Approved | 30min | Adventure, Western,TV Series | Episode aired 30 October 1957
Hawkeye has tracked outlaw Simon Girty to Morristown but he and Chingachgook are turned away and told that the town is closed due to an outbreak of the black plague. Hawkeye decides to sneak in and see for himself.
Director: Stanley Neufeld
Writers: Nat Tanchuck, Endre Bohem, Louis Vittes , James Fenimore Cooper
Stars: John Hart, Lon Chaney Jr., Bill Walsh
Hawkeye has tracked outlaw Simon Girty to Morristown but he and Chingachgook are turned away and told that the town is closed due to an outbreak of the black plague. Hawkeye decides to sneak in and see for himself.
Director: Stanley Neufeld
Writers: Nat Tanchuck, Endre Bohem, Louis Vittes , James Fenimore Cooper
Stars: John Hart, Lon Chaney Jr., Bill Walsh
Category
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Short filmTranscript
00:00The immortal pen of James F. Cooper brings you thrilling tales of excitement, blazing
00:14action on the early American frontier, stirring adventures filled with the daring and courage
00:21of Hawkeye, first of the Long Rifles, and his blood brother, Chinguchkuk, last of the
00:30Mohicans.
00:51Sign of the plague. Can't be. I'd have heard about it before we left Fort Pitt. That's
01:03probably the work of some smart-alecky prankster. Ain't no prank, stranger. Your good wife's
01:11got some sense. The plague struck Morristown, something fierce. I volunteered to stand out
01:18here come rain or shine and warn folks. But we planned on settling in Morristown. You're
01:25welcome to try, but once you get inside the stockade, they'll put you and that wagon of
01:30yours to work moving the dead. Well, Amy, there's just as much opportunity in Allentown
01:40and that ain't far. Much obliged.
02:19Wait up a minute, friends. I just got through warning the folks in that wagon. Warning?
02:36Something we should be interested in? If you value your life. The black death's in
02:40Morristown. People are dying like flies. Both me and that sign there have been set out to
02:46turn strangers away. In carrying out your merciful duties, it might be you've spoken
02:51to a man who asked us to meet him in Morristown. Simon Gurdie. Ain't nobody alive in Morristown
02:57handsome to that name. Now, good day to both of you. And just pray that the mile of air
03:02between here and Morristown hasn't spotted your lungs with the plague. Air never bothered
03:08our lungs. Maybe a lead ball in your back would bother them some. I warned you of peaceful
03:15life. We got enough to take care of in the settlement without adding strangers. Now get.
03:30There's more than one way to get to Morristown.
03:45My brother think he not speak with straight tongue? I've never heard of the plague striking
03:49here about Stingitchcook. Unless it was brought here by that renegade Simon Gurdie. Many soldiers
03:55chase Simon Gurdie for many moons. We follow for a long time. He is like wind. Disappear
04:01fast. Why my brother think he is here? And no soldiers stationed anywhere around here.
04:08Gurdie and his senecas could find plenty of food and comfortable quarters in a settlement
04:12like that. Take a look at that guardian of the road. He's not only disagreeable, he's
04:21a mean killer. The sort that Gurdie likes to have around him. But what if it is like
04:25he say? There is much sickness in town. In that case, Stingitchcook, instead of hunting
04:30down an outlaw, we'll be hunting for a doctor or an undertaker. I tell you as sure as my
04:38name is John Udley, as soon as we bend our knee to any form of tyranny, we shall have
04:43to learn to live on our knees. We shall become slaves instead of free men. Simon Gurdie and
04:48his Indian, they've been taking scalps up and down the frontier for more years than
04:51I can remember. We can't stand up against them. You're quite right, Mr. Ashley. Standing
04:56up to Simon Gurdie and his men might cost some of our lives, but preserve all of our
05:01liberties. Gurdie and his senecas, they promised they'll get out of Morristown when the troops
05:05arrive. If and when the troops arrive. If we call ourselves men, we'll run them out
05:10of town right now. You make a big noise with your mouth, storekeeper. And the rest of you
05:15spend too much time listening to speeches. Go home. You stay, storekeeper. Time you learn
05:27to keep your tongue from flapping.
05:36Look at those senecas. Just as I figured, the only plague that's hit Morristown is Simon
05:47Gurdie. We sneak by them easy. Let's go in the back of the trading post, talk to Udley,
05:57see what's going on. Think maybe you've learned your little lesson now, storekeeper? If it's
06:04slavery you're trying to teach me, I'll never learn. Maybe we ought to have another try.
06:11School's out, mister. Hawkeye. Good day, Mr. Udley. How'd you two get into Morristown?
06:19Someone forgot to pull in the welcome mat. Where's Simon Gurdie? If you live long enough,
06:25maybe you'll find out. He's at Simmons' cabin, Hawkeye. Him and those cutthroat senecas
06:29of his are taking over the whole settlement. Look out!
07:00Let them run, Chingage Cook. But they go straight to Gurdie. I'm sure they will. How
07:07many senecas does Gurdie have around here? About a dozen of them. Only a handful? You
07:30settlers are letting them run all over you without doing anything about it? That handful's
07:34got the backing of a whole army of senecas. Six hundred of them scalp-hungry varmints
07:38camped over to Mirror Lake, five miles south of here. This calls for the delicate hand
07:43of a surgeon. My brother mean we go easy. We've got to go mighty easy getting Mr. Gurdie
07:48away from his companions. How many times I told you, Simon Gurdie don't like to be interrupted
07:56when he's eating. This is important. Better be very important. You come spoiling my digestion
08:09with news that ain't worth a hoot and a holler. We got visitors. Keep your tongue flappin'.
08:15Friends of the storekeeper, oddly. How many of them are there? Two. There were three of
08:19you. Not enough to handle the likes of Hawkeye and Chingage Cook. How do they get past the
08:23guards? How do they get away with half the stuff they do? I've got to agree with you.
08:30Them two are worth half a dozen senecas. But maybe facing up to six hundred will tell a
08:35different story. My pa, bless him, used to say that putting hot vittles into a man's
08:43the only way to keep the wheels in his brain turning sharp. I'm afraid it'll take more
08:48than a meal to help us figure out how to get Simon Gurdie separated from his engines. You
08:53and Chingage Cook got into Morristown. Couldn't you get out the same way and bring back troops?
08:58The nearest port's more than two weeks march, and that's in good weather. Besides, there
09:02aren't more than fifty or sixty soldiers garrisoned there. It's dark. No moon. Maybe we steal
09:08Gurdie from cabin. Moon or no moon, those senecas can see in the dark as good as we
09:13can. Pa! Simon Gurdie and the engines. They're coming. I think it'd be better all around
09:20if we weren't here when they walk in. Oh, me hungry. We stay and fight Gurdie and Seneca
09:26Dog. Then we eat. The food'll be cold by the time you finish fighting. Besides, we can't
09:32make a battlefield out of a man's home. We'll get in touch with you tonight. Where'll you
09:37be? You can't tell what you don't know, Oddly. But it won't be too far away.
09:51It's customary to knock, Mr. Gurdie. Not when old friends come a-visitin'. Been havin'
10:01company? Not expectin' it. It was just fixin' to have supper. Hmm. Tasty. Mighty tasty.
10:15Might be you'll come over and cook me up a snack sometime. The only thing I'd ever cook
10:19for you would be a pot of poisoned sumac. All the Oddlies have a habit of clackin' tongues.
10:27Blount told me he'd run into a couple other old friends of mine. Hawkeye and Chingachgook.
10:32I figured they'd be visitin' here. They've been and gone. Where? They didn't say. Leave
10:38my Pa alone. Leave him alone. Joe, take the bread. Ma! Pa! We'll keep him with us till
10:46Hawkeye and that Mohican come in and give themselves up. But we don't know where they
10:53are. Then you best find out and give him the message. And if anybody tries makin' any trouble,
10:58my Seneca's might decide to take your young'un along with them come spring.
12:45Two Seneca's ain't gettin' you out of Morristown. With you along, we get out. Right out of the
12:50capital for your trial. Come on. It's like a visitation of the plagues of the ancient
12:57pharaohs. We should've taken up the sword when Gertie and his Indians descended on us like
13:01locusts. We should've listened to you, John. Hindsight's always better than foresight. He's
13:06an instrument of Satan punishing us for not standing up to him. We just dropped by to
13:15tell you Mr. Simon Gertie'll be leavin' Morristown. Pick up a few supplies for our trip to the
13:20capital. You'll be laughin' out of the other side of your face, Gertie. The laugh's on
13:25you, Hawkeye. I'm wagering these dear settlers want to extend their hospitality a might longer.
13:31There isn't a man or woman in Morristown wouldn't give half they own to see you dancin' from
13:35the gallows. That shows you don't know how much I come to mean to these good folk. Correct,
13:40storekeeper? Are you all daft? Gertie's under arrest. Soon as I can get him out of here
13:46and on the trail to the capital, those Senecas'll fade into the wilderness and you'll be free
13:50again. There's some prices a man won't pay, even for liberty. That's just what I figured.
13:58Storekeeper, I reckon he forgot to deliver my message to Hawkeye. What message? They've
14:05taken our children as hostages. Why, you black renegade. You'll take us to him before we
14:11leave? In my own good time. My Senecas are takin' good care of them kids. Mighty good.
14:18And if anything should happen to me, why, they aren't gonna be too particular about what
14:22size scalps hang from their belts. No. You hang from gallows with no scalps. Try it,
14:30Moorheaton, and they'll be lamenting in every house in the settlement. Turn him loose,
14:36Tinkert's cook. The storekeeper ain't givin' you the rest of the message. Them kids are
14:44up for tradin'. You too, in exchange for them. You're not a man of your word, Gertie. You
14:51two are worth more to me than apostolous sniveling brats. Turning you over to my tribe of Senecas
14:56would prove that their white chief is the greatest warrior that ever lived. I reckon
15:05we have much choice, Tinkert's cook. Gertie, you have those children brought here unharmed,
15:10and you and your Senecas clear out of this settlement, and we'll go with you. Them two
15:20braves guardin' your camp and told us you was prisoner. I reckon when they got knocked
15:25on their heads, their eyesight got blurred. In a couple of days, when we visit the rest
15:29of the tribe, we'll see how long they can live without yelling for mercy. Just keep
15:40right on being smart, and no harm will come to your kids. But you promised you'd release
15:46them in exchange for Hawkeye and Tinkert's cook. Sure I did, only I didn't say when. You
15:52filthy spawn of the devil! Where you goin'? Simon Gertie said I could feed the prisoners.
16:13Sort of a last meal, huh? Smells nourishing. Yeah, that'll give them strength when they
16:24try runnin' the Seneca gauntlet. Them engines like a man to linger under their torture sticks.
16:36Seein' as they won't let me untie you, I'll have to spoon-feed you. I hope you don't mind.
16:41Being helpless, I don't see how's we can object. Just so's I can keep an eye on you.
16:56Is this Gertie's idea or yours? It was mine, but Gertie thinks it's a big joke havin' me
17:00cookie up some vittles. That it's like gettin' sheep primed and fatted before they lead them
17:04to slaughter. Did you get your boy back home yet? No, those savages are still holdin' all
17:10the children. Gertie never speak with straight tongue. Sure cook up good grub, uh, Mrs. Audley.
17:20Lean over and feed Chingage Cook. Keep your ears open. What are you hatchin' up? She's
17:26feedin' Chingage Cook. You got eyes. The only sound I wanna hear is the chompin' of his
17:30jaws.
17:49Make sure you leave some for me. Is food the only cutlery you got with you? I didn't dare
17:55take a chance on bringin' anything else. I knew you were being guarded. Your math knife.
18:01Yeah, maybe we can persuade him to lend it to us. Get ready to make a fuss, Mrs. Audley,
18:07any kind of a fuss. I don't understand.
18:11Mr. Blount! Mr. Blount! They're tryin' to escape! Now how could we with our hands tied
18:25like this? Well, you're not about to while I got this gun on ya. Did you do this? Turn
18:32around and let me look at your hands. I said turn around before I blast him!
18:47Good squaw. You long-eared donkey. Too bad you didn't split your skull wide open. You
18:56got the back of the town under guard like I told you. And them two are still in Morristown
19:01somewhere. Sure, the Audley place. That woman must have scrambled your brains. It's them
19:09kids. Hawkeye and that Mohican are tryin' to figure out some way to get my old card away
19:15from me. Get the Indians. Bring them over to the storehouse and don't deli.
19:31You guard the corner. You two braves keep your eyes peeled at the back of the storehouse.
19:42And remember, no shootin'. I've already sent word to the tribe I'm bringing them in alive.
19:51That Gertie's smarter than I thought. He's keepin' one step ahead of us. My brother is
19:56right. Gertie moved fast. He has bad medicine. Like plague. I think you've got the answer,
20:03Chingagecook. What you mean, my brother? Well, Gertie's the one who spread the word that
20:08the plague was here in Morristown. The way things are, I wouldn't want to give him the
20:12reputation of a liar. But everybody know he speak with crooked tongue. Maybe not this
20:18time. You look terrible sick, Chingagecook. No, my brother. Me feel fine. Me hungry, but
20:27feel fine. You're gonna be sick. In a little while, you're gonna be the first victim of
20:32the plague in Morristown. You're gonna have a fever. Your face'll break out. You'll be
20:39moanin', groanin'. You'll look awful. Well, not yet. Come on. Don't you worry. Hawkeye
20:56and Chingagecook will get us out of here. You'll see. Get away from that window, you
21:04brats. Hawkeye, nobody'll get you out of here until I'm ready to let you loose.
21:18Hawkeye! Hawkeye!
21:34Hawkeye! Hawkeye! Hawkeye!
21:52Grab him!
21:56Chingagecook, come back!
22:08Help me, my red brother! Help me! Get back, it's a black plague!
22:15Come back here, you little little cowards!
22:24Stand back. He's full of the plague fever. He can't hear you. Plague or no plague, you're
22:30still my prisoners. That may be a matter of opinion, Gertie, seeing as how your courageous
22:35Senecas have deserted you. You forget I still got a whole tribe out by Mirror Lake. If I
22:40know anything about Senecas, when they get word of the plague, they'll take off and won't
22:44stop till they're the other side of the Alleghenies.
22:47Even the very air we breathe smells a mite sweeter now, Hawkeye. And that's the way
23:12it should stay in a free country. Just before you go, Chingagecook, you promised to tell
23:16us your secret of scaring off Gertie's tribe. Oh, it's not secret. Me use clay from earth,
23:22juice of berries on face. Rest is fear in heart of Seneca. Well, goodbye, Audley. Bye.
23:31Mrs. Audley, Paul.
23:44Join us again at this same time next week for another of James Fenimore Cooper's gripping
23:49tales of the early American frontier. Another exciting adventure of Hawkeye and his blood
23:55brother, Chingagecook. Last of the Mohicans.
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