trouble, Mr. Orrin. Ah--just how serious--"

"Hold it, Willy!" I shouted. "You haven't been accused of anything
yet. You don't have to say anything without counsel."

* * * * *

Goil turned baleful eyes on me, and I shut up suddenly. He said, "Mr.
Weston, let me repeat: no formal accusations have been made--yet. I am
trying to learn certain facts. One fact I have learned already is that
you are exceedingly friendly with Willy. Furthermore, you as senior
engineer-foreman should be aware of what is going on around here. Mr.
Weston, you have not been absolved of this yet. Duty-wise, or
personally," he added.

Willy was resigned to his own professional downfall. He looked and
must have felt utterly miserable. He had done wrong and he knew it.
And he was not one to let his friends get any blame for what he had
done. He said:

"That's right, Mr. Goil. I did take the generator and the energizer."

My morale suddenly hit bottom and flattened. My mind went into
overdrive in an effort to think of some way to extricate Willy from
his blundering admission. Poor Willy, who had the body of a wrestler,
the temperament of a poet, and a boundless generosity wanted to
confess all.

But what a sacrifice, I thought. My mind sought answers and words and
found none.

Orrin stared at Willy, open-mouthed. He said unbelievingly, "What?"

"Yes, sir. I got the energizer and the generator."

Goil sat back with a self-satisfied look on his face.

I shot Willy a scolding glance and said, "Willy, you don't have to say
another thing--"

Before I could get out any more words, Goil snapped out, "Weston, one
more word from you unless I ask for it, and you will find yourself
under station arrest for insubordination--do you understand?"

I clamped my mouth shut. The more I defended Willy, the more Willy
would talk in order to protect his uninvolved friends.

Goil said to me in a low, ominous voice, "I am invested with certain
Company powers out here, and I intend to use them fully. I intend to
continue with this investigation in spite of any opposition you give
me. Pending on the outcome, Mr. Orrin and Mr. Weston, you are both
relieved of your positions as of now--say for mismanagement of
personnel and company property.

"Mr. Maloon, I am placing you under station arrest by authority of my
position, and because of your admission of theft. Pay and allowances
for all of you are suspended as of today.

"Tha