Matt finished his report a week later on Eaton's gang just as Doc walked into the jail and helped himself to a cup of coffee.
"Doc," Matt said quietly. "What's new?"
"Not a dang thing," Doc said sipping the coffee while he took a seat at the table in Matt's office. "Any messages?"
Matt sighed. The questioncd had almost become routine since they got back.
Doyle had agreed to stay on in Rock Creek until a suitable replacement could be found for Sheriff Buckley.
And Matt had asked him to wire them if Festus came though.
"No," Matt replied softly.
Doc nodded as he rose from the seat and shuffled to the door. "I got rounds to make," he said leaving as Matt shook his head.
Festus climbed down from Matt's horse and headed over to where he had set us camp two weeks ago.
"Micheal," he said loudly as the hermit was no where to be found. "Where are ya, ornery ol scudder!"
"Here," the old man said raspy voiced from behind him.
"Got ya a couple of rabbits fer supper," Festus said proudly showing off the two large hares.
"Good," Micheal said sitting down by the fire, he watched as Festus skinned the rabbits, spit them and then put them over the fire. "You'll be going home soon."
It was more of a statement than a question. "What makes ya say that?" Festus said turning to look at the old man.
"Just think ya are," the hermit said shrugging his shoulders.
"I been thinkin bout it," Festus said looking around. "I like it here but fact is, I'm missin ma friends somethin terrible. But then I got you."
"You won't have me much longer though," Micheal said evenly.
"There ya go again," Festus said angrily. "Talking like yer dyin tomorrow!"
"Maybe," Micheal said settling against a boulder. "You just never know.
"Doc," Kitty said handing the physician a mug of beer. "Why don't you go fishing."
"No," Doc said gently. "I don't feel like it."
"Well," Kitty said exasperated. "It might make you feel better."
"Maybe," Doc said quietly. "Maybe not."
Kitty smiled as she put a hand on Doc's. "We all miss him."
"Who," Doc said as Kitty scoffed.
"You know who," Kitty said curtly.
"Well, I don't," Doc replied standing up. "I've got better things to do!"
Doc put his rod and reel into his buggy along with his black medical bag and then taking an apple out of his pocket, he gave it to Ruth. "Dang ol mule," Doc said before climbing into the drivers seat.
"Looks like Doc took my advice," Kitty said watching the physician's buggy head out of town.
"Maybe it'll perk him up some," Matt said with a sigh. "I'm real tired of watching him moping around."
"Me to," Kitty said nodding. "Just wish we knew how Festus was or where he is."
Festus let Matt's horse move along at a nice even and steady pace until he came to a pond that he and Doc frequently fished at.
Stopping the horse when he seen Doc's buggy, he slid off and tied it to a bush before heading toward the water.
Looking though the brush, he smiled when he seen Doc sitting on a log fishing by himself.
Sliding quietly up behind the physician, he stepped over the log and sat down next to the surprised physician.
"Hiya Doc," Festus said quietly. "Dropping his hook and line into the water."
"Hiya Doc," the physician said harshly. "Is that all you got to say to me!"
"Golly Bill, Doc," Festus said angrily. "What ya want me ta say!"
"How about telling me where you been, how about saying, sorry you was worried, or how about, telling me why you left in the first place!" Doc said sarcastically.
"Wal," Festus said quietly. "I just had ta do some thinkin is all."
"And you couldn't do that in Dodge," Doc said looking at the hill man.
"But that's not the way it was Doc," Festus said quickly. "I just needed ta be alone, don't ya see!"
"I see," Doc said reeling in his pole. "I see you don't care about your friends!"
"Now, I told ya," Festus said grabbing Doc's arm. "It weren't like that, I wanted ta come back but the truth of the matter is, I didn't want anyone feelin sorry fer me. I was so angry and well, I just needed ta get ma self straight."
"And," Doc said swiping at his mustache. "Did you?"
"I'm here, ain't I?" Festus said lowly.
Doc nodded as he patted the hill man on the shoulder. "Let's go home," he said gently.
"Doc," Kitty said seated next to Matt when the physician stepped into the Long Branch a few hours later. "Did you catch anything?"
"I sure did," Doc said tugging his earlobe. "A real whopper!"
"Well," Matt said looking at the older man. "Where is it?"
"Wait right here," Doc said with a smile as he headed to the doors of the Long Branch.
Kitty looked at Matt and shrugged her shoulders as the Marshal grinned.
"I put yer buggy up Doc," Festus said as Doc pushed him though the doors of the saloon.
"Festus!" Kitty said standing up as Matt followed.
"Miss Kitty," Festus said smiling as the woman pulled him into a hug.
"Matthew," Festus said shaking Matt's hand. "I brought yer horse back."
"I figured you would," Matt said with a wiry grin. "You are back, aren't you?"
"I am," Festus said with a smile and a nod.
"How old Festus?" Matt said a few days later at the hill man's birthday party in the Long Branch. "You going to tell us?"
"Well," Festus said thoughtfully. "It was about the same time my Ma's old sow had that record litter of pigs."
"What a remarkable way to remember a birthday," Doc quipped laughing.
Sam brought the cake Kitty had made over to the table, the candles already lite, Festus made a wish and blew out the candles.
As the hill man looked up, everyone laughed as some of the frosting had been blown all over Doc's face.
"Well, he's back!" Doc said evenly.