"Which won?" was the question Harlow paused to ask.
"Nemo came in first by a full length," replied a spectator.
Then Hogan was dragged off Hartwick, who lay pallid and still on his back, looking as if the end had come for him.
Two nights later a jolly party gathered in Frank Merriwell's room to offer him congratulations. There were speeches, songs, toasts and jests.
"How much will you take for Nemo now, Merriwell?" asked Jack Diamond. "I want to buy him and send him South to my father."
"You can't," laughed Frank. "Your father hasn't money enough to buy the dear old boy."
"But what are you going to do with him?" asked Rattleton. "You must think of the future."
"Not now," smiled Merriwell. "To-morrow is my queen's birthday, and I am thinking of the present."
"For robbing his own father of seven thousand dollars. He knew how to get at the old gentleman's dough, and he swiped it several days ago. He's been burning money since then."
"Was the robbery committed before the Mystic Park races?" asked Frank.
"Then that explains why the mysterious man in black followed me up and drove me into so many bets. He had Hartwick's money, and Hartwick was behind the entire game. Well, all his plots miscarried and he got it in the neck at last."
"Which served him right," declared Jack Diamond, with satisfaction.
After the great horse race matters moved along smoothly for some time.
Frank worked hard over his studies and made fine progress.
He did not dare race Nemo again, for the college authorities would not permit it, in the face of what had been said about betting.
Frank had gotten rid of some of his enemies for the time being, but there were others, those who could not stand it to see him become such a general hero.
One evening a crowd of these gathered in a resort known as Jackson's. All had been drinking freely, and it was not long before every tongue was loosened.
In the crowd were several students that my old readers have met before. They included a hot-headed lad named Tom Thornton, a fussy fellow called Puss Parker, and Fred Flemming, Willis Paulding, Andy Emery and Tad Horner.
Earlier in the evening they had met at Morey's, but found they could not talk privately there, as the place was filled with students.