Boom Town Page #2

the place a bad name.

Shorty, you sure can go.

Here I am thinking you're all gab.

Yeah, he pulled a cutting knife on me.

- Makes you mad.

- Yeah.

Hey, where'd you say

that lease of yours was?

- Thirty miles south of here.

- Well, okay, okay.

We'll drive out and take a look at her.

In the morning.

- So you think you got a field here, huh?

- I know it. Take a look.

The bigheaded geologists in town

say it's only surface gas, but I say it's oil.

- Shorty, I think we got something here.

- I know we have.

And we're plumb center, right here.

Now, wait a minute, wait a minute.

I think more over by that old skull

will hit the peak of the dome.

No, no. Don't be fooled by false jogs.

This pay structure, it's right under here.

You're gonna fool yourself

down to salt water if you...

I'm an oil man too, you know. I haven't

been drilling all my life for gophers.

Wait, I was pulling oil out of the ground

when your ma was giving it to you...

...for your health.

- If you think...

- All right, all right, take it easy.

Somebody's gotta be the boss.

You got a hard dollar on you?

- Kind of light, ain't it?

- Yeah, it's counterfeit.

- It's the only kind I can hold on to. Call it.

- Heads.

Okay, you're the boss.

We'll spud in by the skull.

Now, listen, Shorty.

My betting on you is just as good

as betting on that skull.

- We'll spud in here.

- Okay, boss.

Hey, now, how about that dough?

How much is in that bankroll of yours?

Well, let's see. I had 800

when I went in the joint last night...

- That Whitey, she's all right, isn't she?

- You told me you had 7 grand.

No. You told me, Shorty.

That'll only put up the derrick.

I'm the boss.

Getting the equipment is up to me.

Just put yourself in my hands.

Hey. Wait a minute, John.

You better keep them eyes peeled

for hijackers.

I lost two loads last week.

You hired me when I was broke,

Mr. Aldrich. I won't let you down.

I'll look after your merchandise

like it was my very own.

Yeah, well, I think we'd better not

take any chances. Come on.

Get down off there, Eddie.

Hey, Harmony.

Come away from that cookbook.

Come on.

- Coming a-running.

- Now, look, Mr. Aldrich, I don't need any...

No, no. If any hijackers start anything,

Harmony will take care of them.

Go ahead.

Well, it's the big feller.

I didn't recognize you at first.

Nice day for the race, ain't it?

- What race?

- The human race.

"You add a pinch of salt to taste

and serve piping hot...

...to the delight

of your family and friends."

- Don't that sound pretty?

- If you're so interested in cooking...

...why do you go around killing people?

I hate shooting folks. I had a fine job

cooking over at the Parsons' ranch.

A bunch of horse rustlers popped in,

and when the sheriff come...

...he kind of liked the way they was laid out

and he deputized me for this here business.

Say, here's a "reskipe"

for lemon "meringoo" pie.

I expect that's just plain old lemon pie

for foreigners, don't you...?

Danged if I like them big hawks.

All the time killing little turtledoves.

Put them up.

Come on, pull up there.

- No monkey business, now. Climb down.

- Climb down in front of me, son.

But don't worry,

I'll plug him right between the eyes.

No, no, I can't. I'm shaking all over.

- Come on, you guys. Quit stalling.

- Turn the gun loose.

No, don't shoot.

Maybe he'll shoot back.

All right, keep walking now

and keep reaching.

Yes, sir.

Get up there.

Please don't say anything

to anybody, will you?

I'm not used to guns.

My knees just turn to water.

I nearly passed out, I guess.

Now, just simmer down, big feller.

Think of something else.

Hey. We're getting close.

Try that last stuff.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

Now who wanted to spud in

by that steer skull?

We'll be reaching for her tail

in a few feet.

We sure had a break with Aldrich.

I thought he'd have spotted us by now.

We'll pay Luther back double.

Come on, you wild kitty. Spit.

- Begins to get you about now, don't it?

- Yeah, like sparking around some dame.

I forgot about that gal of yours, Shorty.

Don't worry, she'll be in platinum garters...

Hey. Listen.

Get back. She's coming in now.

- Come on, honey. Come to us, baby.

- Let's cap her in.

No, let her flow.

Let her open up her mouth and holler.

Look out!

Salt water.

The Gulf of Mexico.

Well, at least we can smoke now.

Take it easy, Shorty.

They say you'll get rich

if you drill enough holes.

We'd have been all right

if we'd spudded in by that skull.

Must be the water from the side structure.

Well, I guess that's that.

You're thinking about that dame, huh?

Hey, what's her name? What's she like?

She's nuts about you, huh?

I wish I could be sure.

She likes me, I guess.

We've known each other quite a piece.

You know, it ain't exactly set yet...

...but I figured if this well came in,

why, she'd come out here and we could...

Forget it.

Pick up your chin. We'll spud in

over there someday. Somehow.

Who's that coming?

- That's Luther's car. We'd better travel.

- Travel or jail.

They're getting away.

They're getting away.

Hey, hold it.

Okay.

Take it easy,

I'm gonna get me a pigeon.

For heaven's sake, they're escaping.

Come on, you're the sheriff. Do something.

I wonder what they done

with my Barbara Fritchie cookbook.

Shut up, you blithering seagull.

Thousands of dollars' worth

of equipment lost, and in a dry hole.

If they ever come back here, I'll have

them boiled in oil. In their own oil.

They didn't strike any.

Once more won't hurt them. Seven, dice.

There she is.

Seven out of the field

and pay the line.

Six-one, babies. Right back at them.

That's it, babies.

- Eleven. Pay the line.

- Ten passes.

I can't lose. I'm knee-deep in clover.

Just for luck, Shorty.

Come on, babies, once more. Oh, yeah.

- Pay the line.

- There you are, sir.

Two thousand.

Watch me double it.

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

That's enough.

Those dice got snake eyes, you know.

Okay, Shorty.

Shorty here, he's the warden.

That's right, you tell him, Shorty.

Make him take...

- Don't call me Shorty.

- But, Holy Moses, he called you Shorty.

That's all right. That's him, not you.

Here, buy him seven or eight drinks.

Come on, Shorty, let's go.

Hey, where are we going with all

this fancy scratch, little man?

Right back to Burkburnett.

And we're gonna spud in that well

right by the old steer skull...

...where a fella tried to get me

to do it once before. Remember?

Hey, wait a minute, chump.

Do you think Luther is foolish enough

to take $2000 for all we owe him?

You just act like I said.

Do as the boss tells you.

Just check over that balance.

It was wrong again yesterday.

- Hi, Luther. Long time no see.

- Well, gentlemen, what can I...?

It's them. It's them.

Do something, quick. Get Harmony.

Wait a minute. Easy.

We're just here on a little business.

Don't stand there trembling

like a pen-wiper. What business?

We wanna pay our bill.

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