“We talked that over,” he replied, “and decided you were entitled to an even cut. It was your caper, you located it. You had the nerve to propose what we first thought was a bughouse caper. We are clean so far as the coppers are concerned. If we ever do any time for this we’ll have to plead guilty to it. The constable of that town would be our best witness if we got picked up on it. He would never admit that we could screw (key) out of his jail, beat that box, plant the coin, throw the jail screws in the creek, and go back and lock ourselves up. He might admit that it could happen to some other jail, but he will swear it couldn’t be done to his, see? “But here’s the main reason we gave you an even cut of the coin. From the way you stepped in Smiler’s case, and the way you took your jolt in the cooler at the ‘big house’ we know you are ‘right.’ If anything had gone wrong with this caper and we had to take a pinch, we figured you would have been a big help on the outside. That’s why you are declared ‘in and in’ with the works. “And now that we can lay off for a while, where will we go?” turning to Johnnie. “First,” said Johnnie, “we’ll go back to Pocatello and pay Mary. She told me she was going to Salt Lake soon to visit George at the ‘big house.’ I want to send a few dollars to some people there. The kid here wants to pay the hundred to Shorty that went to Judge Powers and the ten George gave him. You’ll probably want to send something, too. We can give it all to Mary and she’ll deliver it. While we’re there I’ll have her buy me a pair of ‘smoke wagons.’ No telling how soon I’ll be broke, and if I have a couple of guns I won’t be helpless. Then I’m going home for the winter, if nothing happens. When I got this last jolt I wrote and told my people I was going to Alaska for two years and they wouldn’t hear from me till I got back. “I go home now and then when I have a decent piece of money. My old people are both living, and I’ve got seven brothers and sisters. I bring them all something nice for presents, not that they need anything, but just to rub it into them. I am the youngest and always had to take the leavings. The first lock I ever busted was on the pantry in the kitchen of my old New Hampshire home, so far away. “Where are you going, kid?” “I’d like to stay with you people, but if you are going to split out, I’ll go to San Francisco for a while.” “You can go with me,” cut in Sanc. “I’m going to San Francisco for the winter. No New Hampshire winter for me.” I think the two of them were looking forward to a few months of quiet, peace, and maybe dissipation. My thoughts were running ahead to future burglaries. No thought of going home, even when Johnnie was telling of his home life. When I was hiding in the empty house covered with Smiler’s blood, I wanted to go home, because I was in a tough hole. Now I was safe, independent, the life fascinated me. No thought of home now.