n fixing his plane.

With a quick twist he had a loop around Frank's ankles, and then,
dragging the resisting boy to his feet, he jammed him down on a chair
and proceeded to fasten him neatly to it.

"Now," he said, "what next?"

"Next is to save Lee from Leavenworth," said Bill. "Mother says he will
kill himself if ever he gets there. He can't stand the disgrace. If you
will stick around and watch this fellow, I will go down and see about
sending the telegram."

"You had better stay here, and I will go," offered Ernest. "It is too
late for you underclass fellows to be out in the corridor, and I can go
down and rush the message. I have a pull with the telephone boy. Write
your message."

"Don't do it; you will ruin me!" cried Frank.

Bill stared. "Ruin you; ruin you? What do you mean?"

"Why, you know what this will mean to me if it gets back on the Post.
What's Lee, anyhow? Just a half-breed private! Let him take his
medicine!"

Bill paled and Ernest made an involuntary motion as though he was going
to strike the coward down. Bill controlled himself with an effort.

"He is worth more--his little _finger_ is worth more than your whole
body. He is the finest chap I know. And the next time you call him
half-breed I will lick you. He is justly proud of the American Indian
blood in him. Oh, you aren't worth talking to!"

He scribbled something on a pad and gave it to Ernest, who disappeared
with it. Instead of returning in a few minutes, it was almost an hour
before he stuck his head in the door and beckoned Bill into the
corridor.

The boys had not spoken during his absence.

"Wires all down," he said briefly. "The storm has destroyed all lines of
communication. And they say there are wash-outs all along the lines of
railroads. Also we are under quarantine. Hope you don't mind what I did.
I went to the principal and told him the whole thing, and offered to
take you and Frank out to Sill in my plane. I am perfectly capable of
making a flight ten times that long, and as you know I am a licensed
pilot. Unless a new storm comes up, the air is perfect for flying, and
we can start at daybreak. What do you say?"

"Do you mean to tell me old Prexy will let us go?" demanded Bill.

"Surely! He is a good old chappie when he has to rise to an occasion and
I should say this was one. Besides, he wants to get rid of Frank. He
says he doesn't want him in the school another day, and if he is here he
will put him in close