Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 6, Episode 3 - Small Water - full transcript

Starring James
Arness as Matt Dillon.

Doesn't look like there's
any water round here.

Kind of funny watching
you all looking for water.

What's so funny about it?

Well, there ain't
no water closer than

two hours' ride from here.

- Which way is that?
- Huh?

You heard me.

Over there.

Well, at least it's
toward Dodge, anyway.

Yeah.



Three days to Dodge,
and two hours to water.

Let's get started.

You know, I been thinking.

Y'all's mighty lucky to catch
me off alone the way you done.

We'd have caught you
whether you was alone or not.

But say, don't you
know I got four brothers?

Yeah, and a Pa.

Pa ain't gonna take good
to you running off with me.

Leroy, two weeks ago

you shot your neighbor,
Mr. Coonts, in the back.

Then you go around
bragging about it.

Now, I came out here to
take you back to Dodge City

to stand trial for murder.

You might as well
get used to that.



I never held with
the law, mister.

Your Pa teach you that, too?

Never you mind about Pa.

He and my brothers will let
me out of this any time now.

How do you figure that?

Easy.

Pa's at home waiting for me
and my brothers to come in.

We's out hunting,
scattered all over the prairie.

That's how you found me alone.

So?

So, when I turn up missing,
they'll come looking for me.

All in a bunch.

And they'll find me.

And leave you for the crows.

It's as sure as death.

Well, I just can't listen
to no more of this.

Mr. Dillon, what about
guard duty tonight?

Well, Chester, you can take
the first watch if you want to.

Well, if you don't mind.

Well, I'll, uh... just be sure
you wake me up at midnight.

Mm.

I'll find a place out
here somewhere.

If he gives you any trouble,

don't fool around
with him, just...

put a bullet in him.

You gonna shoot a
man for waking up?

Well, if you wake
up too much, I might.

You know something, Chester?

Well, never mind.

There's nothing that I
want to hear from you.

It's about them
brothers of mine.

They're like Indians.

Yeah. You mean they
go around scalping people.

I mean they can sneak
up on a man in the dark

and stab him, without
him ever knowing it.

Well, I guess that's as
good a way of dying as any,

without never knowing
nothing about it.

One of 'em, Seth,

sneaked up on a antelope once.

He hamstrung him before
he got off the ground.

Why don't you just lay back
down there on the saddle

and go to sleep?

Don't you move.

- Now, listen to me...
- Down!

Be quiet, or you
get the first bullet.

Mr. Dillon, he's got the gun!

All right, Chester?

Yeah.

He's dead.

Mm.

Heard most of the talk.

I guess I was kind of
sleeping with one eye open.

Well, Mr. Dillon, I'm
just sorry as I could be.

I could've swore that there
was somebody in them bushes.

You know, you
took quite a chance,

hollering out
like that, Chester.

You could've
got yourself killed.

Well, I sure didn't want
nothing to happen to you.

Well, I... I guess maybe
we better get something

to dig a hole with, here.

Yeah.

Chester.

Huh?

Thanks.

My name's Seth Pickett.

I'm looking for
my brother Leroy.

My name's Dillon, I'm
a United States Marshal

over in Dodge City.

I can see that.

Your whole family out
looking for Leroy, are they?

All except my Pa.

He's to the house, waitin'.

What'd you do with
my brother, mister?

I shot him.

You say that pretty easy.

Your brother was
wanted for murder.

We were taking him in.

He broke loose, and he was
about to kill the both of us.

I had no choice.

That sure is the truth, mister.

Our Pa don't hold
to the law none.

Doesn't look to me
like any of you do.

Our Pa figures he can take
care of things in our family.

He don't need no help.

Well, I wasn't exactly
offering him help.

Your brother was
under arrest for murder.

He was going in to stand trial.

Our Pa knows that.

He didn't like it neither,
him killing old man Coonts.

He was a-gonna
punish Leroy fer it.

Well, now, this may
come as a surprise to you,

but murder is something
the law punishes a man for.

Yep, that's one way of thinking.

Well, I'm gonna go
round up my brothers now,

and then we'll see
how Pa looks at it.

You take a piece of advice:

you stay out of Dodge.

You and your brothers.

Like talking into
the wind, there.

Yeah.

You know, there's only
one thing I can think of

- that might stop this.
- What's that?

That's to ride on back and
have a talk with Finn Pickett

before his boys get there.

Just might be able to
talk some sense into him.

Well, I doubt that.

Yeah, so do I.

It's worth a try
anyway, Chester.

Well, it's a long
ride back there.

Yeah. We'd better get going.

You're Finn Pickett, aren't you?

Marshal, you know my
name and I know yours.

Now, what have you
done with my boy?

Pickett, your boy
murdered a man.

I know that.

We were taking him
into Dodge for trial.

And he fought you on the way.

He broke loose.

He was bent on
killing the both of us.

Too bad he didn't.

You bury him decent?

We did.

Marshal, you didn't come
back here just to tell me

you killed my boy. Now,
what are you doing here?

Well, we ran into one of your
other sons out there. Seth?

He gave us the idea that
you and the rest of your boys

may be riding into Dodge.

Because you killed Leroy?

Shootin' you wouldn't
bring my boy back.

Good day to you.

Well, it kind of looks like we
rode down here for nothing.

- Chester?
- Mm?

You know those "Wanted"
circulars we got in last week?

Yeah.

His picture's on one of 'em.

It was?

His picture, and
the name "Will Day."

Will Day, yeah, I kind
of remember that one,

now that you
mention it. Will Day.

Yeah. He was wanted for a
murder down in Oklahoma Territory

about five years ago.

And Mr. Dillon, you
think that-that Pickett here

is the same person as Will Day?

Well, it sure
looks like it to me.

Hmm.

Well, what are you gonna do?

No point in riding
out here again.

Thought you'd gone.

Pickett, tell me something.

You ever been in
Oklahoma Territory?

Say, about five years ago?

Yeah. Yes, I was.

Did you go by the
name of Will Day?

You know my name's Finn Pickett.

A man can change his name.

He can.

But I didn't.

Now, Pickett, I've
got a "Wanted" circular

from Oklahoma Territory.

It's got your picture on it.

Wanted for murder.

That's a lie.

Got it right in my office.

That's still a lie.

I'm gonna have to take you in.

I reckon you mean
that, don't you?

I do.

If my boys was
here, they'd kill you.

Yeah, but your boys aren't here.

No.

No, they ain't.

I hope you got more sense
than trying to use that gun.

I ain't a professional like you.

Why should I die 'cause
you made a mistake?

Well, if I've made a mistake,

you've got nothing
to worry about.

All you got to do is come
into Dodge and prove it.

Let's go.

Get down, Pickett!

I suppose those
are your sons, huh?

I expect so.

Well, they're not
being very smart.

They could hit you by mistake.

No, no...

they never hit
nothing by mistake.

They sure got good
cover down there,

Mr. Dillon.

Could've killed
you if they wanted.

It was just one, and you're
the one can turn me loose.

What if we don't?

They'll shoot you down

any time they choose.

You're gonna signal your
boys to go back home, Pickett.

They're pretty
strong-minded boys, Marshal.

Always have been.

Well, I'll tell you something.

I'm pretty strong-minded, too,

and I'm not gonna turn
you loose for anybody.

Then we may as well get riding.

Stay where you are.

Well, they won't do no more
shooting now for a while.

They won't, huh?

I think we just wait
around here a few minutes

and see about that.

- Chester?
- Yeah?

I hope you're wide
awake, 'cause it looks like

we're both gonna have
to stand guard all night.

Think they can slip up
on us very easy here?

Well, I don't think
they can get too close.

Not with the moon
shining that bright.

Every one of my boys

can hit a silver
dollar at 300 yards.

Yeah, well, you ought to
feel real proud of yourself,

raising a bunch of bushwhackers.

They ain't bushwhackers.

They'll come riding
in like Indians.

Once they decide you
ain't gonna turn me loose.

Well, I wish they'd decide.

I'm getting tired of...

Got your water, huh?

One thing's for sure.

This is gonna be as
tough on you as it is us.

Them boys know
what they're doing.

I can go three
days without water.

It don't hurt me one bit.

Ain't no water around
here, that's for sure.

That's true; that sure is true.

Hm. Expect the
boys have got water.

Turn me loose,

we'll leave you a bag of it.

We'll get along without water.

Have it your way.

I'll tell you something.

Their patience is gonna
start running out soon.

So is mine.

Thought you said they never
shot nothing by mistake?

That was no mistake; he
meant to kill your horse.

Hit him in the head, didn't he?

Well, it's a doggone
shame, that's what it is.

It's pretty low down

of whichever son
of yours done it, too.

You rather he shot you?

I just wish Mr. Dillon
catches him.

Don't look like he
caught him, does it?

Well, he will.

He'll catch every one of them.

He'll take them into Dodge

with their feet up
and their heads down.

It ain't likely.

He will, you just wait.

Didn't you see him, Mr. Dillon?

- No.
- Why didn't you keep on after him?

And let the other three
move in on you here?

Chester, you better
take your saddle off

and give it to Pickett here.

He can carry it, and you
can ride double with me.

All right.

Mr. Dillon, I'd just as soon
walk as to ride like this.

Well, another eight hours,
we'll be in Dodge, Chester.

We got to get off and give
these horses some rest, though.

Well, that's all right with me.

If I don't get some
water pretty soon,

I'm gonna turn to dust.

You must be part camel.

Well, I'm afraid you're
gonna have to ride

up with Pickett for
a while, Chester.

This horse is starting to sull.

Yeah, or make him walk.

I walked a lot
further than this.

Did you walk all the
way from Oklahoma

after you killed that man?

I killed nobody in Oklahoma.

Right, sure.

Them boys never
miss, not a one of them.

Well, he's finished.

Turn me loose now, Marshal,

I'll see you get a couple of
horses to replace them two.

Well, that's right
neighborly of you.

I'll tell you
something, Marshal,

when them boys is
through playing games,

they'll move in
and kill you now.

Well, Chester, let's
gather up this stuff.

Looks like some pretty
good cover over this way.

- All right, sir.
- Get this saddle here.

Come dark, them boys will sneak
up from all directions, Marshal.

They can shoot
good in the dark, too.

I taught every one of them.

Now, let me tell you
something, Pickett, for a change.

I'm a fair shot myself,

and I can see pretty
good in the dark, too.

Now, I may not
get all your sons,

but you're gonna have a
smaller family by morning.

You better think
about that a while.

All right, Mr. Dillon?

Yeah.

From the sound, I'd figure
the distance about 600 yards.

Good golly, they must
have a lot of ammunition.

More than you.

- Chester.
- Yeah?

Yeah?

You think you can make it
back to Dodge on that horse?

I could sure give it a try.

All right, as soon as it's dark.

I-I wouldn't be able to make it
back before tomorrow afternoon.

It's all right; we'll be
waiting right here for you.

Well, can you be
without water that long?

Well, sure, that doesn't
bother us, does it, Pickett?

Mighty quiet out there.

Could be they don't want
you to know where they are.

Well, now they're getting smart.

They're good boys, Marshal.

Yeah.

Doesn't look like
they're so smart, after all.

You still think it's gonna
be easy for them, do you?

Looks like you're the
smart one, Marshal.

Well, now, I'll tell you
something, Pickett.

I don't aim to die
out here alone.

What are you gonna do?

I'll show you what I'm gonna do.

All right, you men
out there, listen to me.

I'm taking your
pa in for murder.

If he's innocent, he'll go free.

But if you come
in here shooting,

I'm gonna use him for cover.

You may get me, but
he's gonna die first.

You hear me?

Is that true, Pa?

You better tell them, Pickett.

I ain't gonna get hung
for something I didn't do.

I'd rather die here.

Come on in!

Doesn't look like your boys

are paying too
much attention to you.

Them boys will do
anything I say, Marshal.

It'll work.

You'll die with me.

I'm gambling against it.

I don't think any man's
gonna shoot his father.

Ain't a one of my boys would
ever disobey me about anything.

Not one of them, maybe,

but you've got four
of them out there.

They'll hold a powwow and
they'll make up their own minds.

No.

Mr. Dillon?

Left him right
there in that draw.

Mr. Dillon!

All right, watch out
for them Picketts.

Let's go.

I got back

as quick as I could, Mr. Dillon.

Keep low, boys.

There's the water.

You must be awful thirsty.

Well, Chester,

I don't mind telling you I
could use a drink, all right.

Guess maybe we both could.

I didn't see no sign
of them Picketts

when we rode in
at all, Mr. Dillon.

- Yeah.
- Thank you, Marshal.

Well, guess you were
wrong about your boys

riding in here last night,
weren't you, Pickett?

We ain't to Dodge yet, Marshal.

They're still out there waiting.

I don't think there's
much chance

of them coming in here now.

Them few men wouldn't
bother my boys none.

Mr. Dillon, uh, I was, uh,

thinking about that circular
that you was telling me about.

So when I went into
town, I-I rode by the office,

and I brought it back with me.

Uh, here.

What's the matter?
Something wrong?

Well, you better read
the description there.

"Thin white scar running
from hairline to left eyebrow."

Told you you was
making a mistake, Marshal.

Chester.

Yeah?

Would you go over

and get his pistol out of
that saddlebag please?

Yes, sir.

Pickett, I'm...

I'm not much of a man
for making apologies,

but you sure got one coming.

Here you are.

You're all right, Marshal.

Come on.

Hyah!