Day wore on past noon.  Few folk got their eyes on the parties what were assembling and figgered maybe they'd be better off just minded their own damn business.  Rough folk out to do what may likely turn out to be some rough work.  Were always something safer to do work about town even if it didn't pay but to keep your heart tickin.  Lot of folk said they wanted to go out huntin' after this cursed mine camp or that man eating cougar, but you know well as I do money talks and bullshit walks.  So the bullshitters found something else to do and the party they got to talking.  

Old Zeke convinced his "fellow countryman" to come along with him and help hunt down that damn idjit cougar.  Offered him the full pay for the cat and the protection of a little posse of his friends.  Crazy old coot really had it out for that critter.  Said he already had it's mate nicely emptied out and she'd soon be fit fer showing.  Soon as he got even just the slightest nod from that Kaufmann feller he got to stammerin' and asking all kind of question 'bout where he were from and what it were like and did he know the Mullers of Munich or the Richters of Rostock or maybe those schweinhund Schmidts from Sarrbucken?

Rest of the party, them that were still willin' to head out under that unforgivin' sun that is, them all got together and headed out down the path to Poor Ol' Charles' Mine.  Learned pretty quick from one of the hire ons that it were a good long trip.  Them hire ons aim to push a hard pace, seems there were a few of the lot who had, purely out of civic duty mind you, followed Ol' Charles out a bit toward the mine fore he lost em or they got tired and headed back for home.  This time though they meant to get out there and collect that damn re-ward, quick like too afore the sun came down too far.