as stretched.

"Nineteen feet, nine inches and three-fourths!"

Then there were exclamations of wonderment from all sides, and more
than one declared Merriwell was badly beaten. There were not a few
among Frank's friends who confessed that he had very little chance, and
the faces of those who said nothing showed that they had lost heart to
a great extent.

Hodge continued to talk excitedly to Merriwell, who shook his head,
looking very grave.

Paul Rains was quietly triumphant, for he felt that he was safely the
winner of this contest.

Merriwell and Hodge went up the strip together, the latter still
talking and making an occasional gesture. Reaching the starting point,
they paused and stood talking.

"By smoke!" laughed Bascomb; "Merriwell doesn't want to try it at all,
and Hodge is having hard work to induce him to do so! Rains has this
match in a walkover."

"That remains to be seen," said one of Frank's friends, doggedly. "You
may be right, but don't you fancy for a moment that Merriwell is going
to give up without jumping. He isn't that kind of a hairpin, my boy."

"Well, he might as well give up without another try, for he doesn't
stand any show."

"Oh, wait and see--wait and see," was all that Frank's defender could
say.

Hodge was now seen to leave Merriwell and come back down the runway,
and it was noted that the look on his face was far from one of
confidence and satisfaction.

"When Hodge loses confidence in Merriwell, the case is desperate,"
declared Bascomb.

"That's so," confessed Wat Snell. "I am beginning to hope."

"Merriwell is making ready--he's preparing for the run!"

All eyes were now fixed on Frank, who had taken his position at the
starting point. He was seen to dig his toe into the ground to get a
brace, and he leaned far forward, with one hand outstretched, then he
darted toward the mark.

With the speed of a fawn, Frank came down the run, reached the mark,
shot like a leopard into the air, sailed like a soaring bird, and
landed safely far beyond Rains' best mark--so far, indeed, that the
crowd was too astonished to make a sound, but stood staring as the tape
was laid.

"Twenty-one feet and two inches!" came the electrifying announcement.

Then, for all of rules, for all of Professor Rhynas, Frank's friends
made the air ring with their wild shouts of applause.

CHAPTER XX.

BASCOMB'S MISTAKE.

Paul Rains was struck with dismay and confusion, which threat