Part 13 (2/2)

”Good work!” said Frank ”I kneas a crook, and I knew that sooner or later they would grab him Did they find the money?”

”They didn't find the ht as I a different I will lick you out of your skin! I have a lanced at the door ”You make me tired!” he said ”You won't let anybody have an opinion without ju theet so brash!+ I a for you there, or perhaps he willto be a halt on most of the indoor classes They want to keep us out in the air That will give us a lot more time with the planes Too bad your mother won't let you fly You could fly home I would do it if _I_ owned a plane Jardin is sick of his”

He went off whistling, and Bill walked wearily to the chapel

Days went by The country tre stricken, the teachers redoubled their efforts to keep the boys well and happy, and the boys thearded the affair as a happy interlude in the year's grind

Our four boys spent all their leisure time on the aviation field The Jardin plane seeht, after theover it, theand flying s rong! Jardin was frantic Frank, always at his elbow, irritated hinized as his ohen he afterwards thought about theether

Another letter came from Mrs Sherman, and on the same mail one from Major Sherman written, not from his cozy desk in quarters, but over at his office

Bill looked very grave after he read it Strangely enough, he had left his mother's letter for the last Major Sherman wrote to knoatch Bill had pawned A pawnbroker in Lawton had written hilad to sell the watch left with hiood customer for it Major Sherman wanted an explanation from Bill He had simply written the man to hold the watch until he had heard from his son

Bill was stunned What it all e was in the air He felt the influence of evil but could not place it Taking his mother's letter, still unopened, he walked slowly to the library It was full of boys, all laughing and talking It had beco the quarantine Bill could not read there

Sla into Ernest's plane, he huddled dohere he was effectually hidden He knew that Ernest would not be out of the chemistry laboratory for hours, and he tore open his mother's letter and read it rapidly

Lee had been convicted! Bill groaned in anguish as he read the words

He was to be taken to Leavenworth as soon as a couple o under the care of one officer and a squad _Lee going to prison!_ Bill could not believe it And Lee had told Mrs Sherman that he would never be taken to Leavenworth alive

Bill shuddered

Stunned by his emotions, Bill lay motionless in the craht footstep It stopped close beside hie of his s over the engine of Horace Jardin's plane No one else was in the hangar Bill heard the scrape of steel on steel and saw Frank slip a sht, and soon he heard Frank retreating to the s out before he went out

Five minutes later he returned with Horace Jardin

Horace as usual was sputtering

”I tell you, Andy,” he said with his usual bluster, ”this is the _last_ day I will fool with that plane Absolutely the last! If she doesn't go before night, she needn't go at all I will get rid of her Dad wrotethat he had had a letter from the chief mechanician here, and what the fellow says about the plane looks as though the company had put one over on us Dad won't stand for that He is going to make them replace the car But they can't have this one back I will sell it sure as shooting! I need money”

”What's your price?” asked Frank

Jardin registered deep thought ”I need five hundred,” he said

”I will buy it,” replied Frank ”I can make a little on it if I sell it for junk, and you can't afford to dicker around like that It would be out of place for a Jardin to be dealing in second-hand stuff Everyone knows I have nothing”

”How do you come to have the five hundred then?” asked Horace suspiciously

Frank flushed but did not hesitate

”A present fro to luck that Jardin would not know that the lady had been dead for ht, she is yours for the five hundred,” proo look them up”