They's eight of us that'll be waitin' up to get th' returns an' we're shore goin' to be in range." "Gee, it's nice to run across a friend of Buck's! Ain't he a son-of-a-gun ?" Asked Hopalong, delighted at the news.

Then, without waiting for a reply, he went on: "Yore shore square, all right, an' I hates to refuse yore offer, but I got eighteen friends comin' up an' they ought to get here by tomorrow.

Yu tell Jimmy to head them this way when they shows up an' I'll have th' claim for them.

There ain't no use of yu fellers gettin' mixed up in this.

Th' bunch that's comin' can clean out any gang this side of sunup, an' I expects they'll shore be anxious to begin when they finds me eatin' peaches an' wastin' my time shootin' bums.