- Clay Cook: Why didn't you shoot, Curtis?
- Jeff Curtis: Same reason I wouldn't let your uncle kill the dog. You might be useful on this trip.
- Jeff Curtis: We might as well get this straight right now. You give all the orders you want, but not to me. I don't work for you.
- Cyrus Cook: You've been hired...
- Jeff Curtis: I was hired, but not by you! The minute I take over responsibility for this wagon train, I'm working for every man, woman and child in it. I'll see that you get where you're going. That's my job.
- Archie Lawrence: How much?
- Cyrus Cook: It's about $25 a wagon.
- Archie Lawrence: Twenty-five... Oh, I don't know. That's a lot of money.
- Cyrus Cook: Wagon bosses don't work cheap.
- Archie Lawrence: Ah, is this horse worth that to ya?
- Cyrus Cook: Does the saddle come with the deal?
- Archie Lawrence: It's a little warm for Christmas, ain't it, Mister?
- Ann Wilkins: We're very grateful to you for what you did.
- Jeff Curtis: [referring to the beating he just gave to Ann's boyfriend, Clay] Oh, I guess somebody would have had to do it to him sooner or later.
- Jeff Curtis: [rubbing his jaw] It wasn't all one-sided.
- Ann Wilkins: I meant we're grateful for bringing Ben home!
- Jeff Curtis: Oh. Well, that was a pleasure, too.
- Jeff Curtis: Did you make this?
- Ann Wilkins: I did. As good as pheasant, Mr. Curtis?
- Jeff Curtis: Better.
- Ben Wilkins: [to his dog] Come on, Buzz. Some roughneck.
- Opening crawl: The courage and strength of the men and women who settled the United States in the westward movement of the Nineteenth Century has become an honored and legendary part of our history. The pioneering spirit of these people, remarkable as it was could not have proved so effective without direction and guidance. A handful of men, known as wagonmasters, made it their business to guide pioneer families westward across the mountains and the plains. Whatever their motive might have been in choosing such careers, the fact remains that without them our colonization of the West would have taken a lot longer than it did. This is the story of one such wagonmaster - Jeff Curtis.
- Ben Wilkins: Why didn't you let Jeff slug him, Marshal? He had it comin'.
- Jim, Joplin Marshal: Whatever he has coming will catch up to him. It always does, son.
- Sam Wilkins: [referring to Jeff] He's quite a man.
- Ann Wilkins: From what I hear he's a irresponsible roughneck!
- Sam Wilkins: Irresponsible? I wouldn't say that. But in ths part of the country, it helps to be a roughneck.