These Thousand Hills

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Here comes the boss.

It's about time.

- Any coffee left?

- Sure, boss, plenty. Help yourself.

Coffee?

Finished branding the cattle

and got the horses all shod, Ram.

Good.

This is Lat Evans from Pendleton.

He's coming along.

Never seen a trail boss yet

could remember a name.

- Mine's Carmichael.

- I remember the name all right. It's the face that throws me.

The cook here goes by

the name of Sally.

- How do you do?

- Just don't kick no dust into my makin's.

And don't bellyache about the grub.

And don't call me Sally.

My handle's Jacob Schmidt.

- All right.

- I'm Godwin.

Howdy.

- Tom Ping.

- How do?

- You a rider?

- Well, I ain't walkin'.

We got 40 broncs to bust.

Mr. Butler...

which pays better,

bronc-bustin' or wranglin'?

Bronc-bustin'.

- I didn't come all this way

for a job that pays less.

Well, then you'd better unsaddle that mule

and pick one of the string.

- You'll need a horse.

- Sure.

Hold up, boys.

Oh, I'll get the saddle.

You can shake out your rope.

Thanks.

Some of them are pretty rough.

Sure you want to try one?

Sure. Can't do no more

than pile me.

Give us a hand, Hunter.

That big black

with the strip- Sugar-

he'll take a heap ofbreaking.

Or that sorrel.

Which will it be?

I reckon I'll catch up

the big black?

You gentle that snorter

and he's yours.

Watch it. Easy, boy. Easy.

Steady. Steady.

Steady, boy. Steady.

Easy, boy. All right.

Steady! Steady, now.

Push him! Hard!

Hold it now, Sugar.

Hold it!

Hey, cowboy!

- Attaboy!

- Yoo-hoo! Ah-ha-ha!

Ride him, Sugar!

Look out, boy!

Got him going down!

Keep on him! Keep on!

Hey, kid, what are you doing?

Look out!

What are you doing?

You get that

crazy horse on out ofhere!

Look out!

- Why, that thing-

- Whoo-hoo-hoo!

- Hyah!

- Hang on there!

Oh, doggone!

Ouch!

- Nice ride.

- You sure gentled him down.

You broke yourself

a good horse there.

And ruined a good mulligan stew.

Well, the bronc job's yours, Lat.

Mr. Butler...

what'd the pay be for both jobs?

- Both?

- Yeah, I could do both.

Fighting broncs and wrangling?

You won't be getting much sleep

between here and Fort Brock.

I can't afford much sleep yet.

Don't you think I could do it?

Sure. Why not? Sleep when you're old.

That's what my pappy said.

Hey! Hey!

- Hyah!

- There's some strays out there.

Come on. Hyah!

Hyah! Hyah!

Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!

- Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!

- Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

Ho!

That horse can sure fly.

- Whew!

- I wasn't even pushing him.

Oh, I don't know

why I don't steal for a living.

That's what the fella in jail said.

How do you think all those big ranches

got started? Honest?

- How did they?

- By stealing horses.

Yeah, a fella down in Gold Creek

once showed me how.

All you need is a jackknife or a hot iron,

and you just change the brand.

There must be a way

to get rich without stealing.

That's what the fella

in the poorhouse said.

Come on, Lat.

It's your watch.

- What time is it?

- Midnight.

Won't be long now.

Good-bye, cows. Hello, Fort Brock.

''What's yours?'' they'll ask.

And I'll say,

''Light, dark or a redhead.''

Did you ever hunt wolves?

- Why?

- I was listening to Chico talk.

He made a thousand dollars in one winter,

just out of wolf hides.

- That's a hard way to make a living.

- Is there an easy way?

I ain't afraid of hard work.

I just don't want to die poor.

- You lived poor, is that it?

My old man owned a ranch

along the Willamette.

Went broke.

Hard times.

That's all I remember.

I don't want to end up like he did.

A failure, hiding behind the Bible,

pretending money isn't important.

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