Garrett and his men soon reached Old Dodge Town within a several hour ride. Between the heat and the wind kicking up sand, it was a miserable place to be. But, as Red pointed out earlier, there was shade. The threesome rode up to the old saloon, the original Long Branch, where Garrett and Red dismounted. Dutch stayed in his saddle, bent over his saddle horn.

"Let's get Dutch in here and on a table." Garrett ordered Red who acted quickly to help Dutch from his saddle. Garrett joined him and they half carried and half dragged the wounded man to a table, where they layed him out. Dutch groaned. His shoulder now infected.

Red looked down into the pale face of his friend. "Hang on Dutch." He left the wounded man's side and moved over to Garrett who was now standing watching out the door of the old dusty building. "Dodge ain't that far off. They've got a cow-town pill-roller there. How be I fetch him to look at Dutch?"

Garrett rolled his head on his shoulders and listened to his neck snap and crackle from stress. He cleared his throat. "Sure Red. But if you get caught and lead the law here. I'll kill you on the spot." He turned to his friend. "Understand?"

Red nodded in full agreement and looked back over his shoulder to Dutch who was squirming in pain. "I'll leave now and be back before sunup."

Garrett simply pulled a tooth pick from his pocket and picked at this front teeth. "Remember what I said." He said and looked deeply into Red's eyes.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Festus had finished with Buck. He walked back to the jail house where Matt and Doc were engaged in a conversation. He stepped through the open door, "Matthew. I was jist talking to Hank. He said you can have another horse if yer willin' ta go back out today."

Matt looked at Festus over to Doc and back again. "Today!"

Festus nodded moving into the room further and tucked his thumbs into his vest pockets. "I was jist thinking, ifin we headed out to where you left off...today...then we could get us a really good jump on them fellas tomorrow." He moved even closer to the two men. "Ole Ruth, why he ain't had much ta do lately so he's good and rested."

Doc stepped forward and Festus took a step back. "And that is just the point! Matt hasn't had any rest, which by the looks of him he really needs." He scolded Festus for the idea.

"Now, wait just a minute, Doc." Matt came to Festus' aid.

Doc looked at the marshal with a rather indignant look on his face. "What do you mean by "just wait a minute Doc"?" He mimicked Matt.

"What I mean is, Festus has a valid point. If I got a few hours sleep, and with a fresh horse we could get a good start on them tomorrow."

Doc looked down and shook his head. "Bad enough one of you is crazy...now both!"

Festus smirked at the comment.

Matt thought on Festus' idea for a few more minutes. "Okay. That will work. Festus. You wake me in two hours and we'll head out. With the longer amount of sunlight, we should just about get to where I buried the other man this evening."

Festus nodded sharply. He knew what he had to do before then. "I'll have 'em ready, Matthew." He said with a scrunched up eye. His face was full of determination.

Doc screwed his finger into his ear. "I honestly don't believe I'm hearing this conversation at all! Matt, have you lost your senses!"

"Doc. Festus is right." Matt sighed. "Now. If you two would leave me be..." he ushered them to the door. "I'm going to get some sleep." He finished gently pushing Doc and Festus through and closed the door behind them.

Festus and Doc exchanged a strange look. "Come on. I'll buy you a drink." Doc huffed as they stood on the boardwalk in front of the jail.