t!" called the starter, and then in a moment there followed the
sharp report of the pistol and the runners were speeding down the
course. Will felt that he had secured a good start, and but a few yards
had been covered when he realized that he and Ogden were running almost
side by side and had left the other two contestants behind them. Nor
were their relative positions changed as they sped on down the track
except that the distance between Will and Ogden and the two freshmen
behind them was steadily increased. Will was dimly aware as he drew near
the line that the entire sophomore body had risen and was noisily
calling to their classmate to increase his speed. There was silence from
the seats occupied by the freshman class, but Will was hardly mindful of
the lack of support. Glancing neither to the right nor the left, he
could almost instinctively feel that Ogden was a few inches in advance
of him and all his efforts were centered upon cutting down the
intervening distance.

As the contestants came within the last ten yards of the course, Will
gathered himself together for one final burst of speed. His feet seemed
scarcely to touch the ground as he darted forward. But Ogden was not to
be outdone, for he too increased the pace at which he was running, and
when they touched the line that was stretched across the course, the
sophomore was still ahead by a few inches and had come in first in the
heat, while Will was second.

Foster was standing near to catch his room-mate, and as he wrapped the
bath robe around him, he said: "It's all right, Will; you're in the
finals."

"First two taken?" gasped Will.

"Yes."

"Hold on. Let's hear the time," said Will, stopping abruptly as the
announcer advanced.

"Hundred-yards dash, first heat," called the senior, "Won by number ten.
Second, number fifteen. Time, ten and two-fifths seconds."

"That's good for the heat, Will," said Foster warmly.

"I'm not in training," said Will despondently.

"The others aren't either, or at least not much. You had Ogden nearly
winded, and when it comes to the finals you'll do him up," said Foster
encouragingly.

Will did not reply, for the call for the second heat was now made and he
was intensely interested in watching Mott's performance, for his
reputation in the college was even greater than Ogden's. And if he
himself had been beaten by Ogden, what chance would he have against
Mott? The question was not reassuring, but as the five men