e asked of Francis Gray
that evening.

CHAPTER XX

A FOOT-RACE FOR MONEY

"They've got wind of something," said Mr. Tinkham to Mr. Gray, "or else
they are waiting for you to resume payment,--or else the widow's got
money from somewhere for her present necessities."

"I don't know what hope they can have of getting money out of me," said
Gray, with a laugh. "I've tangled everything up, so that Beal can't find
a thing to levy on. I have but one piece of property exposed, and that's
not in this State."

"Where is it?" asked Tinkham.

"It's in Kentucky, five miles back of Port William. I took it last week
in a trade, and I haven't yet made up my mind what to do with it."

"That's the very thing," said Tinkham, with his little face drawn to a
point,--"the very thing. Mrs. Dudley's son came home from Port William
yesterday, where he has been at school. They've heard of that land, I'm
afraid; for Mrs. Dudley is very positive that she will not sell the
claim at any price."

"I'll make a mortgage to my brother on that land, and send it off from
the mail-boat as I go down to-morrow," said Gray.

"That'll be too late," said Tinkham. "Beal will have his judgment
recorded as soon as the packet gets there. You'd better go by the
packet, get off, and see the mortgage recorded yourself, and then take
the mail-boat."

To this Gray agreed, and the next day, when Jack went on board the
packet "Swiftsure," he found Mr. Francis Gray going aboard also. Mr.
Beal had warned Jack that he must not let anybody from the packet get
to the clerk's office ahead of him,--that the first paper deposited for
record would take the land. Jack wondered why Mr. Francis Gray was
aboard the packet, which went no farther than Madison, while Mr. Gray's
home was in Louisville. He soon guessed, however, that Gray meant to
land at Port William, and so to head him off. Jack looked at Mr. Gray's
form, made plump by good feeding, and felt safe. He couldn't be very
dangerous in a foot-race. Jack reflected with much hopefulness that no
boy in school could catch him in a straight-away run when he was fox. He
would certainly leave the somewhat puffy Mr. Francis Gray behind.

But in the hour's run down the river, including two landings at Minuit's
and Craig's, Jack had time to remember that Francis Gray was a cunning
man and might head him off by some trick or other. A vague fear took
possession of him, and he resolved to be first off the boat before