Dig a trench with the open end to the wind. Build a fire in said trench, using whatever fuel is handy: sagebrush, cow chips, whatever the cowboys bring you. Let it burn down into a good hot bed of coals.

Put your cooking irons up so you can hang the pots over the coals.

Take the pot of beans that have been soaking in the dutch oven in the chuck wagon all day and sit them over the bed of coals. Add some salt and pepper and onion if you got any. Shovel some of the nice hot coals on top of the dutch oven.

When supper's ready, usually when the biscuits are done, send out the word.

Take the beans off the fire; use the head of the ax if you don't have a hook big enough. Brush the ashes back into the fire.

Open the bean and try not to get too many ashes in the food. Just stir in whatever does fall in; they add flavor and a certain je ne sais quoi.

Everything will get et.