"I was ready to make the final spurt, which would have carried me ahead of Merriwell at the finish," declared Yates.
"Oh, it is a case of beastly luck!" growled Andy Emery. "It is the way everything turns in Merriwell's favor. He never wins except it is by cold luck."
"Oh, come off!" chirped Danny Griswold. "You're sore, that's all ails you!"
"You can't catch me, you know," taunted the little fellow, as he skipped out of reach.
On the station platform Merriwell was quietly waiting the arrival of the others, fanning himself with his handkerchief.
It happened that Bruce Browning was at the station, and he had seen the race between the rivals. In his ponderous manner, he hurried to congratulate Frank.
"Yates was a fool to try it!" declared Bruce, his round face seeming to expand into one broad grin. "He might have known what would happen. I see Crockett and Gibbs, two of the committee, with the fellows. They witnessed the whole business, and it must have settled matters in their minds."
"I wish Yates had not fallen," said Frank, with regret.
"He did not fall accidentally, and you can bet your greasy coin on that! It was plain enough."
"That he saw he was beaten, and fell so that he might make a claim that you outran him by accident."
"Yes, and he could not have recovered and overtaken you in a week! But that makes no difference. Allee samee, I rather fancy Yates will not fool anybody very much."
The knot of fellows now approached the station, where there was a great throng of Yale lads who had seen the race.
Yates was very pale, but there was a burning light in his eyes. He advanced straight to Frank, and distinctly said:
"Mr. Merriwell, you beat me this time through an accident; but I will run you again, and I'll win."
"Mr. Yates," he said, "you will find me willing and ready to run with you any time."
"Whoopee!" squealed Danny Griswold, turning a handspring. "That's business straight from headquarters!"
Then there was a scramble for tickets and for seats on the train.
It happened that Merriwell and his friends entered the smoker. They found Bink Stubbs curled up in a corner, puffing away at a cigarette.
"You seem to be well fixed, Stubbs," said Frank.
And the little fellow cheerfully returned: