The Searchers

Ethan?

That's your Uncle Ethan!

Welcome home, Ethan.

Lucy...

You ain't much bigger than when I last saw you!

I'm Deborah.

There's Lucy over there.

Deborah? Debbie...

And you're Lucy?

Yeah, I'm Lucy. I'm mighty glad to see you, Uncle Ethan.

She's got a fella. Kisses him, too!

Go on with Lucy and help with supper.

Deborah, you too!

Ben...

I was just gonna ask Uncle Ethan what he's gonna do with his saber.

Well, I kind of figured to give it to you.

Thanks. Thanks, Uncle Ethan.

How was California? California? How should I know?

Mose Harper told us... Mose Harper?

Is that old goat still creekin' around?

Why doesn't somebody bury him?

No, I ain't been to California.

I don't intend to go either.

Supper will be ready as soon as you wash up.

Let me take your coat.

Welcome home, Ethan.

Thanks, Aaron.

Marty, it's Uncle Ethan!

Debbie, sit down.

Good evening, Uncle Ethan.

Welcome home, sir.

It's Martin. Martin Pawley.

I'm sorry for bein' late, Aunt Martha.

Uncle Aaron.

A fella could mistake you for a half-breed.

Not quite, I'm an eighth Cherokee and the rest Welsh and English.

Least that's what they tell me.

Go on, son.

It was Ethan who found you squallin' under a sage clump...

...after your folks had been massacred.

It just happened to be me. No need to make more of it.

Thank you, Lucy.

Good night, Aunt Martha.

Good night, Martin.

Uncle Aaron. Good night, Martin.

Good night, Uncle Ethan.

Good night.

Good night, Ma. 'Night, Pa.

Uncle Ethan, will you tell us about the war?

The war ended three years ago, boy.

It did? So why didn't you come home before now?

Ben, go on with Martin. March!

Lucy's wearing the gold locket you gave her when she was a little girl.

She doesn't wear it much on account of it makes her neck green.

Deborah!

Well, it does!

But, I wouldn't care if you gave me a gold locket...

...if it made my neck green or not.

A gold locket! Lucy, where are my saddlebags?

Look at my gold locket!

Oh, it is pretty.

Ethan, I think she's too young... Oh, let her have it.

It doesn't amount to much.

To bed, young lady! Yes, Daddy.

I passed the Todd place comin' in. What happened?

He gave up, quit, went back to chopping cotton.

So did the Jamisons.

Without Martha...

She just wouldn't let a man quit.

Ethan, I saw it in you before the war.

You wanted to clear out.

You stayed beyond any real reason. Why?

Are you asking me to clear out now?

You're my brother, Ethan.

You're welcome to stay here as long as you have a mind to.

Ain't that right, Martha?

Of course, it is. I expect to pay my way.

There are 60 double eagles in there.

And twice that much here. Yankee dollars.

That's fresh minted.

There ain't a mark on it.

So?

Open up! It's Sam Clayton.

Aaron!

Reverend, come on in!

Good morning, Sister Edwards. Good morning!

What is it, Reverend?

Lars just said somebody busted into his corral last night...

...and ran off with his best cows.

Yeah, next time I'll raise pigs, by golly!

You never hear of anyone runnin' off pigs, I bet you!

Bumblebees, by golly! Coffee'll be just fine, Sister.

Good morning, Lucy.

Debbie, you been baptized yet?

No, I haven't. Aaron, get Martin.

Martin!

I can sure use that coffee. Pass the sugar, son.

Wait a minute, Sister. I didn't get any coffee yet.

Just hold on a second, Sister. I'm sure fond of them doughnuts.

Aaron! Martin! Come on up here.

Come on.

Raise your right hand. Martin? Yes, sir.

Raise your right hand.

You're hereby voluntary privates in Company A of the Texas Rangers...

...and you will faithfully discharge... Can I go with you?

Quiet! Where was I? Faithfully fulfill.

You will faithfully discharge your...

Mrs. Edwards?

Shut up!

You will faithfully discharge your duties, as such...

...without a recompense or monetary consideration.

Amen. That means no pay. Better get a shirt on, Aaron.

I ain't goin' volunteering till I've had my coffee. Drink your own.

Just call me "Captain."

Captain. The Reverend Samuel Johnson Clayton!

Mighty impressive.

Well... the "Prodigal Brother"!

When did you get back? I ain't seen you since the surrender.

Come to think of it, I didn't see you at the surrender.

I don't believe in surrenders.

I still got my saber, Reverend.

Didn't turn it into no plowshare neither.

The Indians did it, Mrs. Edwards.

Caddos or Kiowas. Old Mose knows. Yes, sir.

- Oh, shut up, Mose. - Thank you.

I'm countin' on you to look after things while I'm gone.

- You're not goin'. - He is going. I already swore him in.

Swear him out! I'll go. I don't think I should...

Stay close, Aaron.

It might be, this is rustlers.

Might be this dodderin' ol' idiot ain't so far wrong.

Could be Comanches.

Kind words, Ethan. Thank you kindly.

Children, go with Lucy.

Oh, Mom... Ben!

All right. I'll swear you in.

No need to. It wouldn't be legal anyway.

Why not? You wanted for a crime, Ethan?

Coffee, Ethan.

Thank you, Martha.

Are you asking me as a captain or a preacher, Sam?

I'm asking you as a ranger of the sovereign state of Texas.

You got a warrant?

You fit a lot of descriptions.

I figure a man's only good for one oath at a time.

I took mine to the Confederate States of America.

So did you, Sam.

Stay close, Aaron.

Thank you, Mrs. Edwards. We have to be going.

Thank you, Mrs. Edwards.

Grateful to the hospitality of your rocking chair, ma'am.

"Brad and Lucy, Lucy and Brad

Brad and Lucy, Lucy and Brad"

Debbie and Ben Edwards, I'm gonna tell Ma on you!

Uncle Ethan!

Somethin' mighty fishy about this trail, Uncle Ethan.

Don't call me "Uncle." I ain't your uncle.

Yes, sir.

No need to call me "sir" either.

Nor "grandpa," nor "Methuselah." I can whip you to a frazzle.

What do you want me to call you?

My name is Ethan. Now what's so mighty fishy about this trail?

Well, first... Look! Look! Brad!

Pa!

Reverend!

Look!

Caddos or Kiowas, huh?

Ain't but one tribe uses a lance like that.

Hey, Pa, your prize bull. Killed every one of them!

And not for food either. Why'd they do a thing like that?

Stealing the cattle was just to pull us out.

This is a murder raid.

Shapes up to burn down either your place, or my brother's.

Mama! Laurie!

Oh, please, God! Please, no!

Brad! Brad! Son!

Jorgensen's place is the closest, Ethan.

If they're not there, we'll come straight on to you.

You do that.

Well, are you coming, or ain't you?

That farm's 40 miles from here, boy. And these horses need rest and grain.

Ain't Caddos. Ain't Kiowas.

Break out the grain. Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

Quiet, boy.

I'll see if I can shoot a couple of sage hens before supper.

Yes, you do that, Aaron.

Ma, the days are getting shorter.

Lucy, we don't need a lamp yet.

Let's just enjoy the dusk.

It's all right, Ma, I've been watching. Only...

- What, Ben? - I wish Uncle Ethan was here.

Don't you, Ma?

Close that shutter, Ben, like a good boy.

Ma... I can't... Lucy!

We're gonna play the "sleep-out" game. Remember?

Where you hide out with Grandma?

Where she is buried?

And you creep along the ditch very quietly, like...

Like a little mouse.

Hurry up! The moon's fixin' to rise!