“If we struck pay dirt up in these hills, it’d be gold dust,” Blue told him. “It don’t come outta the ground as paper money.”

“Hell, Tater,” Trip Dawson japed, while everybody was laughing at Tater’s stupidity, “that feller in that tent ain’t likely got more’n twenty dollars’ worth, anyway.”

“I told you when I laid this job out,” Booth reminded him, “we’ve gotta be smart about this and don’t go showin’ off our money. Like I said in the beginnin’, we need to lay low up here in this cabin awhile, till we’re sure ain’t nobody talkin’ about that bunch of Quakers gettin’ killed. If I can go to church meetin’s and sing hallelujah for eight straight months, you can sure as hell hole up here for a couple of weeks. Then we’ll all head for someplace where we can spend our money.”

“Booth’s right,” Blue said. “We need to lay low for a little while. And I’ll tell you what I’m gonna do in the mornin’. I’m gonna ride down in that canyon and shoot one of them deer that likes to go down there in that stream. I’m damn sick of bacon. Anybody wanna go with me?”

“No, but I’ll sure help you eat him,” Tater said. “Might even help you butcher him.”

“I knew I could count on you,” Blue joked. “Nobody wanna do a little huntin’?” When no one showed any enthusiasm for going with him, he continued, “All right, but I’ll tell you one thing, that’s gonna be some mighty expensive venison. It’s a good thing you’ve all got some money if you’re thinkin’ you might want some of that fresh meat.”

“I ain’t sure how much longer I can sit around this little cabin,” Trip declared. “It’s gonna get cold up here pretty soon and I’m thinkin’ I need to get outta these mountains before it starts in to snowin’.”

“I’ve been thinkin’ about that, myself,” Jesse said. “But Booth’s right, we’d do well to lay low for at least a week or two, long enough to make sure there ain’t nobody lookin’ to find out what happened to those Quakers.” He was well aware of his brother’s concern that the men wouldn’t be able to keep from displaying their sudden wealth. “Besides, it’ll most likely be a month before the weather starts gettin’ really cold.” He turned toward his brother. “Right, Booth? And we’ll be long gone by then.”

“That’s right, boys,” Booth responded. “Just hold your horses for a little while and enjoy bein’ rich. Then we’ll go on down to one of those Kansas towns, Dodge City, or Wichita, where the gamblin’ and the women are runnin’ hot all winter long.”