actised his start and at every
attempt Mack's confidence grew, so that when he brought his man back to
the platform he announced to a group of the girls standing near, "Don't
say anything, but I have the winner right here for you."

"Why, Mr. Cameron," cried Isa, "what a wonder you are! What else can you
do? You are a piper, a dancer, a hammer-thrower, and now a runner."

"Jack-of-all-trades," laughed Perkins, who, with Mandy, was standing
near.

"Yes, but you can't say 'Master of none,'" replied Isa sharply.

"Better wait," said Cameron. "I have entered this race only to save Mr.
Freeman from collapse."

"Collapse? Fatty? He couldn't," said Isa with emphasis.

"Lass, I do not know," said Mack gravely. "He looked more hollow than
ever I have seen him before."

"Well, we'll all cheer for you, Mr. Cameron, anyway," cried Isa. "Won't
we, girls? Oh, if wishes were wings!"

"Wings?" said Mandy, with a puzzled air. "What for? This is a RACE."

"Didn't you never see a hen run, Mandy?" laughed Perkins.

"Yes, I have, but I tell you Mr. Cameron ain't no hen," replied Mandy
angrily. "And more! He's going to win."

"Say, Mandy, that is the talk," said Mack, when the laugh had passed.
"Did you hear yon?" he added to Cameron.

Cameron nodded.

"It is a good omen," he said. "I am going to do my best."

"And, by Jingo! if you only had a chance," said Mack, "I believe you
would lick them all."

At this Fatty bustled up.

"All ready, eh? Cameron, I shall owe you something for this. La Belle
kicked like a steer against your entering at the last minute. It is
against the rules, you know. But he's given in."

Fatty did not explain that he had intimated to La Belle that there
was no need for anxiety as far as the "chap from the old country" was
concerned; he was there merely to fill up.

But if La Belle's fears were allayed by the secretary's disparaging
description of the latest competitor, they sprang full grown into life
again when he saw Cameron "all set" for the start, and more especially
so when he heard his protest against the Frenchman's method in the "get
away."

"I want you to notice," he said firmly to Dr. Kane, who was acting as
starter, "that this man gets away WITH the word 'Go' and not AFTER it.
It is an old trick, but long ago played out."

Then the Frenchman fell into a rage.

"Eet ees no treeck!" sputtered La Belle. "Eet ees too queeck for him."

"All right!" said Dr. Kane. "You are to start aft