.
I'll buy the first drink.
That's a deal.
Let's go.
Come on. Come on.
Ooh...
Andy!
♪♪
We'll return to tonight's
story of Bonanza
in a moment.
And now the exciting
conclusion of tonight's story.
♪♪
Dad... Stay away from me.
Dad, I thought a
lot of Andy, too.
If it wasn't for you,
Andy would still be alive.
You killed him!
Just as sure as you killed your
mother the day you were born.
Well, you finally
said it, didn't you?
I waited all my life for that.
Well, you said it.
Clint?
I don't know what to say.
I don't believe it happened.
I can't.
After Bessie died, I
said that was all the hurt
I was gonna let myself
take in one lifetime.
We were more than
just father and son.
We were like brothers.
Like friends.
I haven't even got
anything to bury.
You did this, Ben.
You know that, don't you?
Start unloading.
Well, that's not
gonna do any good...
It's my fault.
This accident's my fault.
I thought I was doing
something so important.
Well, it isn't so important.
Get rid of that stuff.
Pa, wait a minute.
Andy wouldn't put up with
that kind of talk for a minute.
You were right in what
you were trying to do.
We got a job to do,
and we got to do it.
A lot of folks are
depending on us.
I'd hate to think old
Andy died for nothing.
Ellis?
Pa just told me what happened.
You know, sometimes, Ellis,
a man will be hurt so bad
and in so doggone much shock,
he'll say things that
he'll beg forgiveness
for the rest of his life.
Oh, I know that, Hoss.
That's the trouble, I
always did know that.
Andy told me about
it a long time ago.
Day I was born,
when my mother died,
Andy said that, uh,
Pa was out splitting rails.
And when he heard
that Ma had died,
he just picked up his ax and...
started chopping wood.
You could hear
that ax going all night
and all the next day.
Well, he finally
come home, Hoss.
And when he did, he didn't cry
'cause he-he just
didn't know how to.
You know, I remember
when I was a little boy,
I was scared all the time.
And I never...
never knew what of.
Well, that doesn't matter.
I know I wanted my dad
to hold me and hug me.
No, he just laughed, you know?
He said that was for
little girls, not boys.
And that's just not true.
I still remember
how I'd feel when...
when he wouldn't...
Hoss, you know what I mean?
I mean, do you
understand what I'm saying?
Yeah.
Sure, I know what you mean.
I understand, but,
uh, at the same time,
I can understand your
pa a little bit, too, Ellis.
He's hurt bad.
I reckon he just
couldn't let hisself go
'cause he didn't
want to get hurt worse.
Well, then, why didn't
he give me a chance?
You know, I wanted
to prove myself.
I wanted to... to
try to do something
to prove myself.
That's part of love,
too, you know?
Trying to live up to what
someone expects of you.
Yeah.
I understand.
Sometimes it takes a
man a long time, though,
to realize it.
Well... Ellis, we're going on.
You going with us?
Well...
I don't suppose Andy would've
let you go on alone, would he?
We're ready to go.
Hyah!
Hyah!
♪♪
Ellis?
You sure you brought
mule trains this way before?
Yeah.
But not loaded with
what we're packing.
What do you think, Pa?
I don't think we better risk it.
I think we better
unload right now,
see if we can
figure out some way
of taking it over by hand.
You know, I think I got
an idea that might work.
Okay, okay.
You all right, son?
Huh?
Yeah, I'm fine.
I just... just got to
catch my breath.
Well, I'm glad there's
only one more left.
Yeah, you're not the only one.
Well, we're not gonna
get it done standing here.
Let's you and me
go get this one.
Oh, that's a great idea.
Then I'll pull you
up the hill, right?
- Yeah, that would be nice.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah...
Take it easy!
All right, hold it.
Wait till I get
over these rocks.
You be careful, you hear, Joe?
Okay, pull on up!
Okay, hold it there.
Let her go!
Hoss, Hoss, wait a
minute. You're too heavy.
Yeah, he's right, he's right.
Okay, Hoss.
Hang on.
♪♪
Easy.
Okay, Hoss, give
me a little slack.
Hang on, Joe.
All right.
Now, hold it
tight! Hold it tight.
All right, now, let me down.
All right, Joe, real easy now.
Got it?
I got it.
I got it.
Okay, can you
help me lift it up?
- Yeah.
- All right.
All right.
♪♪
Got it.
I thought I told
you to be careful,
you blame knucklehead.
Thank you, boy.
Thank you.
Andy couldn't have
done it any better.
They're up ahead
just around the bend...
A wagon and two
engineers from the mine.
I'll tell you one
thing for sure, son.
I'm not the least
bit sorry to hear that.
Sure is good to get back
to home country, ain't it?
Why, you hungry?
Naturally. I'm alive, ain't I?
Come on, let's get
this stuff out to them.
Here, I'll take it, Pa.
- Easy.
- All right.
Ben?
About what
happened back there...
I guess I went to pieces.
Well, you had
every right to, Clint.
This is a young man's game.
I'm just not any good for
this business anymore.
Well, what are we gonna do
without pack trains like yours?
We need them this
part of the country.
Come the winter time,
the roads are all
clogged up with snow.
A pack train like yours,
life or death for people.
Well, they'll have to
get along without me.
I can't do it anymore.
I don't know of
anybody to replace you.
You forget, don't you, Ben?
I got another son.
Ah.
Yeah, so you have.
Howdy. One week from tonight,
following an uninterrupted
Bonanza story,
we're going to show
you all the wonderful,
new 1966 cars from Chevrolet.
But I thought you might
like to see some, uh,
interesting background on
each one of them beforehand.
For instance, this
is the background
for the all-new styling
of the 1966 Chevy Il.
Here you'll see a
most unusual car...
The 1966 Corvair.
Here, the sleek sensation,
the new 1966 Chevelle.
Here, the new Caprice.
The most lavish line of
cars in Chevrolet history.
Here, you'll see the new
1966 jet-smoother Chevrolet.
Now, that's one week
from tonight on Bonanza.
But you can see the wonderful
new Chevrolets before then
at your Chevrolet dealers this
coming Thursday, October 7.
That's this Thursday at
your Chevrolet dealers,
and next Sunday
right here on Bonanza
for the wonderful, new
'66 cars from Chevrolet.
This has been a color production
of the NBC Television Network.
is brought to you in
living color on NBC.
It was the worst crisis
we'd ever faced
in Virginia City.
People were going hungry.
The mines were shut down tight.
They were flooded.
I wrote to my son
Adam for advice,
and he came up with a solution.
When I got to Placerville,
I found that the life-saving
shipment he had sent
and we were depending on,
had been stopped cold.
Howdy.
My name's Ben Cartwright.
They told me back in town
you'd impounded this wagon.
That's right, I did.
Well, uh,
I've got to get those explosives
through to Virginia City.
They're perfectly
safe as long as...
as long as they're
handled carefully.
I guess that's what
the Wells Fargo folks
in San Francisco thought.
Huh?
Ain't you heard about it?
Heard about what?
The explosion.
Case of that stuff sprung a leak
in the Wells Fargo office in
San Francisco two days ago.
The way they figure it,
the agent tried
to pry the lid off,
to see where the leak come from.
Mr. Cartwright, there's
a big hole in the ground
where the Wells
Fargo office used to be.
When news of that leaks
out, there won't be a man
in California that'll
drive that wagon for you.
Well, then, I guess I'll have
to drive that wagon myself.
I've got to get those
explosives through
to the mines of Virginia City.
No, I can't let you
move the wagon.
Well, why not, man?
I'm the one who'd be driving it.
There's a dozen or so
families live alongside that road
out east of town.
They'd stop you.
And I wouldn't blame them.
Well, what do you
expect me to do with it?
I expect you to get rid of it.
Just how you do
that's up to you.
But you ain't
bringing it into town.
And you ain't taking
it over any public road.
♪♪
Virginia City was depending
on that nitroglycerine,
and there was only
one way left to deliver it.
The Watson and Son pack train.
I'd known the
Watsons a long time.
They were friends.
Hey, little brother,
what's the matter?
That saw too much for you?
Here, let me have it a minute.
You got to push
your shoulder into it.
There, got the idea?
Yeah, I got the idea.
I'll tell you, you keep it.
You do the job yourself.
Then you'll be
sure it's done right.
Hey, Ellis, wait a minute.
I'm only trying to help you.
What's the matter
with your brother?
I'll be hanged if I know, Pa.
I do my darnedest
to try to help him.
He turns on me every time.
Hey, Pa?
Bet you two bits you
can't saw through this pole
without getting the saw stuck.
Son, you're mighty
free with your money.
You're forgetting you already
owe me a dollar and a half.
Well, don't hurt
yourself, old man.
Now, you gonna pay up, or
do I have to wrestle you for it?
Well, now, suppose
I wrestle you for it.
Who you gonna get to help you?
Hey, Andy, don't
hurt that old man now.
- Ben, you doggone old muskrat!
- Hey, Mr. Cartwright.
How are you?
Just fine, just fine.
Doggone it, Ben. What
are you doing around here?
- Well, I...
- I thought you'd be home
sitting with your
feet in the fire
letting the kids
do all the work.
Oh, well, any day of the
week that I can't outwork you,
- Clint Watson, you just let me know.
- You know?
You sound just like Andy here.
You're a bad influence
on him, always have been.
You look good, Andy.
Thank you.
- Yeah, where's Ellis?
- Oh, I don't know.
Probably got his nose
stuck in a book or something.
- Yeah?
- Stay and have a bite with us.
Andy here's a pretty bad cook,
but we don't have too much
trouble getting the doctor out.
You know, Ben, it's
been almost a year.
Well, you see, according
to what Adam says here,
he's contacted all the
best engineers in Boston
about this Nobel formula
for making dynamite,
and, uh, far as he's
concerned, it'll work.
I have no reason to doubt it.
Is it as dangerous
as they say, Ben?
Oh, yeah, it's all
that dangerous.
More so if you happen
to bump it around any.
What do you know about it?
Well, I read a
couple articles on it.
Well, Ellis is absolutely right.
Of course, it's dangerous,
but Adam says that he
thinks it can be packed
and packed safely.
You, uh, mind if I take
a look at that, Mr. Cartwright?
- Sure.
- That kid will read anything.
Including other people's mail.
Now, Clint, I'll tell
you something.
If I wasn't so sure, I'd say so.
Sure, it's, uh... there's
a big risk involved.
But it can be done
if we stay on top
of it every second.
Well, then, I say we do it.
It can't be any more explosive
than, uh, some of the whiskey
we've hauled across the top
of those mountains, right, Pop?
Right, son.
Tell you one thing, Ben.
If anybody can do
it, Andy here can.
How many cases
you say it was, Ben?
Eight cases.
Well, you better
take four mules,
two cases each pack saddle.
Hey, look, if we're
gonna tackle this,
I think we ought
to try to pack...
You let your brother
take care of that!
Who said anything
about you coming along?
You got to stay here
and take care of the stock.
No, I say we take
Ellis along with us.
I mean, after all, he's the
only one of us Watsons
who's an expert on the stuff.
We can hire the Johnson
boy to look after the stock.
Anything you say, Andy.
You got a deal, Ben.
Well, good.
I kind of figured I could
depend on the Watsons.
I'll bet you if I ask them,
they'd tote the devil himself
over the mountains.
♪♪
Hyah.
Come on. Come on.
Clint?
Let them blow a while down here.
Andy?
Go back and see what
happened to your brother.
For a while there, I
thought you were gonna
spend a winter in that patch.
Oh, this mule and I
just don't see eye to eye.
You got to talk to
him, little brother.
Got to talk to him.
You talk to him.
Now, look, when we get
down there, we'll switch mules.
Maybe you'll have
better luck with mine.
All right, let's give it a try.
Thanks, Andy.
That's what big
brothers are for.
Ben?
Ever have the feeling
that sometimes you favor
one of your sons over another?
Look, Clint, I guess
there isn't a mother
or father alive
who hasn't had that
feeling one time or another.
I think the world of Ellis.
Sometimes I... I just don't
know how to deal with him.
Andy, now, I-I never
have to stop and think.
I know every move he's
gonna make before he makes it.
Now, take it easy, Ellis.
All right.
Well, so far, so good.
Everything's as
fine as a frog's hair.
See what I mean, Ben?
Easy, boy.
All right.
Easy! Easy.
Easy.
Come on through, but be careful!
Get him through there!
You want to blow us
all to kingdom come?
Here, let me have it.
- I said let me have it!
- All right.
Now, can't you
do anything right?
Here, Pa, I'll handle it.
Ah, kids.
I say you want
anything done right,
you got to do it yourself.
I knew it would happen.
I should never have
brought him along.
Oh, come on, Clint,
that's rough going.
Ooh, ooh.
Ooh. Ooh.
Ellis, Pa doesn't
mean to get riled at you.
But if this stuff's as
dangerous as you say it is,
you... you got to
be more careful!
I mean, it was my idea
of bringing you along.
So... so don't make it
rough on us, all right?
You think I did that on purpose?
Ooh.
Ben?
Yeah?
Ben, you better
take a look at this.
Ooh.
Ooh.
We got to get that
broken bottle out of there.
Get over there, Clint.
Please.
Go ahead.
Get behind the rock.
Andy.
Ooh, ooh.
Ooh.
Whoa!
Ooh.
Anything we can do to help him?
No, no, just leave him alone.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
He's got it.
No, no, no. It's
just part of it.
Now he's got to get rid of it.
That wet moss is
just as dangerous
as the nitroglycerine.
♪♪
♪♪
What's he doing? He'll
blow us all to kingdom come!
No, he won't!
Once that stuff's
exposed to the air,
it's supposed to burn
itself out like kerosene.
Dad, you might as well tell Ben
we're gonna camp here tonight.
Andy says he thinks we
should make camp here tonight.
You're not gonna get
any argument out of me.
That stuff ain't too close
to the fire, is it, Ben?
No, no, I think it's
just far enough away
to keep it at an
even temperature.
I tell you, Ben, when
you lit that match,
I said, "Here we go, boys.
The sun finally got
to Ben Cartwright."
Well, I can confess to you I
wasn't exactly happy myself.
How'd you know it'd work?
Adam explained it in his letter.
Well, I have the greatest
confidence in my son Adam.
But as one father to another,
I hope I'll be forgiven
for having said
a quick little prayer
just to make sure
that my oldest son knew
what he was talking about.
What I can't understand,
Ben... If this stuff is that touchy,
how is it going to be
any better in the mines
than that giant powder
they're using now?
They're gonna mix
it, uh, with gun cotton.
Now, that makes it a,
uh... a blasting gelatin.
Now, this blasting gelatin
isn't affected by water.
So they can use it underwater
or to blast wet holes.
You just mark my words, Clint.
Inside of a month, you'll
see the biggest boom
Virginia City's ever had.
Ben, can't you think
of a better word than "boom"?
You were pretty calm
back there today, kid.
I was proud of you.
Well, I'll tell you
the truth, Andy.
I was scared.
"Scared."
I was so scared, I thought
my knees knocking together
would set that stuff off.
Is it really as dangerous
as that article said?
I don't know if
you can really tell.
Most anything's
liable to set it off
just like that.
Altitude, temperature.
Well, we're going
to be moving into
higher altitude.
And temperature's gonna
drop pretty fast from now on.
♪♪
Hey, Ellis, hold it a minute!
What for? What do you want?
Just wait here.
I'll come back for you.
Whoa, whoa.
Ooh, whoa, whoa.
Ooh.
Going back to give
Ellis a hand, Dad.
Ellis!
Whoa, now, whoa,
ooh, easy, easy!
Whoa!
What are you trying to do, boy?
I thought I told
you to wait here.
Whoa, whoa!
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Look, now, I think I can
take care of my own mule.
I don't think you can
take care of anything.
Stop it!
Ellis, Andy!
Stop it, both of you!
Ellis, what's the
matter with you?
Why don't you tell
him to leave me alone?
Leave you alone?
It's a wonder you
didn't blow us all up.
I'll take it, Pa.
You all right, Andy?
I'm all right, Pa.
I don't know what's the
matter with that darn kid.
I-I can't trust
him. I never could.
Oh, Clint, we're all
getting a little edgy.
Why don't you and
Andy stop picking on him?
Give him a chance.
Why don't you
raise your own kids?
I raise mine.
You boys better get busy.
Gonna need some more firewood.
All right, Pa.
Sure is a nip in the air.
Temperature must've
dropped ten degrees
since the sun went down.
I'll be glad when we
get over that summit.
And I'll be glad when
we get to Virginia City.
- Clint...
- Ben.
I'm sorry I yelled at you, Ben.
Oh, heck, Clint.
What are friends for?
Those darn kids of mine.
Yeah, I know.
I've been through
it a hundred times.
I can imagine.
Remember that time I
was over at the Ponderosa,
and Adam and
Hoss got into a fight?
Yeah.
Over that cow pony.
That's when Hoss wanted
to break that cow pony,
and Adam wanted
to do it for him.
Yeah.
Remember the first time I...
I brought my wife over?
That was the first time
we met Little Joe's mother.
She was a beautiful woman, Ben.
Yeah, she was beautiful.
Just didn't seem right,
her dying that way.
Bessie and I talked
about it the whole night
after the funeral.
Nine months later to the day...
Bessie died.
She should never have
had that second baby.
Oh, Clint.
I don't think Bessie'd like
to hear you talk that way.
I can't help it.
I try, but I...
I just can't do
anything about it.
I'll go on down to the stream,
get us some fresh water.
Hello, Pa!
Well, I'm sure glad
to see you boys.
Glad you finally
decided to meet us.
Well, we took off as soon
as we got your message.
As a matter of fact, we
even left before breakfast.
Yeah, he's been complaining
about it ever since.
I hope you got
something to feed him.
I'm tired of listening to him.
Well, we got plenty of good
food back over here, but, uh,
at the risk of
spoiling both of you,
I am glad to see you.
It's been a rough trip, huh?
Yeah, you know that expression
"sitting on a... on
a keg of powder"?
Well, what we've got is at
least ten times as powerful.
Well, you ain't got no
worry from here on in.
Little brother here
can fix anything up.
- Where'd you say that food was?
- Right over there.
Go help yourself.
You, too, Joe. Go
have something to eat.
- All right.
- I'm gonna get some water.
Last call for beer, Andy.
Saloon's closing.
Hoss Cartwright, I'd know
that mule's voice anywhere.
If you expect me to jump,
you're gonna be disappointed.
Boy, are we glad to see you.
- Hi, Mr. Watson.
- Hoss, you're looking mighty scrawny!
- Yeah.
- How you doing, Andy?
- Little Joe!
- Hey, Mr. Watson.
- Hey, Little Joe.
- You're gonna outgrow your brother
- in another month or two.
- I doubt that.
Here, let me take your horse
and unsaddle him for you.
- I don't want... -Hey, Hoss!
- Get up from there!
Lazy wrist!
Where's that grub?
It was kind of rough up
there on top, wasn't it?
You's not a-foolin', it's rough.
This so-called trail
ain't much better, either.
No.
Ellis!
Stay right where you
are. You hear me?
I'm not taking a chance on
that kid coming down there.
Now, you go on back up there,
and get your brother's
mule down there for him.
He can make it, Dad,
if we give him a chance.
Let him do it on his own.
Do as I say!
Go up and get that mule!
Hey, Ellis, wait a minute.
Look, I... I deserved
that poke in the mouth
you gave me the other day.
I had no business
yelling at you like that.
Well, I got a little hot under
the collar myself, Andy.
Well, I guess we both did.
Yeah.
Now, go on out of here.
Hey, little brother?
When we get to Virginia City,
you and me gonna go out
and see the sights, all right?
All right.
I'll buy the first drink.
That's a deal.
Let's go.
Come on. Come on.
Ooh...
Andy!
♪♪
We'll return to tonight's
story of Bonanza
in a moment.
And now the exciting
conclusion of tonight's story.
♪♪
Dad... Stay away from me.
Dad, I thought a
lot of Andy, too.
If it wasn't for you,
Andy would still be alive.
You killed him!
Just as sure as you killed your
mother the day you were born.
Well, you finally
said it, didn't you?
I waited all my life for that.
Well, you said it.
Clint?
I don't know what to say.
I don't believe it happened.
I can't.
After Bessie died, I
said that was all the hurt
I was gonna let myself
take in one lifetime.
We were more than
just father and son.
We were like brothers.
Like friends.
I haven't even got
anything to bury.
You did this, Ben.
You know that, don't you?
Start unloading.
Well, that's not
gonna do any good...
It's my fault.
This accident's my fault.
I thought I was doing
something so important.
Well, it isn't so important.
Get rid of that stuff.
Pa, wait a minute.
Andy wouldn't put up with
that kind of talk for a minute.
You were right in what
you were trying to do.
We got a job to do,
and we got to do it.
A lot of folks are
depending on us.
I'd hate to think old
Andy died for nothing.
Ellis?
Pa just told me what happened.
You know, sometimes, Ellis,
a man will be hurt so bad
and in so doggone much shock,
he'll say things that
he'll beg forgiveness
for the rest of his life.
Oh, I know that, Hoss.
That's the trouble, I
always did know that.
Andy told me about
it a long time ago.
Day I was born,
when my mother died,
Andy said that, uh,
Pa was out splitting rails.
And when he heard
that Ma had died,
he just picked up his ax and...
started chopping wood.
You could hear
that ax going all night
and all the next day.
Well, he finally
come home, Hoss.
And when he did, he didn't cry
'cause he-he just
didn't know how to.
You know, I remember
when I was a little boy,
I was scared all the time.
And I never...
never knew what of.
Well, that doesn't matter.
I know I wanted my dad
to hold me and hug me.
No, he just laughed, you know?
He said that was for
little girls, not boys.
And that's just not true.
I still remember
how I'd feel when...
when he wouldn't...
Hoss, you know what I mean?
I mean, do you
understand what I'm saying?
Yeah.
Sure, I know what you mean.
I understand, but,
uh, at the same time,
I can understand your
pa a little bit, too, Ellis.
He's hurt bad.
I reckon he just
couldn't let hisself go
'cause he didn't
want to get hurt worse.
Well, then, why didn't
he give me a chance?
You know, I wanted
to prove myself.
I wanted to... to
try to do something
to prove myself.
That's part of love,
too, you know?
Trying to live up to what
someone expects of you.
Yeah.
I understand.
Sometimes it takes a
man a long time, though,
to realize it.
Well... Ellis, we're going on.
You going with us?
Well...
I don't suppose Andy would've
let you go on alone, would he?
We're ready to go.
Hyah!
Hyah!
♪♪
Ellis?
You sure you brought
mule trains this way before?
Yeah.
But not loaded with
what we're packing.
What do you think, Pa?
I don't think we better risk it.
I think we better
unload right now,
see if we can
figure out some way
of taking it over by hand.
You know, I think I got
an idea that might work.
Okay, okay.
You all right, son?
Huh?
Yeah, I'm fine.
I just... just got to
catch my breath.
Well, I'm glad there's
only one more left.
Yeah, you're not the only one.
Well, we're not gonna
get it done standing here.
Let's you and me
go get this one.
Oh, that's a great idea.
Then I'll pull you
up the hill, right?
- Yeah, that would be nice.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah...
Take it easy!
All right, hold it.
Wait till I get
over these rocks.
You be careful, you hear, Joe?
Okay, pull on up!
Okay, hold it there.
Let her go!
Hoss, Hoss, wait a
minute. You're too heavy.
Yeah, he's right, he's right.
Okay, Hoss.
Hang on.
♪♪
Easy.
Okay, Hoss, give
me a little slack.
Hang on, Joe.
All right.
Now, hold it
tight! Hold it tight.
All right, now, let me down.
All right, Joe, real easy now.
Got it?
I got it.
I got it.
Okay, can you
help me lift it up?
- Yeah.
- All right.
All right.
♪♪
Got it.
I thought I told
you to be careful,
you blame knucklehead.
Thank you, boy.
Thank you.
Andy couldn't have
done it any better.
They're up ahead
just around the bend...
A wagon and two
engineers from the mine.
I'll tell you one
thing for sure, son.
I'm not the least
bit sorry to hear that.
Sure is good to get back
to home country, ain't it?
Why, you hungry?
Naturally. I'm alive, ain't I?
Come on, let's get
this stuff out to them.
Here, I'll take it, Pa.
- Easy.
- All right.
Ben?
About what
happened back there...
I guess I went to pieces.
Well, you had
every right to, Clint.
This is a young man's game.
I'm just not any good for
this business anymore.
Well, what are we gonna do
without pack trains like yours?
We need them this
part of the country.
Come the winter time,
the roads are all
clogged up with snow.
A pack train like yours,
life or death for people.
Well, they'll have to
get along without me.
I can't do it anymore.
I don't know of
anybody to replace you.
You forget, don't you, Ben?
I got another son.
Ah.
Yeah, so you have.
Howdy. One week from tonight,
following an uninterrupted
Bonanza story,
we're going to show
you all the wonderful,
new 1966 cars from Chevrolet.
But I thought you might
like to see some, uh,
interesting background on
each one of them beforehand.
For instance, this
is the background
for the all-new styling
of the 1966 Chevy Il.
Here you'll see a
most unusual car...
The 1966 Corvair.
Here, the sleek sensation,
the new 1966 Chevelle.
Here, the new Caprice.
The most lavish line of
cars in Chevrolet history.
Here, you'll see the new
1966 jet-smoother Chevrolet.
Now, that's one week
from tonight on Bonanza.
But you can see the wonderful
new Chevrolets before then
at your Chevrolet dealers this
coming Thursday, October 7.
That's this Thursday at
your Chevrolet dealers,
and next Sunday
right here on Bonanza
for the wonderful, new
'66 cars from Chevrolet.
This has been a color production
of the NBC Television Network.