dn't remember the time when the ranch hands hadn't jumped to do
what he wanted--if he really wanted it. The only person who seemed to
be immune was Dad. He grinned.

"Imagine anyone trying to get the Old Man into a dither--and getting
away with it."

He laughed and looked at the wall for a few more seconds, then opened a
book.

"Wonder," he said to himself. "Seems as though anyone should be able to
do it--if they were sure they were right." Then he shook his head.
"Only one trouble with that idea," he added. "They don't." He shrugged
and turned his attention to the book in his hands.

The click of heels on the flooring finally caused him to look up. He
examined the new arrival, then smiled.

"Oh, hello, Jack."

"Hi, Don." The other looked at the array of books. "You look busy
enough. Catching up on your skull-work?"

"Yeah. Guy has to study once in a while, just to pass the time away.
Besides, this way, the prof doesn't have to spend so much money on red
pencils."

"Yeah, sure." Jack Bordelle grinned. "Be terrible if he went broke
buying red leads. I go to a lot of trouble myself to keep that from
happening." He paused, looked sideways at Don, then rubbed his cheek.

"Speaking of trouble, I hear you had a little scrape here at the
beginning of the period."

"That right? Where'd you get that word?"

"Seems as though Gerry Kelton didn't make it to class in time. Teacher
ran him out for a late slip and he got me to write him up. He's pretty
sore."

Don frowned. "Funny he'd need a late slip. He already had a write-up."
He shrugged. "Oh, well. I should get excited about making some of the
lower school crowd sore?"

Bordelle lifted one shoulder. "Well, Michaels, you know your own
business, I guess, but Kelton's got a lot of friends around, they tell
me."

"Yeah. I've heard." Don looked steadily at the other.

"And, well----" Bordelle examined the toes of his shoes carefully.
"Well, maybe you ought to think it over about turning in those slips
you wrote up, huh?"

"Think so?"

"Well, I would." Bordelle looked up, then down again. "You know, I've
known a few guys, crossed the Keltons. Right away, they found
themselves all tangled up with the Hunters. Makes things a little
rugged, you know?"

"A little rugged, huh?"

"Yeah." Bordelle spread his hands. "Look, Michaels, I've got nothing in
this one. It's just ... well, I've known you for a few years now--ever
since Lower School. Been in some classes wit