rhaps it does.
Every fellow has his pet theories in a race, and no two of them may be
alike."

"I guess the main idea with him is that he can get in some of his dirty
work if he sees the other is passing him," Andy sneered.

Frank shook his head at him; but on the whole did not know that he
could blame Andy for feeling so bitterly toward the other. Their
experiences with Percy in the past had been far from pleasant; and many
times had he attempted some unscrupulous game that had stirred Andy's
fighting blood to the boiling point.

As for Sandy Hollingshead, Andy's opinion of him as a sneak was known
to every boy in Bloomsbury; nor did the party most interested seem to
care to knock off the chip aggressive Andy had long carried on his
shoulder.

The aeroplane had vanished beyond the high fringe of trees. Possibly
Percy had headed for town to show off his new purchase to the gaping
Bloomsbury crowds, certain to come rushing from houses and stores as
soon as the word was passed around that a flying machine was hovering
overhead.

As the afternoon passed, the boys debated pro and con concerning the
challenge. Frank had agreed to accept, much to the delight of the
others, and his answer was carefully prepared, so as to cover every
point in question.

He and Andy realized that after all, their prediction as to a storm had
failed, for the clouds seemed to have passed away, leaving the day
hotter than ever.

"Whew! ain't I glad though I can camp on a night like this," said
Elephant, as started in to assist Larry get dinner ready.

"Just what I was thinking," added the chief cook, looking up from his
task with a grin of pleasure. "I've got the peskiest hot room ever, on
a still summer night like this is goin' to be; right under the roof,
cold as a barn in winter; roasting in July and August. Say, I've often
said they'd find me fried like a doughnut some fine morning; or froze
stiff. This thing just suits me to a whiz."

"Heard Frank ask the Colonel to eat with us tonight; so I s'pose we're
going to have an extra good spread," Elephant went on, scraping the
potatoes industriously.

"That's what," chuckled the other. "You just leave it with your uncle,
and the chances are you won't be disappointed much. I like good things
myself. Used to say I was going to study to be a great chef when I
grew up. May yet, who knows? What's Frank and Andy doing with that
wire right now?"

"Why, you see the Colonel made 'e