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- Well, I guess I'll see you later. - All right, Sonny.

Hey, recruits!

See you tonight.

That's enough. Go on home.

Don't expect me to tell you nothin', 'cause I can't... recruit.

Hey, Ted, you want this apple?

Hop Sing always gives me about twice as much as I can eat.

No. No, thanks, I ain't hungry.

All right.

Yes, sir, all the makings of a mighty good year.

Good year, in case you forgot,

is when you got a roof, a job and plenty to eat.

Right.

Hey, how long have you had that job with Mr. Cropin?

Two weeks and three days.

Hey, you and me, we're doin' all right, huh?

I mean, you got the Cartwrights and I got a steady job.

- You bet. - Things is lookin' good.

They sure are.

Come on, I seen the Ponderosa.

Now let me show you my stomping ground.

Oh, okay. But I can only stay a couple minutes.

Heck, in another week or so,

old man Cropin's goin' to make me a clerk.

You're kidding. That's great.

Help yourself.

Go ahead.

At Cropin's, we put you at ease right off.

Uh...

You sure it's all right?

Sure, I'm sure.

Heck, everybody from the mayor on down comes in here, and...

What do you think you're doing?

What's that in your hand?

- Mr. Cropin, we was just... - Both hands, young man!

Mr. Cropin.

Mr. Cropin!

Sir, I didn't mean nothin' by it.

You can take it out of my pay.

It couldn't have been more than a couple of pennies worth.

Said I was a fool. Softhearted, softheaded.

Hirin' on a drifter kid and a... And a thief at that.

Look, Mr. Cropin, sir, I was the one...

And the missus askin' me

when he's gonna stick his big fist in the cash drawer,

same as over in Silver City.

Mr. Cropin, that was five years ago.

I was 11 years old, and all I took was enough to buy somethin' to eat.

Mr. Cropin, please, it won't happen again.

True enough, young man.

- Can I help you with that, Ted? - No, no, I got it.

Handbook for orphans, chapter one.

To survive, always have two places to sleep.

Don't never count on nothin'.

Hey, Ted, maybe when he thinks about it,

- he'll give you another chance. - You think I care about that?

Watch this.

Uh... Excuse me, my good man,

but I was wonderin' if my suite is still available.

Yes, sir, Mr. Hoag.

And, um, how many nights are you staying here this time?

Hard to tell. Hard to tell.

All depends on how these big business deals

I got workin' pan out. You know how it is.

Same terms as before?

Same as before suits me.

Come on.

Well...

This here is my suite.

Unless of course he rents it to a horse.

Ted, um...

Whatever happened to your ma and pa?

You don't have to say anything if you don't want to.

Never laid eyes on either one of 'em.

I ever tell you about the major?

Uh...

Just... Just parts of it.

Oh, you know, he was as much like kin as...

Well, as you and the Cartwrights.

You should've seen the looks on those other kids' faces

at the State Home when he sent me this.

Wait, I think I still got the box it come in if you don't believe me.

Oh, I believe you, Ted.

How could I ever just find something like that?

I mean, you can see for yourself that ain't no ordinary gun.

Yeah, it's, uh...

It's a real beauty all right.

Jamie, I could never...

Ask nobody else a favor like this,

but is there any chance there might be some...

Some work for me at the Ponderosa?

You know, odd jobs? I'll do anything.

Well, I'll tell you what, I'll ask my pa.

You know I'd do the same for you.

Oh, uh...

Here.

We got barrels of 'em.

Hop Sing.

Oh, excuse me.

Oh, you're excused.

- Uh, you a new hand? - Oh, no.

No, there ain't no such luck, son.

You know, seems like so many no's have been goin' my way lately,

I guess I kinda scared off all the yeses.

Uh... He, uh...

He said there wasn't any work of any kind?

- Not even any odd jobs? - No. No, nothing.

No, not till spring roundup.

But your pa's a fine man, son.

At least wise I can stretch...

Thank you.

At least I can stretch this belt out a little bit

while I keep on looking.

- Jamie? - Uh, yes, sir?

Uh, thanks a lot.

Listen, we're getting an early start to Tucker Falls.

Anything we need to talk about before we leave?

Uh, no, that's all right.

Unless you want to change your mind about me going.

Forget it.

I already tried to talk him into letting you go in my place,

but Pa's got this strange idea

that you're just not gonna get any homework done

while you're on horseback.

I'm afraid you're just gonna have to stay here

- and crack the books a while. - Well, I got 'em ready.

Take it easy, little brother, and remember to hit the books.

- Yeah, take care, Joe. - Okay.

- Bye, son. - So long, Pa.

Thank you, Charlie.

Don't worry about a thing.

I'll look after the ranch while you're gone.

Hop Sing look after ranch, you look after book.

- Take care. - So long.

I wish they'd get it over with.

You don't know how much trouble I had sneaking out tonight.

What do you reckon they're gonna do to us?

I don't know.

Look, Sonny, it's only an initiation. I...

I don't think they could ever really hurt anybody.

You don't think I'm scared, do you?

If I was scared, you'd know it.

Well, there's nothin' wrong with being scared.

Recruit Cartwright,

come forward if you're brave enough to face the true test of manhood.

Wow. This is some clubhouse.

Hey, men, look at the green recruit.

This is the moment, recruit.

Too bad if you're not ready.

Hey, Ted, Josh. Hey, what are you doing?

Hey, Corky, how you doing?

Lie down.

What are you doin'?

The recruit doesn't know about pain,

about the scars we all have to show for our bravery.

Ron, in case you haven't heard, running irons are against the law.

You hear that, men?

Telling the Vigilante Raiders about the law.

He thinks we're fooling.

Maybe he thinks it doesn't hurt to be branded.

- Branded? - Blindfold him.

Hey, wait... Wait a minute!

Feel the heat or pain!

Hey, you guys aren't gonna do that, are ya?

Hey, wait a minute!

How do you think the rest of us became Vigilante Raiders?

Took more than a month for mine to heal.

Don't worry, recruit. You'll probably pass out.

Pass out? Hey, wait a minute!

Here it comes!

Ah, stop it!

Stop! Stop!

Just ice, see? You can't tell the difference.

It felt just like it.

Untie him.

As captain of group one,

I welcome you to the Vigilante Raiders.

You're now private Jamie.

You mean you're the leader and you didn't even tell me?

Vigilante Raiders never tell their secrets to outsiders.

- Oh. - Never.

On pain of death.

All right, men, back to your places.

Oh, Ted, uh, I know this isn't the best place,

but I wanted to tell you as soon as I could.

There won't be any work for you at the ranch until spring.

I'm sorry.

Forget it. You tried.

Adams, better get that ice out of sight.

Now, Lewis, you almost gave it away when you started snickering.

- Sit here, Jamie. - All right.

How do I look?

Like a genuine Vigilante Raider.

Recruit Moeller!

Come forward if you're brave enough to face the true test of manhood!

Let him feel the heat.

No, please, I changed my mind!

Do you hear that?

He doesn't want to be one of us anymore.

I do, but, please, let me go.

Let me go!

I don't feel very good.

Hey, Sonny?

Come on, get up.

- Come on, Sonny. - Watch.

He'll open his eyes any second now and start laughing.

He's always doing something like that.

Is there any water in that ice bucket?

Yeah, here.

Come on, Sonny.

Now, Sonny,

if you don't open your eyes before I count to three,

I'm gonna pour this ice water all over you.

One...

Two...

Three.

He's dead.

How could he have died?

We all went through that same initiation.

It wasn't our fault.

How could we know he was gonna...

Jamie, we just did the same thing, like always.

You didn't...

How could he...

I don't know, Josh.

Sonny was always kinda...

Well, he...

He never could run very fast or anything.

So what?

Fat Tommy can't run fast either.

Shooter is sick a lot. It didn't bother him.

Yeah, but Sonny always got tired pretty quick.

What are we gonna do?

Now, look,

once we go to Sheriff Coffee and tell him what...

We can't.

What do you mean, we can't?

We got to, Ted.

How could we keep something like this a secret?

The same way we keep this club a secret.

We swear.

But Ted, what... What about his...

What about his ma and pa?

Jamie...

Jamie.

Nothing's gonna bring Sonny back.

I'd take a real hot poker in the belly if we could...

But if we keep our mouths shut, we don't hurt nobody.

If we tell the truth, we could go to jail or even prison.

We didn't mean it, Jamie.

None of us would've hurt Sonny.

If it was me, Jamie, I'd want it that way.

I'd want my friends to be all right.

That's what friends are for, ain't they?

What if it happened to you? Would you want us all to go to prison?

- Of course not, Ted, but this... - Nobody has to lie.

We just...

We just keep quiet a few days.

They'll find him...

And the whole thing will blow over.

Jamie?

Friends stick together.

Jamie, Hop Sing fix extra special snack for you to...

For growing boy.

Jamie?

Jamie, Hop Sing fix special for you!

Uh, I... I heard you, Hop Sing, and I'm just not hungry.

Thanks anyway.

I eat myself.

- It's not time, Miss Griggs. - It's not time yet.

- Hey, come on. - Hey, come on.

It's not time...

All right, class. Recess isn't over yet.

These gentlemen are part of a search party.

Sonny Moeller didn't come home last night.

His parents are worried sick.

Did any of you see Sonny since school yesterday?

- No, I haven't seen him. - No, ma'am.

No, I haven't either.

Ron, you're Sonny's best friend.

Did he say anything to you about where he might have gone?

No, ma'am.

Never seen you miss that bad, Jamie.

I didn't think I could.

Hey, you, what's your hurry?

Who, me? My hurry?

Ray, Harley, over here.

Oh, say, you're, uh... You're Mr. Adams.

Well, don't you remember me?

Lumis.

I was by your place last week lookin' for work.

I remember you, Lumis.

Put that knife of yours on the ground there.

Well, what's this all for?

Sixteen-year-old boy missing since last night.

Seen anyone like that?

Way out here?

Uh-uh. No, sir, no. No, I ain't seen him.

Is this your gray horse, mister?

Oh, yeah. Uh, Heather.

Yeah, oh, yeah, she's mine.

There ain't no use thinkin' I'm gonna sell her neither.

That little ole gal and me been together

since I come up from Arizona.

Missin' boy rode a horse, spitting image of that one.

Okay.

Okay, I... I found the horse.

Well, I was fixing on bringing her in now.

And that's the truth.

It's Sonny's all right. It's got his name on it.

Oh, wait! Wait a minute, please!

So I... I found the horse.

She was grazing, free. She had no rider.

That's the truth.

I mean, how did I know you weren't gonna steal

that reward money right out from under me?

I don't know anything, mister.

Except a boy the age of my son is missing...

And we're all prayin' we'll find him alive.

Hey, suppose Sonny told his folks

where he was going last night?

I mean, he told me he had a rough time sneaking out.

If he told, don't you think we'd have know'd about it by now?

Well, I think we should all get together and talk it over again.

What good would that do?

We already decided. We made a pact.

I know him. He was at the ranch lookin' for work.

Sonny's horse and saddle.

All right, mister, I guess I'll have to hold you on suspicion.

- Now we gotta have another meeting. - Shh!

- We don't have any choice... - Shh!

We don't have any choice now.

We have to tell.

Jamie's right, we didn't know they'd arrest someone.

They didn't arrest him.

You heard, the sheriff's only holdin' him on suspicion.

Yeah, but Ted, he's an innocent man.

We can't just sit here and let an innocent man go to jail.

All they're gonna do is ask him some questions

and give him a free meal.

As soon as they...

When they find Sonny, they'll let him go.

We don't know for sure if we'd have to stand trial.

Yeah, and even if we do,

it doesn't mean they're gonna haul us off to jail or anything.

What makes you so sure about that?

Just think what it sounds like.

Us tellin' all about that hot poker, and tyin' him to stakes

and Sonny cryin' out for us to let him go.

Trust me.

I've seen a lot more of the law than most.

I just don't want to see us all get hurt...

Maybe hurt real bad, for something we couldn't help.

Neither one of you know what it's like to spend time in prison.

The things that go on behind those walls...

Ugly things, worse than anything you ever imagined.

At least let's wait another day, huh?

I gotta get goin' on home.

I got chores.

Josh, the worst that can happen to that man

is he'll get to sleep a night with a roof over his head.

I gotta go.

You won't say nothin'?

Not till we all decide.

Jamie?

Goin' on home?

No, not yet.

I'm goin' to Sheriff Coffee.

Look, Ted, it's the only thing that makes any sense.

I know I swore not to, but...

Ted, what we're doin' ain't right.

- That's all I know. - It figures.

Come on, Ted, we're wrong. Can't you understand that?

You talk about what it's like in jail,

but it's okay to let an innocent man take our place?

Forget it, Jamie Cartwright.

I guess that's what happens

when you're an heir to the biggest ranch in Nevada.

But ain't it something how quick you forgot what it's like?

You saw what happened to me yesterday.

I got fired 'cause I got a record.

What's worse, I got nobody to back me up.

I got no people.

Ted, I know that.

You go to Coffee with the truth

and it's bye-bye butterfly for yours truly.

They'll find out I'm the leader of the club

and they'll say, "He done it.

"He made all the others go along with him.

"Ain't I told you not to hang around with a boy like that?

"A thief, a murderer?"

No, you're wrong, Ted.

We'd never let a thing like that happen.

You ain't never been all alone, or you'd know better.

How long you think the others would keep their mouths shut

if all they was protectin' was me?

Now, that's not true, Ted. They're all your friends.

Friends is one thing and kin's another.

Forget what you seen here and leave me alone.

I got work to do.

Ted...

I'm not going to Sheriff Coffee, at least not now.

I knew you was on my side.

I knew I could trust you.

I'd do the same for you, I really would.

Yeah, I know you would, Ted.

The only thing is, I'm, uh, still not sure that makes it right.

Hey, Ted.

Sonny Moeller was a fine Christian boy.

Thoughtful of his mother...

Respectful of his father...

Loyal to his friends...

As any of these fine young men gathered here

would be the first to tell you.

Yes, the Lord must have wanted this boy so badly

he saw fit to take him from us

when we were just beginning to see the kind of man he was going to be.

We ask you, oh Lord...

To bring peace to the hearts...

Of those of us who knew...

And loved... Sonny Moeller.

It's all right, Ron.

This is not gonna go unpunished, I promise you that.

Nothing's gonna happen to that man. Nothin'.

I told you what Pa said.

It won't go unpunished.

Didn't you see the rope and the guns?

Ron, your pa ain't one to break the law.

He was just sayin' what he felt

'cause he knew how Sonny was your best friend and all.

Heck, there hasn't been a lynchin' around these parts

since right after the war. Now, you know that.

They didn't mean lynchin', Ted,

but they're the men that'll be on a jury.

They're gonna have a trial right away.

They're gonna hang that man, legal.

They got no real evidence on that muleskinner.

All they got is Sonny's horse.

For all we know, the only reason he's in jail is for horse stealin',

and that sure ain't our fault.

Nothing's our fault.

But still Sonny's dead.

Some man we don't even know might die, too.

Cal, I know how you feel, but it just ain't so.

Today or tomorrow, it'll be all over.

It's never gonna be all over.

Not until we tell.

I say we go right now to Sheriff Coffee, all of us.

Whatever happens, it's gotta be better than this.

I say we vote,

and whatever most of us want, that's what we do.

Just so you all know...

If we tell, there won't be no club anymore.

We won't have any of this to come back to.

We won't even be allowed to see each other, except at school.

Come on, let's get it over with.

Yeah, let's vote.

All right.

All right, if that's what you want. We'll vote.

Corky... you helped me start the club in the first place.

I say we gotta tell.

Jamie?

I say we tell.

My friend!

Mr. Ponderosa Cartwright.

'Cause you're sitting pretty. Adopted legal and everything.

Think I'd never tell nobody?

Nobody!

All you had to do was vote against telling!

What's Ted Hoag to you, huh? What's Ted Hoag to anybody?

Doesn't matter he made this club into something important!

- Ted, come on. - Stop it.

Someplace where we could all be proud we belonged to!

A place where nobody bothered us!

So what? His kind belongs in jail, right?

- Let go of me! - Let him up!

Ted, I know how it looked, but please.

Bye-bye, butterfly.

Ted, we gotta talk.

You done your talkin' to your friend, Sheriff Coffee.

We got nothin' more to say.

Oh, you figure to shoot me, do you?

Well, go ahead, I haven't talked to the sheriff yet.

Look, uh, I know you didn't mean it, Ted.

Besides, you know as well as me that thing wouldn't work.

Oh, yeah?

Course I didn't put any shells in it.

Yeah, well, don't.

I don't know where you found that old thing,

but rusted up like it is, it's liable to blow your face off.

I told you, the major give it to me.

He carried it all through the war, and then right after Gettysburg...

Ted, there wasn't any major.

Friends do more than just stick together.

They don't lie.

Where you goin'?

Friends.

Look, Ted, I don't want you to go.

- None of the fellas do. - Sure, you proved that.

After you left, we didn't turn against you.

We just...

How about loaning me a few dollars?

Just enough to get me started somewhere else.

I don't have any money, Ted.

I know how it looks to you.

Well, figures.

I expect I'll find somebody

that'll part with some cash money if I ask 'em real nice.

Look, Ted, suppose they let that man go like you said.

You leave now and somebody's gonna wonder why.

- They'll come lookin' for you. - So what?

Soon as you tell Coffee, they'll be after me anyway.

Either way I lose, same as always.

At least with this, I got a chance.

Yeah, of gettin' killed. Or really killing somebody.

Look, Ted, after you left we decided to wait one more day.

You mean that?

Like you said, we can't be your family.

But we are your friends.

We'll wait as long as we can.

Ha.

You just watch.

Everything's gonna work out just fine.

Heck, if that old muleskinner ain't on his way by sun-up,

I'll eat my hat, I mean that.

Mr. Cartwright, so good you back.

All week feed Jamie, he no eat, no talk.

Now Jamie no go to school.

Hop Sing do all I can.

We were gonna spend the night at the Chandler place,

but when we heard about the Moeller boy,

we decided to push on through.

All right, Hop Sing.

Pa?

I was hoping you'd come.

What happened?

Pa, we got to get to town.

And the prosecution will also prove

that this Lumis,

this itinerant drifter,

hasn't worked a single day in his whole pitiful life,

brutally attacked Sonny Moeller,

tying his hands cruelly.

And this vicious assault resulted in the death of this poor helpless boy.

And all for the theft of a $50 pony and saddle.

- Gentlemen of the jury... - Your Honor.

Your Honor, if we could see you

privately in your chambers, Your Honor.

I think we have some information

which is very important about this case.

Your Honor, I see no purpose.

It's all right.

Well, Ben, if you say it's important.

- Yes, sir, I think it is. - Very well.

This court will recess for five minutes.

Some very important information

has just come to the attention of this court.

Now, if the prosecuting attorney has no objection,

I'm going to ask Jamie Cartwright

to please come forward and take the stand.

No objection, Your Honor.

Go on, son.

Stand over here, son.

Now raise your right hand.

Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, so help you God?

- I do. - Come with me.

Sit over there.

Now, Jamie, if you will just tell the court

exactly what you told me in my chambers.

Yes, sir.

Well, to start with,

that man didn't have anything to do with Sonny dying.

Sonny died

in the old Indian cave out towards Sumpter Mesa.

We were initiating him into this secret club of ours, and...

Who? Who is this "we?"

You're tryin' to say my boy was murdered by his own friends?

No, sir, it was an accident.

Oh, well, I can't believe that.

Who's the leader of this club?

Who thought up this, uh, initiation?

Well?

There...

There was no leader. We were all in it together.

Jamie's right. It was all of us.

Corky, Cal, Billy, Shooter.

We've been doing that same initiation for a long time.

Nothing ever happened.

- Oh, don't. Don't... - No, Margaret!

Now, our... Our boy is killed

and they're trying to say it's some part of a crazy accident.

Holland...

Holland...

Now, I know what it means to lose a son.

Now, isn't it possible that...

That your boy could have had some... physical defect...

Lungs, heart... Something you didn't know anything about?

Ben... Ben, look, even if that were true, that's not the issue here.

Now, I know my son.

And he could not have participated in such a thing,

unless he was intimidated by some member of that club.

Son, who was it, boy?

I want his name!

Pa, it was just like Jamie said.

Honest, Mr. Lewis, it was nothing that scary.

Like Ron said, we all been through it.

That stable boy, Hoag. Was he a member of this club?

That was it.

It was him, wasn't it?

Wasn't it?

That drifter kid that got fired for stealin' by Cropin.

Wasn't it?

B... But it didn't mean nothin' who was leader.

No!

Pa, don't you see?

It's happening just like Ted said it would.

They're... They're blaming him when it was all of us.

Look, Pa, the rest of us, we...

We got a family to stand up with us, but Ted's got nobody.

Is that why you wouldn't talk?

Come on.

- Ted's stuff's gone! - He doesn't have a horse.

When Mr. Moeller catches up to him, he's liable to...

Well, what about that cave?

Didn't he have some stuff in there?

- Yeah, that's right. - We all do.

- Get your horse. - Yeah.

Hyah! Hyah!

Ho, ho.

Boy!

Ted Hoag!

I know you're up there!

If I have to come up there...

I'm not gonna kill you like you did my son.

Unless you make me!

You're gonna answer to the law!

You hear me, boy?

All right, I'm comin' up, boy!

- Holland! Holland! - This isn't your affair, Ben.

It's everybody's affair.

Now, look, you don't even know the boy's up there.

Guilty always hides.

Besides, where else would he go?

Holland, I just buried one of my boys. This is wrong.

Ted! Ted, it's all right! We told 'em!

We told 'em how it was!

Ted, if there's any blame at all,

you got just as much of it as we do.

That's all, Ted, just as much as we do!

He's got a gun!

Look out, Ben!

Ted! Ted!

Look, Ted, don't shoot.

Ted, put the gun down.

Ted, drop the gun.

- Get out of the way, Jamie. - Ted, the gun will blow up!

- Drop that gun, boy! - Holland! Holland!

- Get out of there! - No, Mr. Moeller!

It was all of us!

Whatever's comin' to Ted is comin' to me, too!

Go on, Jamie, it ain't no use.

- No, Ted! - No, he's right.

I ain't meant to be like regular folks.

- Ted! - That's the way everybody wants it.

- That's the way it's gonna be. - Put the gun down!

- No. - Mr. Moe...

Harley, get your boy down from there.

And the rest of you, he put them up to this.

Nobody put us up to anything, Mr. Moeller.

If you want Ted, Mr. Moeller, you're gonna have to take us, too.

We all done the same!

Not my boy. My boy died!

It was all our fault, Mr. Moeller.

For treating Sonny just like one of us.

We couldn't know. We're sorry!

There just isn't any villain.

Even though that might make it easier for you to bear,

but there just isn't any villain.

Sonny was a good boy, Ben.

He wasn't strong.

Margaret and I...

- But you can't keep a boy down. - Course you can't.

That boy up there, if he...

No, he didn't do anything to deserve this.

Except be a boy just like the others.

Why don't you go home?