- Tom Keefer: If you can learn to live with cotton-mouths and 'gators and panthers, on places where there ain't a solid bit of ground to stand on, why I reckon you're welcome to your life.
- Ben: You tryin' to get me killed?
- Tom Keefer: I'm tryin' to find out if there's anyone in the world who kin speak the honest truth.
- Tom Keefer: Say Ben, tell me - how does she look, is she pretty?
- Ben: Well, Tom, I wouldn't exactly say she took after you.
- Thursday Ragan: You've been like a second mother to him Hannah - surely you know how I feel.
- Hannah: Sure I know - women don't need no telling. The trouble with you men folk is, you're ashamed to let on to each other how you feel.
- Ben: This here's Miss Julia... Miss Gordon.
- Hannah: Sure, I seen you at Mrs. McCord's. You look a sight pretty child, I've been a' watching you with Ben.
- Julie: Thank you.
- Thursday Ragan: Ain't you Tom Keefer's young 'un?
- Julie: Yes sir.
- Ben: I brung her to this dance and I ain't going to have nobody runnin' her down.
- Thursday Ragan: I don't aim to have words with none of my kin in public. I mean no offense against this young 'un, but you're the one that seemed ashamed to say her name, not me.
- Ben: It's gettin' where I'll expect nothing from you but a bossified tongue and a cussin' out.
- Mabel MacKenzie: You ain't felt my tongue yet Ben.
- Thursday Ragan: If you'd a minded me, and kept outen that swamp like I told you Ben, you wouldn't be in no fix like you're in... What's the matter boy?
- Ben: If you'll be giving me my clothes, I'll be takin' myself offen your hands.
- Thursday Ragan: No, you won't - you'll be quiet now. You're sick Ben.
- Ben: I ain't so sick I have to lay here and listen to you give me down the country. I knowed that was all you drug me out of that crick for.
- Thursday Ragan: I drug you out because you was my boy.
- Sheriff Jeb McKane: [admiring a panther hide] Where'd you catch him, Ben?
- Ben: Back in the swamp.
- Marty McCord: How'd you get him?
- Ben: We got him with a load of buckshot.
- Tim Dorson: Oh, so you was with somebody.
- Ben: I mean me and my dog.
- Tim Dorson: I knowed you had a smart dog, Ben, but I never heard he could handle a shotgun.
- Ben: I never in my life asked for no kiss, always just took 'em. I'll be dogged if I ain't asking you now, Julie.
- Ben: We'll get out Keefer - if I have to bash you in the head when you ain't looking.
- Tom Keefer: Bud, there ain't no man livin' can catch me when I ain't lookin'.
- Tom Keefer: It's like being dead all these years, and now you're - you're a tellin' me to come back to life again.