awfully obliged to you for coming in with
me."

"Thanks for the ride." Gerard stepped out and offered his hand with a
glance deliberately friendly. "Good-by; good luck for to-morrow and next
day."

Rose dragged off his gauntlet and eagerly bent to give the clasp.

"Wait--you're not going like that?" he protested. "I'd like to see you
again. You haven't told me _your_ name."

"We will see each other again. That's a safe prediction, I assure you."
He withdrew his hand, laughing a denial of explanation as he retreated.
"I will tell you my name next time, if you ask me."

Already half a dozen people had collected around the pink racing car.
Others were flocking from every direction, the group forming with a
suddenness truly New Yorkese. Indifferent to all, Rose sprang out of his
seat and ran through the curious men in pursuit of his late companion.

"Wait," he urged, overtaking him. "I want to ask--did you mean that?
About my driving well, some day? I know I'll never get a chance to do
it, but do you mean that I _could_?"

"I meant," confirmed Gerard, "just what I said. I usually do. Good-by."

The boy remained perfectly still in the midst of the crowd, standing in
his rose-colored costume and looking after the straight, slender figure
swinging down the street. When Gerard glanced back in turning the
corner, Rose was still watching him.

* * * * *

It was some forty-five hours later that Gerard's prediction was
verified, in the glare-streaked darkness of the Beach racetrack amid the
medley of sounds from excited crowds, roaring cars, and noisily busy
training camps. Under the swinging electric light before the hospital
tent, the two drivers came face to face.

"Nothing wrong, I hope?" Gerard greeted, keen eyes sweeping the other.

A sparkle of animation lit Rose's exhaustion-drawn face to boyishness.

"I'm not hurt. I want to tell you that if I'd known who you were,
yesterday, I'd never have asked you to ride with me," he answered,
warmly impulsive.

"You'd have let me walk?"

"I'd have got into the mechanician's seat and let you _drive_. Do you
suppose I'd have kept the wheel with you in the car? But what you said
about my driving made it so no one could rattle me, Mr. Gerard; I am not
going out of the race because of that, anyhow."

"Going out of the race? Why, you're running in third place!"

Rose shook his head, his mouth set, holding out two blistered hands and
linen