07x11 - The Reluctant Rebel

[bunniefuu]

Hey, Sam, don't you think we
ought to move 'em up the draw

and lay low for a while?

No, we're gonna move
'em on up to our place.

What if someone sees us?

You let me worry about that.

Where's Billy?

He chickened out.

Don't make jokes with me, Sport.

No, I'm serious.

He cut out back there.

Go look for yourself.

What are you doing back here?

My cinch come loose.

I just stopped to tighten it.

Yeah? Well, it
looks all right now.

You gonna stay
around here all day?

No, I-I was just...
fixing to mount up.

Hey, boy, you ain't turning
yellow on me, are you?

No!

What is it?

It's the Cartwrights.

No, Sam, don't!

Let go of that. Let go!

Keep after 'em!

Hyah!

Dad-burnit.

♪♪

They got clean away, Hoss.

Didn't even get a chance
to get a look at 'em.

Who you got there?

Billy Penn.

Hank Penn's boy?

What's he doing here?

I don't know. That's
what I'm gonna find out.

You fellas get those cattle
back up to the north pasture,

where they belong.

I'll take care of Billy.

Just stay put, Billy.

You got a nasty bump there.

Mr. Cartwright,

I didn't know what they
was gonna do, honest.

Who were they, Billy?

I don't know, Hoss.

You don't know or...
you won't tell me?

I can't.

I just can't.

Look, Billy,

cattle rustling's a
mighty serious business.

Now, uh, your pa's
been a good friend

of mine for... long
as I can remember.

You wouldn't want me
taking you over there

and telling him what I
caught you doing, would you?

I can't tell you, Hoss.

That's all there is to it.

Don't you understand?

If you don't quit running around
with that bunch of wild yahoos,

he's gonna get
himself in more trouble.

Well, it's better than
being a pig farmer.

You know what people call us?

Hank and Billy
Penn, the Pig-Penns.

I'd do just about anything
to get away from that.

Even to covering up
for a bunch of rustlers?

Well, they ain't pig farmers.

Well... come on, son.

Looks like you and me

got to do a little
talking with your pa.

- I can get up myself.
- All right.

Have it your way, boy.

Come on.

You sure ain't gonna make
your pa very happy, Billy.

Lot he cares.

He don't even know I'm alive.

All he cares about is pigs.

Hyah.

- Howdy, Hank.
- Hoss.

Missed you last night, boy.

Where you been?

Out with some friends.

All night?

Why not?

I ain't a kid anymore, Pa.

We got company.

You go on inside.

We'll talk about this later,

soon as Mr. Cartwright leaves.

I got nothing to talk about.

I have.

Now get.

Hoss, I'm sorry.

Aw, it ain't your fault, Hank.

That's just it, Hoss.

I think it is.

Billy and me, we...

just don't seem
to hit it off no more.

I can't talk to him.

I can't even control him.

He's gone wild as a yearling.

I been sort of hoping he'd
grow out of it, you know?

Aw, Hank,

all boys got a few wild
oats they got to sow.

I did.

Little Joe did.

Sometimes I wonder if
Little Joe's grown out of it yet.

But, you know...

sometimes it takes
more than just growing.

Yeah.

What do I do?

Beat his head in for him?

Would that do any good?

I don't know.

I wish I knew the answer
to that, Hank, but I don't.

What brings you over
here this time of day, Hoss?

Hank, on second thought,

I think I'll let
Billy tell you that.

I'll see you, Hank.

Say hello to your pa for me.

There's a piece
of pie over there.

Mrs. Randall brought
pie, if you're hungry.

What, does she
think we need charity?

No.

She just figured maybe you
were getting tired of my cooking.

Where'd you meet up with Hoss?

Didn't he tell you?

No, he said he
figured you'd do that.

Did you go over there
to ask him for a job?

No.

What makes you
think I'd do that?

Well, maybe this farm here

is gettin' a little
cramped for your size.

Or... maybe you figure that

horses and cows
are more important

to deal with than pigs.

Well, ain't they?

Son, somebody's
gotta raise pigs.

Well, they're clean, fine stock.

And there's always
a market for 'em.

You're proud of it, aren't you?

Why shouldn't I be?

It's honest work.

Don't you know
what people call us?

I been called a lot of
things in my lifetime.

It don't matter what folks say.

Well, it may not matter to you,

but it does matter to me!

Billy!

You forgot your lunch.

I ain't hungry no more.

And you didn't tell
his father about it?

No, sir.

Well, don't you think
you should have?

Well, Pa, I started to,

but dad-burnit, it
seemed like old Hank had

the weight of the world on
his shoulders about that boy,

and I-I just didn't want
to add to it, that's all.

Hoss, I know how
difficult it is for Hank

without a wife, a mother
to help guide the family

and I know what
he's going through.

Every father does when
his children start growing up.

But if Billy's getting
into serious trouble,

I think Hank ought to be
told about it, don't you?

I guess so.

Well, what does that
mean, "I guess so"?

Well, Pa, I guess I'm looking
at it from Billy's viewpoint.

If you knew all the trouble

that Little Joe and me got
into when we was growing up,

why, you would've wore
yourself out thrashing us.

Old Billy's right there
at that same stage, now,

the same age,

where everything
his Pa does is wrong

and nobody
understands him and...

well, he gets into
a lot of trouble,

but he don't mean to,
you know what I mean?

Yes, I think I know
what you mean.

But cattle rustling is
a little more serious

than some adolescent prank.

Well, now, that's just it, Pa.

I ain't for sure
he was rustling.

He was out there
with 'em, all right.

But when I first saw him,
when I rode up that hill,

he was up there fighting
with one of them yahoos.

Fighting?

Yeah. This other
kid had a r*fle,

and Billy was trying to keep
him from using it... on me.

I see.

So, I... I figured I
owed him something.

At least to let him tell
his Pa about it... hisself.

Yeah.

You think he did?

I hope so, but I doubt it.

Howdy there, big boy.

Doggone it, I'm sorry
I've neglected you lately,

but don't seem like there's
enough hours in the day.

If you're gonna win that
blue ribbon at the fair,

we got a lot of work to do.

Hello, Hoss.

Howdy, Billy.

Ain't you gonna ask
me why I'm here?

Well, I... figured you'd
tell me when you got ready.

What you doing?

Getting old Macho
here ready for the fair

in Virginia City, at
the end of the month.

Boy, he sure is a
good-looking bull.

Yeah. Yeah, he's
sort of a special breed.

He's a new strain around here.

I sure would like to
see him win hisself

a blue ribbon at that fair.

Think he can?

Lot of hard work, he's
got a chance, yeah.

Boy...

I'd give anything to
have a bull like that.

Yeah.

Look at the way
he holds his head.

Yeah.

Yeah, he knows he's
a champion, don't he?

Reckon it's a hard
thing, being a man.

Yeah. It's about
the hardest thing

we have to learn
in this life, Billy.

Matter of fact, a lot of
fellers never quite make it.

How do you learn?

Well, it's a...

it's a different thing with
different men, I reckon.

When it happens to
you, you'll know it, though.

Mr. Cartwright...

I come over here to tell you

I'm sorry for what
happened this afternoon.

I reckon I acted pretty dumb.

Yeah. I reckon
you did at that, Billy.

Apology accepted.

I didn't know they was gonna
rustle your cattle, honest.

I believe you, Billy.

Really?

Sure!

Ain't very often anybody
believes what I say,

including my pa.

Billy...

are you sure you're
giving him a chance?

He don't give me much of
a chance, Mr. Cartwright.

If he'd only... Only what?

If he'd only let me do
something on my own.

Like raise a few head of cattle.

I've asked him.

All he cares about is pigs.

Billy... you, uh...

you really want
to be a cattle man?

Oh, boy, do I.

Mr. Cartwright, I... I'd
do just about anything.

Billy, I got myself
a real problem.

Maybe you can help me.

What kind of problem?

Well, like I was telling you,

I'm trying to get old Macho
ready for that fair, and,

well, what with all the
work I got to do on the ranch,

I just ain't got time.

Maybe you can take
him over for me, huh?

I know that's pretty unfair
of me to ask, I reckon.

I mean, it takes a lot of work
to get a bull ready for a fair.

And...

a lot of training, grooming,
brushing, combing.

Yeah, a feller has to
have a real feeling for cattle

to get one ready for a fair.

Reckon who could help me...

What's that old
Kellerman kid's name?

Alex, ain't it? Yeah,
Alex Kellerman.

Bet he'd help.
He'd be a hand, too.

That ol' kid had a calf in
that last Virginia City fair,

and, as I recall, he did
pretty doggone well there.

Yeah, he'd be a good hand.

Mr. Cartwright?

If... if I did it,

would we have to tell my pa?

Billy, wouldn't you
want to tell your pa?

No.

He wouldn't understand.

Well, anyway you want
to work is fine with me.

Then it's a deal.

All right.

He's yours.

Well, hello, Billy.

Where you been keeping yourself?

I missed having you around.

I've been kind of busy, Sam.

I'm on my way to the
Ponderosa. I've been working.

So have we, ain't we, boys?

I, uh, thought you'd
like your share.

I, uh... I don't
deserve it, Sam.

I didn't earn it.

Well, you're a member
of the g*ng, ain't you?

The rules say we all
share and share alike.

Here, take it.

Sam, I don't want it.

What's the matter?

You trying to weasel out on us?

Hmm?

You know the rules, don't you?

Once you're in...
you're in for life.

I'll give you this tonight,
in town, at the Silver Dollar.

But, Sam, I can't make it.

Billy, I said be there,
and wear your g*n!

Whew.

Hey, it's Hank Penn's boy.

Hi, Billy.

Hi, Shale.

You seen Mr. Cartwright? Hoss?

Oh, we left him down
in, uh, Sawhorse Pasture

about a half hour ago.

He'll be here about
dark or a little after.

Oh. Uh... Can I help you?

Oh, I'll-I'll wait.

Uh, well, I, uh...

I could use some horn
wax and some soap.

- Some horn wax?
- Yeah.

What are you gonna do, kid,

try to wax up some
of them pigs of yours?

I can, uh, get
it for you, Billy.

- I...
- No, just wait a minute. Wait a minute.

He ain't told us what
he wants it for yet.

I'm fixing up a
bull for the fair.

A bull?

Yeah.

Well, that's a lot
of bull right there.

Everybody knows
that the Pig-Penns

don't have nothing but pigs.

Pigs and more pigs.

Don't never use that word again.

It so happens Mr. Cartwright
gave me the job

of fixing up Macho Segundo
for the Virginia City Fair.

Macho Segundo, huh?

Yeah.

All right, kid,

let me hear one now
that I can believe.

Ah, leave the kid
alone, Burkhart.

Well, he shouldn't be
coming around here

telling us all them big lies!

I ain't lying!

Uh, don't pay no attention

to that flannel mouth, Billy.

He's just trying
to get your goat.

Just trying to get his
pig, you mean, don't you?

Hold everything there!

Hey, hold everything, Billy.

Burkhart's just joshing
you, can't you see that?

Hyah! Hyah!

Hey, Billy, you forgot
your... Hey, Billy!

Man.

That kid is plumb
sensitive, ain't he?

Well, you rode him pretty hard.

And I don't know why you should.

He seems like a
nice enough kid to me.

Well, how was I to know?

Well, let's take care of the
horses and get washed up.

What a day and we're gonna
have a worse one tomorrow.

Well, we'll get the
herd moved by noon.

I don't even want
to think about it.

- Hoss?
- Yes, sir?

Get one of the hands to
put up the horses, huh?

All right.

Hope old Hop Sing's got
plenty of food for supper.

'Cause I'm hungry and dangerous.

Now, what's the matter?

I was just looking
for Billy Penn's horse.

He's supposed to be over
here working on Macho.

Well, maybe Billy's father's

got him doing
some chores for him.

You're monopolizing too
much of that boy's time.

Yeah, you sl*ve driver.

Howdy, men.

I wonder if I can
get one of you fellers

to put our horses
up for the night?

Hey!

Burkhart, what happened to you?

I guess I was talking when I
should've been grinning, Hoss.

He got to rawhiding
old Hank Penn's boy,

and the kid just about took
off one of his ears for dinner.

Oh, yeah? Billy, uh,
Billy's been here, huh?

Yeah, about two hours ago.

He came looking for you.

Said he wanted to borrow
some horn wax and soap.

Said he was getting
old Macho Segundo

groomed up for the fair.

I got to joshing the kid
about them pigs of his,

and that kid come at me like
a wild-eyed, scratching bobcat.

Kid's got a plumb bad
temper to be so young.

Was he telling the truth,
Hoss, about you letting him

work on that
high-priced bull of yours?

Yeah, yeah, it's
the truth all right.

Uh, look, fellers, if I was you,

I wouldn't, I wouldn't
josh him about them pigs.

Yeah, you're telling me?

He lit out of here like
a devil was after him.

I bet that kid's still running.

Wanting soap and wax, huh?

Yeah.

See you fellers in the morning.

Oh...

♪♪

Billy?

Yeah?

Where you been, boy?

Out.

That makes every
night this week.

Don't you think I ought to
get some kind of explanation?

Why?

I ain't one of your pigs.

Boy, you been drinkin'?

Yep.

So what?

I been patient with you...

but there'll come a
time when I won't be.

Let it come, old man.

Let it come!

You asking me to whip you?

If you think you're man
enough, come ahead!

Hoss was over to
see you last night.

You know what he wanted?

Reckon I do.

You been over at the Ponderosa?

What if I have?

Well, you got no
business over there.

You're up to no good.

You would think
that, wouldn't you?

What should I think?

You been out every
night till all hours.

Where you going?

For a ride. Do you mind?

I got work for you
to do around here.

You stay home.

Billy! Get back here!

Whoa.

- Hello, Hoss.
- Howdy, Billy.

What happened to you
last night? I missed you.

I... I had something
important to do.

Billy, I'm sorry

about what happened
last night with the hands.

They... they didn't
mean no harm.

They shouldn't have
called me those names.

Billy...

one of the first lessons
you gotta learn growing up

is to take a ribbin'
from older men.

They didn't mean no harm.

It's just their way of
having a little fun, that's all.

Well, I don't like
to be made fun of.

Look, son...

you gotta learn to
laugh at yourself.

If you can't,

you might as well
give up right now.

But Hoss... Ah! There.

There's a fine example.

You just called me "Hoss."

How long do you think it took me

to get used to
being called that?

Oh, Billy, life gets
mighty tough at times

and if you don't
learn to laugh at it,

you'll never lick it.

Now, we got a lot of
work to do on old Macho.

You want to get started?

Sure, Ho... Mr. Cartwright.

No. No.

It's Hoss.

Now, come on, let's get
ol' Macho back in the stall.

Come on, Macho.

- Joseph.
- Huh?

- It's all right.
- Oh... It's all right.

I just thought that, uh,

if you want to sleep that badly,

you might try your
bed, instead of my chair.

I guess you're right.

Come on. Up you go.

Oh, I'm so glad we
got those herds moved.

I've been... I've been
counting cows in my sleep.

Uh, so where's Hoss?

Oh, he was, he
was out in the barn

with Billy Penn
last time I saw him,

working with Macho.
You want me to get him?

No, I'll-I'll, uh, I'll
talk to him later.

Listen, I'm going to Carson
City tomorrow morning

and I want you and
Hoss to make sure

that our entry is registered
properly at the fair.

Hey, you know, Billy's
doing a fine job with that bull.

You ought to see him.

Yeah.

Yeah, I have seen him.

I'm afraid that isn't all
that Billy's been up to.

Oh? What's that
supposed to mean?

Well, Sheriff Coffee
was over this morning.

He thinks that
Billy's running around

with Sam Cotterfield
and that g*ng.

Well, is he sure about it?

No, he's not sure,

but he's, you know,
he's trying to find out.

He thinks he...

might round that g*ng
up next week sometime.

I sure hope that
Billy isn't among 'em.

Up you go.

Right.

Here you go, Macho.

He sure looks fine, Billy.

Sleek as a teardrop.

Yeah.

Think he's got a chance, Hoss?

A chance? You're doggone
right he's got a chance.

Why, he'll knock those
judges right out of the seat.

Yes, sir, he sure looks fine.

You done a mighty
good job with him, Billy.

Well... tomorrow's
the big day, huh?

Yep. I got our cart

and everything all ready to go.

I mean, we'll cart him in.

We don't want him walking.

Don't want him losing
none of that pretty fat.

Well... reckon there's nothing
more we can do tonight.

Guess I... best be
getting on home.

Night, Billy.

You know... I ain't
never had anybody

I could really
look up to before.

A guy needs somebody, you know?

Billy...

what about your pa?

I wanted to, Hoss.

I really did.

There was a time when I
wanted to be just like him.

Then I grew up and
saw what he was.

Night, Hoss.

Billy...

you will never know
what a fine man your pa is.

Then why don't he act like it?

What are you doing in that barn?

Pa, I...

Hey! Hank!

Hoss... Billy!

You wouldn't let me
explain, would you?

You wouldn't give me a chance!

Hank, I can explain all this.

Maybe I should have before now.

Come here, let me
show you something.

Ain't he something?

And Billy did it all
by himself, Hank.

Why didn't he tell me?

I don't know.

I reckon he wanted
to surprise you.

He wants you to be
proud of him, Hank.

Son...

See what I mean, Hoss?

♪♪

Well, what now, cousin?

Fun, cousin.

Fun.

And I think I see where
some of that fun is gonna start.

Come on.

Hello, Mr. Pig Man.

Hold up there, Pig Man.

What do you want?

Just want to pass the time,

indulge in a little
friendly chit-chat

with a real pig man.

Let me by.

I declare, you're just not
friendly at all today, are you?

Where's Pig Boy?

You been seeing my boy lately?

That's right, Mr. Pig Man.

Billy running around with trash?

You know all the answers
today, don't you... Pig Man?

And I got some advice.

Keep away from Billy.

Mm-mm! Move aside, boys,

he's a tough old pig.

Sooey!

Mm-mm! Look at them pies, Joe.

Hi, Miss Millie.

Uh, you look at the pies, Hoss.

I got something
better to look at.

Uh, Miss Millie,

why don't you give
me a big old piece

of that big old juicy-lookin'
apple pie there, huh?

You going to the dance tonight?

I might be.

Well, what's that mean...
You got another date?

Well, no, silly, I
have work to do.

At the dance?

I'll be in the kissing booth.

Oh, it's for charity, you know.

Well, I mean, it...

nothing wrong in doing
it for charity, is there?

Oh, no. I think it's great.

Would you like a
piece of pie, Joe?

I think I'll save
my money for later.

Sure is good, Joe.

Oh, I bet it is.

Dad-burnit.

I got to go up to the
barn and get Macho.

We're keeping him
over there till the judging.

See y'all after a while.

- Bye, Miss Millie.
- Bye.

What time is it, cousin?

A little after 1:00.

You reckon we ought
to get a bite to eat?

Ah, you and your stomach.

Later. Anyway, you won't starve.

I want to look up
an old friend first.

Who? Oink Oink?

The pig boy?

That's right.

Billy Penn.

Come on.

How about it, big fella?

You gonna win
that ribbon for Billy?

You're some animal.

Now, easy now.

Been a long time since
I've been around bulls.

Hi, Hank.

Sure looks fine, don't he?

He looks like a
million dollars, Hoss.

I'm mighty proud of Billy.

Why don't you tell him so, Hank?

I tried to this morning, Hoss.

My tongue got
tied up in my mouth

like a bundle of rope.

My people was never ones
for speaking their minds.

What can I do, Hoss?

What can I do to let
him know how I feel?

Dad-burnit, Hank.

Just bust out
with it, that's all.

Just can't teach an
old dog new tricks.

Now, doggone, if
it ain't Billy Penn.

Hi, Sam.

Good to see you.

Good to see you, too, Billy.

Where's your black bandana?

I left it home.

He left it home.

What's this, Billy?

You joined up
with us, didn't you?

Sam, I've been thinking.

Look... you let old
Sam do the thinking.

Now, if we let you out,

that puts us all in
a tight spot, see?

What do you mean?

Well, you know too much, boy.

About us.

I wouldn't tell anybody.

Well, now how can
we take that chance?

How do we know?

Sam Cotterfield?

I told you to keep
away from my boy.

Now, get.

Do you detect a
strong odor of, uh... pig?

I sure do, cousin.

Phew!

I smell pig.

Who you gonna whip now, Pig Man?

You hear me, Pig Man?

You're nothing but a
dirty, stinking Pig-Penn!

Pa... don't let him say that.

Sooey!

Run, Pig Man, run!

Look at that
stinking pig man run!

- Sam! Sam!
- Billy, Billy!

Billy, Billy...!

Just calm down, settle down.

Leave me alone!

Settle down, Billy.

Pig Boy, you remember
what I told you,

and you remember good.

Sam, let me tell you something:

About the healthiest move
you can make, all of you...

That is, unless you want to get
those pretty faces bashed up...

Is to get out of here.

And I mean right now. Get!

Come on, boys.

Let's get out of
this stinking place.

It's almost 2:00, Bill.

We better go get
Macho out of the barn.

Look, just leave
me alone, will you?

Billy...

Turn around here, boy.

Look up at me. Look up at me!

Look here...

you've been sulking
and punying around here

just about long enough.

You don't want to
be a man, do you?

You think you'll
get more attention

walking around
dragging that bottom lip

around between your feet, huh?

I got a suggestion
for you, Billy.

If you're gonna grow
up, you grow up right now

or go off and join
that garbage heap

with that Sam
Cotterfield and that bunch.

You saw what happened.

They humiliated him.

And he just took it.

He's a coward.

"A coward"?

Hank Penn "a coward"?

Not hardly, boy.

Not hardly.

Let me tell you something.

Your pa's one of the bravest
men I ever knew in my life.

He's had battles you
don't even know about, boy!

And he won them.

Won them all.

No.

Your pa, he ain't got
nothing to prove to nobody.

He knows what he is.

He's a man.

You're wrong, Hoss.

He does have to prove something.

To me.

Hey, boys.

Looks like the pig man
wants to be a cow man now.

You got no business in here.

I got lots of business
in this barn, Pig Man.

And you ain't
gonna like none of it.

You do anything
to upset this bull,

and I'll break your head
like I should've done before.

Well, now, who said
anything about hurting the bull?

But, uh, it is an idea.

I'm warning you...
Hey, you guys?

I think the old pig man's
in love with this bull.

Ain't that awful?

Why, that's bound to make

them pigs of his
powerful jealous.

You keep your
hands off that bull.

Cousin?

You ever see a...
a one-eared bull?

Can't say as I have, cousin.

He'd be a sight.

You hold him for me, Sport.

You're about to see a
one-eared pig farmer.

Oh!

Aah!

I just couldn't wait till
tonight to get that first kiss.

Uh, I-I'll be right back.

You stinking pig man!

Best pigs in the territory!

Good boy, Billy!

Don't lose him, Pa!

Hey, still love me?

The sheriff wants
to talk to you.

Let's go.

Hey, look at the hog wallers!

Joe, you ought to be
ashamed of yourself.

Big as you are, out there
playing with mud pies.

Oh, Little Joe Cartwright, I...

oh... well, I hate you!

Well, just look at you!

Wha...? Hey, Millie, wait!

Hey, uh...

Well, it looks like I
got a man for a son.

Thanks, Bill.

Thank you, Pa.

Looks like I've had a
man for a pa all along.

Just wasn't smart
enough to know it.

Hey, you two.

We got a blue ribbon
to win, or did you forget?

No, we haven't forgot about it.

Have we, son?

No. No, sir.

How could we forget about
something as important as that?

Oh!

Come on, Macho. Come on, Macho.