Rhythmically Festus swayed in his saddle as he enjoyed the leisurely time that Matt allowed him to return - he may have well, as there was nothing going on in Dodge at the moment. It would be more than a month before the cattle leave the area and that is usually a busy time for law enforcers.
"Ya know, Ruth, I jist might take Matthew up on his offer ta take a few days," the hill man smiled, "jist think of all the time I've spent thinkin' and sweatin' and bein' shot at - not to mention the times that ol Doc got his clammy hands on me to pull out a bullet or two." He smiled at the thought of just kicking back at his favourite fishing hole and then laughed, "I bet you that ol Doc is as jealous as he could be - him stuck back thar in Dodge and all and me out here fishin'," then Festus made a face, "but I suppose, it would have been a friendly thang to do and ask him to join me at some point." Ruth snorted. "You're right Ruth. There were times Doc went fishing on his own, and that ol' scudder got into more trouble than I could wag a stick at," Festus ticked his head and then chuckled to himself.
Festus and Ruth poked along the dusty road heading back to Dodge and with dusk setting in, Festus thought it was an ideal time to stop and set up a camp. He wove Ruth through some brush and found the stream that fed the fishing hole aways away. The hill man selected a spot on the stream bank to set up camp.
"Here ya go Ruth," Festus stepped down from the mule and tied the reins to a tree and then set to work removing his saddle and saddle bags. Ruth set into eating the fresh grass and drinking from the stream, "Now don't get too full, we have ta get a move on tomorrow and I don't want to have my saddle tied on with extra rope!" Festus smiled at his mule who somehow knew what he meant and snorted at the deputy.
"Even my mule talks back now - sheesh!" Festus shook his head, "Ruth, you've been hanging around Doc or his horse, Popcorn, too long," he mumbled as he moved down closer to the water where he then opened his saddle bag and pulled out a length of fishing line and a hook. He quickly found the perfect branch to tie the line to and with a good glob of spit he flung the hook into the water. A smile creased his weathered face as he set out to gathering some rocks and twigs to make a fire.
After a few minutes the deputy had a good hot fire going and he was settling into his home away from home. He wandered down to the stream and checked his line and his eye s just about popped out of his head, "Well, jolly bill! Wouldya look at that!" he smiled widely as pulled the line in and a large bass had snagged the hook.
Carefully Festus pulled the line in and grabbed the big fish, "Hello supper!" he continued to smile. "Ol Doc would be spitting nails by now. I jist never figured out why he uses them high-falutant hooks and such when a good gob will do," Festus shrugged as he walked back to his fire and started to dispatch the fish for his supper.
Festus split a branch down the middle and wedged the flattened fish though it holding it in place with a few more twigs. Festus was happy with the fire and adjusted the stick that held the fish to a decent angle to cook it through. The smell in the air was like heaven to the deputy.
It was also heaven to little Clay Jackson, who hovered in the bushed. He eyed Ruth and saw no saddle and he knew his ma needed an animal on the little plot of land to pull the plough. Clay sneaked forward and untied Ruth's reins and with the small amount of grain in his little hand, Ruth followed Clay without a sound.
Festus sat down and began to eat when he then asked Ruth what he'd like for supper, "Some more grass? Water?" and when the mule never answered, Festus turned and looked. His jaw dropped, "Ruth?!" Festus scrambled to his feet into the darkening night, "Ruth!? Where are ya?" Festus stumbled further into the darkening woods and stopped, "Ruth?" With his shoulders slumped, the deputy returned to his camp and would look for his mule in the morning, he kicked every rock on his way back to the fire, "I thought I tied them reins good and tight..."