40 Guns to Apache Pass Page #3

Of course not.

That's what we joined up for,

to get a crack at them.

I think I can shoot once but

I wonder if I'll be able to reload

with a bunch of Indians

hollering down on me.

You'll do fine.

Just remember we'll be fighting

them side by side.

Hooo!

All right, two men dismount

and take cover.

He signalled to someone up there

before I got him.

That means they know we're coming.

You look a little pale, boys.

I thought you wanted to

see 'em butchered.

Leave those two kids with the horses.

Assign a rearguard and the rest

of you come with me.

Yes, sir.

Malone brothers,

stay with the horses.

Yes, sir.

- Bodine.

- Yes, Sergeant?

You, you, post the rearguard

and cover.

The rest of you come with me.

Doug!

- Look, I saw one.

- What?

I saw one up there!

Let's go get him.

But, the Sergeant told us

to stay here.

But, he didn't tell us not to fight.

I'll circle around this way,

you come up the back of him.

Mike?

Come on now, you've got to get

your feet wet sometime.

This is as good a place as any.

I'm scared, Mike. I'm scared.

I never should have joined the Army.

Look, I know how you feel,

everybody's nervous at first.

You'll get over it once you

get into the action.

Well, come on!

Let's go get us an Apache.

Mike. Mike!

Doug! Come on, Doug.

I'm coming, Mike.

Doug, help me! Doug!

Doug, come on help me.

Mike!

Mike!

Where's Mike?

I'll tell you where he is,

the Apaches carried him away.

This kid didn't have enough guts

to help his brother when needed.

I can't believe that, Doug.

It's true.

He just kept calling me.

I couldn't make myself go to him.

I can still hear him.

I can still hear him

calling for help.

Fetch the horses.

On your feet.

Mike!

Mike!

Mike, Mike!

Please, please let me go!

I've got to help him.

- Mike, please!

- Take it easy, kid.

Let me go. Let me go!

- Shut up!

- Mike, Mike!

- Mike! Mike!

- Doug. Listen, Doug.

Now you listen to me.

Its too late to help your brother.

He's dead, you understand that?

He's dead.

Get him on a horse.

The troopers were on the run.

The Captain couldn't afford

to lose one more man.

If those 40 repeating rifles didn't

get back to Apache Wells,

Cochise would massacre

every one of its defenders.

As far as we go, Sergeant.

We gonna be here long, Captain?

I don't think so, why?

I've a feeling we're being watched.

You could be right.

Dismount.

Keep your rifles handy.

We gonna go back the same

way we came, sir?

I don't think it makes any difference

how we go back, Sergeant.

If we get hit again we'll just

have to make a run for it.

We left half our men

lying dead back there.

Yes, sir.

Some of the best ones, too.

There's only seven of us left

to get them guns through.

Six.

Six men and a worthless, yellow kid.

Don't be too hard on him, Captain.

Remember that was

his first time under fire.

That's no excuse. I've got no use

for a coward, Sergeant.

Yes, sir.

- Bodine.

- Hmm?

- When we going to get out of here?

- Shh! When I say so.

Come on, we got a couple of

pretty good horses.

What are we waiting for?

I've still got something

to settle with that Captain.

Get it settled, I don't intend to

ride back to that death trap.

I promise you one thing, we'll

never go back with this outfit.

Hold your fire.

Glad you're here, Captain.

I didn't aim to wait long.

- Kind of jumpy, aren't you?

- There's good reason.

We come within a ace of tangling with

a herd of Apache about an hour ago.

Chiricahuas?

No, them's Tontos.

Them's wearing war paint.

Seem to knows where they's going.

To join Cochise.

That's my guess.

We're shorthanded, we'd be

glad to have you ride with us.

Not on your life.

My contract called for me to bring

this wagon here and no further.

I value my head too much to

travel into Chiricahua country

with old Cochise on

the war path like he is.

You got a point there.

Army doesn't give us any such choice.

That's your problem, Captain.

Mind if we take off now?

All right gather around, men.

This is what we came for.

40 repeating rifles.

No other gun of its kind

in southern Arizona.

Oh-wee!

With these the Indians could wipe out

every white man in this territory.

I've got to get them through to

Apache Wells and we will,

else there will be seven more dead

troopers lying in these hills.

Now, if we are overrun...

...the last man alive will

light this fuse...

...and stay with this wagon

until it's blown to hell.

Are there any questions?

Good.

Sergeant, want me to take the team?

Sure. Go ahead, Bodine.

Hey! I thought you said we weren't

going to go back with this outfit.

You just relax, Barrett, just relax.

There's been a change of plans.

I didn't tell you to stop, Bodine.

Captain, it's a long pull up

that hill, the horses are winded.

All right, dismount.

We'll rest here for a minute.

Good shot, Barrett.

Come on, tie him up.

The rest of you keep those

rifles pointing in the air.

Me and Barrett are taking off

with these rifles.

Don't worry, we're not hogs,

these guns are worth plenty.

We might need some help.

The Captain didn't

offer you anything

when he asked you to volunteer.

Go along with me,

I'll make you rich.

You do that and you'll sign the death

warrant of everybody at Apache Wells.

Don't worry about that, these guns

will make us king of the mountain.

Higgins, what about you?

I know you like money.

Come on, you'll never have a chance

like this as you stick with that uniform.

Eight dollars a month

don't pile up very fast.

I knew you'd see it my way.

Well, Fuller?

Oh, that's right.

You'd rather have the Captain

chew your tail out every day,

or are you waiting for the Apaches

to come along and finish the job?

You'll be running the rest

of your life, Fuller.

You'll have to change your name and

hide your face where ever you go.

How long do you think

he's been called Fuller?

That's right, I changed my name

to get into the Army.

I sure don't mind changing it

to get out.

Right, and when we get to where

we're going, which is Mexico,

soon as we cross that border

you can call yourself "Lucky"

when those senoritas start

swarming all over you.

Kid, how about making it unanimous?

Oh, come on now!

You sure you don't want

to face your folks

right after letting your

brother get killed?

What about them?

We can't just leave them

here to die.

Ah, don't worry about it.

We'll let them loose

before we leave.

They'll make their way back

all right.

Come on, kid!

You coming with us or not?

All right.

As long as you're letting them go.

Pack those rifles on the team,

we're heading across country.

I'd offer to take you with us,

Sergeant,

but you might slow us down.

Damn you, Bodine.

Well, Captain...

You've been top dog for a long time.

You know there's an old saying,

"Every dog has his day".

And I'm doing the barking now.

I thought that uniform would do

something for any man that wore it,

even you, Bodine.

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