“Did yu ever see a hen leave th' walks of peace an' bugs an' rustle hell-bent across th' trail plumb in front of a cayuse?” Asked Buck. “They'll leave off rustlin' grub an' become candidates for th' graveyard just for cussedness. Well, a whole lot of men are th' same way. How many times have I seen them swagger into a gin shop an' try to run things sudden an' hard, an' that with half a dozen better men in th' same room? There's shore a-plenty of trouble a-comin' to every man without rustlin' around for more. “'Member that time yu an' Frenchy tried to run th' little town of Frozen Nose, up in Montana?” Asked Johnny, winking at the rest. “An' we did run it, for a while,” responded Buck. “But that only goes to show that most young men are chumps--we were just about yore age then.” Red laughed at the youngster's discomfiture: “That little squib of yourn shore touched her off--I reckon we irrigates on yu this time, don't we?” “Th' more th' Kid talks, th' more money he needs,” remarked Lanky, placing his glass on the bar. “He had to blow me an' Skinny twice last night.” “I got two more after yu left,” added Skinny “He shore oughter practice keeping still.” At one o'clock sharp Hopalong walked up to the clerk of the hotel and grinned. The clerk looked up: “Hullo, Cassidy?” He exclaimed, genially. “What was all that fuss about this mornin' when I was away? I haven't seen you for a long time, have I? How are you?” “That fuss was a fool joke of Buck's, an' I wish they had been throwed out,” Hopalong replied. “What I want to know is if Miss Deane is in her room. Yu see, I have a date with her.” The clerk grinned: “So she's roped you, too, has she?” “What do yu mean?” Asked Hopalong in surprise. “Well, well,” laughed the clerk. “You punchers are easy. Any third-rate actress that looks good to eat can rope you fellows, all right. Now look here, Laura, you keep shy of her corral, or you'll be broke so quick you won't believe you ever had a cent: that's straight. This is the third year that she's been here and I know what I'm talking about. How did you come to meet her?” Hopalong explained the meeting and his friend laughed again: “Why, she knows this country like a book. She can't get lost anywhere around here. But she's blame clever at catching punchers.” “Well, I reckon I'd better take her, go broke or not,” replied Hopalong. “Is she in her room?” “She is, but she is not alone,” responded the clerk. “There is a dude puncher up there with her and she left word here that she was indisposed, which means that you are outlawed.” “Who is he?” Asked Hopalong, having his suspicions. “That friend of yours: Ewalt. He sported a wad this morning when she passed him, and she let him make her acquaintance. He's another easy mark. He'll be busted wide open to-night.” “I reckon I'll see Tex,” suggested Hopalong, starting for the stairs.