- Jim Coates: Now and then, for no good reason a man can figure out, life will just haul off and knock him flat.
- [Old Yeller has contracted hydrophobia and must be put down; Katie brings out the gun]
- Travis Coates: No, Mama!
- Katie Coates: There's no hope for him now, Travis. He's suffering. You know we've got to do it.
- Travis Coates: Yes, Mama. But he was my dog. I'll do it.
- Arliss Coates: Why did you shoot Rosemary?
- Travis Coates: She was sick.
- Arliss Coates: Well, you were sick. How come we didn't shoot you?
- Travis Coates: Well, that's some different.
- Katie Coates: If that don't beat all. I never saw such a dog.
- Travis Coates: And you won't never see another one like him.
- Arliss Coates: What's Papa gonna sell our steers for?
- Travis Coates: For money, of course.
- Arliss Coates: What's money?
- Travis Coates: That's what you buy things with.
- Arliss Coates: What do you mean by buy things?
- Travis Coates: Well when you have money, you give it to people for stuff. They say you can get anything for money.
- Arliss Coates: Anything? What's it look like?
- Travis Coates: I never seen but one piece. A dollar bill Papa had.
- Arliss Coates: What'd Papa buy with his dollar?
- Travis Coates: Nothing, it wasn't no good.
- Arliss Coates: But you just said you could get anything with money.
- Travis Coates: Well, you can, but Papa's was Confederate.
- Arliss Coates: What's Confederate money?
- Travis Coates: Confederate money? Well, it's...
- Arliss Coates: Well?
- Travis Coates: Don't you ever run out of questions?
- [Travis has asked how he can tell if a creature has hydrophobia]
- Burn Sanderson: You can't hardly tell at first, not till they get to the point of slobbering and staggering around. When you see a critter in that fix, you know for sure. But you want to watch for others that ain't that far along. Now, you take a bobcat or a fox. You know they'll run if you give 'em the chance. But when one don't run, or maybe makes fight at you, why, you shoot him and shoot him quick. After he's bitten you, it's too late.
- Travis Coates: Papa, you ain't forgetting the horse.
- Jim Coates: What horse?
- Travis Coates: Now Papa, you know I've been aching all over for a good horse to ride. I've told you time and again.
- Jim Coates: What you're needing more than a horse is a good dog.
- Travis Coates: Yes sir, but what I'm wanting most is a horse.
- Jim Coates: Alright, you act a man's part and I'll bring you a man's horse.
- Lisbeth Searcy: Travis? If you could just come to like the pup. He's - he's *part* Old Yeller.
- Travis Coates: Maybe *part* Old Yeller, but he ain't Old Yeller.
- Travis Coates: What happened?
- Katie Coates: It was so sudden, I don't hardly know. The wolf came leapin' out at us.
- Travis Coates: Lucky you had Old Yeller.
- Katie Coates: It was lucky for us, son, but it weren't lucky for Old Yeller.
- Travis Coates: He's chewed up some, but he ain't bad hurt.
- Katie Coates: No wolf in his right mind would've jumped us at the fire... not even a loafer wolf. That wolf was mad. I'll shoot him... if you can't. But either way, we've got it to do.
- Travis Coates: Mama, listen. Old Yeller just saved your life, and Elizabeth too! And he saved mine and Arliss'! We can't! We don't know for certain. I'll pen him up where he can't get out. And-And then we'll wait. We can't just shoot him like he was nothin'. Don't you understand?
- Katie Coates: All right, son. If you think there's a chance
- Katie Coates: Now Arliss, you ride back here with Yeller.
- Arliss Coates: On a count of he's a sicker Injun than me?
- Katie Coates: Yes.