a little doubtful about that 'coming up at the end' business. But
it was too late to back out then, so we lined up in front of the
starter's stand, and when the pistol cracked made a pretty fast getaway.

"We weren't in it with some of those professionals though, and before
we'd hit our speed at all they had several yards lead over us. But we
were feeling pretty strong at that. I was steering the bike, and I could
feel Barney pushing along like a steam engine. But at first it was all
we could do to hold our own, no matter how hard we pedaled. Pretty soon
I began to feel mighty tired I can tell you, and I guess Barney must
have, too, because we began dropping behind. But we kept on pushing like
mad, and pretty soon we began to get our second wind. And then we
certainly made that old tandem hum! We burned up that track for fair,
and before very long were on equal terms with the last team. We crept
steadily past them, and before the end of the sixth mile our front wheel
was even with the back wheel of the leaders.

"Well, by that time the crowd had begun to sit up and take notice, and
before we had covered another mile everybody was on their feet, cheering
like mad and waving flags. But no matter how hard we tried, we couldn't
seem to draw up even with the leading machine. By that time the blood
was beating through my head fit to burst it, and I suppose Barney must
have felt the same way. But neither of us was exactly what you might
call a quitter, so we kept on. And by the end of the ninth mile they
hadn't more than the length of one wheel's lead over us! As we started
the last lap I could feel the old bike shove forward, and I knew that
Barney had some reserve strength left. That kind o' put heart into me,
too, and I put everything I had into that last mile, believe me. Between
us we pretty nearly lifted that tandem off the ground at every stroke, I
guess. Anyway, we crawled up on the leaders inch by inch, and managed to
cross the finishing line a scant foot ahead of them.

"Well, I don't think I ever saw a much more excited crowd than that one.
They swarmed down onto the track, and it was only by makin' a mighty
quick sneak that we managed to get away from them. We weren't feeling
like being made heroes of just then, let me tell you. We were just about
all in."

"Believe me, I'd like to have been there," exclaimed Bert, as Reddy
finished; "it must have been a real race for fair. I should think that
after that you and