carrying the colors of
Scranton High to victory in the Marathon race, should be debarred
from participating in the same by a cruel fate.

As for himself Hugh was not quite so certain as before that he could
accomplish such a thing as getting over those fifteen miles ahead of
all competitors. What he had gone through with on the preceding day,
coupled with his night journey, and only partial rest, after getting
in bed at a late hour, had sapped some of his energy.

But Hugh's grit and determination were just as strong as ever, and
he meant to do his level best. If he fell down, why, there were
"Just" Smith, and Horatio Juggins, as well as two other Scranton
fellows, any one of whom might be the winner. So long as the prize
fell to a Scranton High boy, it mattered little who carried off the
honors, Hugh felt.

Noon came at last.

Everything was now ready for the opening of the athletic tournament.
Chief Wambold kept watch and ward over the grounds, assisted by his
entire force of uniformed men. He evidently did not intend that
any boy, with a mind that turned to practical joking, should have
a chance to exercise his evil propensities unchecked. Should such
a thing be attempted the joker would find himself up against a snag
immediately; and, as those posters announced, he was going to be
harshly dealt with up to the "extreme penalty of the law."

There were hundreds of people on the grounds at noon, which was a
pretty good marker for the tense crowds that would soon be heading
that way from every point of the compass. Most of these "early
birds" were, of course, out-of-town folks, farmers' families that
had come in, to market, perhaps, and they stayed over to see the
great show, because everybody living for many miles round Scranton
had heard about the meet, and and what a wonderful sight it would
be, well worth going miles to gaze upon. These thrifty and sensible
folks had, in many cases, brought their lunch along with them.
Perhaps they disliked the idea of eating in small restaurants, such
as Scranton, like most towns, boasted; but, no doubt, the main thing
was economy in these times of scanty cash and inflated war prices.

It was well worth watching when they started to open their packages,
and spread out the contents on the ground or, as might be, on the
benches here they had taken up their positions the better to see
what went on. And really it would have made any boy's mouth water
to note the immense