“I expect he’ll be here pretty soon,” Booth said, his mind already working on things a lot more serious than the fact that Tater was late for supper. The mysterious Mr. Hawk would have to be dealt with. He had left Bodine’s when the old man and his grandson left, but when Hawk had talked to Booth in the saloon before that, he just said he was going to find a place to camp for the night. He looked like a man who could handle himself, but Booth didn’t think he was foolhardy to the point where he would take on four men like the four of them.

Almost as if he knew what his brother was thinking, Jesse leaned toward him and asked, “What’s on your mind, Booth? You look like you’re gnawin’ on somethin’ in your head.”

“As a matter of fact,” Booth responded, “there is a little somethin’ I was fixin’ to tell you. I was waitin’ for Tater to get here, but it looks like he changed his mind about eatin’.” He paused to make sure Bodine wasn’t listening in on their conversation. “While you boys were layin’ around the cabin, I had a drink with the man who’s been followin’ us.” That captured Jesse’s attention at once. “His name’s Hawk.”

“Hawk? A lawman?” Jesse asked immediately.

“Don’t think so,” Booth replied. “I figure he’s the same jasper that shot Blue. That’s the only thing that makes sense to me. I don’t know how he got on our trail to start with, but it’s my guess he’s comin’ after the money.”

Jesse shook his head slowly, concerned now. “He musta got on our trail right there where we done it.” They had been so sure no one would find that hill where the slaughter took place until it was way too late to do anything about it. Then another thought naturally popped into his head. “Why didn’t you shoot the son of a bitch?”

“I intended to,” Booth said, “but he never gave me the chance.” He told Jesse about the whole incident in the saloon and Hawk’s cautious departure. “I thought I had a shot at him when he got on his horse, but he knew he was about to get it and he slid over on the side of his horse, Injun style. I didn’t have nothin’ to shoot at.”

“We’re gonna need to take care of him, and that’s a fact,” Jesse stated emphatically. “And we need to stick together, so he don’t get another shot like he did with Blue.” As soon as he said it, they both looked back toward the door as if looking for Tater.

Booth came out with the question that occurred to them both. “Where the hell is Tater?”