Old Yeller Page #4

Crazy as a bull bat.

But he's a heap more dog

than I ever had him figured for.

Just listen to those

songbirds this mornin'...

singin' their heads off.

It's like the year

your papa and I settled here.

We meant to build over

at the Salt Licks settlement...

where it would've been safer

from the Indians, but...

that last day,

we camped by the spring.

And the bee myrtle

was in blossom and...

full of singin' birds, like now.

And it was all so pretty,

I just couldn't go on.

And I said to your papa,

"Jim, this is it.

This is home.''

Hello, the house!

It's Bud Searcy and Elizabeth too.

You might know he'd land

right at mealtime.

Howdy, Miss Coates. Howdy do.

Howdy, boy. How's everybody?

- Hello, Mr Searcy.

- Slide down, child.

- Hello, Elizabeth.

Just dropped over to see if there's any

little thing I could do for you folks.

Travis, boy, take this old pony

down to the corn crib

and strip the saddle gear off him.

- Yes, Mr Searcy.

- Uh, might feed him a bit

of corn while you're at it, boy.

- Won't you come and set a while?

- Well, I believe I will

shade up for a spell, Miss Coates.

Come on, Elizabeth.

Hot, ain't it?

We don't get some rain pretty soon,

this country's gonna burn up bad.

Corn crop ain't gonna be worth

nothin' more than a whirlwind nubbins.

Some folks'll be scrapin' the bottoms

of their meal barrels come wintertime.

This here's hanged too long. Elizabeth,

honey, run down to the spring...

and fetch your poor old pappy

a bucket of fresh water.

I'll tell you, Miss Coates,

it's a heavy responsibility...

ridin' herd on the settlement

while the menfolks is gone.

Wears a man right down to a frazzle.

But I ain't complainin', though.

I was chose for this job

and I'll get her done.

I, uh, kinda figured to head up

that cow drive to Kansas myself.

But when man after man called me

all spoke private like...

beggin' me to stay behind

and look out after you womenfolks

and the young ones, I seen my duty.

Knowed I was bein' called on

for a bigger job.

Jim said you were gonna stay

and protect us all.

It's a mighty lucky thing I done it too.

You know what happened the other day?

That fool kid of Jed Simpson's

shot at a bunch of javelina hogs

and wounded one of'em.

Set it to squealin'. Be dogged that

the rest of them didn't tree that boy.

Kept him up there too

till I happened along

and see'd what a pickle he was in.

Of course I couldn't chase

them pesky javelinas off.

But I did go tell that boy's mama

where he was, so she could rest easy...

till the varmints left out

and give him a chance to climb down.

Yep. Lookin' out

after you womenfolks...

and the young ones

sure keeps a man a-hoppin' around.

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