Bulldog
A YOUNG MAN'S OBSESSION WITH THE WEST LEADS TO DEADLY PERIL...
A college kid named Ambrose Merryweather arrives in the West in search of adventure. He finds employment in the Pony Express through the help of his Uncle Arthur who works for Russell, Majors and Waddell. But Ambrose doesn't work as a rider, instead he becomes a clerk of sorts. His biggest dream is to meet his idol, a man he has read so much about: "Wild Bill" Hickok. When he learns that Hickok also rides for the Pony Express, Ambrose is ecstatic and immediately sends a letter to Sweetwater. Lou reads the letter to the merriment of the other riders and the embarrassment of Jimmy.
Trouble
visits the Sweetwater station when the company orders them to move their
routes 50 miles north. Although it will save the riders one day of riding,
the move would put them in dangerous territory -- right through Sioux burial
grounds. Teaspoon calls a meeting of territorial supervisors to object
the company's order.
Meanwhile at the Pony Express headquarters in St. Joe, Missouri, Arthur Merryweather tells an associate about his plans. Apparently, the company secured marks from a chief named Yellow Fox guaranteeing safe passage through the burial grounds. When the associate questions Arthur about the chief's marks, Ambrose's uncle says no one can ask Yellow Fox because he met with an "unfortunate accident." Arthur went on to say that when the first rider is attacked, the army will come in to "pacify the situation" and the company can lay claim to the Sioux's land. Arthur's real interest in the land is connected with the proposed transcontinental railroad. Ambrose offers to represent the company in the riders and supervisors' meeting when the real representative take ill. His uncle agrees, later telling his associate that "if anything goes wrong Ambrose will take the fall."
Ambrose attends the meeting where he is immediately booed by the riders upon his introduction. The Sweetwater gang, however, recognizes him as Hickok's admirer. Ambrose tells the assembled riders about the signed agreement with Chief Yellow Fox. But one rider asks where Yellow Fox is. He tells the assembly that he was on a run towards Harper Ridge when he encountered a band of Sioux who were looking for their chief. Apparently, the Indians found the chief's horse but there was no sign of Yellow Fox. Another rider accused the company of killing the Sioux chief. Their anger finally boiling over, the riders started a riot. Teaspoon quickly calls on his riders to keep Ambrose safe.
The riders take Ambrose back to the station where he tells Teaspoon that he supports the stationmaster's intentions of finding out the truth behind the changing route. The evening ends on an awkward note for Jimmy who is embarrassed by Ambrose's "civilized" gushing and the other riders' enjoyment of his discomfort.
Buck and Ambrose ride to Table Rock so Ambrose can ask the Sioux if they intend to honor the "agreement" Yellow Fox made with the company. The chief's brother said Yellow Fox disappeared on the way home from a peace meeting and that they believe he was killed. However, the Indians tell buck and Ambrose that they don't plan to do anything until they know for sure what happened to Yellow Fox. Still, they will not let the riders pass.
Teaspoon
sends a letter to Majors in St. Jo through Ambrose and decides to send
Jimmy along. Jimmy asks Ambrose what he intends to tell his uncle and Ambrose
tells him that he will tell the truth -- that the Indians do not want their
sacred burial grounds to be violated and that the riders are being unreasonable.
Jimmy tells Ambrose that his kind are all the same -- eating from a silver
spoon, hiding behind books their whole life, "living through other
people's lives and instead of doing things themselves."
When the meeting with Majors doesn't turn out too well, Jimmy blames Ambrose, accusing him of betraying the riders. That night Jimmy rummages through Ambrose's things, looking for Ambrose report to his uncle. He asks Kid to read it. Ambrose walks in and sees what Jimmy is doing. Jimmy pushes him around a bit until Kid tells him that Ambrose advised his uncle not to change the riders' route. Jimmy tries to apologize but Ambrose calls him to a fist fight. Ambrose gets knocked down several times but continues stand up. The riders -- who merely found him amusing before -- begin to admire his tenacity and Jimmy nicknames him "Bulldog."
To celebrate their new bonds of friendship, the riders take Ambrose to town and buy him a gun of his own. Their merry-making is cut short though when Ambrose's uncle appears to take Ambrose home like small child. When he tries to use force, the riders all draw on him. Arthur Merryweather doesn't take too kindly to the interference and fires the riders from their jobs. Bulldog seeks the help of Marshall Sam Cain and tells him what he thinks about his uncle's plans. He also tells Cain about their plan (his and the riders') of trying to stop the first rider to go through Table Rock. Cain offers to help out along with some deputies.
The riders prepare for the trouble they know they are going to face. They tie up and gag Bulldog, though, so he won't be able to join them. But Bulldog escapes and catches up with the riders and Marshall Sam Cain. The first Pony Express rider arrives at Table Rock along with some goons hired by Arthur Merryweather. A fire fight ensues and Bulldog is killed saving Jimmy's life.
OOOPS In the scene where Ambrose calls Jimmy out, you can see Buck and Cody walking right behind Jimmy as he walks out the door but when the camera cuts to a shot of Ambrose already out of the bunkhouse Jimmy comes out ALONE and it takes several more seconds before Buck and Cody appears. Where did they go?
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