Shane, Festus and Tobeel caught up with Franz and Rolf Hoffmeyer and followed them to their ranch. "It will be late by the time we get to our ranch; you must stay the night in our barn and Rolf will take you to the canyon tomorrow," Shane noticed that Franz spoke with a heavy German accent; Rolf was quick to agree to take them to the canyon. Elsa Hoffmeyer came out to meet them when they arrived.
"I have the meal prepared; you gentlemen will dine with us," Shane smiled Elsa reminded him very much of his own mother. Once they put the horses in the barn they entered the house they took their seats at the table to a meal of beef stew and dumplings followed by strudel and coffee. Shane noticed that Rolf and his siblings' accent was not as heavy as his parent's but then they were second generation. After the meal they returned to the barn for the night.
"Golly Bill," Festus said, "Mrs Hoffmeyer sure sets a good table," Shane nodded smiling he'd noticed that Festus often thought with his stomach.
"How long have you known Matt Dillon, Festus?"
"Four years now, met him when I was tracking my Uncle Jack," Festus explained about Black Jack Haggens.
"I noticed you have a deep friendship for Matt?"
"Yes, he's like a brother to me, my family they kind of adopted him and Ol' Doc," they settled down with their mounts, riding out with Rolf after breakfast the next morning.
Doc was checking on Matt when Kitty came in the office she took her seat at Matt's side Matt smiled at her, she held his right hand close to her cheek, his grin widened. "Oh, Matt, how are you feeling?" Kitty asked.
"I'd feel better if Doc would get these bullets out of me," Matt said winking at her; Doc grunted.
"I'll be taking those bullets out today, now you've made the blood you lost back; I'm going to start with your leg, then your shoulder and then I'll work on your chest," Matt looked relieved but at the same time he knew it would hurt just as much as being shot in the first place; he muttered something about how Doc put in stitches. "Why you overgrown public servant, I've a good mind to go in there without the use of chloroform."
"You wouldn't do that," Matt said not that he really thought Doc would.
"No, I wouldn't do that," Matt grinned he knew Doc so well, Matt had never known his father so he kind of thought of Doc like that, Doc started to administer the chloroform. "Just breathe normally, Matt, Kitty'll be here when you wake up," Doc saw that Matt's eyes never left Kitty. He didn't want to think what would happen to Kitty if she lost Matt. It didn't take long to get the bullets out of Matt's leg and shoulder; he bound the wound in Matt's leg and put a pad of cloth on his shoulder. Kitty looked away as Doc started to probe for the bullet in Matt's chest, Matt registered his pain even through the chloroform induced sleep; his hand squeezed Kitty's hand. She wished there was a way to get the bullet out that was completely painless but at least with chloroform it was lessened.
The same time as Doc started operating on Matt, Emmett Bowers's riders came to join Shane, Festus and Tobeel in the canyon. "Mr Bowers thought you might need some more men to help track the rustlers," Shane nodded.
"It's always good to have extra men on hand. Now I don't know what your instructions are from Mr Bowers, but I want to take those men alive. They're going to stand trial for cattle rustling and attempted murder. I know they'll hang just for rustling the cattle but I'm sure that the citizens of Dodge would appreciate it if they learn just how the townsfolk feels about Matt," the ranch hands nodded they too felt an abiding affection for Matt.
"I will scout. We find where cattle are we find men," Tobeel said, Shane nodded it was a sound plan; Tobeel rode off north carefully scanning the area. He heard the cattle in a canyon that he knew was a box canyon, he looked into the canyon carefully and saw the men; he smiled and headed back Shane and Festus looked up as he rode in; Festus handed him a cup of coffee. "Men make big mistake they hide cattle in box canyon; men there too they not think we find them."
"I know the canyon that you're talking about if some of us go up here we can drive the men towards you here. We ambush them the way they did Matt and Pete, only we won't shoot them."
"Festus, take ten of the men and take up position overlooking the canyon, the rest of us will go to the entrance to that canyon," Festus nodded and went off with ten of the men while Tobeel led Shane and the rest to the entrance of the canyon. The group with Festus took up position looking down into the canyon they smiled seeing the men and started shooting, the reports of the rifles spooked the cattle and horses including the rustlers's mounts they stampeded out of the canyon leaving the rustlers standing they ran passed Shane and his group of men. "Drop your guns your under arrest," Shane said.
"Why should we?" the leader said.
"I normally like to bring prisoners in alive but for you I could make an exception. It takes real cowards to attack men from ambush. If you don't surrender there won't be enough left of you to bury in Boot Hill," the rustlers looked at each other then dropped their rifles and gun belts, One of the ranch hands collected the weapons; Shane led the rustlers with their hands tied behind them out of the canyon. Ranch hands caught up the rustler's horses and helped them up into the saddle. Festus and his group rejoined Shane and the rest.
"Wall, Golly Bill, thet was one of the easiest trails I've been on," Festus said.
"Well, it stood to reason that they were cowards because of the way they ambushed Matt and Pete," Shane said. "Let's get them to Dodge and find out hour Matt is," they set off back to Dodge; it was late when they the men to town and into the jail. "How's Matt, Newly," Shane asked.
"Last I heard, Doc operated successfully but he's still sleeping," Shane nodded deciding to go see for himself, he left the office and went up to see Doc.
"How is he, Doc?"
"He's fine, you can go in the back see for yourself; I take it you got them?"
"We did they're in the jail right now and Mr Bowers has got his cattle and horses back Is Kitty with him?"
"No, I sent her to get some rest," Shane walked into the back room, Matt turned his head and smiled.
"We got them, Matt."
"Alive?" Shane nodded and told him how they'd found them.
"Can only think it must have been their first maybe their second time out. Can't say as I would have hidden in a box canyon," Shane said.
"Yeah, well they got me mad at them. Two or three weeks bed rest Doc says and his cooking leaves a lot to be desired."
"Well cooking isn't his vocation. How about I get Delmonico's to send you over some stew or something?" Matt grinned.
"Make it Son of a Gun Stew and you're on?" Shane smiled to see Matt's smile widen, he nodded as he left Matt to dwell on the thought of some decent food. Soon two young men delivered trays of hot stew and dumplings with apple pie to follow.
"Well, Matt, whatever else he is Shane Long is certainly a man of his word," Doc said.
"I wouldn't mind if he stayed around Dodge, Doc, maybe become one my deputies."
"Why don't you ask him?" Matt nodded thinking that he might do just that.