Festus stood and played with some small rocks he'd picked up near the camp. He couldn't sleep knowing that somewhere out in the wilderness were his friends, and furthermore, he knew one of them was hurt badly, judging by the used gauze on the ground.
Matt sat by the small fire and watched his friend. He knew that if Festus had a way of tracking by night, he would. The moonlight wasn't enough and more importantly any small sign could easily be missed. Matt stood and walked to where Festus stood looking out into the night. Festus heard Matt and turned toward him. "Matthew, which one do you think is the one hurt - thars a whole heap of blood on them cloths over yonder?"
Matt nodded and pursed his lips while he tucked his thumbs into his belt. "My guess that Doc is hurt. If it was Kitty, he'd have her laying still somewhere and by now we would have come across them. As you've put it before, that ol' scutter is one tough bird."
Festus looked back out into the night. "How come Miss Kitty don't have him pinned down if he's hurt that badly?"
"Knowing Doc, he thinks that whatever happened to him isn't that serious and maybe it isn't." Matt could only think of that reason although he thought to himself that it was pretty lame. Festus ticked his head, "Wish thar was more I could be doin' fer them than standin' here..."
Matt nodded in agreement, then he remembered something. "Festus? You come out here hunting from time to time, don't you?"
The hill man nodded yes. "Sometimes to this vary spot. Why Matthew?"
Matt's eyes narrowed as he looked around. "Isn't there a pathway near here that leads to a field?"
Festus' eyebrows shot up. "Thar sure is Matthew...but why?" his left eye slid into a questioned squint.
Matt lay his right hand on Festus' shoulder. "If we can find that path, it'll be fairly easy to navigate by moonlight and will get us closer to the field in the morning. I bet you anything that's were Kitty and Doc are."
"Well, let's get to it then!" Festus hardly had the words out of his mouth before he marched back to the fire like a man possessed. He turned at looked at the marshal, "Ifin' I have my bearings right, we aren't too far from Doc's and my fishin' hole. That old quack is probably just layin' back havin' the time of his life!"Matt shook his head and chuckled before he headed back to the fire himself.