We rode toward the nearest town, making very slow progress because we kept having to chase after cattle that broke away from the herd. Probably three days later, we found it. Billy approached the first person he saw. He put an arm around the man's shoulder and led him toward us. "How 'bout some cows?" asked Billy.

The man inspected the herd and paid us a handsome sum for it. Billy found a stick and scratched a math problem in the dirt. He laboriously calculated how to divide the money between seven of us, which amounted to almost 25 dollars apiece and a little left over. Enough to get us across the border, if the boys didn't spend it on whiskey and women first. Once we all had our money, Hendry approached Billy.

"Well, you're called Kid, Serena is Rampaging Riddle, and Rudabaugh is Arkansas Dave," Hendry rattled off. "And I daresay Doc's Christian name ain't Doc."

"You want a name?" Billy guessed.

"I would like that very much indeed," said Hendry.

"You have to earn your nickname. Until then, you're stuck with plain old Hendry. Sorry," Billy apologized. He motioned to Dave, who was slinking toward a cantina to gamble away his money. "Get back here, Rudabaugh. Mount up."

"Where are we going now?" Doc asked wearily.

"We're goin' to White Oaks. I wanna drop in on an old friend of mine," Billy replied.

"Who?" asked Tommy.

"Jane Greathouse," Billy said, smiling to himself. "Most beautiful gal in all of New Mexico. Besides 'Rena, I mean."

White Oaks was another day's ride from where we were. We got there at about midafternoon; a sign outside town read "Welcome to White Oaks. We Will Not Tolerate Scum."

"What's scum?" asked Tommy.

"Well, Tom, that's bad types: politicians, cattle kings, and such," Billy explained.

As we rode into the town itself, it became very clear that the citizens of White Oaks had a much different definition of scum. The townsfolk were all wearing their best clothes; I ventured a guess it was Sunday. They gaped in open-mouthed horror at us. Mothers pulled their children to the other side of the street, away from our horses. The kids' eyes glimmered with excitement; they knew us well from our Wanted posters.

We dismounted in front of a large manor house located a few doors down from the church. A woman with spiral-curled red hair, wearing a long purple gown, descended the stairs. "Well, I'll be hog-tied and sent to Hades!" she cried, throwing herself into Billy's arms. "Billy! What did you bring me?" She chuckled as we filed through the doorway. "4, 5, 6 wicked boys. Are you wicked and wanted or just plain wicked?"

"$1,000 dollars on me." Billy bragged.

"I heard $500," said Jane.

"Then you heard wrong."

Dave nudged Tommy in the ribs as Jane led us to a nicely furnished sitting room. "We're gonna make a man out of you, son," Dave snickered.

I gave a small gasp. I'd known this place was a whorehouse from the get-go, but I didn't suspect the boys would try to get Tommy involved. A young black girl moved about the room with a silver tray of shot glasses as the boys seated themselves. Tommy eagerly slurped the whiskey, then suddenly grimaced. He looked desperately around, probably for something to kill the fire going down his throat.

Jane suddenly turned to me. "Oh, my heavens. If it ain't Ravishin' Riddle, the sweetest songbird a saloon could ever see. I never got a chance to see you, but I heard you were good. How about singin' a little somethin' for old time's sake?"

I forced myself to be polite. "I'd like to, Jane, but I can't. Me and the boys are runnin' a little low on supplies. Does this town have a general store?"

"Right down there, sugar," said Jane, pointing to the left.

"Can I get you boys somethin' while I'm there?" I asked.

"Gumballs," said Tommy.

"A new book if you can find one," said Doc.

"And don't forget the apples," said Billy. "Like I always say: 'An apple a day keeps the lynch mobs away.'" He giggled hysterically at his own joke. Calming down, he added, "And some cake if they got it. Christ, it's been so long since I've had some real good cake."

I nodded, trying to keep everything the boys requested in mind. "I'll be back before you get a chance to miss me," I promised.

"Oh, you can take your time, darlin'," Dave assured me. "We ain't in no hurry."

'I'll bet they aren't,' I thought as I left the manor.