those of the cowboys died down.
Mr. Melton chewed the end of his cigar fiercely, and swore softly to
himself.

But Tom and Dick were not deceived. "The old reprobate's only stalling,"
yelled Dick into Tom's ear, at the same time pounding him frantically on
the back. "He isn't going his limit, by a whole lot. Watch him, now, just
watch----" but his words were drowned in the shrill cowboy yell that
split the air. "Yi, yi, yi!" they shouted, half crazy with excitement.
For Bert, their champion, suddenly seemed to be galvanized into furious
action. He leaped ahead, seeming to dart through the air as though
equipped with wings. Johnson gave a startled glance over his shoulder,
and then exerted himself to the utmost. But he might as well have stood
still as far as any good it did him was concerned. Bert was resolved to
make a decisive finish, and show these doubting Westerners what a son of
the East could do. Over the last hundred yards of the course he exerted
every ounce of strength in him, and the result was as decisive as even
Dick and Tom could desire. Amid a tremendous pandemonium he dashed down
the stretch like a thunderbolt, and breasted the tape sixty feet in
advance of his laboring rival.

Words fail to describe the uproar that then broke loose. A yelling mob of
cowboys swept down onto the field, and, surrounding Bert, showered praise
and congratulations. Swearing joyfully, Reddy, Chip, Bud and several of
the others of the cross diamond outfit elbowed their way through the
crowd at one point, while Mr. Melton, Dick and Tom edged through at
another.

"All right, boys," laughed Mr. Melton, "give him a chance to get his
breath back, though, before you shake his hands off altogether. Let's
work a path to the dressing room for him."

This was no sooner said than done. Dick and Tom, assisted by Reddy and
the others, fought a path through the excited crowd, and at last got
Bert into the dressing room under the grandstand.

"Waal, m' lad, yuh certainly put it all over that maverick," exulted
Reddy; "one time there, though, we figgered he had you beaten to a
stand-still. It was sure a treat the way yuh breezed past him at the
finish, it sure was."

"I was worried some myself," admitted Mr. Melton, "but I suppose I ought
to have known better."

Meanwhile Bert had taken a shower, and started to dress. In a few minutes
he was ready to leave the dressing room, and they all started out. Just
as Bert was going through th