! We still have
time, but none to waste."

"But we can't repair the tractor," Frank argued.

"No, we can't," Lieutenant Mackinson admitted, "but we may do something
even better than that."

"What?" queried all the lads at once.

"Come with me and we'll see what can be done."

And without granting them any further information then, Lieutenant
Mackinson swung his share of the burdens to his shoulder and started
down the rough mountain road, the others following, and likewise bearing
the various necessities which, only a short time before, they had
labored so industriously to carry up the mountain.

As they neared the point where they had left the wrecked machine the
young officer turned to Joe, who was nearest to him.

"Do you remember," he asked, "seeing that wire of the old telegraph line
just about a hundred yards below where we ran the truck into the wall?"

"I saw it," Joe admitted, "but I didn't pay any further attention to
it."

The others had come up within hearing distance.

"Well," the lieutenant responded, "if you had traced its course you
would have seen that it is swung from this mountain to the one directly
to the south, just at the point where the valley between narrows down to
little more than a deep ravine."

"But it doesn't run into our lines," Frank objected again.

"That's true," Lieutenant Mackinson admitted again, "but it may serve
our purposes just the same."

"How?" Slim asked entreatingly. "Tell us what your plan is, Lieutenant."

"No," replied the young officer in teasing tones, "I don't want to raise
your hopes until I determine whether it can be accomplished."

And he plodded on toward the tractor, refusing to answer another
question. Indeed, it is doubtful if he heard them, for he was busy with
some important mental calculations--problems that required his
engineering knowledge and ability, and that had directly to do with the
personal safety of every man in the party.

"What tools have we here?" he asked of Frank Hoskins, as they arrived at
the wrecked wireless tractor.

Frank opened up a tool chest that showed a great variety of implements
in almost every size and shape.

"Good," said the lieutenant, as he looked up from where he was rummaging
in another part of the car. "Here, Jerry," he commanded, "let me have
that mallet and cold chisel and then help me rip a couple of these
boards off the floor."

He had laid aside a large pulley wheel, several nuts and bolts and