Bonanza (1959–1973): Season 8, Episode 30 - Napoleon's Children - full transcript

The following program

is brought to you in
living color on NBC.

All right, men, you
know your orders.

Move out, Benson.

Napoleon, don't you think
somebody with experience

ought to steal those horses?

Like maybe Sampson, here?

I give the orders.

I expect them to be obeyed.

But I know the
Cartwrights, if I get...

I gave you an order, Benson.



Now carry it out,
or face court-martial.

Did you just hear something?

Hmm?

What was I supposed to hear?

Thought I just heard
the gate squeak.

Go after those horses, Captain.

Send Benson after another one.

Yes, sir, General.

Did you lock the
corral when you...?

Couldn't hear anything
over that snoring.

I'll go check.

Unbelievable.

Hey, Pa, somebody's
stealing the horses!

They have guns.



Retreat.

Ever seen him before?

No, I never have.

See anything?

No, it's too dark.

If there's any of them
left, they sure scattered.

Yeah, well, let's get
this one into town.

Saddle up the horses.

Yes, sir.

What do you figure
they'll do to Sampson?

They'll put him in jail.

We'll get him out.

And when we do,

Virginia City'll have reason
to remember Napoleon.

It might go a lot
easier with you, boy,

if you told us who was with you.

You and everybody else is
gonna be sorry you ever saw me.

I got friends who are
gonna bust me out of here.

I'm telling you here
and now, start talking.

I done my talking.

You're gonna get
your town tore up.

Whew.

It's no use, Ben, I'm not
gonna get a thing out of him.

I wrote the sheriffs
in adjoining counties.

That might turn up
something on him.

Just can't figure what's eating

at some of these
youngsters today.

You know, he's barely
old enough to shave.

He's old enough to steal horses,
he's old enough to go to jail.

Yeah, I suppose so.

Well, uh... see you later.

Hello, Ben.

Oh, Grace.

How are you?

Donny.

Hey, Don, when are you
coming out to the Ponderosa,

break some horses for me?

I've got other things to do.

Donny.

Where are your manners?

So long, Mr. Cartwright.

Ben, I'm so sorry.

I just don't know what
to do with that boy.

He's changed.

He's never around anymore.

Why, he used to help me out
over at the store all the time,

but, well, lately he's...

Ben, you understand boys.

I wish you could talk to him.

He misses his father so much.

Well, so do I.

We all do, Grace.

He was a good friend.

But Donny, I...

You know, it's one thing to
raise three sons of your own,

it's another to, you know,
talk to somebody else's son.

I-I'll tell you what to do.

Why don't you bring him
out with you Friday night

to the, uh, school benefit
social at the Ponderosa, huh?

Well, I...

Well, you are coming,
now, aren't you?

I mean, what-what would we do

without one of your
famous chocolate cakes?

Of course, Ben.

I wouldn't miss it for
anything in the world.

- Good.
- Well... I'd better be going now.

I have to open up the store.

All right, see you Friday.

Napoleon Bonaparte
was considered

the greatest strategist and
natural commander of all time,

and that's the way we're
gonna run this army.

Just the way Napoleon
would have run it.

You planned things
last night, Napoleon.

They didn't go too good.

You're wrong, J.W.

It was a training mission.

Do you know what
"blooding the troops" means?

Put them under fire.

Watch how they react.

That's what I was
doing last night.

Sampson got caught.

We'll get him out.

You're late, Private Benson.

I had to help my
mother at the store.

What kind of an excuse is that?

You know your way

around Virginia City
pretty well, don't you?

Yes, sir, I lived
there all my life.

The rest of us aren't
known over there.

And I don't want us to be.

Not just yet.

Could you get me
the layout to the jail?

Sure, I could, Napoleon.

All right.

Let's see exactly what
kind of a spy you'd make.

Exactly what happened
in Virginia City today?

Nothing special.

Most everybody's getting
ready for that big benefit social

out at the Ponderosa
Friday night.

And Ben Cartwright was in at
the jail, but Sampson didn't talk.

Of course Sampson didn't talk.

He's a soldier.

I'm gonna give you
a chance to be one.

I want daily reports.

Do you understand that?

Yes, sir.

I'm not gonna hold any
more meetings here.

That drunken uncle
of mine is beginning

to ask too many questions.

You'll never meet me in the
same place twice, you understand?

Benefit social, huh?

And we've already had a chance
to look around the Ponderosa.

I don't know, Napoleon.

We've never tackled anything
like the Cartwrights before.

You've got it wrong, J.W.

The Cartwrights have never
tackled anything like us before.

Now scatter, men.

I don't want any two of you
seen at the same time together.

My uncle's coming back
here in a few minutes.

Well, I was wondering if
you two were gonna get here.

Hello, Ben.

We had a last minute rush
of business at the store.

Oh, Ben, the place
looks just beautiful.

Doesn't it, Donny?

Yeah, it looks all right.

Uh, Grace, if I know
boys, and I think I do,

at least I ought to,

I think that table back
there, the one with the food is

the one that's going
to interest Donny most.

Donny, how about
coming over there with me...

We'll have something to eat,
there's enough for everybody.

Let me take that
beautiful chocolate cake.

Mmm, boy, that looks good.

- Mmm, that's good.
- Ben Cartwright.

You're as bad as Donny.

Mmm, it's good.

Hey, Donny.

Think, uh, that, uh, you
and I could finish this

just by ourselves?

I don't like cake that much.

Um... Grace, let's
have some punch, huh?

Oh, yes.

Now, Grace, Donny's
gonna be all right.

Now, stop worrying about him.

Ben, I wish you
could talk to him.

Look, you're here to have a
good time, so have a good time.

This was a marvelous
idea of yours,

raising money for
the school this way.

Well, I think by the time
we have our big meeting

at the town hall, we'll
have reached our objective.

Grace, will you excuse me?

I see the sheriff
wants to see me.

I hope I'm not in trouble.

Having a good time?

You're not kidding.

- Ben.
- What's on your mind, Clem?

Well, I thought you
might like to know

I got a report on that
horse thief you caught.

Well, that's fast work.

All right, what'd you find out?

Well, it's not the first
time he's been picked up.

Been in trouble in Carson City,

always runs with a
gang from Gold Hill.

Gold Hill, huh?

I hear there's a pretty
rough gang of kids over there.

As long as they stay on
their own side of the divide,

nothing much I can do about it.

This, uh, this fellow Sampson,

what he did, uh,
was that serious?

Serious enough.

Going back to Carson City
Monday morning to stand trial.

I believe that boy's
going to prison.

Young fella like that, too.

Well, I see you're
sampling the food.

Don't forget to
leave your donation.

All right, men.

You've been trained
thoroughly for this mission.

The key to our success

is speed and surprise.

Reb.

I get the guns.

J.W.?

I get the cash box.

Fritz?

I get guns, too.

The rest of you men
know your assignments.

See that you carry them out.

We attack simultaneously
on my command.

Operation Austerlitz.

Where you gonna be, Napoleon?

At my command post.

All right, put on your
masks and move out.

Donny?

How's it going?
Having a good time?

Yeah, I guess so.

You know...

You and I, uh, we ought to have

a long talk one of these days.

What about?

Hmm, nothing in particular.

Just that your father and
I, we were close friends.

And, uh, seems to me
that a fella needs a man

to visit with
sometimes, that's all.

My mother's been talking
to you about me, hasn't she?

Well... Yes. Yes,
she has, Donny.

Well, listen, you tell
her to quit worrying.

Because there's nothing wrong!

Yeah.

Cherry?

How much is he?

Two dollars.

Oh, thank you.

Here you are.

Austerlitz!

Yee-haw!

Yee-haw! Yee-haw!

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

- All right, calm down.
- They stole the horses!

- Calm down!
- The horses!

Ben, keep these people
here... All of them. Come on!

Little boy try to steal horse.

Little boy break up social.

In China, little boy
have respect for elder.

Should be same thing here.

Hey, I'll get it. I got it.

- Hey, Clem, come on in.
- Hi, Joe. How you doing?

Ben, Hop Sing, Hoss.

- Howdy, Clem.
- Clem, good to see you.

Your timing's not too good.

We just finished eating.

But Hop Sing can
rustle up some food.

Oh, no, I don't
want anything to eat.

Listen, Ben, I took a
ride over to Gold Hill to...

Right.

Just to check, see what I
could find out about that gang

of kids been raising
such a ruckus over there.

And?

I ran into some
kind of strange story.

Oh?

The leader of this outfit

calls himself Napoleon.

Napoleon?

That's right.

The gang's his army.

He drills them, figures out

every single move
he's gonna make.

Well, that bunch of
kids that was over here

sure had things
planned out, didn't they?

Well, that's what I figured.

They stole the donation
money and six guns.

Now, he lives
with an old duffer.

He-he used to be a professor.

That mean anything to you?

Say, there was a fellow
here about a month ago.

Spent a couple of
hours with me right here.

He was a professor
from back east.

Lives around here somewhere.

- Do you know where it is?
- Yeah, I think so.

Do you think you
can find the place?

Well, sure.

Well, let's you and I go
and have a talk with him.

See you later.

♪♪

This must be the place.

Come in.

It's not locked.

Gentlemen, welcome.

What can I do for you?

Professor, it's good
to see you again.

Oh, well, Mr. Cartwright.

Yes, it's very good to see you.

Clem Foster, Sheriff
of Virginia City.

Very happy to know you, Sheriff.

Uh, Mr. Cartwright, I've been

planning to pay another visit.

But, uh, my research has kept me

pretty much tied to my desk.

What-what kind of
research are you doing?

History, Mr. Cartwright.

History.

Even before I was a professor

at Harvard University...

Um, excuse me for
a-a moment, please.

Medicinal.

I've felt a cold coming on.

Would you gentlemen
care to join me?

No-no, thanks.

Thank you.

Those were happy
days at Harvard.

All those eager young minds

thirsting for knowledge.

Oh.

I... I forget myself.

Surely you didn't come by

to listen to an old man
prattle on about the past.

As a matter of fact,

we came to ask you
about a young man.

Uh, Napoleon I
think he calls himself.

Yes, Napoleon.

His real name is Ted Arsenaux.

He's my nephew.

He's an avid student
of the Napoleonic wars.

And that explains his nickname.

C-Could you tell us
where we might find him?

Oh, he comes and he goes.

That's the way it should be.

I believe in complete
freedom for young people.

Don't you?

In-Interesting boy.

Interesting.

I brought him out here with me

when I contracted a
common human ailment.

Greed.

I, uh, thought I was
going to make a fortune

mining silver.

In-Instead...

Well, no matter.

Now, about the boy.

Brilliant mind, uh, brilliant.

He's a perfect student.

Why do you want
to see my nephew?

Is there anything wrong?

Well, I, um, I just want

to talk to him is all.

Oh.

Well, he comes and go-goes.

But when I see
him I'll tell him.

Uh, uh, thanks, very much.

Thank you.

Napoleon.

It's a strong name.

That's why he likes it.

Gives him a sense of power.

That boy will go far.

No matter what he chooses

for his life's work,

he'll be a success at it.

And I heard the sheriff say
they're gonna move Sampson

to Carson City next
Monday morning.

Very well.

What else?

Well, Sampson's in
the first cell on the left.

And the sheriff goes
to lunch at 12:00.

And sometimes
he leaves a deputy.

Sometimes he
just locks the door.

What about the
keys to the cells?

Well, they're hanging by
a ring just inside the door.

Very good, Private Benson.

Before long, every
man will be armed

and qualified to use his weapon.

Do some practicing,
Private Benson.

When you can show me
that you know how to shoot...

I'll see that you get a horse.

♪♪

Hello, Donny.

Where'd you get the gun?

Oh, uh, in at the store.

My mom said I
could practice with it.

Mind if I have a look at it?

Sure.

Doesn't look like a
very new gun to me.

It's pretty well used.

Now, you didn't get
this at the store, did you?

Uh, no, sir, I-I found it. I...

I was afraid you wouldn't
believe me if I told you.

Well, think maybe we'd
better take this back to town

and find out who lost it.

I was just practicing with it.

How'd you get out here?

Oh, I... I thought I'd
take a walk out here

by myself for a
while, that's all.

Well, I'm going back to town.

Mount up, I'll give
you a ride back.

Yes, sir.

Whoa. Whoa, whoa.

Whoa, Buck, whoa.

All right.

Hey, Joe.

Hey, how you doing, Pa?

See you picked up a stray.
How you doing, Donny?

- Hi.
- Yeah, I picked Donny up

a ways out of town.

Uh, how's everything going?

Uh, just fine, fine.
Picked up the mail,

got all the papers
straightened out.

How long you gonna be in town?

Oh, about an hour or so. Why?

Good deal, I'll wait for you,
ride back home with you.

Fine. Where'll you be?

- By my horse.
- All right.

Donny, Ben.

Clem.

Uh... Donny here

found a gun near the
Black Rock Cutoff, wasn't it?

Yeah.

And he wanted
to bring it in to you.

You found this?

Uh, yes, sir.

Just like Mr. Cartwright said.

It could be one of those
stolen at the Ponderosa.

I'll check into it.

Owner always
recognizes his own gun.

And, Donny, thanks
a lot for bringing it in.

Sure.

Can I go now?

Certainly, as far
as I'm concerned.

All right, Ben, what's
the rest of the story?

Oh, I was just, uh,

riding along right
near that cutoff

when I heard some shooting,

so I went over to
investigate... Mm-hmm.

And, uh, Donny was there

and he was practicing
with that gun.

Do you think he found this?

Oh, I don't know, Clem.

I know his mother's
worried about him.

Yeah, I suppose
I'll have to tell her.

You know, Ben,
that's a part of this job

they don't say anything about

when they put your
name on the ballot.

Good-bye, Ben.

- Thank you for coming in.
- Well...

I'll get your order
out as soon as I can.

Thank you. I'll see
you soon, Grace.

All right.

Donny...

Donny, come here
a minute, please.

I'd like to talk to you.

What about?

Donny, you know
how I feel about guns.

And whether you
found that gun or didn't...

Boy, that Ben Cartwright
couldn't wait to get over here

and tell you all
about it, could he?

Ben Cartwright had
nothing to do with it.

Clem Foster told
me about the gun.

Well, he had to.

It's part of his duty.

You know, I don't know
why everybody's got to be

sticking their nose
into my business.

I found a gun and I
shot it a few times.

Is that such a crime?

Nobody said it
was a crime, Donny.

But I just don't like you
fooling around with guns.

You just don't like
anything I do, do you?

Well, I'm sick and tired

of being treated
like a two-year-old.

Now will you leave me alone?

Military organization is
based on a chain of command

for a very good reason.

Any man, including myself,

may be a casualty.

A general knows
he may have to die.

But in dying, he never
really loses command.

Hey, you really believe

all that stuff you
read, don't you?

I not only believe
it... I live by it.

You mean you'd be
ready to die for all of us?

Naturally.

You're my troops.

And I'm your commander.

Here comes our spy.

You missed a very good
lesson, Private Benson,

but I'm glad you're
here, anyway.

What's your intelligence report?

Nothing special.

Nothing special?

I saw Cartwright ride up.

I saw him take that
gun away from you.

What happened?

Ben Cartwright turned
the gun over to the sheriff.

I told him I found it.

Those Cartwrights are starting

to get in the way quite a bit.

It's Joe Cartwright's
fault that Sampson's in jail.

And now Ben
Cartwright takes a gun

away from one of our troops.

Was the old man the
only Cartwright in town?

No, Joe was there, too.

I heard them say they were going

to ride back to
the ranch together.

That's very interesting.

All right, men, Operation Jena.

Operation Jena? What's that?

You'll find out.

J.W., move out.

There'll be no shooting,

so leave your guns here
at the command post.

We don't want a
murder charge on us.

Not yet.

Mr. Cartwright?

You're not Hoss Cartwright.

How you tell?

Mr. Hoss over by barn.

Mr. Cartwright, come
quick, I need help.

What's-what's wrong,
buddy? What's happened?

A bunch of us kids were racing

and one of the boys fell off.

He's hurt bad, I
think it's his back.

Just calm down.

I'll be right with you.

We'll do what we can.

Third division, across the draw.

Attack on my command!

He's right down there,
around that bend.

I'll go get a wagon.

Shh.

There we go!

Second division, attack!

They're trying to kill him!

Napoleon, call them off!

You-you said we
weren't gonna hurt him.

- Call them off!
- Now just watch this, Benson.

This is where strategy pays off.

Just like the battle of Jena,

catching the enemy
completely by surprise.

Third division, attack!

That story about Napoleon
sounds almost unbelievable.

I know it does.

But it's true.

Now, Clem feels that... Whoa.

Isn't that your brother's horse?

Yeah, it looks like Chub.

What's he doing here?

I thought he was
working at the house.

Hoss.

How is he?

Hoss.

Hoss, what happened to you?

I got clubbed.

Got clubbed real bad
by... a bunch of kids.

Well, this does it, Ben.

I got to find that Napoleon.

There's just not much doubt
it's the same bunch of boys.

This not work of little boy...

This is work of mad men.

And it was well planned.

Why?

I'm going over to
the professor's shack

and wring it out of
him one way or another

where this Napoleon is.

Let me go with you.

Well, you'd better stay
right here, young fella.

How do you feel, son?

Oh, I'll be all right, Pa.

Be up and at 'em
in a day or two.

No, no, no.

My boy Ted wouldn't
do a thing like that.

You have no proof that
he had any part in it at all.

You told me you know the one
I've got locked in now, Sampson.

Yes, yes. He comes here often.

He's my boy's closest friend.

All right, then the
least you can do

is come to town with
me and talk to him.

You can do that much.

Maybe you can get it out of
him, what's been going on.

If this Ted Arsenaux of
yours hasn't been involved,

I'd be just as happy
as you about it.

I have always trusted Ted.

He's an excellent
student and a fine boy.

If I were to do that,

I would be betraying
my trust in him.

If you don't do it, you
leave me no choice.

I'll mount a posse and
hunt him down now.

Are you coming with me or not?

No, Sheriff, I'm not.

Oh, I know you're a good man,

but I can't forget
that you came here

only to accuse a boy

who is as close to me as a son.

Good night, Sheriff.

I'm afraid you made
a trip for nothing.

All right, Professor.

Have it just your way.

Who was that?

What did he want?

Ted.

Ted, my boy.

I was beginning
to worry about you.

I asked you who that was.

Sit down, boy.

Sit down. I want to talk
to you for a moment.

I can hear standing up.

Now, you gonna tell me or not?

It was the sheriff,
uh, from Virginia City.

That's what I want
to talk to you about.

Oh, those lawmen are all alike.

Just because some kids
want to have a little fun.

I told him that's
what it was, Ted.

I knew that's what it was.

I knew you wouldn't
be involved in anything

like raiding a-a school benefit

or beating a man.

You wouldn't, would you, Ted?

Why don't you crawl
back in your bottle

where you belong,
and leave me alone?

I just wanted you to know...

if you ever did get
in any kind of trouble,

I'd want you to come to me,

because I'm here to help you.

No matter what the trouble was,

I'd want you to talk to me.

And who wants to talk
to an old drunk like you?

♪♪

Ted?

T-Ted, boy, come back.

I was trying to be reasonable,
but Donny just flared up.

He hasn't been
home all night, Sheriff.

Go ahead, Sheriff, go
chase after little lost boys.

Maybe it'll save your neck when
my friends come to get me out.

Pipe down in there.

Aw, what's the matter, Sheriff?

Getting nervous?

Grace, I'll do everything I can.

Now, there has to
be an answer to this,

and until we get it, just stop
worrying yourself to death.

Thank you.

Morning, ma'am.

Hello, Grace.

Grace, I'm glad we ran into you.

We were gonna stop by the store

to see if you'd sit with us
at the school board meeting.

Ben, Clem told me
what happened to Hoss.

If I thought Donny had anything

- to do with that, I...
- There's no reason to believe

that Donny had
anything to do with it.

He ran off yesterday afternoon
and he hasn't come back.

Um... oh, Clem, excuse me,
I want to ask you something.

Did you, uh... did
anybody see any of 'em?

Nobody's turned up yet.

You heard anything from Sampson?

Did you get anything out of him?

Not a word, and I don't
think I'm going to, Ben.

Well, I... we'd better
get along to that meeting.

Okay.

♪♪

All right, men,
you know the plan.

We've been through
it a dozen times.

The minute that town hall
bell starts ringing, we move.

We'll get the rifles first.

Rifles? You didn't say
anything to me about any rifles.

Where are we gonna get 'em?

In case you forgot,
Private Benson,

your mother's
store is full of rifles.

I'm not gonna rob
from my own mother.

You don't have to.

All you have to do is let us in.

I won't do it.

You'll do it!

All right, men.

- Open it.
- I won't do it, I tell you.

It's the way my mother
makes her living.

It's the only way she's got.

That's very touching, Benson.

I know you have a key. Use it!

Hey, you want your arm broke?

Go ahead, Donny.

He'll break it if you
don't. I know he will.

Oh, all right!

Now, please...

let me go... I don't want to have
anything more to do with this.

Let you go and tell the sheriff?

I don't think so.

- I won't let you do it!
- Grab him! Grab him!

J.W., go get some rope.

Tie him up and gag him.

No, wait.

This is the gun
for you, Napoleon.

All right, sentries,
take your positions.

I'll move to my command post.

♪♪

Stay where you are!

All of you!

The next one moves gets shot.

My sentries are covering
every inch of this street.

I want your sheriff to open
the jail and let my friend out.

You do that, and
we'll leave here quietly.

Anybody crosses me up,
somebody's gonna get hurt.

No, Sheriff, please.

He's just a boy.

Young man, you're... you're
going about this the wrong way.

You keep your
advice to yourself.

All right, where's the sheriff?

I can talk to him.
Please let me try.

All right, try.

But I'm backing
you up with this gun.

Ted.

- Ted, listen to me.
- Stay out of this!

You know how wrong this is, boy.

All those years we've
spent studying together, boy,

I wasn't preparing you for this.

Shut up, you drunken bum!

Who's asking you?

All right, get my friend out
of jail, or we start shooting!

I've got to stop you, son.

I told you to shut up!

All right, boy!

Sheriff, you're gonna
walk me over to that jail

and release Sampson!

As long as I've got your
word there'll be no shooting.

Sheriff, we're gonna
walk over to that...

You want me, you're
gonna have to get him!

Don't shoot! Don't shoot!

No, don't shoot.

He said he'd die
for us, didn't he?

I'm gonna give your leader here

a chance to show you
how much guts he's got!

Gonna give him a chance
you didn't give my brother!

It's just gonna be him and me!

Shoot.

No, don't shoot.

All right, I saw you
beat up an old man.

Let's see how brave you are

against somebody
that's got a gun.

Go on, big man, pick it up.

Pick it up!

Is this your leader?!

This the man you
want to follow?!

♪♪

Thank heaven Donny
wasn't with them.

You Donny's mother?

Yes.

What do you know about him?

Where is he? Is he all right?

Yes, he's all right, ma'am.

He's over in back of your store.

But you'd better get to him.

Come on.

Donny. -Donny.

Mom, I tried to stop them from
getting in, but they forced me.

Donny... Donny,
are you all right?

Yeah. Yeah.

Donny, let me get you now.

Here.

What's gonna happen
to them, Mr. Cartwright?

Well, I guess... Sampson
there'll go back to jail.

Napoleon, as he calls himself,
he'll have to go to prison.

The rest of them, well...

they did give themselves
up... I guess they'll...

well, they'll get about
30 days hard labor.

I have to go with
them, Mr. Cartwright.

Donny, what are you saying?

I was out at the Ponderosa
that night, Mr. Cartwright,

and I helped trap Hoss.

I didn't know he was
gonna be hurt, but...

still I was a part of it.

Don't you see, Mama?

I'm as guilty as they are.

I've got to pay, too.

Oh, Donny.

♪♪

Oh, Ben.

Now, Grace... there
are many ways a...

boy can prove himself a man.

Donny just did it his way.

♪♪

This has been a color production

of the NBC Television Network.