 Jerry, hat ferox! Talk to the stables and see if everything is... You know Sergeant Alden has taken care of everything as good as anything can be cared for. Yeah, I know, but all the same, I want to take another look at Splendor. Okay then, I'll walk along with you. What you're making me is nervous as a cat. How do you think I feel? I have to ride on the team. All you have to do is sit in the stands and watch. Oh yeah, sure. All I have to do is sit in the stands and watch, and chew my fingernails and wonder if you're all gonna make the jumps okay, and if you're all gonna wheel and turn and gallop right. If you think you're nervous, you ought to be Sergeant Alden. Sergeant Alden, nervous? And how? He certainly doesn't show it. Well, maybe he doesn't show it in what he does, but well, we can tell because when we pull up on a jump or don't give enough rain or something like that, he runs out on the field to check everything. Oh, well, that's only natural. Nope, it isn't. He used to just call out from wherever he was standing, but now he runs right out and talks to the fellow who makes the mistake. Yeah, well, I guess it does mean a lot to him. If Farrokh loses, well then Edson gets the trophy for good, but we'll never get another chance at it. Look, Mr. Phillips, do you mind not talking like that? Okay, but I don't see why you have to be any more nervous than any other cadet on the team. Okay, I'll tell you why. In the first place, I just got on the team because Paul Warren got hurt. I mean, I got to ride Splendor in the pivot position. Well, if you hadn't been good enough, Sergeant Alden wouldn't have picked you for the spot. Maybe, but here's another thing. Splendor's a white horse and all the others are chestnut. He's going to stand out like, well... Like a sore thumb. Yeah, that's it. And I'm riding him, so I'll stand out like a sore thumb. If I make a mistake, it's going to show up twice as bad. Well, who said you were going to make a mistake? Well, I didn't. Well, then stop thinking about it. Yeah, I wish I could. Now, let's talk about something else or I'll have a nervous wreck for a roommate. Okay, let's talk about the weather. Nice day, isn't it? Not very. Well, we finished that fast enough. I didn't want to talk about the weather anyway. Say, Lee, what do you suppose Red Morrison's idea is and spreading it around that I wasn't going to ride on the team? I mean that Bruce was. Well, it's hard telling, Jerry. Of course, we can't be sure it was Red. Well, it just sounds like one of his tricks. Yeah, he sure is doing his best to make trouble between us and Bruce. Yeah, he's got something up his sleeve. You can bet your uniform on that. Yeah, and that reminds me. I saw Bruce this morning and said hello to him. He just looked at me and nodded, kind of like he didn't care if he saw me or not. Yeah, he's a funny fellow. Well, he's going to be even funnier if he hangs with Red Morrison. Say, I wonder what Major Davis's idea was in putting him in the same room with Red. Search me. Maybe he figured that Bruce would be a good influence or something on Red. Yeah, but it's not turning out that way. Well, here are the stables. You going in? Sure. Come on with me. Okay. Wonder where Sergeant Alden is. No, I don't see him. He's usually around at this time of the day. Well, can you go in if he's not around? Oh, sure. Members of the team are allowed in. This Sammy knows all of us. Sammy? Sure, you know. The groom. Oh, sure. Well, come on, let's go in there. Say, the door's closed. Probably the wind blew it shut. Yeah, I'll have it open in a second. Hey, what's the matter? Well, the lock's on the door. Well, what's funny about that? Well, this door is never locked, except at night. Something's funny and I don't like it. Oh, Jerry, for the love of Mike, you're just making a mountain out of a molehill. Well, maybe I am, but I still don't like it. Sergeant Alden and Sammy probably went over to the hardware store to buy something. No, both of them wouldn't go. Sammy's always here to take care of the horses. Well, let's sit down and wait. I know I couldn't get away to leave now. Okay. Say, look, Lee, aren't those tracks leading out of the stable? Where? There, right in front of the big doors. Yeah, yeah, they are. But what of it? Well, they're auto tracks. Good gosh, you're going to find something mysterious and that, too. You're as jumpy as I can. Oh, I can't help it, Lee. I guess I am, though. Sure, take it easy. Well, sit here on the grass and wait for Sergeant Alden to come back. If you say he's here every day at this time, he ought to be back soon. The other fellows will be here soon. Practice is due to start in about 15 minutes. So I've got 15 minutes to sit here and listen to you worry. Want to help me? Nope. Now you've got me doing it for myself. I don't have to help anybody. See, isn't that Sergeant Alden coming across there now? Oh, yeah. Yeah, he's alone. I wonder where Sammy is. Maybe something's wrong with Sammy. Yeah, I bet that's it. But I hope not. He's a swell fella. Well, we'll soon find out. I think he sees us. Yeah, he does. Yeah, he was going the other way, but he's coming over here now. Yeah, let's get up. Hello, Sergeant Alden. Hello, Sick. Hello, Jerry. Lee. I came out here to take a look around. The door was locked, sir. Yes, I know. I locked it. Aren't we going to have practice this afternoon, Sergeant Alden? Yes, of course, Jerry, but it isn't time yet. See, Jerry, I told you. Well, you were worried, too. Where's Sammy, sir? Sammy's gone on an errand for me, Jerry. He'll be back shortly. Oh. Hey, can I get Splendor saddled a while, sir? Oh, I suppose we wait for a bit, Jerry. There are a few things I'd like to talk about first. To you. Oh, well, I'll leave. I'll see you later. Oh, no, no, Lee. Not at all. Stick around if you want to. Oh, well, if it's all right, sir. I'd like to. Of course it is. Oh, come on. Let's sit down on this bench here. Yes, sir. Well, there we are. Well, what did you want to talk about, sir? Well, several things, Jerry. First of all, I want to know what you think of a suggestion Major Davis and Captain Gardner made about the team. Yes, sir. Well, as you know, the team is still without a captain. Usually, it's up to you cadets to elect one. But Major Davis and Captain Gardner suggested that we do it a little differently this year. You mean don't elect a captain, sir? Well, not exactly, Lee. We'll have a captain, but he won't be elected. He'll be asked to take the captaincy of the Mounted Drill Team. Well, one of the cadets on the team, Sergeant Alden? He was on the team, Jerry. But right now, he's eating his heart out because he isn't. I think I know who you mean to. So do I. Paul Warren. That's it, exactly. Well, what do you think of the idea? Gee, I think it's swell. He asks about the team every day and comes out to watch his practice. That's why Major Davis and Captain Gardner thought of it. How would you like to tell him, Jerry? Would I? Oh boy, right now? In a few minutes. You see, Jerry, we want you to tell him the good news because you're riding in his spot on the team. You know, it's pretty tough to sit in the stands and know that you can't take part in the competition. We figure that he's being captained. We'll take a little of the edge off his disappointment. Boy, that's keen. You bet I'll tell him. I'll go right over after practice. Uh, now that we've got the good news out of the way, I'm a little afraid we'll have to get on with the bad. Bad news, sir? Yes. Oh, Jerry and Leah, come with me. Yes, sir. Where to, sir? In the stable. I want to show you something. There's nothing wrong, is there, Sergeant Alden? Come along, Jerry. You too, Lee. Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. Yep, I have to get the lock off first. Oh, leave the door open there, Lee. The rest of the cadets will be coming out soon. Yes, sir. Jerry, I, uh... I think you'll see what's wrong. Splendor! What? What's happened, Sergeant Alden? No, no, no. Take it easy, Jerry. Splendor's gone. Gone? Stolen? I mean... Where could he have gone? Gee, please, Sergeant Alden. What's the matter? We had to take Splendor to the veterinary hospital just an hour ago. Veterinary? Sergeant Alden, well, what's the matter? Splendor... Splendor is a sick horse, Jerry. Well, gee, why didn't somebody tell me? I gotta see him. I took care of him once. I gotta see him. Jerry? Yes, sir. Splendor is getting the best of care. You don't have to worry about that. Oh, I know that, sir, but I just gotta see him. He's my horse. Oh, gee. Sergeant Alden, how... What happened? Just temporarily. Just about an hour and a half ago, Sammy and I saw Splendor wasn't standing in his stall. He was down on the floor. We had to take him away. But couldn't you leave him here? He'd be all right. The veterinary could have come here. No, Jerry. You see, we couldn't take a chance with the other horses. We had to get Splendor out of here. Well... Well, I can see him, can't I? No, no. It's best that you stay here. Splendor is getting all the attention he needs. You know, expert care and anything at all in the world can be done for him. It'll be done. Anything at all. Well, that sounds like he's... Not quietly. We'll just have to wait and see. I'm going back to the vets in a little while after practice. Can I go along with you, sir? Oh, Jerry, there's nothing you can do. I'll let you know just as soon as I can. All right. I see, sir, but... Well, what about the meat with Edson? Without Splendor? Well, Sergeant Alden's Splendor won't be in the meat. I know that. It makes me feel pretty badly, too. But just remember this, Jerry. We're in this together. I love Splendor as much as you do. And I'm hoping he'll come through as well as much as you're hoping it. I won't be able to ride. Oh, Jerry, you can't say that. Oh, I gotta say it, Lee. I won't be any good at all. I know it. I'll be thinking of Splendor all the time. Every second I'm riding or jumping, I'll be thinking of Splendor. Look, Jerry, I told you yesterday about Captain Hunter. Remember? Yes, sir. I told you he was killed. But what I didn't tell you was that... was that he was killed saving my life. He was, sir. Yes, Lee. Oh, but... Just a minute. That Hunter Craig trophy means a lot to me. You can see that, can't you now? Yes, sir. I can. Gee, yes. All right, then. Jerry, listen to this. Winning that meat means more to me than anything else. I'm depending on each and every one of you cadets on the Faroaks team. If I didn't have faith in you, I wouldn't let you ride. I wasn't putting all my hope in just Splendor. I was putting it on you, too, Jerry. Now, Splendor won't be in there Saturday, but you will. You'll be in there on a strange horse. You... You're gonna let me ride, sir? On a strange horse with only a couple of days left to practice? You see any reason why I shouldn't? Boy... Well, Jerry? What do you say? I... Oh, golly. That trophy has to come to Faroaks, Jerry. For more than just my sake. I want it here for a Captain Hunter. If I have enough faith in you to think that you can ride well enough without Splendor to bring the trophy here, then don't you think you should have enough faith in... in yourself, Jerry? I... Sir... Sergeant Alden, I'll be ready for practice in two minutes.