other I will see that our
part of it is taken from the records. It remains for you to turn over a
clean page."

Looking at no one, Frank left the room. He entered the Major's car, a
lonely, frightened, despairing culprit.

"General," cried Lee suddenly, "if you please, sir, let me go with him!
Major Anderson is a hard man, sir. Please let me go!"

"Go!" said the General, and in a moment the boy who had caused such
bitter trouble and so much pain and his innocent and forgiving victim
were on their way to the Anderson quarters at Aviation Field. The
General fussed for a moment, then went outside to the fateful telephone
and called Major Anderson.

The others could hear what he said.

"Anderson," he commenced, "this is unofficial. General Marcom speaking.
You have a hard and trying interview before you. I want you to meet it
with _mercy_, Anderson; _mercy_ rather than justice. Justice has already
been done. I could recall something in your past, Anderson, that met
with mercy, and which saved your whole career. I ask you to remember
this. What? No, I won't explain--the explanation will reach you
shortly--You will do as I suggest? Thank you, Anderson. Tell your wife
what I have said. Good-morning!"

He hung up the receiver and returned to the house. A round wicker table
stood in the center of the living-room near Ernest's couch. A snowy
cloth covered it, and it was spread with the most delicious breakfast.

Notwithstanding the General's assurances that he had eaten hours ago he
sat down, unable to withstand the delicious whiffs rising from the
coffee urn, and the smell of crispy toast browning in the electric
toaster.

Grapefruit and eggs and commissary bacon (which is by all odds the best
on earth) and that same before-mentioned toast, and coffee, and orange
marmalade.

Bill, who had never imagined the time would come when he would be taking
breakfast with a real General, was nevertheless so hungry and so happy
that he forgot rank and everything else. The General did too, it
seemed, because he sat and sipped, and ate, and ate, and questioned the
boys and finally wanted the story of the flight from the very first
instead of getting it tail-end first in little pieces.

Bill told his side of the flight, and Ernest told his, and together they
told about the landing in the farmer's field, and the amusing people and
about Webby, the "pig-headed" and trustworthy one.

And then the General and Major smoked as though