ing your neck!"

"You can't catch me, you know," taunted the little fellow, as he skipped
out of reach.

On the station platform Merriwell was quietly waiting the arrival of the
others, fanning himself with his handkerchief.

It happened that Bruce Browning was at the station, and he had seen the
race between the rivals. In his ponderous manner, he hurried to
congratulate Frank.

"Yates was a fool to try it!" declared Bruce, his round face seeming to
expand into one broad grin. "He might have known what would happen. I
see Crockett and Gibbs, two of the committee, with the fellows. They
witnessed the whole business, and it must have settled matters in their
minds."

"I wish Yates had not fallen," said Frank, with regret.

"He did not fall accidentally, and you can bet your greasy coin on that!
It was plain enough."

"Then you think--just what?"

"That he saw he was beaten, and fell so that he might make a claim that
you outran him by accident."

"I had the lead."

"Yes, and he could not have recovered and overtaken you in a week! But
that makes no difference. Allee samee, I rather fancy Yates will not
fool anybody very much."

The knot of fellows now approached the station, where there was a great
throng of Yale lads who had seen the race.

Yates was very pale, but there was a burning light in his eyes. He
advanced straight to Frank, and distinctly said:

"Mr. Merriwell, you beat me this time through an accident; but I will
run you again, and I'll win."

Frank bowed with the utmost courtesy.

"Mr. Yates," he said, "you will find me willing and ready to run with
you any time."

"Whoopee!" squealed Danny Griswold, turning a handspring. "That's
business straight from headquarters!"

"Here comes the train!" was the cry.

Then there was a scramble for tickets and for seats on the train.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

ENEMIES AT WORK.

It happened that Merriwell and his friends entered the smoker. They
found Bink Stubbs curled up in a corner, puffing away at a cigarette.

"You seem to be well fixed, Stubbs," said Frank.

And the little fellow cheerfully returned:

"Oh, I've got a snap, as the bear said when he stepped into the steel
trap."

Then room was made for a jolly little party in the corner, and all the
fellows who smoked lighted up cigarettes or cigars.

"I've got ten more to put on the game to-day," cried Rattleton,
gleefully. "And I took it out of Flemming. That is what pleases me the