window where he rearranged the group of watches already displayed there,
and placed the watch, Frank's beautiful watch, in the place of honor on
a purple velvet cushion in the center.

Two weeks passed, and one day remained before the boys were to start to
school. Frank finally heard from Horace Jardin. Horace urged him again
to collect what he termed a "_wad_," assuring him that life would be
really terrible without a lot of money. Also he hinted darkly of
something very surprising that he would have to tell later. That it only
concerned Jardin himself Frank did not question, as Jardin was never
interested in anything concerning other people except as it had some
bearing on himself in one way or another.

Money--money! Frank thought of nothing else. Then, as though it had been
a terrible unseen monster waiting to spring on the boy, his temptation
leaped upon him.

Temptation only attacks the weak. If we allow ourselves to harbor
unworthy or wicked thoughts, if we pave the way with wicked and unworthy
deeds, temptation has an easy time. Temptation is like a big bully. He
does not like to be laughed off, or to be scorned. He prefers to be
parleyed with. Then there is always a good chance for him. Better still,
he prefers to dash up to the weak and sinning, and say hurriedly, "Here:
quick, quick! Here's the easy way out! It's the _only_ way out! Just you
tell this lie, disobey your parents, or take this money. It isn't
stealing, you know, because you mean to put it back as soon as you can
and everything will be all right."

That is the way temptation talks, and on that last day before the boys
started off to school Frank listened.

He was over at Bill's quarters, in B2, when the telephone rang. Now
there are just two telephones to each building at the School of Fire,
one upstairs and one down. They are wall phones, fastened on the outside
of the buildings, midway of the porch that runs the whole length. When
the bell rings, whoever is nearest answers and calls the person who is
wanted. So Frank, standing in Bill's doorway and close to the phone,
stepped out and took down the receiver. While he waited for an answer,
he leaned his elbow on the sill of the window beside him and idly
scanned the confusion of papers on the big desk shoved close to the sill
inside. A strong wind fluttered the papers.

Frank, waiting on a dead line, stared at the desk and his eyes grew
wild. Down at the end of the porch a grey-haired Col