might as well go back home. We won't get
him, not nohow," declared Hopalong.

"Huh! You wait an' see!" replied Red, pugnaciously.

"Reckon you never run up agin a mission real hard," Hopalong responded,
his memory harking back to the time he had disagreed with a convent,
and they both meant about the same to him as far as winning out was
concerned.

"Think I'm a fool kid?" snapped Red, aggressively.

"Well, you ain't no _kid_."

"You let _me_ do the talking; _I'll_ get him."

"All right; an' I'll do the laughing," snickered Hopalong, at the door.
"Sic 'em, Red!"

The other boldly stepped into a small vestibule, Hopalong close at his
heels. Red hitched his holster and walked heavily into a room at his
left. With the exception of a bench, a table, and a small altar, the
room was devoid of furnishings, and the effect of these was lost in the
dim light from the narrow windows. The peculiar, not unpleasant odor of
burning incense and the dim light awakened a latent reverence and awe
in Hopalong, and he sneaked off his sombrero, an inexplicable feeling
of guilt stealing over him. There were three doors in the walls, deeply
shrouded in the dusk of the room, and it was very hard to watch all
three at once.

Red was peering into the dark corners, his hand on the butt of his Colt,
and hardly knew what he was looking for. "This joint must 'a' looked
plumb good to that coyote, all right. He had a hell of a lot of luck,
but he won't keep it for long, damn him!" he remarked.

"Quit cussing!" tersely ordered Hopalong. "An' for God's sake, throw out
that damned cigarette! Ain't you got no manners?"

Red listened intently and then grinned. "Hear that? They're playing
dominoes in there--come on!"

"Aw, you chump! 'Dominee' means 'mother' in Latin, which is what they
speaks."

"How do you know?"

"Hanged if I can tell--I've heard it somewhere, that's all."

"Well, I don't care what it means. This is a frame-up so that coyote
can get away. I'll bet they gave him a cayuse an' started him off
while we've been losing time in here. I'm going inside an' ask some
questions."

Before he could put his plan into execution, Hopalong nudged him and he
turned to see his friend staring at one of the doors. There had been no
sound, but he would swear that a monk stood gravely regarding them,
and he rubbed his eyes. He stepped back suspiciously and then started
forward again.

"Look here, stranger," he remarked, with quiet emphasis