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♪♪

Dad-burn, look at him go.

All the way from St. Joe in eight days.

That's something... you know, that's less than half the time

they've ever done it in before. That's hard to believe.

I believe it's a miracle.

I tell you, this Pony Express is gonna be the biggest thing

that ever happened to the West.

What an idea.

You know, they put together the best string of thoroughbreds

in the country for this job.

They're gonna need 'em

getting over the Sierra into Sacramento from here...

The last leg of the trip and the toughest.

I don't think we have a horse in the Ponderosa this fast.

I wouldn't be so sure of that.

Hey, Joe!

♪♪

I had a vision.

Yes, sir.

A vision of this land.

I saw the populous East and the great, growing West

tied together with a single thread,

a thread of courageous young horsemen riding the wind,

never leaving the saddle,

an ever-changing group of horsemen

whose determination and strength and courage

will make the Pony Express a living reality.

That was my vision, my hope, my dream.

But before we can do all that,

I must have pledges of your support,

pledges that all other communities so far

have given me.

And as soon as our receipts start rolling in

and a grateful government grants us a mail subsidy...

How do we know that'll happen?

I been trying to get 'em to shake loose

for ten years, for my stage line.

All I got so far is six government mules,

three inspectors, and a tax bill.

Ludlow, you're asking us to put our money

into this express company of yours.

I'd like to know a little more about you

before I put a nickel in it.

You want to know about Charles Ludlow, huh?

You ever hear of the Erie Canal Riverboat Service?

The New Orleans Clipper Lines?

The Washington and Boston Packet and Mail?

My father formed those companies.

Yes, uh, gentlemen,

I was privileged to make my contribution

to the growth of this great land,

but I consider those accomplishments

to be less than nothing

compared to the task I'm embarked on now.

'Cause I've long known of the cryin' need.

What about Winnemucca and his Paiutes?

You think they're just gonna sit there

and let you ride across their land?

Well, now, let's not start worrying

about a bunch of redskins.

It's my job to handle them.

Winnemucca's braves are...

more than just "a bunch of redskins," Mr. Wade. Uh...

they're about as fierce a tribe as you can find around here.

I think they're to be reckoned with.

Well, you haven't had any trouble with Winnemucca

since that fight at Pyramid Lake, have you?

No.

No, but he's a... he's a strange man.

You never know what's going on in his mind.

Oh, he... might let you ride across his territory

without any trouble at all.

Yeah, he could do that.

But then he might just as well decide to fight.

Now, look, did we come here for advice or dollars?

You heard what Mr. Ludlow said about needing your support.

Now, how about it?

Thank you, Curtis.

My partner, Mr. Wade, has, as always, hit the nail

exactly on the head.

Our most pressing need right now is money.

I'll pledge $6,000.

Thank you.

By golly, if Ben Cartwright thinks that much of the deal,

I'm for it, too.

You can put me down for 2,000, Ludlow.

I'll go for 1,500.

Excellent. Uh...

you just write down here the amount you intend to invest.

Uh... start with Mr. Cartwright.

- Thank you, sir. - Thank you.

Well, the, uh, Cartwright trick rider, I do believe.

We had a little race outside of town.

Yeah, well, you still owe me a rematch.

Well, I'd much rather you raced for the Pony Express

than against it.

- Uh, my name's Jabez Ludlow. - Good to see you.

Why don't you join us?

Well, I've been thinking about it.

Well, uh, I think we have plenty of work for this young man to do

on the Ponderosa.

- Thank you, gentlemen. - Thank you.

Mr. Cartwright. Uh...

my partner, Mr. Wade, and I

would like to speak with you privately, if we may.

Fine.

Boys, wait for me.

Joe...

you ain't seriously thinking about joining this outfit.

Well, why not? Sure, I'm seriously thinking about it.

You heard what Mr. Ludlow said about being one

of the most important things to ever happen to the West.

Yeah, but, Joe, you're gonna risk your life.

Well, it's my life, isn't it?

Gentlemen, I... I don't know what to say.

Say yes, Ben.

You're the man we want,

the man we need to make this a going enterprise.

I've been watching the...

progress of the Pony Express with a great deal of interest.

Ben, as a member of our board of directors,

you'll be invaluable to us.

You see, it takes men not only with vision

but men with a practical knowledge of the West,

uh, to make a thing like this a going one.

What do you say, Mr. Cartwright?

You want to be a part of it?

Yeah.

Yes, I want to be part of it.

Look at him go!

He's scooping up sand in his back pocket!

"Not over 25 years.

"Must be expert riders and willing to risk death daily.

"Orphans preferred.

$125 a month"?!

Our horses can't carry that much weight

over the distances we have to travel.

Sorry.

Next.

Name.

Aaron Bornstein.

I weigh 130 pounds, see lightning and hear thunder.

Can you ride a horse?

Mister, I was born on a horse.

Well, boy, you're gonna get a chance to prove it.

You mean I'm hired?

Yeah, you're now a Pony Express rider.

Pick a bunk in the back room.

- Name. - Pat Henley.

- What do you weigh? - 129 pounds.

That's about right.

I was born on a horse, too.

Pick a bunk in the back room.

Excuse me, friend.

- Looking for a job, friend? - Yeah.

- Where you from? - Right here in Virginia City.

- Got a ranch right outside of town. - Cartwright!

Hey, Jabez, how you doing?

Fine. You, uh, decided to join us, huh?

Yeah, yeah. You finally talked me into it.

I'm glad.

It's a big job. We, uh... we need riders like you.

Son, it sound like you got the fever.

I have.

You'll get it, too. I can guarantee that, mister.

Just so that paycheck comes in each month.

It don't matter to me one way or the other.

I better get my place in line.

- I'll see you later. - Right.

When are you gonna learn how to read?

All right, it says,

"Neither rain nor sleet nor gloom of night

will stay the courier on his way."

I guess they never heard

of a horse stepping in a prairie dog hole.

All right.

Pay's 125 a month.

That's more money than most of you have seen in your lives.

Out of that, you buy your own gear and handguns.

Handguns?

What about using a rifle?

Like to keep Indians at a distance.

Well, that's why we give you fast grain-fed horses.

You use 'em for speed.

Outrun 'em, don't try to outfight 'em.

And I've got one rule you better all remember:

bring yourselves and the mail in on time

or bring yourselves in dead.

That's all. Be here tomorrow morning ready to go to work.

You're Joe Cartwright, aren't you?

Yeah. Yeah, that's right.

I'm Emmett Carver from down Carson City way.

Hi, Emmett.

Your dad and mine know each other.

- Oh, yeah, that's right. - Yeah.

Yeah, I heard my pa mention him many times.

What do you think of that Wade?

He sure like to kid, don't he?

Oh, yeah.

He's a real barrel of laughs, that's for sure.

You know, I told my dad this was gonna be a real safe job.

Wait'll he hears about that number one rule,

on schedule or dead... That'd kill him.

Please, please, don't use that word.

- I'll see you later. - All right.

Hey, fellas, here's the schedule, who rides and where.

Excuse me, fellas.

Joe...

- Yeah. - Uh, don't mind Mr. Wade.

He's, uh... he's tough but he's fair.

He'll take care of his men.

How long you known him?

Mm, about three years.

Used to be an Indian fighter in the southwest.

Pop thinks he's the man to make this operation work.

I'm inclined to agree with him.

Well, I got to admit, he talks tough enough.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Right.

- Hey, Joe? - Yeah, Hoss.

Was afraid I'd find you here.

I saw your horse tied up out here.

You know, we got a lot of work to do, Joe.

We got to move all those cattle down from that north pasture.

Yeah, well, I'm afraid I'm not gonna be able

to help you move 'em.

Joe, you didn't...?

Yeah, I joined 'em.

Pa sure ain't gonna like that.

I know. I'm not looking forward to telling him, either.

Well, I guess I better get on home.

I... I sure don't understand you, Joseph.

Why couldn't you at least have talked to me about it?

Because I was afraid you were gonna say no.

Because you were afraid I was going to say no.

And could there possibly be a reason for me saying no?

- Yes, sir, but I... oh... - Yes, sir! Yes, sir!

With Adam gone, I need both of you here.

This ranch won't run by itself.

Look, Pa, you gave money to the Pony Express.

You're on the board of directors.

Now I just don't see why you won't let me ride for 'em.

Because I... Because I need you here.

Oh, now, you know that's not the reason.

Look, Pa, nothing's gonna happen to me.

Look, you-you told me how important the Pony Express was;

that's it's the biggest thing that ever happened in the West.

Well, I want to be part of it...

just for a little while.

Look...

young man, you get yourself upstairs

and pack those bags of yours

if you're going to report to the Pony Express in the morning.

Now, get off with you.

Yes, sir.

Hey, don't look so sad.

You lose about 190 pounds, I'll put a word in for you.

I lose 190 pounds, I couldn't keep a saddle on me.

Pa... you know what those fellers

are gonna be riding through, don't you?

Yes, yes, I know.

Freezing blizzards, 1,500 miles of dry desert,

- I know. - Endless mountains...

Not to mention a couple of thousand Indians.

Hoss, I know.

But I tell you, if I was 25 years younger...

Well, you don't think I could have stopped him anyway, do you?

No, dad-burnit, I know you couldn't have.

♪♪

Whoa, whoa, boy. Whoa!

Whoa! Hey!

Whoa! Stop!

Hey, you guys, get out here quick!

Hurry up!

Whoa, come on, come on... Whoa. Whoa!

Easy. Easy. Easy.

Whoa. Whoa.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

It's Emmett's horse.

Hoke, what's the arrow holding?

Scalp.

Little Joe's out there, too.

Hey, Ed! Indians!

You better stay here, Joe. It's safer.

Don't worry. I'll outrun 'em.

- Hyah. - Hyah. Hyah!

♪♪

I don't know whether you're skillful, or just plain lucky.

It don't matter, boy,

just as long as I keep taking your money.

Uh, greetings, fellow mail carriers.

Wade wasn't kidding when he said

we had the fastest horses in the West.

They're really movers.

Hey, where's Emmett? He quit?

He's dead.

Paiutes.

Jumped him between here and the last station.

Sent back his pony and his hair.

Just so's we'd know.

We thought you was a goner, too, Little Joe.

Yeah, well, I guess I had a faster horse.

I never told you boys this was gonna be easy.

I never promised you brass bands and cotton candy

for the rest of your lives.

We lost a man, sure, and we're all sorry.

But are we gonna let that stop us?

I've been fighting Indians all my life,

and I've yet to meet the feathered buzzard

that could scare me out of doing anything I've set my mind to.

And I've set my mind...

yes, and my heart, on making the Pony Express a reality.

Well, now, if any of you feel that you can't cut it,

you can just roll up your gear and call it quits.

That's all I've got to say.

Told his pa he had a real safe job.

Little Joe, you quittin'?

No, I can't quit.

I got too big of an investment in this company.

Still owe me a month's pay.

Hello?

Anybody here?

In here.

Rejoice for the press has come to make you famous, Mr. Ludlow.

Tully, Washington Globe.

I am pleased.

Well, I'm not Ludlow.

Name's Wade.

Oh?

Can I help you?

Oh, no, I'm afraid not.

You see, I came out here to do a story on Ludlow

and his famous pony riders.

Oh.

Look at that.

"Ludlow and Wade."

Oh.

Then you're partners.

Well, I'm sorry, Mr. Wade.

But I'm afraid you still can't help me.

You see, back East, nobody ever heard of you.

All they talk about is the great visionary, Charles Ludlow.

Well, they should.

Without him, there wouldn't be any Pony Express.

Oh, yes, he's a very famous man, you know.

Caught the imagination

of uncounted thousands.

All right, friend, here's your chance to meet him.

This is Mr. Charles Ludlow, my partner.

This is Mr. Tully of the Washington Globe.

- Oh. - It's a real honor, Mr. Ludlow.

It isn't often that I stand in the presence of greatness.

Well, now, you flatter me, Mr. Tully.

Oh, no.

My editor sent me 3,000 miles just to write a story about you

and the way you've built your great Pony Express.

Well...

I'll certainly tell 'em all I know about it.

Would you like some coffee?

Well, I'd rather have a drink?

Oh, I'm afraid

we don't have spirits in this office, Mr. Tully.

Oh.

Well, in that case, coffee it is.

Uh, Charles, I'd like you to look

at the bills for those new horses.

Curtis, that can wait.

You know I don't care about business.

Get our guest some coffee,

and bring me some, too.

You see, Mr. Tully...

this is more than just a story.

This is a saga.

I had a vision, a great one.

A vision of this land of ours.

The populous East and the great West tied together

by a single thread of riders.

- Mr. Ludlow... - Of courageous young..

- Mr. Ludlow? - Yeah?

I, uh... I want to get this all down.

- Ah... - But, you see, I-I'm...

At the moment, I'm still a bit groggy

from my-my trip, and I wonder if it'd be possible

to arrange an interview for, say, this afternoon?

Oh, well, um...

Well, of course, at-at your convenience, Mr. Tully.

Thank you, sir. Thank you.

And I want you to know, the whole nation,

the whole world is waiting to hear your story.

You're the man of the hour.

- Believe me. - Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Tully.

I'll... I'll see you later.

Curtis!

Curtis, did you hear what he said about me?

Oh, Curtis, we're going places.

Who knows what we might do!

"Man of the hour," he said.

"Stand in the presence of greatness."

Why, the Pony Express might be a stepping stone.

A great opportunity!

Think of that, my friend.

A whole nation at my feet.

Think of it, my friend!

I have been thinking of it, Charles.

Here, drink your coffee before it gets cold.

I wish you could've known Emmett Carver.

He was really a heck of a guy.

Always laughing and joking all the time.

I know, Joe.

Joe, you ride again

the first thing in the morning, don't you?

Yeah, I guess I do. I...

better get some sleep.

Pa...

you reckon you could ride into Winnemucca's camp

and talk with him?

I don't know.

I did sit in to that peace meeting with him...

Pyramid Lake.

Well, he ain't very peaceful

with nobody right now, is he?

♪♪

Tobacco.

Ben Cartwright no forget.

It's been a long time, Great Chief.

Why you come on my land?

To speak of peace... with an old friend,

and to ask why my old friend kills the pony riders.

They do no harm.

They carry only letters,

sometimes medicine.

They are men of peace.

Hear me, Ben Cartwright.

First one pony rider, then wagons,

then many white men, many white guns...

soon my land become your land!

But it would not happen that way.

And there is a way to avoid it.

By making a treaty,

and setting down in that treaty the number of riders

that you would allow to cross your land.

And that way, you could control the situation.

Treaties... easy to break by white man.

I have seen many false white faces,

heard many false white words.

How can you speak to me of treaties!

You are a father.

You have sons.

Do you wish to see your sons die before their time?

I am a father.

I have sons.

One of them is a pony rider.

Father's heart is hard to carry, but...

Winnemucca is not only a father,

he is leader of his people.

My people must survive.

You tell your pony men

if they come on my land...

I will kill them.

- Did you get to Winnemucca? - Yeah. We saw him, all right.

Yeah. Where's Mr. Ludlow?

He just went down to the hotel with Mr. Wade.

What did Winnemucca say? Is there any chance for a treaty?

No.

Now, Joseph... I know I haven't any right

to ask you not to make your run, but...

as a father, I'd sure feel a whole lot better if you didn't.

Pa, you know I can't do that.

If I don't make the ride,

one of the other fellas is gonna have to. I...

I can't back out just 'cause the going gets rough.

- Come on. - Look, Joe...

delay it as long as you can, anyhow.

Let Pa have a chance to talk to Ludlow.

Yeah.

Let's wait a while; Pa's down talking to someone.

Mr. Wade, we have no choice.

We've got to reroute the Pony Express

- around Winnemucca's terri... - We can't!

It's as simple as that.

Wade, what do you want anyhow, an Indian war?

It'll take us months to build those new relay stations.

If we stop those riders now,

we'll never get that government subsidy.

And without that, we're finished, out of business.

Well, as far as I'm concerned,

no business is worth the loss of a single human life!

And no Indian is gonna dictate terms to me.

If we have to lock horns, with them, so be it,

- but I say... - I say Ben is right!

We'll just... have to cease operations

till the stations are built.

Oh, Curtis, Curtis,

why don't you calm down a little.

Now, when you're older and wiser, you'll...

Don't you patronize me.

I didn't realize I was doing that.

You haven't realized a lot of things.

You want to stop the riders; I don't.

I think we better put this before the board,

- let them decide. - Fine, if that's what you...

Cartwright, what are you doing here?

You're supposed to be out on your run.

We've got a schedule to keep.

- My pa said to wai... - I know what your pa said.

- Bornstein... - Yes, sir?

You're gonna have to do Cartwright's job for him.

Yes, sir.

You stay here.

I do my own riding, Mr. Wade.

And keep that schedule.

Hyah!

♪♪

- What are you doing here? - Waiting for Mr. Ludlow.

We were to hold that interview, you know.

Yes, I know.

You know, very few men

live up to your expectations of them.

But that Mr. Ludlow...

everybody I talk to says, "Mr. Ludlow says this,

Mr. Ludlow says that."

Mr. Ludlow is a past master at saying things.

Doing things is something else.

Why am I telling you this? Do your story.

Well, now...

Ludlow is only a story if he runs the Express.

Now, if that doesn't happen to be true...

Why should I lie to you?

I can give you a lot of reasons.

How about resentment, just for openers?

Look, Mr. Wade, Ludlow is my story

until I learn otherwise.

And to my readers, he's the leader of this outfit,

the visionary.

To be quite frank, he's the dashing man on the white horse.

And what if he fell off that white horse?

Oh, now, that would be another matter.

But let me caution you...

You don't knock down a man like Charles Ludlow very easily.

I know that.

I was going through some of Ludlow's files the other day.

I ran into some very interesting reading.

How's that for openers?

Looks like you're holding all the aces, Mr. Wade.

We'll return to tonight's story of Bonanza

in a moment.

And now the exciting conclusion of tonight's story.

You see, gentlemen, it's quite simple.

We must have a peace treaty with Winnemucca.

- No, Ludlow, you can't... - Now, now, please, please, please.

I have prepared... just such a treaty.

There is the document. Huh?

And I think they'll find that quite acceptable.

You see, we offer to pay for any one of our riders

who crosses Winnemucca's lands.

The last time we tried to get a treaty

with that old Paiute, it took almost a year.

Now, why should it be any different this time?

It won't be any different...

not unless we come up with some gesture of goodwill

to Winnemucca.

Cartwright, talk sense.

Our only chance to survive is to obtain

a government subsidy.

Isn't that right, Mr. Ludlow?

- Well, I... - Well, isn't it?

Yes, yes, yes!

But I still don't see what that has to do with this treaty.

We-we can't go on conducting business

without a treaty with the Indians.

If we have to suspend the Pony Express, even for one day...

If we hold up the mail, we've failed!

No, no, I tell you, no!

I don't have to tell you gentlemen

the financial structure of this company is shaky.

If we don't get that subsidy, we're out of business.

Now, Curtis, we'll do this my way!

And I insist on a treaty with the...

- You insist? - I insist!

What makes you think you've got the right

to insist or anything else?

As soon as our friends here take a look at these papers,

we'll see who they'll listen to, you or me.

What are these papers, Wade?

- His creditors' reports. - Creditors' reports?!

What kind of creditors, Wade?

I'll tell you what kind.

The men who've backed and supported

various and assorted companies,

such as the Erie Canal Riverboat Service,

New Orleans Clipper Line, Washington and Boston Packet,

all of which were headed by Mr. Ludlow,

and all of which went broke!

That was all in the past. It's over.

Is it?

Isn't your father trying to stop

the operation of the Pony Express

while we palaver with a bunch of redskins?

You think that's the kind of man

the government is gonna subsidize... a quitter?

He's ready to send us into bankruptcy right now,

just as surely as he did these other companies.

What are you trying to pull off there, Ludlow!

- Wait a minute! - Are these reports true?

Wait! Wait!

Let's hear what Mr. Ludlow has to say!

I do not deny... those reports.

Look, if you don't want to lose your money

the same way all Mr. Ludlow's other creditors did,

I'm asking you to give me a fighting chance

to keep the Pony Express in operation.

Don't give in to Winnemucca.

We'll fight him! We'll outrun him!

We'll run him into the ground, if we have to.

And how many pony riders will have to die in the process!

They volunteered! If they don't like it, they can get out.

We've got a right to protect our interests.

I say we give Mr. Wade a vote of confidence.

- Now, wait a minute... - And I second that motion.

- All in favor, say "aye"! - Aye!

Opposed?

Opposed.

The board has spoken, Mr. Ludlow.

You're no longer the head of this organization.

♪♪

Aren't you gonna do anything at all, Dad?

Son, I've already told you, it's not any more my affair.

What was it all for?

A pat on the back for me and another failure for you?

I was hoping this was it!

That once, just once in your life,

you'd finish something, you'd-you'd see it through!

Son, you heard what they said to me in there.

You... you saw what happened.

I saw you crumble and collapse before a man named Curtis Wade.

I watched him take the Pony Express away from you

without even a struggle.

Didn't you ever really care about the Express?

Or was it just a... another bunch of words

for you to sound off with?

Son... you shouldn't speak this way to me.

I've always wanted you to be proud of your father.

Proud?

Of what?

Of his failures?

Of all his great achievements that went bust?

Of watching him run out on one thing after another?

Last thing in the world I wanted was to let anybody down.

Especially you.

Well, you've done something worse.

You've let yourself down.

♪♪

♪♪

Get going!

Cool him out.

He's a good one... He run 30 miles.

30 miles, did you say?

I couldn't stop at Indian Wells station.

- How come? - Paiutes.

Paiutes?

Mr. Cartwright... your son Little Joe...

he's trapped in that station.

I heard the shooting.

I circled the place.

Them Paiutes was having themselves a time.

How do you know it was Little Joe in there?

We were supposed to pass in the road.

We didn't.

Give me another horse! I'm going with 'em!

I ain't never missed an Indian fight in my life.

Mr. Wade...

you really fight all those Indians

back in Texas, like you tell us about?

I'll tell you, those bugles were music to my ears.

Yeah.

It's gonna have to come out... All right.

Hang on tight.

Now.

Oh, no... Easy. Easy, Jabez.

Pa...?

What did they do?

Papa?

I'm proud of you.

You hear?

I'm so proud of you.

Is this according to your schedule, Mr. Wade?

No, I... never wanted it to come to this.

Reckon what he was trying to do?

He was trying to...

get a peace treaty with Winnemucca.

Pony Express was his...

his dream, his life.

He died for it... the least we can do is keep it going.

All right, we keep it going.

You gonna finish your run to Sacramento, Cartwright?

You bet I am.

Hyah!

Ride 'em! -Go, Joe, go!

♪♪

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