"Hullo, Lucas!" he cried. "What are you doing down here?"
"Glad to see you, Hopalong," Lucas replied, shaking hands. "Came down to see Buck, but Lanky, up in th' bunk house, said he was off somewhere scouting. From what Lanky said I reckon you fellers had a little joke down here last week."
"Yes," responded Hopalong, dismounting. "It was a sort of a joke, except that somebody killed one of Meeker's men. I'll be blamed if I know who done it. Lanky says he didn't an' he don't have to deny a thing like that neither. Looks to me like he caught some brand-blotter dead to rights, like I did a little while ago, an' like he got th' worst of th' argument. Lanky would 'a told me if he did it, an' don't you forget it, neither."
"What's that about catching somebody dead to rights?" eagerly asked Johnny.
"Who was it?" asked Skinny.
"Juan. He toted a running iron an' I caught him just after I looked over a cow with a new brand—"
"Did you get him good?" quickly asked Johnny. "Did he put up a fight?"
"Yes; an' what was th' brand?" Skinny interposed.
"Here, here!" laughed Hopalong. "I reckon I'll save time if I tell you th' whole story," and he gave a short account of his ride, interrupted often by the inquisitive and insistent Johnny.
"An' who is Salem?" Johnny asked.