ggested Lucille. "Oh, there are the Morgans in their car! They will
give us a lift. Come on, girls, we can get to the avenue before they
pass down," and giving an extra spurt to their already overstrained
runners, the girls vied with the real contestants in the honors of
marathon.

No need to ask for the lift in the Morgan car, for it seemed all
Bellaire was making for the club house to see the finish of the Cross
Country Run, and the girls piled on the big car exactly as girls do,
when coming and going, to and from the ocean, in the height of bathing
season.

"If our boys only hold out!" breathed Lalia. "We'll have the loveliest
time at the club house, all our crowd are invited, and we may take our
guests, of course," indicating the three visitors who were quite as
eagerly interested in the race as were the local members of the party.

"We are starting pretty well," remarked Cleo, holding tightly to her
support on the side of the auto. "We didn't expect to fall into a race
first day!"

"Oh, vacation is always one grand frolic out here," responded Lucille,
"and we always like to make a good start. Here we are," as the car
followed the long line of autos threading their way in to the driveway,
leading to the big, crowded club house on the emerald golf links.

By this time the runners were almost on their last lap, and cheering
and shouting made the air vibrant with the joy of youth and the glory
of healthful sport.

"Andy! Andy! Come on, Andy!" yelled the crowd.

"At-a-boy! At-a-boy!" came the shouts of youngsters who seemed to be
suspended in the air, hanging on to everything they could grasp, with
reckless risk to life and limb.

The club house orchestra had stopped its entertaining tunes, for guests
cared no more for music, the scholaristic runs being of more than usual
importance in deciding the season's championship.

"Bob! Go it, Bob!" went up a newly invigorated yell, as the runners
turned from the broad field into a narrow stretch, that was outlined by
the "tape" or finishing line.

"Oh!" screamed Cleo suddenly. "Look! That girl is directly in the
way!" and just as she spoke the figure of a girl was seen to dart from
somewhere directly into the first runner's path. She had raised her
slim arms as if to stop him, and in the surprise of her sudden
appearance Andy, who was well in the lead, stopped, staggered and then
toppled over in a heap!

Instantly everything was in wild confusion. Th