Around 2 hours later the guard came through the train. He took a long hard look at Tom who guessed that the guard must know his father.
"Don't tell me I remind you of someone?"
"You sure do Kid."
"Yeah well don't tell me who I think I know who. I just don't want it known by everybody else."
"You look awful young to be making this trip alone."
"I'm 16 Sheriff Irving of Bracketville raised me since I was 12 he figured I was old enough."
"I'm just going to make coffee for the passengers would you like some?"
"I sure would Sir."
It had been 6 hours since that cup of coffee and when Tom woke the train was pulling into Abilene and he was able to get some food from the nearest restaurant which he took on board the train with him. Tucking into 4 large slices of bread and side meats. There were 2 older ladies, they introduced themselves as Mrs Iris Tolliver and Miss Amy Spencer, on the train who seemed to think Tom needed more food they tried pushing their supplies on him. He smiled and said that he would be fine until the train reached Englewood.
"But you're a growing boy you surely need more than that," Mrs Tolliver said.
"I assure you ladies I'll be fine," Tom said smiling. "Are you ladies travelling far?"
"As far as Englewood and you?"
"Dodge City I've got family there."
Joe Lime came in the carriage from the observation platform a look of sheer hatred crossed his face when he saw Tom but he wasn't seeing Tom he was seeing the man who'd killed his brother years before US Marshal Matt Dillon.
"Dillon! I'm going to kill you Marshal."
"My name's not Dillon and I'm not a marshal."
Tom stood up as he spoke he could see the man was crazy wild and maybe too crazy to listen to reason. The man started to draw but Tom was too fast he shot the gun out of the stranger's hand leaving it broken on the floor. The other passengers over powered the injured man and tied him to a seat.
"You prepared to listen to reason now? My name's Tom Clarke and I don't think the Government hires 16 year olds like me to be marshals. When this train gets into Englewood we'll hand you over to the law."
The train pulled into Englewood not long after Tom was still a little shaken about having the shootout it had been the first time he'd had to shoot at a man. Sheriff Hanley came onboard with Festus Haggen who had just collected a prisoner. Tom explained what had happened.
"Our jail was recently destroyed by a twister. Festus do you think Matt would object if we delivered him two prisoners instead of the one he is expecting."
Festus studied Joe Lime and shook his head saying Matt wouldn't object at all. Sheriff Hanley said he'd send a telegraph to Marshal Dillon informing there would be an additional prisoner. Festus took a long look at Tom not quite believing that someone so young could have captured the other man. Then he smiled as he suddenly realized just who Tom looked like and wondered if the boy was related to Matt.
"Na it's going to take a couple o' hours to reach Dodge you two men can travel peaceful or uncomfortable it don't make no never mind to me one way or other."
Festus locked his prisoner to Joe Lime then sat facing them with Tom who had assisted the ladies down from the train and had just returned with a basket of food for the journey and was now steadily munching his way through it. Festus smiled again the only man other than himself with as good an appetite was US Marshal Matthew Dillon.
Matt and Newly were standing waiting as the train pulled in. Matt read the telegraph again he wondered how Festus had coped with 2 prisoners to handle, then stopped wondering as Festus and Tom shepherded the prisoners towards him.
"Joe Lime I got word yesterday that you'd escaped figured you'd come here. Festus how'd Sheriff Hanley catch Joe?"
"He didn't Matthew he was caught on the train by this young'un here. Like to have you meet Tom Clarke."
"Glad to meet you Son," Matt said smiling.
Matt studied the young man carefully it was like looking in the mirror he wondered whether his mother had had more than one child as far as he knew he'd been an only child. Tom pulled the letter out and handed it to Matt.
"Excuse me I've got to get my horses."
Matt smiled as Tom walked off towards the freight wagons. He opened the letter having read it his grin widened even more. Festus looked at Matt and then towards where Tom was leading Ted and Smoky to where they were standing realizing that something special was happening.
"Festus, Newly get the prisoners to the jail. I'm going to introduce Tom to Kitty and Doc. Join us in the Long Branch when you've locked them up. Tom come on when I need to introduce you to friends you should get to know."
Tom smiled as Matt first led him to Moss Grimmicks's and helped him unsaddle and put the horses up. Then led him to the Long Branch Matt smiled as he spotted Kitty and Doc sitting at their usual table.
"Doc the boy with Matt?"
"Yes he looks like a younger Matt. You look like the cat that got the cream Matt."
Matt sat next to Kitty while Tom took a chair near Doc. Festus and Newly joined them soon after. Matt handed the letter to Kitty she understood his unspoken request and read the letter before handing it to Doc who smiled after he'd read it.
"This is Tom Clarke Dillon he's from Bracketville Texas. I was 20 when I left Bracketville I didn't have any serious relationships with girls back then the last was a girl called Tess Clarke she didn't tell me she was having a baby."
Kitty was sure that Matt's strong sense of duty would have meant that had he known that Tess Clarke was expecting he would have stayed or taken her with him.
"You need to take some time to get to know each other," Kitty said.
"Do you like to fish and hunt Tom?" Matt asked.
"Now you're talking my language," Tom said.
Matt knew what Kitty meant and now he knew how to make a start one thing he did know is that he would advise Tom that if he wasn't available and he had any problem that Kitty would be able to help him so for that matter would Doc, Festus and Newly.
"How old are you Son?" Doc asked
"I'm 16 Doc."
"You came all this way by yourself?" Newly asked.
"Pappy said I was born old but then he said that was the same of you Pa," Tom said Matt just grinned.
"Pappy?" Doc asked.
"Sheriff Irving the man who raised me after Ma died."
"Did John give you that grey?"
"No Sir Smoky was a gift on my birthday from General MacKenzie he said I was getting too tall to ride Ted. He was right I had already started looking for a new mount."
"Matthew why don't you take the day tomorrow take Tom fishing. I can fer sure cope tomorrow?"
"I met a friend of yours in San Antonio. Bill Mathers said that he was looking forward to seeing his Dodge friends in 4 months' time."
Matt grinned as he came to a decision to take a couple of days to be with Tom tomorrow for fishing and the next day for hunting.