f there was any
hidden meaning in it, Snyder left the grand stand, and strolled leisurely
around to the dressing-room, lighting a cigarette as he went.

"Hurry up!" shouted Rod, who was the soul of punctuality and was
particularly anxious that all the events of this, his first race meeting,
should be started on time. "Hurry up. Our race will be called in five
minutes, and you've barely time to dress for it."

"Where's my wheel?" asked Snyder, glancing over the dozen or more machines
stacked at one side of the room, but without seeing his own.

"I haven't seen it," answered Rod, "but I supposed you had left it in some
safe place."

"So I did. I left it in the club house, where there would be no chance of
anybody tampering with it; for I've heard of such things happening, but I
ordered Dan to have it down here in time for the race."

"Do you mean to insinuate--" began Rod hotly; but controlling himself, he
continued more calmly, "I didn't know that you had given Dan any orders,
and I sent him over to the house on an errand a few minutes ago. Never
mind, though, I'll go for your machine myself, and have it here by the
time you are dressed."

Without waiting for a reply, the young captain started off on a run, while
his adopted cousin began leisurely to undress, and get into his racing
costume. By the time he was ready, Rod had returned leading the beautiful
machine, which he had not ridden for fear lest some accident might happen
to it.

Then the race was called, and a pistol shot sent the five young athletes
bending low over their handle-bars spinning down the course. They all wore
the club colors of scarlet and white; but from Rod's bicycle fluttered the
bit of blue ribbon that Dan had been sent to the young captain's room to
get, and which he had hastily knotted to the handle-bar of his machine
just before starting. Eltje Vanderveer smiled and flushed slightly as she
noticed it, and then all her attention was concentrated upon the varying
fortunes of the flying wheelmen.

It was a five-mile race, and therefore a test of endurance rather than of
strength or skill. There were two laps to the mile, and for seven of these
Snyder Appleby held an easy lead. His name was heard above all others in
the cheering that greeted each passing of the grand stand, though the
others were encouraged to stick to him and not give it up yet. That two of
them had no intention of giving it up, was shown at the end of the eighth
lap, w