Once Kitty had finished in the stable she asked Hank to bring Doc's buggy over to the Long Branch once he finished with the rigging. She briskly walked up Front Street along the boardwalk and noted that Matt and Festus had mounted their rides and started out after Doc, "Matt. Be careful." The sun was warm to the skin, but the north wind was still bitting.

Matt pulled Buck to a halt near Kitty and smiled, "I will Kitty. I'm more worried about what Festus might do to the Modhercans if something happened to Doc," he ticked his head toward the deputy who continued to ride up the street. "Of course I'm not so sure of myself, if I find out they have harmed Doc either..." Matt pursed his lips and then looked up the street after his deputy. Matt's blue eyes once again returned to Kitty's. "I can't imagine that they would have done anything...they must have needed Doc for some emergency, or something. Right?" Kitty's eyes started to mist with tears out of worry for her dearest friend the town doctor.

"Yeah. I'm sure you're right Kitty. Don't worry, you know Doc can take care of himself. I'll have him back before nightfall. Now, you better get yourself ready to go out to the Garvey's place." Kitty Russell weakly smiled and nodded in agreement and turned to the saloon. Matt watched Kitty until she walked through the front doors. As much as he tried, he didn't like the feelings that were building up inside of him about Doc's situation. The marshal twisted his mouth in thought and then nudged his horse forward to catch up to Festus.

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Skeeter and Herk Modhercan had readied their buffalo guns and waited for the doctor who was still arguing with their father. "You can't make me go with those..." Doc was so agitated that he could barely think of a word to describe Skeeter and Herk as he pointed out the door, "those two...sons of your's!"

Argonaut remained sitting on his cot rubbing his leg and watching the doctor. His eyes darkened and then he pulled himself to his feet. Like his daughter, he was a good foot taller than Doc. Doc shrunk and stepped back as Modhercan limped forward, "Day light is wasting! I want you to see that Herk and Skeeter gets back here with that dang goat!" he glared at Doc while pointing to the flap in the hut.

Doc's eyes shifted quickly to Addie who stood helplessly at the door. She merely shrugged and smiled weakly trying to ease the tension that was building. It wasn't working - at least as Doc could tell. The physician's shoulders sagged, "This is the most moronic thing that I have ever done." he sharply looked back at Argonaut, "And believe me, I have been involved in a lot of things...they, however, where largely caused by Haggens. This takes the cake!" Doc growled before he left the hut only to face the over eager Modhercans.

Argonaut Modhercan didn't like being compared to a Haggen. And worse didn't like being told he was more of a moron than a Haggen. He always thought his ideas thought and always thought that they were sound ideas. He limped to the door and followed the doctor over to his sons.

"Now what?" Doc barked as he saw the old buffalo hunter nearing.

Modhercan's eyes grew dark and his bristled jaw stiffened, "You just compared me to a Haggen! No one has ever done that and lived..."

Doc huffed in slight amusement and looked back at the two Modhercan siblings, "Is that so?" he screwed his little finger into his ear then looked back at Argonaut, "What do you think you can do about that?"

Both Skeeter and Herk swallowed and took a step backwards. No one crossed their Pa that way and lived.

Modhercan moved slowly to the doctor, "Ifin you and them boys don't come back with that goat, your hide will be stretched over my hut and your little carcass be melted down for dog food..." He looked around at the other folks who were watching. All of them turned and looked busy all of a sudden.

Doc gulped. He looked back over his shoulder and saw the two Modhercan sons itching to get a move on. Perhaps if he went along with them for the most part he might just see a way of escaping. He slowly turned back to Argonaut, "Okay...I'll go get that goat...and then I am going home!"

"Fair enough." Argonaut sneered with a crafty smile.

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Doc trudged along the road with the Modhercan brothers, or the brothers dim, as the thought of them. They had left the camp some thirty minutes ago and were nearing the farm of Harry and Martha Strummer. Doc slowed his walk as he surveyed the farm.

"Whatcha doing old man?" Skeeter questioned.

"I'm looking at a farm. I'm looking for a goat." Doc said with his words oozing in sarcasm, "Are you just planning to waltz over to the barn and take the goat without a plan?" Herk nodded enthusiastically. Almost like a puppy readying itself to chase a bone.

Methodically Doc drew his right hand over his moustache. He saw little way out of his predicament and then basically gave in, "okay. Alright. You boys go get the goat. I'll stay here..." At least if the Modhercans were occupied he'd have some room to think.

Skeeter followed by Herk, started to the barn then stopped as if a thought formed in his head. He trust his arm out to stop Herk and then he turned to Doc, "What are you gonna do?" he had a creepy kind of look on his face.

Doc thought fast and smiled while he looked over the farm, "I'll watch out for you..." and his left eyebrow rose up to his hat. Then he pulled a tooth pick from his vest pocket and stuck it in his teeth. With both hands he ushered the Modhercan brothers to get a move on. Doc shook his head in disbelief.

Skeeter smiled broadly and smacked Herk on the shoulder as they searched for the goat named Patti.