The Cowboys

Easy.Whoa.

Easy, girl.

Easy, girl.

Easy.

Hold it, girl.

Hold it.

Well, I want each of you fellas...

...to buy yourself a dollar Ingersoll watch.

You can't break them with a hammer and...

...won't lose more than a minute a month.

- I know we're late, Mr. Andersen. - You're two hours late!

Work starts around here at 6 am.

- Goes for everybody. - Yes, sir.

We spent the night in Bozeman.

Town's empty as a bone orchard.

Everybody's lit out for the Ruby River.

- What for? - Gold.

At the Ruby?

Played out years ago.

No. This is a new strike. About 20 miles above there.

Almost to the Beaverhead. Tell him, Smiley.

The fact is, Mr. Andersen, me and the boys thought...

...we'd like to take a ride up and have ourselves a little look-see.

Got 1,500 head of steer to get to Belle Fourche before it snows on me.

You hired on to move them.

- We'd like to help you out... - Like to help me out?

The others done pulled out.

There's only five of us left.

That busts it.

You work us like dogs night and day, and Christmas, too!

- Pay you every Saturday! - There's easier money around.

We'll do it this way.

We'll take a ride up there, we'll have a look around, 2 or 3 weeks.

If it don't work out, we'll get the others and we'll be right back.

Now you have my word. Don't he, boys?

That's right.

- Your word? - Yes, sir.

Well, here's my word.

Get the hell off my spread!

Now!

Miserable.

Well, they run...

...clean out from under me. Whole damn bunch of them.

I heard most of it. Let me see that.

A fool comes to town with a fist full of gold dust and...

...every jackass in 50 miles around lights out after him.

My day a man'd stay with you on a handshake.

It's a different day, Wil.

Yeah.

Well, I guess I'll go over to the Bigelow place, see what I can turn up.

Maybe Henry...

Henry Bigelow's 60 years old, Wil.

So am I.

Kind of noisy around here.

It's been like this all week.

Any luck?

No.

I traveled 30 miles today...

...didn't find a single hand that could...

...throw in with me.

- Did you talk to Parker? - Yeah.

His wife's gonna have a baby.

How about Miller?

His wife wants to have a baby.

Sucker's only been married three weeks.

Well, if you can't get your cattle to market this year, put it off till next.

What'll I do with this year's bills?

Pay them next year. Hell, a lot of folks around here do.

No, I won't go on tick.

Wil...

...if your neck was any stiffer...

...you couldn't even bend over to pull your boots on!

Shut up and pour!

Wil, did you ever think of hiring boys?

- What boys? - The schoolboys.

Oh, sure, and women.

How about my mama in Cedar City? She's only 92.

You ain't got a lot of choices.

There ain't a kid in that school over 15.

They're between hay and grass. I need men.

How old was you when you went on your first cattle drive?

- What difference does that make? - How old was you, Wil?

- Well, in my day... - How old?

Thirteen.

But an old man's pants fit me.

"The above convenient arrangement is designed...

...to adjust ladies' long dresses to a walking length.

It is worn around the waist, has two ends..."

Good afternoon, gentlemen.

Afternoon, Miss Ellen.

Have you gentlemen decided you need some additional schooling?

Well, I guess we could probably use some, but we just come visiting.

Well, come in.

Please, sit down.

It isn't often we get visitors.

We were reading from the Montgomery Ward catalog.

The grammar's quite correct and it's always most interesting.

Elizabeth, would you continue, please?

"... the longer of which has a nickel clasp...

...rubber-lined, which holds the bottom of the skirt to any desirable height...

...the shorter one a hook for holding a fan.

This elevator has been worn in Chicago during the past season a great deal...

...and ladies consider it almost indispensable."

Thank you, Elizabeth.

Now, let us hear how well the boys do.

Put away your catalogs and take out your readers.

Charles Honeycutt.

Would you read today's assignment for us?

Hail to thee, blith...

Blith?

Blithe.

...Blithe spirit. Bird thou never wert...

Weren't?

Bird thou never wert.

That from heaven or near it Pourest thy...

Aah! Get away!

- What have you got there? - Nothing.

Homer, take your hand from behind your back!

And open it!

Stop it! Now stop it!

Sit down!

Give it up, Wil.

Can't move heaven and earth.

Well...

What you thinking about?

You.

Stringy women like you live a long time.

Sisters have seen all their husbands put under.

More than likely you will, too.

And I don't wanna...

...see you end up somebody's fry cook.

I've been your fry cook for 40 years.

A pretty good one, too.

It's getting chilly.

Come on in, have a cup of coffee.

I'll be in.

Damn Ansel.

He put them up to this.

I'd better jump straight down their throat and get it over with.

Wil.

Don't be hard on them.

They must've traveled half the night to get here this early.

Good morning, boys.

Good morning, Mr. Andersen.

Well...

...looks like it's gonna be another fine day.

What can I do for you?

Anse Petersen says you're looking for hands for your drive.

We come to put in for the job.

Well, any of you ever been on a cattle drive?

Any of you ever herded cattle?

Well, what can you do?

We can all ride.

Most of us can rope. Couple of us are pretty good shots.

Well, that's something.

You know, trail driving is no Sunday school picnic.

You gotta figure you're dealing with the dumbest...

...orneriest critter on God's green earth.

A cow's nothing but a lot of trouble tied up in a leather bag.

A horse ain't much better.

Speaking of a horse...

Got me a little green, broke filly over there.

Name's Crazy Alice.

Now, if one of you was to stay aboard her, for, say, a count of ten...

...I might just keep that in mind come hiring time.

Thank you.

Steady, girl, steady.

Easy.

Come here, girl. Whoa, girl.

All right.

Easy. Here we are.

Whoa, Alice.

Who's first?

Well, I'll try and saddle her while you're making up your mind.

Good girl.

Made up your mind?

I'll go first.

Whoa, girl.

I'll start counting when you hit the saddle.

Five. Six.

Seven. Eight.

Time!

Get off of her!

My name's Honeycutt.

I'm 15.

And everybody calls me Slim.

Whoa, girl. Easy, girl.

I'm next.

Easy, girl. Whoa, girl.

Whoa.Whoa.Whoa.

Easy, girl. Easy.

She's rank. Keep your mind in the middle.

Bail off, youngster! Bail off!

My name's Homer Weems, Mr. Andersen.

And I hope I ain't rode all the rough off of her.

- You all right, boy? - Yes, sir.

My name's Clyde Potter. They call me Fats.

Tending toward the gut myself.

My name's B...

His name's Bob Wilson. He gets excited.