Fort Apache Page #4

romantic figure I cut...

...the husband takes pity on me

and brings out his best port.

Oh, good evening, Captain Collingwood.

- This is blackmail, but you'll find

the 1846... - I know where it is.

The last time I looked,

there were four bottles of '46.

I expect to find my property intact.

- The insolence of the man.

- One, two, three... It's all here.

You are an honorable man.

And since this is an occasion,

your glasses.

Come.

Let's drink a toast

to the young people.

Miss Thursday.

Mickey.

Then you will go riding

with me tomorrow?

Of course.

If you really want me to.

To the colonel's lady

and Mickey O'Rourke.

- Here's luck, huh?

- They'll need it, poor darlings.

Attention!

Men...

...today we gonna put you on the horses.

No more walking.

And by the time we get

through with you...

...you'll be riding like senators,

the all of youse.

And your rough-riding sergeant

will be Sergeant Beaufort.

Relax!

Attention.

Gentlemen, this is a horse.

You will observe, it has no saddle.

The reason it has no saddle...

...is because it will be easier for you

to stay on without the saddle.

Now, before we progress...

...did any of you gentlemen serve

with the Southern arms...

...during the War Between the States?

Yes, sir. I had the pride, sir,

of serving with Bedford Forrest.

- I am proud to shake your hand.

- Thank you, sir.

I hope you have the pleasure

of buying me a drink on payday.

An honor, sir.

You are now an acting corporal.

- Sergeant...

- Please. Please, Sergeant Mulcahy.

Oh, let them have one.

And now, gentlemen,

this gallant soldier...

...this member of the greatest

cavalry force that ever lived...

...will show you Yankees how to ride.

- Attention!

- Attention!

Now you see how easy it is, gentlemen.

Gentlemen, to your horses.

- Who will be the first volunteer?

- I am.

- Come on. Get up here.

- Hop in there.

- A gentleman always remounts. Get up there.

- That's it.

- Come on, then.

- Pick up your things.

Yeah, that's it.

Stay on your horses, men.

And if you fall off, get on again.

It's an order in the Army,

and a custom...

...that when you fall off your horses,

you mount again like a gentleman.

Stay on that horse.

Get back up there.

Get back on that horse right now.

Get back on that horse.

Hey. Hey, get off of him.

Get him off.

Get back there on that horse.

Come on, get on that horse again,

will you?

Get up there on that horse.

Hey, come back here.

Where do you think you're going?

Come back here with that horse.

- What's the matter with you?

- Come on, get on. Get up there.

Come on. Get up there.

Watch it down there, boys.

- Come on. Get into it.

- There's a boy.

Hey, get back up on that horse.

What's the matter?

Knees close together.

Everybody just get right where they...

- Come on.

- Get him up there. Come on.

Stay on that horse, will you?

Take the reins in both hands.

Press on tight with your knees.

- One at a time on that horse.

- Hold him.

- Watch out, everybody.

- Now listen to me.

Get that horse.

Sir, I beg to report I lost my Yankee cap.

Thank you, sir. Thank you.

Isn't this wonderful?

What's that over there?

Blue Mesa.

Can't we go there?

Well, it's not as close as it appears,

Miss Thursday.

Are you anxious to return to the fort,

lieutenant?

Oh, no, Miss Thursday.

Don't you like the name of Phil, Michael?

Of course, I do, Phil.

And right over there,

that's where the telegraph line is.

That's our main headache around here.

- It runs from here to Fort Grant.

- You mean, where the smoke is.

Smoke?

Is it an Indian signal?

No, it's not an Indian signal.

The line went dead, sir.

Right in the middle of the last word.

"Meacham reports Diablo's band

decamped from reservation.

Last seen headed S-O-U-T... "

South, obviously.

Or southeast or southwest.

Which means they may have crossed

- We can't patrol all of it.

- I'm fully aware of that, captain.

Think they're headed for the border

to join Cochise?

That's my opinion, sir.

And these are the three

main passes to Mexico?

Well, there are others, but those

are the ones the Apache use most.

Two of them in our patrol area.

Captain York, you and Mr. O'Rourke

take a troop and patrol the area.

- Mr. O'Rourke is not on the post, sir.

- Why not?

- He's out riding, sir, with your daughter.

- He what?

- How long ago? When did they go out?

- Almost three hours past, sir.

- Three?

- Are you sure it's that long?

- Positive, sir.

- Blasted young fool.

O'Rourke, hasn't that idiot son of yours

sense to know this country's not safe?

Taking my daughter riding.

Your daughter is as safe with my son

as she would be with any man.

How safe is that

with the Apaches on the warpath?

Get back.

Collingwood, take out a patrol at once.

York, pass the word to A and B.

Tell them to turn to

full field equipment.

Rations for a week.

The wagon's burned.

There's men dead.

Lieutenant Thursday.

Repair wagon, sir. Burned.

Two troopers, Barry and Williams, dead.

Spread-eagle on the wheels, roasted.

- And my daughter saw all that?

- Yes, sir.

- I'll take your report inside, mister.

- Yes, sir.

Are you all right, Phil?

Yes, Dad. I'm all right.

Take her inside, will you?

They must have jumped them at sundown.

It was a pretty big party.

Twenty-five or 30, anyway.

Mescalero Apaches.

I found this.

- Blood.

- Apaches carry off their dead.

It's Mescaleros, all right. Diablo's band.

You say their trail led off to the south?

It headed that way, sir, but...

You didn't follow it

long enough to find out?

No, sir. I couldn't take that risk with

Miss Thursday, sir.

Your caution, Mr. O'Rourke,

is commendable...

...but somewhat belated.

My compliments

on the completeness of this report.

It speaks a knowledge

of the savage Indian...

...which I am sure you did not

acquire at the military academy.

I call it to your attention...

...that in taking my daughter riding

without bespeaking my permission...

...you have been guilty of behavior...

...more consistent with that

of an uncivilized Indian...

...than an officer and a gentlemen.

If I have not made myself

sufficiently clear, mister...

...I will add this:

You will not again ride with my daughter.

And for reasons which I feel it

unnecessary to go into...

...you will avoid her company in the future.

But, colonel...

I speak to you not only

as your commanding officer...

...but as Philadelphia's father.

I think I am within a father's rights,

Captain York.

My daughter's life and safety

are precious to me.

And to me, sir, I assure you.

Then you will all the more readily

bow to my wishes.

Yes, sir.

Now, mister...

...you say the break was here?

- Yes, sir.

- Excellent.

Captain, send a wagon and detail

to repair wires and bring back the bodies.

Yes, sir. Sergeant major,

assemble a platoon from A troop.

A platoon? I said a detail, captain.

An officer and four men.

But the Apaches may still be around.

I'm running a command,

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