01x01 - The Saddle Tramp

[bunniefuu]

♪ Champion The Wonder Horse ♪

♪ Champion The Wonder Horse ♪

[Champion neighs]

♪ Like a streak of lightning
flashing cross the sky ♪

♪ Like the swiftest arrow
whizzing from a bow ♪

♪ Like a mighty cannonball
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 ♪

[dramatic music]

[gentle music]

- Whoa Beulah, whoa.

Sandy North's Ranch, three miles.

It's gettin' on to supper time.

Might be a chance for us
to get something to eat.

Maybe get a couple of days rest.

You all can remember your tricks.

Let's see.

Now, when I laugh like this

[laughing loudly] you pull loose.

[mule brays]

I said I do the laughing.

[man laughing loudly]
[mule braying]

Thatta girl, Beulah.

Oh, Beulah, as mules go,
you ain't the smartest

but you sure learned that trick good.

[Rebel barking]

[mule braying]

[dramatic music]

[Rebel barking]

[mule braying]

Get away, dog, I ain't bothering you.

Now, why you bothering me?

[dramatic music]
[hooves thundering]

[Champion whinnying]

Oh, good, now I got a
crazy horse after me, too.

Go on, get out of here you varmint.

Get it out of here.

[Rebel barking]

Get away from here.

[Rebel barking]

- That's enough, Champ.

I'm sure proud of you though.

You caught one of the rustlers.

Now keep him up there
while I go for the sheriff.

- What are you saying, boy?

I ain't no rustler.

- Who are you then?

- I'm a law abiding citizen!

Coming from all parts of the world.

- Maybe you are, but the
whole valley's having trouble

with rustlers and the sheriff can decide.

- Now wait son, if I was a rustler

would I be riding a little
old mule like Beulah there?

Why she ain't fit to rustle caterpillars.

- Well.

- [Will] I'm telling you the truth son.

- I guess you are, come on down.

Champ and Rebel won't hurt ya

long as you don't try any tricks.

- Well, thanks boy.

[gentle music]

I'm Will Calhoun, trapper,
tracker, and Indian fighter.

These folks will tell you that
I'm one of the bravest men

this side of the Great Divide.

- Then how come you were up in that tree?

- Oh well I love animals and I don't like

to hurt 'em lessen I have to.

Especially fine looking ones like

that dog and that horse there.

Son, that stallion belong to you?

- Not really, he leads a wild herd.

I'm the only one he'll let ride him.

- Aye, remarkable!

Remarkable!

Boy, what kind of folks is these Norths?

- That's us.

I'm Ricky North, and my uncle Sandy,

gosh, I've gotta get back,
it's almost suppertime.

- Supper huh?

Well, now I was just about to ask you

to have supper with me.

[Champion neighing]
[Rebel barking]

What's plaguing them now?

[g*ns f*ring]

- Rustlers!

[g*ns f*ring]
[dramatic music]

Uncle Sandy and the sheriff!

They'll catch 'em this time.

[g*ns f*ring]

Come on Mr. Calhoun!

[dramatic music]

[mule braying]

- I'll get him to the doctor, Sandy.

[dramatic music]

[Rebel barking]

- Uncle Sandy, you almost
had the rustlers this time.

- Almost isn't enough, Ricky.

We don't get those rustlers for good

every ranch in this valley will be

out of business including us.

[Rebel barking]

- Whoa, Beulah!

Howdy, Mr. North.

- Howdy, I don't think I've
seen you around here before.

- Oh you haven't sir, but I'm Will Calhoun

of the Calhouns of Calhoun
County in old Virginia.

That is originally.

- And now he's a famous
Indian fighter and trapper.

- Pleased to meet you.

- Well the pleasure's all mine, sir.

Say, looks like that stallion's
got a case on that mare.

- They're just good friends.

She used to be in Champ's herd.

[horse whinnying]

Everything's all right now
Champ, you can go back.

- Remarkable horse all right.

I'm sorry to hear them
outlaws give you the slip.

You know outlaws ain't so hard
to handle if you know how.

- That so?

- Yes sir, now you take the time

I caught the Dalton g*ng single-handed.

- The Daltons?

Golly, will you tell me about it?

- Well now, you was
headin' for your supper.

I reckon I better get along and fix mine.

- Couldn't Mr. Calhoun
come to supper with us?

- Don't see why not, Ricky.

You'd be welcome, too.

- Well I'm happy to accept
your gracious hospitality, sir.

I thank you.

[gentle music]

Me fight Indians?

Yes, sir.

Though there was one time up in Wyoming

[chuckles] still makes me laugh.

- What happened, Will?

- Well happened I just k*lled a grizzly

with nothing but my bare hands.

And I just got through skinning him

and I was sitting in
my camp with that pelt

when from afar off I
heard a thundering sound

and over the hill come a
w*r party of Canomie Indians

just a whoopin' and a hollerin'
and heading right for me.

There was thousands of
'em, riding like the wind,

right at me in my camp

and it looked like the end
of poor old Will Calhoun.

But then I suddenly
remembered that the god

of the Canomie tribe was
Rockatomie, the old grizzly bear.

I covered myself with
that pelt and I figured

when they saw what looked
like a bear sh**ting at them,

they'd figure their god was mad at 'em

for trying to cut up old Will Calhoun.

And I was right.

They stopped dead in their tracks.

They got out of there faster
than you can say cottontail.

- Gosh, that was a narrow escape.

- Oh just fast thinking son, that's all.

- That's quite a story, Will.

Where are you headed now?

- I'm heading up north.

Gonna lead an expedition
to the back country.

- Golly Will, I wish you
could stay with us a while.

- I wish I could too, son,

but with them folks up north
waiting for me to lead 'em.

Well I guess Beulah must have finished

them oats you gave her by now, Mr. North.

[bright music]

[Will laughs]

[Beulah braying]

- Something funny out there?

- I just can't get over

them Indians thinking I was a grizzly.

Hey!

That gosh darn mule of
mine is going right off!

Well, she's sure enough gone all right,

and getting too close to
dark to go look for her.

- You'll have to stay here
tonight, but in the morning

I'll get Champ and he'll find her.

- Well, I hate to impose
on your hospitality, Sandy,

but maybe you'd be kind enough
to let me sleep in the barn.

- That's not necessarily Will,

there's plenty of room in the house.

- And you can tell me some
more stories before my bedtime.

- Well, I got a couple you might like.

- Good.

[gentle music]

- You want to go along with
me and hunt for rustlers

and I can let you have a horse.

- Oh that's mighty handsome of you, Sandy,

but I can't take the time.

I gotta stay here and see if
Ricky and Champ find Beulah.

Of course once she run
away for three days.

[Rebel barking]

Well I'll be jiggered.

Found that critter.

- Champ found Beulah.

I kind of wish he hadn't, though.

So you could stay a while longer Will,

and maybe help us with our rustlers.

- There's nothing I'd like better, son.

But them folks up north is waiting for me.

- Well we can ride together.

I'll be looking for the
rustlers northwest of here.

- And then you could help Uncle Sandy

if you happen to run into them.

- Did you say northwest?

- That's right.

- Well I gotta ride sort of northeast.

- Well the rustlers
might be up that way too.

Nobody knows where they are.

[Will groans]

What is it Will?

- Oh my knee, I got an
Indian arrow in it once.

Old darn thing's acting up.

- You stay here 'til
you feel better, Will.

Stay as long as you like.

- Well no, sir, I'm going
with you knee or no knee!

- [Ricky] You can't!

- [Will] Oh, I guess not.

- Take care of him, Ricky.

- I will, Uncle Sandy!

- What's one knee more or less.

- Go on Rebel, go with Uncle Sandy.

[Rebel barking]

Come on Will.

[gentle music]
[Rebel barking]

[cows mooing]

- [Boss] Hurry up, let's
get that herd through here.

- Hey boss.

- Hold on!

[dramatic music]

[g*ns f*ring]

[Rebel whining]

- Better go get that mare, come on.

[Rebel barking]

- Down, down Champ.

- Hey that's pretty good!

[Rebel barking]

- Something must have
happened to Uncle Sandy.

Come on Will, help me saddle Beulah.

- I can't, this bad knee.

- You've just got to come!

- Well, all right, but
don't ride too fast.

[Rebel barking]

You old bucket, come on old biscuit!

Come on, get going!

- Uncle Sandy?

- Well, I found the rustlers all right.

Looks like it was a mistake.

- You hurt bad?

- No, but the b*llet's still in me.

- Come on, you!
- Where's the mare?

- They must have taken her.

I don't think I could
ride her if they hadn't.

- You can ride Beulah, I'll
go to town for the doctor.

[Champion whinnying]

[somber music]
[birds chirping]

- Like the doc said, Sandy,
you've lost a lot of blood.

You've got to stay in bed.

- Sounds good, but in a week
I could lose all my stock.

- You can stop worrying.

There's a federal marshal coming tomorrow

to help us with the rustlers.

- And Will can help too.

- [Sheriff] All right.

- Sure, as soon as this leg heals up,

why I'll jump right down on them rustlers.

- [laughs] Now rest easy Sandy, so long.

- See you later Uncle Sandy.

[suspenseful music]

- [Will] I felt sorry for
that poor mountain lion.

- What did you do?

- Well I tracked him right to his lair

and wrestled him to death.

- Golly, I bet you're about
the best tracker in the West.

- Well.

There may be someone better,
but I haven't met him yet.

- Say, maybe you could teach me.

How would you go about
tracking down rustlers?

- Well, now first off

I'd start right where Sandy got sh*t.

- Looking for tracks?

- Then I'd follow 'em right on through.

- That doesn't sound hard,
I bet I could do it myself.

- [Will] Why sure you could,
a smart youngster like you?

- Will.

- We're coming Uncle Sandy.

- Ricky, you'd better go to bed now.

- But it's still early.

- Ricky, do as I say.

- Yes sir, goodnight.

Goodnight Will.

- Goodnight, son.

- Now look here, Will.

I don't mind you telling
Ricky these yarns,

but when you tell him things
that might get him k*lled.

- k*lled, what do you mean?

- I mean telling him how
to track down rustlers.

You know how boys are,

Ricky believes everything you've told him

and he's just headstrong enough to go out

and try and something on his own.

- You think that boy would really go out

and try and track down them rustlers?

- Well he's liable to.

- I'm sorry, I really am.

I just didn't want that boy to think

I was an old saddle strap.

- I know Will, but watch
it from now on, will ya?

- That's a promise.

You know I wouldn't want
nothing to happen to that boy.

I've gotten awful attached to him.

- I know, thanks Will, goodnight.

- Goodnight, Mr. North.

[somber music]

[Rebel whining]

Rebel you seen Ricky?

What's this?

Gee halfwit, he's gone
out to track them rustlers

just like Sandy said.

And it's all my fault.

What am I gonna do?

[Rebel barking]

- Ricky, Ricky what's the matter?

- We mustn't let Sandy know what happened.

- [Sandy] Will, where's Ricky?

- Oh went out to see
his pal Champ I reckon.

- Are you sure, you look worried.

- Shucks no, but I'll ride out

and find him if you're worried.

I'll be back before you know it.

[suspenseful music]

- There's a lot of tracks, Champ.

If Will was here, he'd
know which ones to follow.

I guess we just go to do the best we can.

- Keep going Rebel, of course

I'm just about the world's surest tracker

but we gotta find Ricky
before he gets his self

in a whole lot of trouble.

[ominous music]

[Champion whinnying]

- Champ, what is it?

[horses whinnying]

- What's the matter with that mare?

- How should I know?

[horse snorting]
[Champion whinnying]

- What's wrong, what is it?

[Champion snorting]

Okay Champ, show me.

[dramatic music]

Holy cow!

Uncle Sandy's mare, rustlers.

I'm gonna try and get a closer look.

Stay here.

[Champion whinnying]

[dramatic music]

[horse whinnying]

- There's Champ.

[Rebel barking]

Ricky!

- Will, help me!

- Hold on, boy!

There now tie this around yourself, boy.

[ominous music]

Come here, Champ.

[dramatic music]

[Champion neighing]

Hold on, boy.

Oh Champ, you sure got
to help me this time.

You ready now, son?

- [Ricky] Yes, I hope so!

[dramatic music]

- Pull, Champ, pull!

Pull, pull!

Pull, pull!

[Champion whinnies]

[Rebel whining]

Come here, boy.

Oh, you all right, son?

- I think so.

[Rebel barking]

Rebel, be quiet!

The rustlers are down there.

- Rustlers?

- Up there, we've been spotted.

- Come on, boy!

- Saddle the horses.

[dramatic music]

[g*ns f*ring]

- Will, what do we do?

- We gotta get the sheriff.

- But they'll get away.

You stay here and hold 'em
down while I go get help.

- Hold them down?

With what?

- Uncle Sandy's r*fle,
you can do it, can't you?

- Why, oh, wait.

[g*ns f*ring]

[dramatic music]

Oh why did I get myself
in a mess like this?

Me and my big mouth.

Golly, I can hardly hold this r*fle,

let alone hit anything with it! [mutters]

[dramatic music]

[g*n fires]

[Rebel barking]

[g*n fires]

Don't you leave me now
dog, you're all I got left!

- Okay boss, let's ride.

- Get my bedroll, the
cattle money's in it.

[g*n fires]

[Rebel barks]

[Rebel barking]
[horses whinnying]

- That dog is spooking the horses!

- What's that fool Rebel trying to do?

[Rebel growling]

- [Rustler] Help help!

[g*n fires]

[Will laughs]

[Rebel growling]

- Yeah, good boy Rebel, I
got things under control now.

One move mister and Will
Calhoun will give you

what he did that Dalton g*ng.

[hooves thundering]

- [Sheriff] Nice work, mister.

- Boy oh boy, Will, you
captured 'em all singlehanded.

How did you do it?

- Well son, there was
nothing really to it.

I just pointed that--
[Rebel barking]

Well, it wasn't really singlehanded.

I did get a little help from Rebel here.

[both laughing]

- Thanks again, old timer.

- Oh, that's all right, sheriff.

Any time you need any help you

just call on old Will Calhoun.

Tracker, trapper, Indian
and rustler fighter.

- [Sheriff] All right.

- I still don't understand

how you did it Will, but thanks anyway.

- Do you really have to leave, Will?

- Well I'm afraid so.

I guess I'd better go saddle up Beulah.

Ain't nothing left for me to do here

now them rustlers is cleaned out.

- And that expedition couldn't leave

without Will Calhoun, huh, Will?

- You said it right, Sandy.

Wild Will Calhoun, that's me. [laughing]

[Beulah braying]

Hey Beulah, not now!

Doggone I'm really leaving this time!

Hey Beulah!

Beulah, Beulah come on back here, Beulah!

Can't stay here, come on back here Beulah!

- Uncle Sandy, I don't think
I'll ever forget Will Calhoun.

- I'm sure you won't
Ricky, I'm sure you won't.

♪ Champion The Wonder Horse ♪

♪ Champion The Wonder Horse ♪

♪ Like a streak of lighting
flashing across the sky ♪

♪ Like the swiftest arrow
whizzing from a bow ♪

♪ Like a mighty cannonball
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 ♪