ing A has just about reached it and B has
fallen behind; and supposing I--"

"Eh?" asked Sydney.

"Yes, I meant A. Supposing A knows that B is just as deserving of the
prize as he is, and that--that he'll make equally as good use of it. Do
you follow, Syd?"

"Y--yes, I think so," answered the other doubtfully.

"Well, now, the question I want your opinion on is this: Wouldn't it be
perfectly fair for A to--well, slip a cog or two, you know--"

"Slip a cog?" queried Sydney, puzzled.

"Yes; that is," explained Neil, "play off a bit, but not enough for any
of the fellows to suspect, and so let B get the plum?"

"Well," answered Sydney, after a moment's consideration, "it sounds fair
enough--"

"That's what I think," said Neil eagerly.

"But maybe A and B are not the only ones interested. How about the
conditions of the contest? Don't they require that each man shall do his
best? Isn't it intended that the prize shall go to the one who really
is the best?"

"Oh, well, in a manner, maybe," answered Neil. He was silent a moment.
The ethics was more puzzling than ever. Then: "Of course, it's only a
supposititious case, you understand, Syd," he assured him earnestly.

"Oh, of course," answered the other readily. "Hadn't we better turn
here?"

The journey back was rather silent. Neil was struggling with his
problem, and Sydney, too, seemed to have something on his mind. When the
town came once more into view around a bend in the road Sydney
interrupted Neil's thoughts.

"Say, Neil, I've got a--a confession to make." His cheeks were very red
and he looked extremely embarrassed. Neil viewed him in surprise.

"A confession? You haven't murdered the Dean, have you?"

"No. It--it's something rather different. I don't believe that it will
make any difference in our--our friendship, but--it might."

"It won't," said Neil. "Now, fire ahead."

"Well, you recollect the day you found me on the way from the field and
pushed me back to college?"

"Of course. Your old ice-wagon had broken down and I--"

"That's it," interrupted Sydney, with a little embarrassed laugh. "It
hadn't."

"What hadn't? Hadn't what?"

"The machine; it hadn't broken down."

"But I saw it," exclaimed Neil. "What do you mean, Syd?"

"I mean that it hadn't really broken down, Neil. I--the truth is I had
pried one of the links up with a screw-driver."

Neil stared in a puzzled way.

"But--what for?" he asked.

"Don't you understand?" ask