They conferred with him about the matter in hand, after cautiously “sounding” him.
He thought it was a good scheme, he said, if it could be worked; and he agreed to a meeting of the “gang” at his cabin that night.
“I don’t think I care to try the safe-crackin’ job myself jest yet,” he told them; “though maybe I’ll come to it by and by; but I want you fellers to do it, so that you can sure cinch onto enough money so that I won’t have any trouble in gettin’ my little thousand a week. You see, I’m lookin’ out for Number One, the same as you are.”
They asked him about the prisoners; and were assured that they were “all right.”
“Cody is gettin’ ready to raid this place,” Gopher Gabe told him. “I got it straight. But he won’t find a thing when he does it.”
The night was dark and late when Gopher Gabe and his friends came to the cabin on the mountain. With the saloon keeper were Tim Benson, Juniper Joe, White-eyed Moses, and the scoundrel called Williams.
The Fool of Folly Mountain met them at the door and let them in. The place was as dark as the night outside.
“I’ll light my lamp as soon as you get inside,” he said to them. “You see, if it was lit now the light would shine out when the door is open, and somebody might see you comin’ in; I don’t care for that. I’ve got to look out for my own health, gents.”
He laughed in his easy way; then told them to stand still while he made sure the curtains were all drawn tight, and he could light his lamp.
“You might crack some of my valuable furniture, if you should bark yer shins ag’inst it,” he explained further, laughing.
The only furniture to be seen when the lamp was lighted were the stools and bed and the few belongings of the cabin.
“How’s the prisoners?” was Gopher Gabe’s first question, when he was seated on one of the stools.
“I didn’t know but the Dutchman would rave round some.”
“Well, he did, at first; but I argued the thing out with him.”
“He changed his mind, when I told him if he wouldn’t take my argument any other way I’d open a hole in his head with a bullet and so get it in. That weakened him. Improved much in your marksmanship lately, Moses?” the Fool asked airily.
“I ain’t heard that you have killed Buffalo Bill yet!”
“That’s all righdt. But ve ditn’t come here for shoking.”