 It's not broken, is it? Uh-uh. What's it in the sling for then? Oh, the doctor wants me to keep it in a sling, so I'm sure not to use it. He wants me to rest it for a while. Oh, I thought it was serious for a minute. Well, then outside of the arm, you're all right, huh? Sure. Not very talkative. What did Dr. Campbell have to say? Oh, nothing much. He took X-rays and gave me a good examination. He said I'd just have to take it easy for a while until the bruises heal. You might have been hurt pretty badly. You're sure lucky. Don't I know it. Well, then take that glum look off your face. See, everybody in school is talking about the way you saved Cully. I'll bet you make the polo team now. Come on, say something. What's the matter with you? I just got that letter from Mr. Andel. Well, you did? Well, what'd he say? No. What do you mean? Well, he didn't send the money. Did he say why? Yeah, he said he liked the idea of my wanting to help somebody and also do business, but well, he figured it was too much money for my first business venture. Is that all he said? Just about. What are you going to do now? Well, there's nothing else to do. No use writing to Mr. Andel again. I know him too well for that. Are you going to tell Mac you couldn't get the money? Uh-huh. I don't have to go to class this afternoon, so I think I'll go over and see Mac and have a talk with him. Hey, do you want to walk over to Mac's with me before you go to class? Okay, sure. Okay, come on then. Did you happen to hear about Cully? No. I thought maybe Dr. Campbell told you. Uh-uh. Oh, what about him? Well, they had a special officers meeting last night, and I understand Major Davis wrote Cully's father a letter and told him just what happened. Uh-uh. That's not so good. I'll say it's not. Oh, and besides that, he got 20 demerits, and he's going to lose all privileges for 30 days, too. Jiminy, Sergeant Alden must have been plenty mad. I'll say he was. That's one time Cully's show-off stunt didn't work. And I guess he's through on the polo team. Oh, certainly. That goes without saying. Now, I bet it goes without saying that you get his spot on the team. But I don't know whether I want to be on the polo team or not. I know what's the matter with you. You're just thinking about Mack and helping him get the money for his invention. And all that swell, but... Well, after all, Jerry, you've got to think a little bit about yourself, too. You did all you could, and now it's up to Mack to do the best he can. Yeah, you don't know me. I don't give up that easy. Well, what are you going to do? Well, I'm going to try to get Mack to hold off a little longer until I can figure something out. You know, the whole trouble is, Mack wants to keep his invention a secret. If it wasn't for that, well, maybe we could get Captain Gardner or somebody else to help him out. Yes, he wants to keep it a secret, and then he tells a perfect stranger all about it himself and takes a chance of losing everything. Hey, I've got it. What? Boy, why didn't I think of this before? Guy Linwell. You mean Harold's dad? Why, sure, he's just a man. He's an aviator. He can see the value of Mack's invention. I bet anything he'd be glad to help Mack. See, you might be right at that. But how are you going to get in touch with him? I'll have Harold write to him. Maybe get him to come to Fair Oaks and see Mack and talk with him and look the invention over. Gee, it sure would be keen if you could. One thing's sure, I'm going to try. Now, Mack's just got to hold off a little longer. See, I believe you got something there. I sure wish I could help you convince Mack. Hey, you can come in for a little while, can't you? No, no, I don't think I'd better. Study call will be coming in any second now. Besides, I'm not supposed to be off the campus. I'll just walk with you as far as the arch there. Well, if you'll listen to me, I think I can convince him. I've got a real good argument now. Oh, there's Mack just coming out of his store. He's hanging Duncan out. Duncan? Yeah, Mack's bird, the canary, you know. Oh, yeah, that's right. I forgot. Uh, how are you going to start, Jerry? Uh, what do you mean? Well, I mean, what are you going to say first? Oh, I don't know. It'll come to me. I'll just sort of lead up to it. Uh-oh. Oh, there's the call. I got to run for it. Good luck, Jerry. I'll see you this afternoon. Hi, Mack. Oh, greetings, greetings, Jerry. Oh, well, hello to you too, Duncan. Good to see you up and around. The reports, how did you all badly banged up? Your arm's not broken, is it? Uh-uh. I just have to rest it. That's why it's in a sling. Come on in the store, Jerry. Let me treat you to some ice cream. Oh, so well. Oh, yes. Okay, thanks, Mack. Hey, I thought you said the only time you treated anybody was when they first came to Fair Oaks and when they graduated. Oh, well, I neglected to tell you, Jerry, that when a boy's been hurt, I do a little treatment too. Of course, that's not generally known. If it was, I know a lot of boys here at Fair Oaks who would go out getting themselves hurt on purpose just to be getting a soda or two free, huh? Yeah. What do you have? Strawberry or chocolate? Uh, chocolate, please, Mack. I might have known that. I don't think you've ever asked for anything but chocolate. Have you, Jerry? Huh? Uh, I see. I guess chocolate's your favorite, eh, Jerry? Oh, uh, yeah, sure, Mack. Uh, say, Mack. Yeah? Has Mr. Russell been back to see you yet? No, no, uh, but I expect him shortly. I wouldn't be a big surprise if he's coming in any minute now. Why? I couldn't get that money for you, Mack. Oh, well, that's all right, Jerry. I didn't want to discourage you, but I didn't think you'd be able to get at any home. $10, $250 is a whole lot of money for a lot of your age to be getting. But I tried, Mack, honest idea. Well, I appreciate that, Jerry. Really, I do. Yes, sir, I appreciate it. Well, go on and eat your ice cream. No, it'll melt. Mack, you're not going to sign that contract with Mr. Russell today, are you? Well, certainly I am. I've put him off once already, and he didn't like it so well either. You can't, it's not wise to treat a business deal lightly. Always remember the old saying, Jerry. Make hay while the sun shines. Yeah, I know. Well, it's true, Jerry. We've got to take advantage of our opportunities as they're presented to us, Mr. Lad. You've got to be alert in this world today. Besides, the deal looks good to me. I've put my trust in Mr. Russell, and I think he's a good man. Smarter men than you have been fooled. Well, I'll give you that. Now, mind, Jerry, I appreciate your interest. I really do, but you're wrong about Mr. Russell. Suppose you wait around a while and meet him. You'll change your mind about him if you do. Oh, I'm sorry I said anything at all. I guess it was none of my business in the first place. Oh, I wouldn't say that. I've listened to you, but I'm turning down your advice. So you've done all you can. Now it's up to me. That ice cream is beginning to look like soup. You'd better get at it. Mac. Eh, I? When you get your work in model built, you're going to have to try it out on an airplane, aren't you? Well, yeah, I... That'll have to do, yes, sir. Well, have you got someone to try it out for you? I mean, someone with an airplane. Well, no, no, I haven't. I figured that when the time comes, I'll go out to the airport and get acquainted with one of the pilots. I think I know where you can get a pilot that'll test out your invention. And I wouldn't be a bit surprised, but what do you might put some money in it, too? And even give you some help and perfect in it. That is, if you need any. Well, lost like who could this be? Guy Linwell. Did you ever think of him? Guy Linwell? Do you mean Harold's father? Sure, he'd be just a person for it. That's his work. He's always trying out new aeronautical things. Why, he's one of the best test pilots in the country. I think that he is. Well, that's the trouble. He's too big a man and far too busy. Well, how do you know? You haven't asked him? Well, no, I haven't. But you do agree with me that he'd be just a man for the job. More than I could hope for. A man like Linwell would really put it over. You said, put it over with a bang. You bet he would. And especially if he had some money in it. Listen, Mac, I'll get Harold to write to his dad and ask him to come down here and see your invention and talk with you. What do you say? Well, no, I don't know. Gee, Mac, it's worth trying. I, I, it is. Remember, Mac? Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Now, see here, Jerry Dogen. You're talking too much for a lot of your size. First thing I know, I'll be letting Mr. Russell slip out of my hand and I won't be getting the money at all. Oh, Mac. You, you, you paint a pretty picture, Jerry. A very pretty picture, but that's all it is. You, you can, I'll bear it in my hand. Yeah, I know, I know. It's worth two in the bush. I, I, and that's right. Hey, I've got it. When Mr. Russell comes today, you tell him you haven't got time to go ahead with the working model now. Tell him to come back in a month or so. Oh, I... That'll give us time to see if we can get Mr. Linwell down here to see the invention. Oh, no, no, no, Jerry, I, I couldn't say that. I, I have got the time and I'm, I'm etching to get at it. I, I can hardly see tonight for once, and to get at that thing and see it work. Now, uh, now wait a moment. Wait, no. You, you've set me to think, and Jerry, let me see the new. What, Mac? Uh, I'll tell you what I'll do. Uh, I'll have a nice, friendly talk with Mr. Russell. And then again, I might, uh, I might even tell him the truth. I might tell him... Yes, sir, I might go so far as to tell him I would like to get someone else in on it, hm? Oh, no, Mac. If I'm right, and I think I am, he'll talk you out of that. He wants the whole thing for himself, and he wants it now. He won't let you take it up with anyone else. And then when he sees it, and he'll want to cinch the deal. And you just watch and see. Oh, well, now, then you'll worry about me getting talked into or out of anything. I talked you into letting me... Yeah, yeah, yeah. You may really set me to think on that, sir. That's all you did. Mr. Russell's money is still as good as anyone else's, but you're right about Linwell being a better man for my invention. It's worth a try, and try we will, regardless of what Russell says, hm? And I'm not going to try to let Mr. Russell get angry. I might need him yet if we fail to get Linwell interested. I think he'll be reasonable, though. No. Well, that's settled, and you won a point, hm? But now my work's just starting. Yeah, yeah. You're going to see that Harold writes to his father right away, hm? You bet I am. Well, now, Jerry, do you want me to add something to the letter, or maybe give him an idea of what the invention is about? No, I don't think that's necessary. You just leave the letter to me. Unless I miss my guess, Guy Linwell will be here as soon as he can after he reads what I'm going to say in that letter. You're pretty sure of yourself now, aren't you? No, I'm not. It's got to be that way. That's the boy. He who is determined has half his work done, hm? I never heard that saying before. But it sure is a good one. You bet it is, and a true one. You've got some fresh ice cream. You'll let that dish melt away, hm? No, thanks, Mac. I've got to be going. I've got work to do. All right. Good luck, Jerry. Thanks, Mac. I'll get Harold as soon as class is out, and we'll get that letter right on. All right. You do your part now. I will. Goodbye, Mac. Goodbye. Goodbye. What a lad. Yep, what a lad. He's a great one, that Jerry Dugan.