"An' he was a liar."
"Hullo, Hop Wah!" came from the edge of the hilltop and Hopalong wheeled to see Skinny Thompson approaching.
"What you doing?" Skinny asked, using his stock question for beginning a conversation.
"Painting white spots on pink elephants!"
"Where's Red?"
"In th' shack, rubbin' 'em off again."
"Johnny chased that Greaser off'n th' ranch," Skinny offered, grinning.
"Good for him!" cried Hopalong.
"Johnny's all right—here comes Buck," Red said, coming out of the house. "Johnny's with him, too. Hullo, Kid!"
"Hullo, Brick-top!" retorted Johnny, who did not like his nickname. No one treated him as anything but a boy and he resented it at times.