 Jerry at Faroaks and with Tubby. He said he'd be up in a little while. Okay. Let's sit down What did you want to see me about wait like pull this chair out here now? Listen, I'm gonna tell you this fast Okay, I want you to do me a favor that is I want you to do Mac a favor. Yes, and even your dad I don't get you. Well, I guess I started wrong now. I'll start at the beginning in the first place Remember the other day when Lee and I were talking and we said it was a secret. Yeah Well what we were talking about was a secret then but now I can let you in on it It's about an invention an airplane invention and invention. Uh-huh max invention Would you like to help put over a good airplane invention? Sure? I wouldn't I'll do anything. I can good now Here's where you come in we want to get your dad interested in it. Well, if it's about airplanes, he'll be interested That's what I figured I'll tell you what it is. It's a true altimeter It tells the exact distance between a plane and the ground or mountain It's flying over instead of the distance from sea level. Do you understand? I don't know I guess so. Well, that's good. You can take my word for that It's something that's been needed a long time and besides it also warns when the plane is flying into something like a mountain or something like that Hey, that sounds all right. Max already got a little model of it and boy it's keen But he wants to build a working model so he can have it tried out in a real airplane and see if it works And you want dad to try it out for him? That's part of it But more important is the money to build a working model how much well it'll take quite a bit about $250 Jim and he now here's what I thought if we can get your dad to come here and see Max invention and have a talk with them Well, maybe he'd put up the money and well then of course he'd be part owner I see what you mean sure he might do that and help Mac with the working model too. That's it exactly But what's the favor you want of me? Well, I want you to write to your dad and ask him to come here to see the invention Is that all? Well, that's all. Well, it'll have to be a good letter to get him to make a trip all the way to Faroaks I figured I could help you with it and explain the invention a little, you know So he'll understand that it's something really worthwhile. That's okay. We can write the letter whenever you want to good now I'll tell you what are you getting along? Huh? Oh, okay, Lee. Hi, Lee. Hi. Did Jerry tell you all about it? Uh-huh. Well, what do you think of it? Do you think your dad might be interested in something like that? I don't know but I should think he would. Well, we're gonna write him a nice long letter tonight and tell him all about it and find out Oh boy, that's great. Now if you've got that settled, I've got something very important to take up. Can you listen now? Sure What is it? Well, we've got work to do. What do you mean? We've got work to do. Don't we always have work to do? Oh, what is it? Oh, what are you talking about? Take it easy. Let me explain. Will it take long? Oh, Jerry Okay, go ahead. I'm only kidding. But I said this was important. All right. Go on and tell it. We're listening Well, in the first place, there's a tradition here at Fair Oaks that I don't think either one of you are familiar with And that's painting the stack on the powerhouse. Huh? That's right. It's up to the plebes to paint the smokestack on the powerhouse But why? Yeah, why should we have to do work like that? Well, I don't want to learn to be a painter You don't understand. It's an honor to do it. Well, go on. Well, it's like this. Every year the freshman class manages to paint the letters FMA up on the stack. The upperclassmen always try to keep the plebes from doing it. They have spies and whenever they see a few plebes having a meeting, they try to find out what it's about And in general, they make it pretty tough for us to get the letters up there. I see what you mean. Well, what's your idea? Well, I was just talking with Tubby and he said he thought some of the other plebes were planning on painting the stack one night this week Oh, then you can do it at night. Well, that's not so hard It's plenty hard. Those upperclassmen are on their toes. They're watching every minute. Has the smokestack been painted every year? Yes, sir. Every year since Faroaks was founded. Although one year it looked like the plebes were licked. It was the day before graduation before they got the letters up on the stack. Boy, that was a close call. I'll say it was. Can anyone do it? Sure. The plebes that paint the stack get the glory and as long as they're at Faroaks, they're known as the paint crew Then what do you say we do it? Well, I was just coming to there Hey, that's okay. I'm in on it. But, uh, well, what do you say we take a walk over to Max? I want to tell him I talked to Harold and that we're gonna write that letter Yeah, sure. We can talk on the way over. Yeah. Come on, get your cap, Harold Okay We'll have to be careful and make sure nobody's listening Ah, not so around. Everybody's over at the gym or down to the lake Now listen, if those other fellas are planning on painting the stack this week, we've got to beat them to it There's no time to lose. We've got to paint that smokestack tonight Tonight? We haven't got the paint or anything yet I know it. We'll have to work fast. But Tubby and I were talking it over and I think our plan will work Okay, sure Well, Tubby's going over to Peter's hardware store next to Max. Let's perform mess Then he's going to take the paint and brush and hide them in the bushes right near the powerhouse You mean he's gonna buy the paint and brush at the hardware store? Sure. And he's gonna lay out the money. We can chip in and give him back what he's paid for Hey, that's okay. That's keen. Well, then what? Well, then we'll have to get together and have another meeting What for? We could decide just who's gonna do the painting. We'll draw for it This is gonna be fun Yeah, fun if we're not caught What would happen if we got caught? Well, if we were caught by an officer, we'd most likely get a very generous portion of the merits But if we were caught by an upperclassman, we'd have to go back up on the ladder with a cup of gasoline and a toothbrush and clean it up And maybe that isn't a job I'll say. Well, we won't be caught We hope not Hey, how about that, the ladder? Well, there's supposed to be a ladder on the roof of the powerhouse that we can hoist up on the smokestack That's a help Yeah, if it's there Now, let's not say anything about it while we go through Custis Hall Okay, I got you How'd your fellas getting along with your English and spelling? Well, I don't know I think that maybe that's good stuff Keep it up That problem Mrs. Gardner gave us this morning about the farmer that had 10 acres and the tractor Well, that kind of got me Good acting boys Bad news, nobody around to hear you Now, what were you saying? We were talking about the ladder being handy for us Oh, well, let's not worry about that It'll be there They leave the ladder up there all the time Hey, but wait a minute How about getting up to the roof of the powerhouse? Oh, that's the easiest part of it There's a little iron ladder that's passing right into the cement Around on the west side I know the kind you mean Like they have on water towers Well, we're pretty nearly to max Now listen, right after mess tonight We'll talk about when we're going to meet Okay? Sure, perfect Hey, how about you, Harold? You can count on me Right after mess and just before we go to study hall Right Okay, here we are Go ahead, Jerry Hello, Matt Oh, welcome, lads I'll be right with you Okay Hey, look, look at fellas What is it? What's all the excitement? Look at this aviation magazine here It's got my dad's picture right in the front cover Say, that's nice Guy Linwell, number one test pilot Well, greetings lads Hey, I've got good news for you, Matt Well, good, good for you There's nothing I like better than good news I'm going to look through this aviation magazine Okay, Matt? Oh, sure, sure, lads Help yourself Look at it Well, no, that's great, Harold That's fine, yes, sir Say, Mac, Harold thinks it's a swell idea We're going to get that letter off to his dad tonight Oh, fine, fine, you're a man of action, Jerry Yes, you're a man of action Has Mr. Russell been here yet, Mac? He was And he's gone this time for good He won't be coming back anymore So I hope Mr. Linwell has a mind to take an interest in the altimeter I've set my cap for that What did Mr. Russell say? He was put out, Jerry Yes, sir, he was put out He didn't like the idea of me wanting to get someone else in on the invention No, I told you he wouldn't go for that Yeah, you were right But I told him the truth I told him it was my invention And I thought I had the right to do with it as a plea You were right, Mac He got real happy there towards the end As a matter of fact, I'm lucky I've got a glass in that front door Did he slam it? Slam it, Losha You think it was an earthquake When he shut that door behind him Everything in the establishment shook Will you have something to drink or some ice cream? No, no, thanks, Mac We just came over to talk and find out about Mr. Russell Oh, well, that's the story You're not sorry, are you? No, sir, no, no, I'm not He showed his colors as Russell did Yes, sir, he showed himself up by losing his temper Hey, look at this, here in this magazine What is it? Another picture of your dad? It's more important than that It's about your invention, Mac This is the thing Jerry told me you invented About my invention? That couldn't be, lad No one knows about it That is outside of yourselves And, well, maybe a couple of others Well, look, see for yourself Here's the story, read it Losha, what do you know about that? What is it? Read it, Mac Listen, aviation gets absolute altimeter New invention shows height of airplane above ground This new technical advancement Using a short wave sound principle Gives accurate distance between plane and ground Over what it is flying The old type only gave altitude from sea level That's it, that's my idea Well, read on, Mac Their new altimeter can also be pointed So as to tell distance between plane and approaching objects Even that part of it is yours Yes, it is What else does it say, Mac? The invention was perfected After a year's work by the inventors Airlines welcome this new safeguard And all planes will be equipped with their new contrivance As soon as delivery can be made Ah, Jiminy That's a shame, Mac I'm awfully sorry for you What? What's this? I think it's wonderful It's been tried out and it works Just think of the added safety to the thousands of folks That travel in airplanes Yes, but think of the money you lost By not getting yours out first Jerry Jerry, do when I'm surprised at you Losha, lad, you kidding? Right from the start I told you it wasn't the money It was after it's the good of the thing For the good of humanity I'm as happy as can be that it's working And maybe a year or so sooner Than I could have got it to work Oh, be grateful, lads, be grateful Gratitude is a poor man's money I'm happy and a little proud That I thought of the same thing That these big engineers worked out Oh, now cheer up There's more ideas and millions of more things to invent I might wake up in the morning With something brand new to work on That's a nice way to feel about it Well, it's the only way, Harold I've got a free mind now to go ahead with something else Oh, I know how you feel, Jerry You were pulling for me and I appreciate it But don't worry, something else will come up You'll see, then you can help me again Will you declare us in on your next invention, Mac? No, but I will The three of us will work it out together Dugan, Phillips and Macleod That's a promise Ray, y'all's that, Lee Boy, that's keen Why don't you say we get back now? Maybe we'll have time to talk some more about... Be quiet What's this? Is there a secret I'm not in on? Well, no, no, nothing like that, Mac You're not fooling me, Lee Phillips Yes, it is a secret, Mac But just wait until tomorrow You'll find out about it then Hey, come on, Jerry, Harold Okay, I'm coming I'll let you in on my secrets Yeah, and we'll let you in on this But tomorrow, sure All right, whatever it is, good luck to you, lads Secret END