fellows
while Rube fought the fire. Some of the guys were half awake but so
stupid that they didn't know what they were doing so we hoisted them
out the window anyhow. Thanks to Rube the dorm is saved and I guess
the fellows will be none the worse for their experiences."

"Bravo!"

"Good work, all of you!"

"Rube is some boy!"

Benz turned about and walked away. "Rube again!" he muttered, angrily.
"The lucky stiff!"

* * * * *

Cateye came to with a start, looked about and saw Judd.

"For the love of mud, Judd, never choke me like that again. Why,--you
almost killed me!"

"Choke you, Cateye? I never choked you!" protested Judd, "You were in
a fire, pal, an' the only thing I did was to shove you out the window."

"Fire! Where? When?" Cateye sat up, then laid back again, weakly.

"About three quarters of an hour ago. A little smudge at the dorm.
You were suffocated,--"

"So you didn't choke me after all," said Cateye, much relieved, feeling
of his throat. "My, that was an awful dream! Gee! I smell like a
piece of smoked ham! Say, who are those guys?" indicating the fellows
on the other cots, over whom Doctor Bray was still working.

"Pole, Potts, and Lawton," replied the doctor, "Your room and theirs
was the nearest to the fire and you got the direct benefit of the
smoke. They're beginning to come around though. Lucky some of you
weren't killed!"

"Judd, you must have saved my life!" breathed Cateye.

"He undoubtedly did!" replied Doctor Bray, "Another five minutes would
have ended you four fellows!"

Cateye held out his hand, gratefully. Judd took it, grinning
sheepishly.

"Good old scout!" said Cateye, softly. "Be careful, ... that grip of
yours ...!"

CHAPTER XII

ONE KIND OF LOYALTY

Two good carpenters employed for two whole days soon righted the damage
done by the blaze. Pole, when he was able to navigate again and had
viewed the interior of the badly charred storeroom, declared, "Looks to
me like matches and mice!" This seemed to be the concensus of opinion
among the fellows as to the origin of the fire. The room had been
filled with spare pieces of furniture, some of which were packed in
excelsior. There was also a great quantity of extra bedding in the
room. This accounted for the dense smoke which almost proved fatal to
a number of fellows.

Judd was now quite an object of interest, and lauded wherever he went,
as a hero. He, ho