ittle. Later I will
drop in." He strolled off in the direction of the billiard room where
Jardin was usually to be found, and Bill went to his own room and tried
to read. The thought that in a short time Lee, good, honest, loyal Lee,
would be on his way to prison, a convicted thief, was more than he could
bear. The print danced before his eyes. He heaved a sigh of relief when
a tap on the door was followed by the entrance of Ernest.

"The plot thickens," he said, closing the door carefully and glancing
about to assure himself they were alone. "I have had a long talk with
young Jardin and it was very mystifying. You are mistaken about Frank, I
think. He must have a bank account or something of the sort, because he
has actually offered to buy that plane. I suspect he has offered very
little for it, because Jardin would not tell me the price. But the deal
is good as closed. Jardin is going to get a new machine, and Frank is to
pay him for this one to-morrow."

Bill was silent for a long time. "I don't know what it all means," he
said finally. "Something queer has happened to me that worries me. I
wonder--do you think--no, it couldn't be."

"Probably it couldn't," agreed Ernest, "but I can't think before you
explain what to think about."

"It was a letter from my dad," explained Bill, and went on to tell him
about the watch that was in the pawnshop in his name. And then, because
he had a good start, he told Ernest about Lee.

"That pawnshop affair may have something to do with Frank," said Ernest,
"but you can't connect him with that robbery. That is too big and too
serious. Six hundred dollars, you say?"

"I think that was what they told me," said Bill. "No, of course Frank
has nothing to do with that, and I know Lee is perfectly innocent of it
too. I just about go crazy when I think about it."

"It is terrible," said Ernest, deeply troubled.

For a long while they sat talking things over, but were finally
interrupted by the entrance of Frank, who came bursting noisily into the
room, throwing his cap across the bed and tearing off his coat.

"Taps going to sound!" he said.

"I don't have to go to bed until I want to," said Ernest. "Will it
disturb you boys if I stay awhile?"

"Don't mind me!" said Frank. He took off his stock, and sat down on his
bed with his back to them.

"I never did show you the pictures of my folks, did I?" asked Bill of
Ernest. He went over to the lockers.

"Darn these lockers," he la