01x12 - A Bugle for Ricky

[bunniefuu]

♪ Champion, the Wonder Horse ♪

♪ Champion, the Wonder Horse ♪

[horse whinnying]

♪ Like a streak 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 ♪

[upbeat orchestral music]

[bugle music]

- Well now, very fair
bugling, trooper North.

- Thank you, Sergeant.

- Attention.

Fall in.

[horse whinnying]

[dramatic music]

- Troopers, prepare to mount.

Mount.

Colonel Laforge, follow me.

Ho, hah!

Troopers to the right flank.

Ho!

Troopers to the right flank.

Ho!

Well, Ricky, I haven't
had so much fun since

my recruit days at Fort Jedson.

- Well Champ and me
are getting better too.

Huh, Sarge?

- Sure are, he's the smartest
horse I ever saw Ricky.

He'd make a fine calvary horse.

- Good as Trooper was?

- Better boy, and after

that's saying plenty, believe me.

You've been practicing
up your salute for Hank?

- Not Hank anymore, Sarge.

Lieutenant Elwood.

- Lieutenant.

It'll be the happiest
salute I ever threw, son.

To my own boy.

- Well if we don't
hurry, we won't be there

to salute him.

- Hey, the stage might get in early.

We better be getting started to town.

[light orchestral music]

- Well thanks, Champ.

That was fun, huh?

You can go back to your herd, go on.

[light orchestral music]

- Howdy Sandy.

- [Sandy] Hi Ray.

Got the place fixed up
for Hank's homecoming?

- Sure am.

Did I ever show you?

Now this here is Sarge, and this is me.

Course I never made higher than corporal.

Guess I told you that before.

- Only about a hundred times.

- Well us old calvary men,
never gets out of the blood.

What a day for Sarge.

His boy not only in the
seventh, but a lieutenant.

He ranked major before
they put him out to grass.

- Sarge won't settle for
anything less than general.

- Don't let old leatherpants josh you.

General or private, Sarge
will be happy just as long

as Hank's with us, Evan.

- Say the stage is about due,

we oughta get over there.

[light orchestral music]

- You find a place, Jack?

- Yeah.

Found a shack about four or five miles

outside of town.

- We could stand off a posse
there and never take a scratch.

How does the bank stack up?

- We could knock it over
in about 10 minutes.

Soon as the stage gets in.

- You never robbed one
in daylight before, Carr.

- Yes, but we never had a
soldier boy's homecoming

to help us out before either.

- What's all this?

- Them local heroes coming home.

The whole town's waiting to greet them,

including the Sheriff.

- Stage is coming.

Sarge is gonna miss it.

- Not if he hurries he won't.

- Almost late to the master, Sarge.

- Get your salutin' arm ready Corporal,

here comes a full Lieutenant.

- [Man] Whoa, whoa.

Whoa.

- Dad.

- Hank.

Where's your uniform?

- Well I'm sorry dad, I'll
tell you about it later.

- Don't blame you, Hank.

Me and Sarge didn't wear
ours on leave either.

Did we, Sarge.

- Well, I'm not on leave, Sheriff.

I resigned my commission dad.

- Resigned your commission?

You got some kind of trouble?

- No.

- Then what in tarnation--

- Easy, Sarge.

- But why, Hank?

- Oh, for a very good reason Ricky.

One that I know you'll understand, Dad.

- Let's hear it.

- For all my life you
taught me to love animals,

respect them.

Well, during the Indian
campaigns, I had three horses

sh*t out from under me.

- So you got scared and quit?

- No, but after those
campaigns, I entered into

a training class.

I became a veterinarian.

- A horse doctor?

And I thought you had
the makings of a soldier.

- Can I help it if I'd
rather patch them up

than see them get k*lled?

- A horse doctor.

- But, da--

- Maybe I can make him
see it easier than you.

- Now hold on, Sarge.

[g*nshots f*ring]

[dramatic orchestral music]

- You stay here, Ricky.

Take this horse next to mine.

- Ray.

- Hank, at least I didn't
run right in to it.

- You'll be all right.

- Sure.

You're in command, Sergeant.

I deputize you, until
they get a new Sheriff.

- Ray.

[dramatic orchestral music]

[g*nshots f*ring]

[g*nshots f*ring]

- Well he's dead, Sandy.

He deputized me.

I'll take the prisoner.

- All right, Sarge.

- On your horse, mister.

- Yeah sure.

Whatever you say, General.

- Dad.

- Look, we've got a spare
bunk out at the ranch, Hank.

Why don't you pick up your stuff in town

and come stay with us until
you get this ironed out.

- If it can be ironed out.

Thanks, Sandy.

["Taps"]

- Sarge asked Ricky to play taps for Ray.

[light orchestral music]

- I knew what a great shock
it would be to him, Sandy,

but I just couldn't go on.

You see when men go into battle,

well they do it for purpose.

But horses, they get maimed and k*lled

for some reason they know nothing about.

- I wouldn't like to ride
Champ into battle either,

maybe have him get k*lled.

And I'm not a coward am I, Uncle Sandy?

- Well of course not, why?

- Well, Sarge says Hank was

because he didn't like
to see horses get hurt.

I guess I'm on Hank's
side, but I like Sarge too.

- Well, everybody does.

- Sandy, I'm gonna ride
into town and see dad.

I'm responsible for this breakup.

I'll try to do everything
I can to patch it up.

- Might be a good idea, Hank.

He's had time to cool off now.

- Oh Ricky, you better
keep your fingers crossed.

Maybe tomorrow we'll all be
riding calvary drill together.

Do you think Sarge would like that,

Trooper North?

- I know he would, Lieutenant.

- Goodbye, Sandy.

[dramatic orchestral music]

- Did you get to town?

- I sure did.

Found out what happened to Jack.

They got him in jail.

- You almost sound glad
it was my brother--

- He isn't.

Now don't you worry about Jack.

He'll get out, and easy.

- Just because you got away
with pulling that trick

with the sheriff in Black Bluff is no sign

this sheriff will fall for the same trick.

- Yes, but this sheriff is dead.

He deputized that old
sergeant we saw in town.

Jack won't have any
trouble talking the old boy

into bringing him out here.

- And if he does have trouble?

- If Jack isn't here by sun up,

we'll go and get him out.

[dramatic orchestral music]

- You're wasting your time
waiting for a jailbreak, general.

They ain't coming.

As far as they're
concerned, I can rot here.

Look, I didn't sh**t your friend, general.

It was Mitch.

- I'm not concerned with
which one of you pulled

the trigger.

- Well, I am.

I'll have to swing for it.

Listen, I know where they're holed up.

I'll lead you right to them.

You can get the drop on
them while they're sleeping.

Look, handcuff me.

Take your r*fle with us.

What chance would I have
to double cross you?

- I don't make deals with murderers.

[footsteps approaching]

[dramatic orchestral music]

- I give up Sergeant, don't sh**t.

- Get out, I've said all
I have to say to you.

- All right, that makes it my turn.

You think I let you down.

- You made a fool out of me.

- Only because you're
too bullheaded to listen.

I quit the calvary because
part of it didn't make sense

to me.

- You did them a favor.

There's no room in the
seventh for cowards.

- Men going into battle is one thing.

k*lling horses is another.

That's something you forgot to teach me.

- Get out.

- Dad, I'm sorry you feel this way.

But I'm even sorrier there's
nothing I can do about it.

- Just like my brother.

- What about your brother?

- He doesn't think about
anybody but himself.

The last thing he'd do is come in here

to help me.

You know the sooner we get started,

the sooner you get the right man.

And we can get some sleep, general.

[dramatic orchestral music]

[rooster crowing]

- We shoulda been doing this last night.

We'll have to do some hard riding now.

About another hour or so
they'll be on their way.

- All right, on your horse.

- Come on Tarts, let's go on.

Jack didn't talk his way out of it.

- We better ride in and get him out.

- In daylight?

- Doesn't make any difference.

We'll do it in the daylight
they won't be expecting us.

We wait till night, they will.

They were probably
waiting for us last night.

Let's go.

- I bet Sarge wouldn't want
Trooper k*lled in battle either.

Oh my gosh, I forgot to raise the flag.

[light orchestral music]

[bugle music]

- Who else would be
blowing the bugle except

that Sergeant?

- Let's have a look.

- Ricky's a little late
getting that flag up.

- Hank, maybe if I had a talk with Sarge.

- No Sandy, he's made up
his mind and so have I.

Best thing for me to do is move on.

- Yeah, but we need a vet
here as much as they do

in Canyon City.

- Maybe.

Dad would never see it that way.

If I stayed in town he'd think I was doing

it just to spite him.

The less he sees of me,
the sooner he'll get rid

of his bitterness.

- Well, I'll ride with
you as far as town anyway.

[dog growling and barking]

- The bank robbers.

[dramatic orchestral music]

Hey, let me go.

- Where do you wanna go kid?

- Leave me alone.

Help!

Let me go.

Let me alone.

[horse whinnying]

- Call him off, kid, call him off.

- Rebel, stop it.

Stop it.

[dog growling and barking]

- Take the house, Mitch.

All right, kid, into the barn.

Bring the horse and dog with you.

- Rebel, get in the barn.

Come on, Champ.

[horse whinnying]

- Get him in there.

- Go on in, Champ, go on.

[light orchestral music]

- Why, the young scalawag.

- Salute and get it over with, general.

We're almost there.

- We're making a stop first.

This way out.

- Come on, Champ.

- Hurry it up, will you.

- He's not used to barns.

He just doesn't like them.

- We don't care what he's
used to, get him in there.

- Come on, Champ, please.

[dramatic orchestral music]

- Hey.

Raise your hands!

- Off your horse, soldier.

- No.

- Take it easy.

I don't know how you got here,

but I'm sure glad you're here.

Get the key off the general, will you?

- [Man] All right toss them over.

- Go, Trooper.

[g*n f*ring]
[horse whinnying]

- They sh*t Trooper.

[dramatic orchestral music]

[bugle music]

- Well, Ricky's still at it.

- He's in trouble, Sandy.

- What do you mean trouble?

- He's blowing boots and saddle,

it could be a call for help.

[bugle calling]

- There's no time to shut him up.

Let's get the keys and get out of here.

[dramatic orchestral music]

- I can't find the key.

Let's get to the horses.

[g*ns f*ring]

- Into the house.

- Sandy, keep me covered.

[g*nshots f*ring]

- Champ, kick the door open.

- Thanks, Sandy.

- Hey, come quick.

Trooper's hurt.

- I'll take care of him, Hank.

Easy, boy, easy.

Ricky, get my medicine bag off the saddle.

- Is it bad, son?

- I won't know until I get the b*llet out.

I'll do all I can, Dad.

[somber orchestral music]

- You know, Sandy, I never
realized losing horse

would mean so much to me.

Been together too long, I guess.

- Well you haven't lost him, Sarge.

I wanna tell you something.

No matter how it comes
out, you've got a son

any father would be proud of.

- Give him a little time to mend,

he'll be good as new.

- Oh boy.

- Trooper aint the only one
with some mending to do.

Can you forgive me, son?

- I sure can, Dad.

[laughs]

[light orchestral music]

- Ho!

Draw saber.

Trooper, hold,

charge!

♪ Champion, the Wonder Horse ♪

♪ Champion, the Wonder Horse ♪

♪ Like a streak of lightning
flashing cross 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 ♪