," he sneered.

Then a deafening roar went up from the stand. Somebody thrust a pair
of broad shoulders in front of Mike's face; he leaned out far past the
intruder, and saw the Indian sway drunkenly in his stride away from the
rail, carrying White Moth and The Dutchman out; and into the opening he
had left, glued to the rail, crept the chestnut form of Lauzanne.

A wild yell of Irish joy escaped Mike; then he waited. Now it would be a
race; but Lauzanne was trying, trying all by himself, for the rider was
as still as death. Already the clamor of many voices was splitting the
air; all over the stand it was, "The favorite wins! The Dutchman wins!"
Even yet there was no beckoning call for Lauzanne; but Mike knew. He had
said to Allis before she went out, "If ye ever get level wit' 'em in the
straight, ye can win."

And now Lauzanne's yellow head was even with the others; and soon it
was in front. And then there were only two battling--Lauzanne and The
Dutchman; and on the Bay, Westley was riding with whip and spur.

"In a walk--in a walk, I tell you!" fairly screamed Old Bill, clutching
at Mortimer's arm; "didn't I tell you? We're a tousand to de good. Look
at him, look at him!" He had climbed halfway up Mortimer's strong back
in his excitement. "Look at de kid! Never moved--in a walk, in a walk!
Larcen all the way for a million!"

His voice generally weak and tattered like his clothes; had risen to a
shrill scream of exultation.

It was past all doubt. Lauzanne, a length in front of The Dutchman, was
opposite the stand; in two seconds they had flashed by the Judges' box,
and Lauzanne had won.

The wave of humanity that swept down the steps carried Mike in its front
wash. He took his stand close to the Judges' box; there he would be
handy for whatever might be needed. He saw Langdon with a face dark and
lowering, full of an evil discontent, standing there too. Back the seven
runners cantered. Lauzanne's rider saluted the judge with whip, and
slipping from the horse stripped him of the saddle with deft fingers,
and passed quickly into the scales. The weight was right. One after
another the boys weighed.

Watching, Mike saw Langdon pass up to the Stewards. There was a short
consultation, the hush of something wrong, and a murmur of an objection.

"What's the matter?" a voice questioned in Mike's ear. It was Alan
Porter that had spoken.

Mike pushed his way to the small gate, even through it, that led up to
the S