Still further to the
rear was Sid Todd, now urging his horse forward, that he might see the
finish of the contest.

"Now, then, my little beauty, go!" cried Dave to his horse, and he
clucked several times to Hero, and dug his heels into the steed's ribs.

He had not miscalculated, and Hero responded instantly. Up he went into
the air, and when he came down his ears were laid far back, and forward
he shot like an arrow from a bow. Dave kept him to it, and gradually he
ranged up between the others.

"Hi, get back there!" yelled Roger, who was now slightly in advance.
"You can beat Phil, but you can't beat me!"

"Not much! He's not going to beat me!" put in the shipowner's son, and
he urged his horse to do better. But this was impossible, and, inch by
inch, Dave overtook him, and went to the front.

It now seemed to be a race between Hero and the brown horse that the
senator's son rode. Roger's mount was still in fine condition, but it
must be confessed that the senator's son did not know exactly how to
race him to the best advantage. He sawed a little on the reins, thus
worrying the animal, and causing him to lose his gait. Then, with a
bound, Dave came up, and the pair were neck-and-neck for the finish.

"Go! go!" yelled Phil. "May the best horse win!"

"Whoopee!" came unexpectedly from Sid Todd, and, grabbing his pistol
from the holster, he sent three shots into the air, just to add to the
excitement.

As the pistol went off, both horses gave an extra bound forward. The two
young riders were almost unseated, but each quickly recovered. Then they
bent low over their steeds' necks and went forward for the finish.

It was a thrilling moment, Dave and Roger side by side, Phil at their
heels, and Sid Todd further back, firing another shot or two, "just for
fun," in true cowboy fashion.

But Roger had urged his horse to the limit and could do no better. As
Dave clucked again, Hero shot ahead, a foot, a yard, and soon several
yards. Then Phil came up abreast of the senator's son, and thus they
kept until the edge of the woods was gained.

"Dave wins!" cried Sid Todd. "An' a good race, boys,--a good race all
around."

"Yes, Dave wins!" answered Phil. "My, but your horse did go it at the
finish!" he added, admiringly.

"A fine animal," said Roger. "But mine is fine, too, even if he didn't
come in first," he added, loyally.

"You all rode well--better nor I expected," was Sid Todd's comment. "It
was a good race.