01x02 - Crossroad Trail

[bunniefuu]

♪ Champion The Wonder Horse ♪

♪ Champion The Wonder Horse ♪

♪ Like a streak of lightning
flashing across the sky ♪

♪ Like the swiftest arrow
whizzing from a bow ♪

♪ Like a mighty cannonball,
it seems to fly ♪

♪ You'll hear about
him everywhere you go ♪

♪ Out west there's not a man
who doesn't know the name of ♪

♪ Champion The Wonder Horse ♪

[upbeat music]

[dramatic music]

[dog barking]
[light hearted music]

[dog barking]

- You won, Rebel. [laughing]

[horse neighing]

Here's the wild herd.

And there's Champion!

[whistling shrilly]

[dog barking]

Rebel's feeling extra good today.

Because he b*at me up the hill.

Hey, what's the matter, Champ?

Think I'd forget your carrot?

Won't be gettin' anymore for awhile.

Uncle Sandy's goin' away
on business this Saturday.

Me and Rebel will be
staying at Colonel Putnam's.

That's what we came up
here for, to say goodbye.

[horse grunting]

Hey, that's no way to act.

You can ride me back to the ranch.

[horse neighing]
[dog barking]

Come on, Champ, let's show
Rebel how a real race is run.

[ominous music]
[horse galloping]

[dramatic music]

[dog barking]

- Hi, Rebel, where's that nephew of mine?

[horse galloping]
[dog barking]

Rebel, taking shortcuts isn't a very fair

way of winning a race,
I'd call it cheatin'.

[dog whining]

- Don't be too hard on him, Ricky.

Plenty of humans take
shortcuts that aren't fair.

- But you always told me that
honesty is the best policy.

- It certainly is.

I hope you'll always
remember it too, Ricky.

Well come on, let's get started.

- Sure, Uncle Sandy.

Go on, Champ, I'll see
you in a couple of days.

[horse snorting]

- Well, it looks like Champ
doesn't want to leave you Ricky.

- Go on, Champ, I'll be back.

[horse neighing]

[lighthearted music]

- Looks like your wet nursing
job's about to start, kid.

- Lay off.

- Well, I thought you
two would never get here.

How are you, Ricky?

- Fine, thank you, Colonel.

- I'll have my grandson show
you where you're gonna bunk.

Oh, Josh?

- Better hop to it, kid,
Grandpappy's callin'.

- Yeah, jump to the loop.

You're liable to be docked
another five dollars.

- Josh!

I'll ride into town with you
and bring the rig back, Sandy.

- Thanks, Colonel.

- Hi, Josh.
- Hi.

- Take Ricky over to the bunkhouse

and show him where he beds down.

- Come on, kid.

- You stay out of trouble now, Ricky.

- I will Uncle Sandy, so long.

- What am I gonna do with Josh, Sandy?

He's been like that for weeks.

- Raising a boy is a tough job.

- I've done my best ever
since his folks d*ed

and until a few weeks
past, I thought I was

on the right track, but now
nothing I do seems right.

He resents everything I say.

- Well he's at the years between, Colonel.

He's not a boy any longer,
yet he's not quite a man.

He's, well kind of, at the crossroads.

- Yeah, I reckon you're right, Sandy.

But what's got me worried is
which trail he's gonna take.

- Oh, he'll take the right one.

You've just gotta give him a

little room to spread his wings.

He's stubborn, like his grandpa.

- This is gonna be swell.

You get to sleep in the
bunkhouse all the time?

- Yeah, I have to, the old man wants me to

learn the cattle business the hard way.

He even docks my pay
when I make a mistake.

- You mean the colonel?
- Yeah.

He says the wranglers can teach me a lot

and losing my pay'll teach me even more.

- Well you should be real proud of him,

he's got about the richest
spread in the valley.

- As far as I'm concerned, he can keep it.

San Francisco sounds better to me.

- Are you going there?

- I might.
- Why?

It seems to me your grandpa's kinda

depending on you here at the ranch.

- Nobody depends on me, kid.

I just take orders, do what I'm told.

Ah, you wouldn't understand,
you're just a kid.

Wanna help me mend some fence?

- Sure!
[dog barking]

[horse neighing]

Champion!
[horse neighing]

- That's a good lookin' animal.

- Sure is.

- He must've followed me over here.

[whistling shrilly]

[light hearted music]

[horse galloping]

Told you to go on back to the herd, Champ.

Guess you wanted to see where I was going.

[horse neighing]

- This your horse, kid?

- Well, not exactly.

Nobody owns Champ.

- He's a mustang, leads a
wild herd in the valley.

Ricky, here is the only
one he'll let on his back.

- This kid?

- There never was a horse I couldn't ride.

- I wouldn't try it Mister.

Josh is tellin' the truth, honest.

- Yeah? Well watch this.

[horse neighing]

- Champ!

Go on, Champ, go on!

[horse galloping]

- That horse is a k*ller.

- He is not, he just likes his freedom.

I tried to tell you.

- I thought you said there wasn't a

horse living you couldn't ride, Bart.

Maybe that's not true along
with some of your other talk.

- I can do anything I said I could do,

including breaking that mustang.

- We'll show you.

[suspenseful music]

Do any thinking about
our deal last night, kid?

- Hold it down.

Ricky's inside, he might hear something.

- Sure, kid, sure.

You know, a deal like
this won't wait forever.

We can get a real buy on that

Frisco gambling house, if we act now.

- I know, you told me.

- Your own business, the easy life, kid.

- And you giving the orders.

- Simple as turning the
dial on the old man's safe.

- And robbing him.

- The money's gonna be
yours someday anyhow, kid.

What's the difference if
you get it a little early?

- Me and Frank ain't
gonna wait much longer.

[door clicking open]
- Mornin'!

- Opportunity knocks only
once, kid, remember that.

[horses galloping]

- What did he mean by that?

- Nothin', nevermind.

Come on we've got a lot of
work to do before lunch.

[suspenseful music]
[horses galloping]

- There they are, Frank.
[horses neighing]

- There's that mustang.

[dramatic music]

- You sure you can whistle like that kid?

- I can sure try.

[whistling shrilly]

- Keep it up, he's coming this way.

[whistling shrilly]

Stay here and keep callin' him.

[whistling shrilly]
[horse galloping]

[horse neighing]
[dramatic music]

[horse neighing]

Let's take him to the old corral.

We'll show Josh he can be rode.

[dramatic music]

- Have some apples, boys.

I planned on having
blueberries but I'm fresh out.

- Oh, I know where there's a
whole patch of wild berries.

I'll get some for you tomorrow.

- That'd be right nice of you, son.

How'd everything go this morning, Josh?

- Same as usual, no change.

- Looks like we're gonna have a good year.

- I want to go to San Francisco, Colonel.

If you lend me the
money, I'll pay you back.

- Well, can't we talk
about that some other time?

- I wanna talk about it now.

- I'm not tryin' to hold you back, Josh.

But, you're not old enough
to go out on your own

to make a trip like that.

- All I'm old enough to do
is take orders, is that it?

"Josh, do this.

"Josh, don't do that."

I can't decide anything for myself.

- But, you're still a boy, Josh.

You've gotta learn to take orders

before you start givin' them.

When you understand that,
then you'll be a man.

- I was in San Francisco once, Josh.

With Uncle Sandy, it's lots nicer here.

- Stay out of this.

- Josh, don't you talk
to our guest that a way.

- No sense tryin' to explain how I feel.

- I know how you feel, son.

I felt the same way when I was your age.

But, you've gotta learn
your business first.

Become a good rancher.

Then you've got plenty of
years to see the country.

- Well, I want to see it now!

Not when I'm falling apart with old age.

- But, I need you here, Josh.

Don't that mean nothin'?

- You don't need me.

You don't need anybody!

[dramatic music]

[door slamming]

- He didn't mean what he said, Colonel.

- I'm only trying to
do what's best for him.

But, somehow I just can't figure it.

Maybe I'm making the mistake.

- Everything will turn out alright, sir.

- I sure hope you're right, boy.

[dog barking]

- Rebel!

[dog barking]

What's the matter, boy?

[intense music]

[horse neighing]

Champ!

[horse neighing]
[dramatic music]

Rebel, get the colonel, quick!

Champ!

Champ!

[horse neighing]

Stop it! Leave him alone!

[horse neighing]

- I'll show this mustang who's boss.

[rope slapping]
[horse neighing]

[whistling shrilly]

- Run, Champ, run!

- I ought to break your neck!

- Leave that boy alone.

[dog growling]

- Did you see what that kid did?

- Oh, I saw enough to know that

I don't want you workin' for me.

Now, you pack your gear and
get out of here, both of you.

- We didn't break no laws.

That horse is wild.

- There's no law lettin' me
know what you did was wrong.

Now, I want you off my
ranch before sundown.

Now get, both of you, go on!

It's alright now, son.

Looks like we both got our troubles today.

You with a wild horse
and me with a wild boy.

[rooster crowing]

- Where you two goin'?

- Frisco, and the money's goin'
with us one way or another.

- What happened?

- The old man just fired us.

- Thinkin' time's over, Josh.

Are we gonna get the money or are you?

- [Bart] We gotta know now.

- Alright, I'll get it.

- When?

- Well, I have to wait
'til he leaves the ranch.

That'll be tomorrow afternoon

when he goes to town to
pick up Ricky's uncle.

- We'll meet you in the old

abandoned mine in Sundown Canyon.

What time's the old man go to town?

- Around 2:30.

- And you'd better show.

- I'll be there.

- We'll give you 'til 3:30.

If you're not there by then we'll be

back to get the money ourselves.

- Well, I don't want anybody gettin' hurt.

- Nobody will get hurt.

As long as you show up tomorrow.

[dramatic music]

[light hearted music]

- There's some berries up there, come on!

[ominous music]

- I still don't think Josh
will go through with it.

- [Frank] Aw, quit worrying,

if he don't steal the money we will.

Only, it's easier this way.

Leaves us in the clear.

- Yeah, I guess you're right.

- [Frank] I'd like to
see the colonel's face

when he gets back and
finds all that money gone.

- Yeah, and Josh along with it.

[bucket clanking]
[suspenseful music]

He heard us.

[suspenseful music]

[dog barking]

[dog whining]

- He won't be tellin' nobody nothin'.

[dog whining]

[dramatic music]

- I can't see!
[dramatic music]

I can't see!

Rebel!

Where are you boy?

Rebel!

Rebel!

[dramatic music]

[dog barking]

[light hearted music]

[horse galloping]

[dog barking]
[intense music]

Champ!
[horse galloping]

Over here!

Rebel.
[dog whining]

A good boy, Rebel.

You brought Champ.

I'm blind, Champ.

I can't see.

[horse snorting]
[horse galloping]

[dog whining]

Champ, we've gotta stop Josh.

- I'm going to pick up
Sandy and be right back.

You take care of things
while I'm gone, huh?

- Sure, Colonel.
[dog barking]

- Josh, look!

Ricky, what happened?

- I fell.

- Are you hurt bad?

- I hit my head. [crying]

I can't see.

[dramatic music]

- Stay with him, do what you can.

I'll get the doctor and Sandy.

[suspenseful music]
[dog whining]

[horses galloping]

[dog whining]

[dramatic music]

[safe clicking open]

- Josh?

Don't do it, Josh.

- Don't do what?

- I heard those two men say you're

going to take the colonel's money.

I started to run, that's when I fell.

- Well, if you knew, how come
you didn't tell the colonel?

- He trusts you, Josh and so do I.

I knew you wouldn't go through with it.

The colonel needs you, he said so.

You said you never got to
make a decision, didn't you?

- Yeah.

- Well you can make one, now.

[suspenseful music]

[door slamming shut]
[dramatic music]

- Everything's gonna be alright, boy.

Ricky's gonna be okay.
[dog whining]

[suspenseful music]
[horses galloping]

- Alright, I guess.

But those men, Josh,
they'll be coming back here.

What are you gonna do?

- [Frank] Nothin' he can do, kid.

- Frank!
[dog growling]

- Get the safe opened, Josh.

- I won't do it.

- [Bart] We made a deal, remember?

- The deal's off, I was a fool
ever listening to your talk.

- You'll be a dead one if
you don't do what we say.

- I'm giving the orders now.

It took Ricky here to keep me from making

one of the biggest mistakes of my life.

Now, get outta here!

- Not without the money.

[dog growling]
[intense music]

[scuffling]

[g*n hammer clicking]

I've got no time for
games, Josh, open the safe.

- Don't, Josh.

[dramatic music]

[g*n sh*ts blasting]

[horse neighing]

[intense music]

[g*n sh*t blasting]

[intense music]

- I think it would be better
for the boy if I saw him alone.

You can do more good going
after that runaway cowboy.

[intense music]

[g*n sh*t blasting]

[g*n sh*t blasting]

[horse galloping]
[g*n hammer clicking]

[horse neighing]

- That's enough, Champ, down.

[horse snorting]

Good boy.

Alright, get goin'.

[intense music]

How is he, Doc?

- The boy had a bad fall, Sandy.

The blindness is caused
by retinal contusion.

But, it's not too serious.

As soon as the retinal swelling goes down,

he'll see again, fine.

- How long will that be?

- Oh, four or five days,
a week at the most.

He's resting now, when he wakes up,

I suggest you take him home.

- I'll be glad to help you, Sandy.

- Thanks, Josh.

[light hearted music]

[dog barking]

[dog whining]

- I'm alright, Rebel.

Thanks to you and Champ.

- So are you, aren't you, Josh?

- You bet I am, Ricky
and me and the colonel's

going to San Francisco, together.

- Yes, sir, for two whole
weeks, soon as roundup's over.

- Gee, that's swell.
[dog barking]

You wanna race again, huh rebel?

Okay, but no more shortcuts.

[horse neighing]
Come on, Champ.

[dog barking]
[light hearted music]

♪ Champion The Wonder Horse ♪

♪ Champion The Wonder Horse ♪

♪ Like a streak of lightning
flashing across the sky ♪

♪ Like the swiftest arrow
whizzing from a bow ♪

♪ Like a mighty canon
ball, he seems to fly ♪

♪ You'll hear about
him everywhere you go ♪

♪ The time will come when
everyone will know the name of ♪

♪ Champion The Wonder Horse ♪

♪ Champion The Wonder Horse ♪