Two yellow cats came in and rubbed themselves against Big Tom’s legs. Big Tom shoved them off with his toe. “If I had gone to gardening after that first hitch, it would have changed my whole life.” He mused over some begonias with reddish hairy leaves and a long spate of crimson bloom. He said, “What’s Snope want out of it?”

“He’ll want the usual ten per cent.”

“What do you want?”

“I’ll settle for the same. Ten.”

“That’s not much.”

“If what I think is there is there, it could be plenty. A half million wouldn’t surprise me none. Look, this has been going on for more than three years. You know the kind of lettuce they cut over there in Nevada.”

“Could be.”

Willy’s eyes had begun to gleam. He had a sudden vivid picture of himself at the track. The horses were parading to the post. He was all dressed up, and there was a wad of money in his hand. He’d just cashed a slew of tickets on a fifteen-to-one shot. Willy grew so excited under the compelling reality of the dream that he could scarcely stand still.

Big Tom was studying quietly over something. “What’s been done so far?”

“My punk nephew got acquainted with the girl. She just lives there, works for her keep. She told him about this guy named Stolz and the money. Skip’s got some wild idea he can pull it off with the help of another punk named Eddie Barrett. Believe me, this Eddie is from nothing. It’s going to fall on their heads.”

“Maybe not.”

“Chrissakes, they don’t know anything!” Willy cried. “They think they’ll walk in there and tie up the old woman and heist the dough and take the girl with them when they walk out. Just like that!”

“They might get away with it,” Big Tom said.

“Look. If Stolz is big in Nevada, he’ll have connections here. Hot ones. You think he’ll sit still for it? Nuts.” Willy almost backed into the ferns. “He’ll peg out their hides in his lobby, that’s what he’ll do.”

Big Tom said, “Well, let’s go inside and have a beer. We’ll talk it over. Before I’d go ahead with it I’d have to know more about the money.”

“The girl’s going to find out about that.”

“You’ve met her?”

“Never. Don’t intend to. That’s what I mean about these punks not knowing anything. They’re careless; they even drive around and look the place over by daylight; they run around with the girl.”

Big Tom led the way back, shaking his head sadly.

Eddie went into the kitchen and looked into the coffeepot. There was a dark greasy cupful swimming in the bottom. He turned the gas on under it. From his mother’s room he heard the creak of bedsprings.