sleek, slow-going horses could ever hold their own with his, but he made
up his mind that Ranald, at least, was worth watching.

"Bring up your gentry," he called to Ranald, "if you are not too fine
for common folks. Man, that team of yours," he continued, "should never
be put to work like this. Their feet should never be off pavement."

"Never you mind," said Ranald, quietly. "I am coming after you, and
perhaps before night the blacks may show you their heels yet."

"There's lots of room," said Aleck, scornfully, and they both set to
work with all the skill and strength that lay in themselves and in their
teams.

For the first hour or two Ranald was contented to follow, letting
his team take their way, but saving every moment he could by his own
efforts. So that, without fretting his horses in the least, or without
moving them perceptibly out of their ordinary gait, he found himself a
little nearer to Aleck than he had been at noon; but the heavy lifting
and quick work began to tell upon him. His horses, he knew, would not
stand very much hurrying. They were too fat for any extra exertion in
such heat, and so Ranald was about to resign himself to defeat, when he
observed that in the western sky clouds were coming up. At the same time
a cool breeze began to blow, and he took fresh heart. If he could hurry
his team a little more, he might catch Aleck yet; so he held his own a
little longer, preserving the same steady pace, until the clouds from
the west had covered all the sky. Then gradually he began to quicken his
horses' movements and to put them on heavier loads. Wherever opportunity
offered, instead of a single log, or at most two, he would take three or
four for his load; and in ways known only to horsemen, he began to stir
up the spirit of his team, and to make them feel something of his own
excitement.

To such good purpose did he plan, and so nobly did his team respond to
his quiet but persistent pressure, that, ere Aleck was aware, Ranald was
up on his flank; and then they each knew that until the supper-bell
rang he would have to use to the best advantage every moment of time and
every ounce of strength in himself and his team if he was to win first
place.

Somehow the report of the contest went over the field, till at length it
reached the ears of Farquhar. At once the old man, seized with anxiety
for his team, and moved by the fear of what Kirsty might say if the
news ever reached her ears, set off a