dead tree.

"What a place for a gallop!" said Harry. His quiet face was flushed and
his eyes sparkling.

"Look at old Harry!" jeered Wally. "He's quite excited. Does your mother
know you're out, Hal?"

"I'll punch you, young Wally," retorted Harry. "Just you be civil. But
isn't it a splendid place? Why, there's a clear run for a mile, I should
say."

"More than that," Jim answered. "We've often raced here."

"Oh!" Norah's eyes fairly danced. "Let's have a race now!"

"Noble idea!" exclaimed Wally.

"Well, it'll have to be a handicap to make it fair," Jim said. "If we
start level, Norah's pony can beat any of the others, and I think Mick
can beat the other two. At any rate we'll give you fellows a start, and
Norah must give me one."

"I don't care," Norah said gleefully, digging her heel into Bobs, with
the result that that animal suddenly executed a bound in mid-air.
"Steady, you duffer; I didn't mean any offence, Bobsie dear," She patted
his neck.

"I should think you wouldn't care," Jim said. "Best pony and lightest
weight! You ought to be able to leave any of us miles behind, so we'll
give you a beautiful handicap, young woman!"

"Where's the winning post?" Harry asked.

"See that big black tree--the one just near the boundary fence, I mean?
It's a few chains from the fence, really. We'll finish there," Jim
replied.

"Come on, then," said Norah, impatiently. "Get on ahead, Harry and
Wally; you'll have to sing out 'Go!' Jim, and sing it out loud, 'cause
we'll be ever so far apart."

"Right oh!" Jim said. "Harry, clear on a good way; you're the heaviest.
Pull up when I tell you; you too, Wal." He watched the two boys ride on
slowly, and sang out to them to stop when he considered they had
received a fair start. Then he rode on himself until he was midway
between Wally and Norah, Harry some distance ahead of the former. The
ponies had an inkling of what was in the wind, and were dancing with
impatience.

"Now then, Norah,"--Jim flung a laughing look over his shoulder--"no
cribbing there!"

"I'm not!" came an indignant voice.

"All right--don't! Ready every one? Then--go!" As the word "Go" left
Jim's lips the four ponies sprang forward sharply, and a moment later
were in full gallop over the soft springy turf. It was an ideal place
for a race--clear ground, covered with short soft grass, well eaten off
by the sheep--no trees to bar the way, and over all a sky of the
brightest blue, flecked by tiny,