l lads.

"I don't exactly like the way that Nick Lang keeps on laughing to
himself every time he looks over in this direction," Horatio was
saying to the other two.

"I've noticed the same thing," spoke up "Just" Smith; "and it makes
me wonder if the tricky fellow hasn't got some slick game up his
sleeve, as usual, looking to giving the rest of us trouble. You
notice, don't you, boys, that, look as you will, you can't see anything
of either that Tip Slavin, or Leon Disney. Now, when fellows who are
as fond of outdoor sports as those two have always been, keep shy
when such a great event as this meet is being pulled off, there must
be a pretty good reason."

"They may be somewhere in the crowd," Hugh went on to say, "because
it'd be impossible for any single yellow to identify all that are in
that solid heaving yelling mass of people. Nick believes he has a
fair chance of leading the pack, and that makes him feel happy. I
heard him say only yesterday that the one fellow he was afraid of in
our whole bunch was K.K.; and now that accident has eliminated him,
why, naturally, Nick feels more confidence. In imagination he's
already receiving the grand Marathon prize, and hearing the crowds
yelling themselves hoarse."

"Well," snorted Horatio, gritting his teeth in a way he had when
aroused, "if that's what pleases Nick he's got another guess coming;
for three of us are also in the game; and he's got to do some mighty
tall sprinting in that last half-mile if he expects to win out.
Then there are a lot of other fellows in the run who may give him
a pain. But, according to the programme, our race comes next after
this pole vaulting contest; so, boys, we'd better be moving around,
and getting our place in line, according to our several numbers."

CHAPTER XVIII

THE GREAT MARATHON RACE

It was plainly noticeable how that vast crowd began to stir, and show
signs of increased interest when the numerous trim runners entered
for the big Marathon started to gather for the preliminary stage of
the race.

Each of the many contestants had a large number fastened upon both
the front and back of his in upper garment. By these they might be
recognized even at a distance; and many persons carried field or
opera glasses of various types just purpose to make out who each
runner was when he came in sight around the bend half a mile away,
open on that last stretch that was likely to see the cruelest work
of all, if the