The Oregon trail

Pay day

Alex's P.O.V

Today was payday, I licked my thumb as I counted the notes of last nights winnings.

Trampus and Steve were animatedly telling the story of how I single handedly 'beat up' Wes McGregor without even breaking a sweat.

It even came with a highly dramatised, reenactment, that the two put on for the bunkhouse, much to their amusement.

"Did you really beat a guy up last night?" My brother asked me as he stood on the lower bunk to reach my height. His head barely higher than the mattress I sat on. "No, he just fell in the water trough," I replied.

"I hope that was just the case," the Virginian stated, handing me an envelope filled with my pay. "I don't intend to cause any trouble Sir," I said honestly. I was only going to be here long enough to get the funds I needed to to travel down to Texas, to meet up with my uncle.

"Well I hope that's the case," he commented knowingly, before he continued to pass out the others pay.

With the extra $15 he had just given me, combined with the poker winnings, I now had $230.

I chewed on my lip uneasily. This was the most money I had ever had in hand. Whilst it felt good to know that I was no longer living on the skin of my teeth, I knew I had a long way to go before I could afford to up and leave Shiloh.

I still needed to go buy some new clothes. The thread bare ones my brother and I wore would never get us through the harsh winter. Kane was complaining that he needed new boots, his old ones were getting too tight on him. My rifle was beginning to become a bit rusty itself, whilst it had served me well, I needed to consider an upgrade.

Then there was the extra food, blankets, ammunition, we would need. Then there was the other fact I needed to consider. Kane was growing faster than weeds in a garden. I couldn't escape the fact that soon he would need his own pony. Another cost to add to the equation. We couldn't ride double on Red forever, especially with all the supplies we'd be carrying.

There was even the potential I'd need a pack mule.

It was far too expensive to ride that distance on the stage coach. The train would no doubt have eyes on it, no matter how careful we were.

The costs were soon mounting up, and that $230 began to feel a lot like $5.

"Right, Trampus, Steve, Alex, Larry, and Jeff, I need you five to go up to the old mine shaft and fix the fence line that stops those cows walking into those openings. Take a wagon with supplies, you should make it up there by night fall. The rest of you will be helping to blow the last of the trees blocking the river on the lower plains, we will need the draft horses and chains," The Virginian stated leaving no room for argument.

"What about me?" Kane asked looking at me expectantly, "Milk the cows, get the eggs in, clean out the stalls, wash the dishes for Joey every night, and make yourself useful for Mr Grainger," I replied, as I split the wad of cash into two. Placing them in the heel of my boot, before I jiggled them on.

My boots were a tighter fit with them, my toes were forced harder to the front. I really needed to get a better hiding place for my money. It's not like I could stuff it under my pillow.