But-- There is no dodging the finality of Uncle Sam's no.

They had not wanted Johnny Jewel to fly for fame and his country's honor.

And if he sold his own airplane, how then would he fly?
How could he ever hope to be in the game as long as Bland had been?
How could he do anything but go back meekly to the Rolling R Ranch and ride bronks for Mary V's father, and be hailed as Skyrider still, who had no more any hope of riding the sky?
Gloom at last plumbed the depths of Johnny's soul, and showed him where grew the root of his unalterable determination to combat Mary V's plan to have him at the ranch.

Much as he loved Mary V he would hate going back to the dull routine of ranch life.

(And after all, a youth like Johnny loves nothing quite so much as his air castles.) As a rider of bronks he was spoiled, he who had ridden triumphant the high air lanes.
He had talked of paying his debt to Sudden, he had talked of his self-respect and his honesty and his pride--but above and beyond them all he was fighting to save his castle in the air.