Festus sat atop Ruth as Matt stood on the boardwalk below. "Now we just gonna be out at that Lake by the old Miller place if in you need me Matthew," he said as Doc poked his head out from under the cover on his buggy.
"Quit your jabbering already," he said impatiently. "And let's go. I could have been out there getting me some fish."
"Why you ol scudder," Festus said waving his arm. "You the one that had to take the time to make sure you had all them fancy poles and lines and feathery things."
"Flies, Festus," Doc yelled. "Their called flies! Now can we go?"
Matt chuckled. "Get going Festus before ol Doc has a heart attack," the Marshal said slapping Ruth on the rump. "Don't worry about anything here. You boys just have a good time."
"We'll do our best Matt," Doc yelled following the mule.
A few hours later, Festus climbed down off Ruth and looked around at the wide open grassy area, the grove of trees and the still lake. "Doc," he said as the old man joined him. "I believe this is going to be a good day."
"For once," Doc said swiping his mustache. "I agree with you Festus!"
"Let's set up camp," Festus said pointing to a grove of trees directly in front of them. "Right over ther then we can get us a mess of fish fer dinner."
(City of Hutchinson)
"Let's go Ned !" A burly man said while firing a revolver.
"Right behind you Frank!" The other, a much smaller man said. He followed the larger man out of the bank and into an alley where two horses waited.
After riding for sometime, the two man slowed down to see if they were being followed.
"I don't see no posse Frank," Ned stated watching the area behind them.
"I doubt you will," Frank replied lightening a freshly rolled cigarette. "I killed that Sheriff and you shot the Deputy. It'll take them awhile to get a posse together."
"Let's find some place to camp for the night," Ned said looking around.
"There's a lake not to far from here," Frank stated leading the way. "I remember seeing it on our way though."
(Dodge)
Kitty smiled as Matt stepped though the double doors of the Long Branch. "Evening cowboy," she said handing the large lawman a mug of beer.
"Kitty," he said tippin his hat and looking around. "Everything seems quiet here."
"Oh yes," she said with a grin. "Almost to quiet."
Matt chuckled at the secret joke between them. When ever Doc and Festus were out of town on one of their fishing trips it never failed for them to notice that things in Dodge were just to quiet without the constant bickering of the two friends.
"How about dinner tonight with me at Delmonico's," Matt said as Newly rushed in.
"Marshal," he said with a nod toward Kitty.
"What is it Newly," Matt said turning around.
"Telegram from Hutchinson," Newly replied passing the paper to the Marshal.
Matt read the telegram before turning back toward Kitty. "That dinner will have to wait," he said with a hardened jaw. Then turning back to Newly, he folded the telegram and put it in his pocket. "Saddle up our horses."
Newly nodded and headed out the door as Kitty sighed. "What is it this time Matt?"
"Bank robbers," Matt said slowly. "They killed the Sheriff and Deputy in Hutchinson. According to the telegram their headed this way."
"Please be carful Matt!" Kitty said gently as the lawman headed for the door.
(Miller's Lake)
Doc sighed contently as he pushed his empty plate away. "Now that was what I call a good meal!"
"Shore was," Festus replied. "Course fresh fish is alway the best, no matter how you git em."
"Now don't go tellin me," Doc complained. "That the fish you caught with that bamboo pole was better than mine!"
"Nah Doc," Festus said evenly. "Not better, they was just bigger don't ya see."
"Oh hush up," Doc said laying back.
"Doc," Festus said quietly as the old man sighed. "Did you really tell that crazy ol Doc Evans you was going to tear her apart?"
"Now who told you that," Doc said sitting up.
"Ms. Kitty done tole me," Festus said harshly. "Did ya really tell her that cause of me."
"Well," Doc said swiping at his mustache. "I'm really not proud of that and Kitty should not have told you!"
"Ah Doc," Festus said gently. "I don't ever want you to go and do a thing like that cause of me!"
"Well Festus," Doc replied. "When you're in that kind of situation, you really don't know what your capable of, good or bad."
Festus sighed as Doc continued. "Now hush and let's get some sleep," he said laying back down. "We going to catch us some whoppers tomorrow."
"Yer right bout that Doc," he said laying back.
But it was a while before the hill man finally fell asleep. He just couldn't understand how Doc could get so riled up over something to do with him.
"Frank," Ned said leading his horse into a grove of trees. "Looks like someone already beat us to the lake."
"Ya," Frank replied watching the camp from a distance. "I see them."
"What you want to do," Ned said softly.
"Well," Frank said thoughtfully. "We could use some fresh horses.
"Let's see what they got," Ned said sliding down off his horse.
Frank followed and when they arrived at where Doc and Festus had tethered Doc's horse and Ruth, the two bank robbers liked what they saw and decided to take them.
Festus came up out of his bedroll, gun drawn as Doc's horse put up a fuss about being taken by a stranger.
"What is it?" Doc said peering into the darkness.
"Not sure," Festus replied slowly creeping toward the commotion. "Could just be one of them wild cats. I'll go check it out."
"Frank," Ned whispered and pointed as he seen Festus slowly making his way toward them.
"I see him," Frank said making his way around Festus until he came up behind him.
Lifting his gun high into the air, he brought the butt of it down onto the back of Festus head.
"Let's get out of here," Ned said leading the mule away as Doc stood up and started making his way toward them.
"What's going on out there," he said squinting. "Who's there! Why are you taking my horse!"
"Go Ned," Frank said drawing his revolver, he fired one shot toward the old man before jumping onto the back of the horse and riding away into the darkness.