1780

Advance!

Advance!

Go west!

Come on, there, there, fire!

One more, get him!

Advance, move forward!

You two, check that barn!

You, check those houses!

Find the bastard!

Move.

Not like this.

Up, like that.

Here.

Go check the traps.

Miles.

Instinct's you go at 'em with your arms.

If you enlist your legs too, they'll open easier.

They out there?

I can't see 'em.

- That don't mean they ain't out there.

Hell, we ain't men if we don't stand to now.

This ain't about being men.

This here's about staying alive.

We got most a minute or two

in our pockets to set some formation.

- You might as well have us on leashes.

That's why needed Joe too.

We do that, we shift the odds,

level the sides, two a piece.

Listen to yourself.

- They don't know these lands like I know.

10 minutes to them's an hour to us.

- That ain't true and you called it.

The kid knows the land, better than you at that.

- Then we lay the boy triggin', every round on him.

That ain't true neither.

Kid ain't nothin' to the officer.

He's the type to follow us to doomsday.

- We can't just sit here waiting to get plucked.

Initiative's on us.

So be it, I'll follow you.

Follow me? Why am I leading?

You're faster.

- You're as close to God's cursed

as a horse's ass, you know that?

We go together.

You go first.

- Second allegiance is likely to take a bullet as a lead.

- Then it ain't make no difference

if you go first now, does it?

Bloody Hobson's choice.

Shh!

There's a dead maple there,

just before the path dipped sharp.

Now, if you stow yourself behind-

Gah!

Bloody hell!

Fall in line!

(wounded soldier loudly groaning)

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.

Come on, give it here.

Give it here, (grunts) hey.

- Please, I beg you.

This nay be one I recognize.

Took one in the shoulder, yeah.

Boots are damp, meaning he crossed before succumbing.

You fish his pockets prior?

No.

What are his chances?

- He don't last through the night.

So we gonna leave him?

- It's decided business either way.

Exposure will do its work.

We'll bury him proper after he slips off.

That's the best we can offer.

There's no reward for helping dead men.

Just like your mother, hold this.

This whole affair's hollow

if we don't pluck that bullet first.

- Um, furthest north is a cloche named Jan.

Now, his grounds and the savages are nearly a single piece,

but he maneuvers the apostles better than most

and they treat him like some trusted Trojan up there.

- How far north is this man you're gammoning on about?

- Well, Jan's camp is two-days journey northwest.

It's shorter in spring and summer,

but that's only if it ain't stormin'.

- Now, our quarry is much closer than that.

Well, understood.

That's why we're steering to Honore's place

on account of his track being nearest.

I was only venturing to give you as expansive a vista

of our veil as I could so that you too could see it

in your mind's eye with the clarity that I have.

Well, thank you.

Why any men would forego women

and drink to make his way in the world selling rodents

for buttons is beyond me.

- Ah, it ain't so untethered to civility out here,

least doesn't have to be.

I mean, some of these cliques, why, they,

they only get to market once a year.

But that prerogative's theirs.

See, for myself, I make it to town nearly once every month.

And as for drink and clinkin'-

Oh please, enough.

- I make my mark every time I spank landfall. (chuckles)

Be about ye long.

Tate!

Now, about this trapper's dealings at town,

you say he takes what?

Abrasive trips a year at best?

Seems ill-conceived to sit

on one's merchandise half a year's length,