"Wonder where th' kid is?" asked Lanky, rolling a cigarette. "Off
somewhere lookin' at di' sun through di' bottom of my bottle,"
grumbled Billy.

Hopalong started to go out, but halted on the sill and looked
steadily off toward the northwest. "That's funny. Hey, fellows, here
comes Buck an' Johnny ridin' double-on a walk, too!" he exclaimed.
"Wonder what th'-thunder! Red, Buck's carryun' him! Somethin's
busted!" he yelled, as he dashed for his pony and made for the
newcomers.

"I told yu he was hittin' my bottle," pertly remarked Billy, as he
followed the rest outside.

"Did yu ever see Johnny drunk? Did yu ever see him drink more'n two
glasses? Shut yore wailin' face-they's somethin' worse'n that in this
here," said Red, his temper rising. "Hopalong an' me took yore cheap
liquor-it's under Pete's bunk," he added.

The trio approached on a walk and Johnny, delirious and covered with
blood, was carried into the bunk house. Buck waited until all had
assembled again and then, his face dark with anger, spoke sharply and
without the usual drawl: "Skragged from behind, blast them! Get some
grub an' water an' be quick. We'll see who the gent with th' grudge
is."

At this point the expostulations of the indignant cook, who, not
understanding the cause, regarded the invasion of china shop bulls as
sacrilegious, came to his ears. Striding quickly to the door, he
grabbed the pan the Mexican was about to throw and, turning the now