and stood in the doorway. Here he turned and said:

"I am going home, fellows, and I shall wait there just one hour for an
assurance that you have faith in me, and do not believe a word of this
horrible charge. If such a message, sent by the whole club, reaches me
within that time, I will undertake to prove my innocence. If it does not
come, then I cease, not only to be your captain, but a member of the
club."

CHAPTER IV.

STARTING INTO THE WORLD.

As Rod finished speaking he left the room and walked away. He had hardly
disappeared, and the fellows were still looking at each other in a
bewildered fashion, when a message was sent in. It was that President
Vanderveer, who was distributing the prizes for the several races out in
front of the grand stand, was ready to present the Railroad Cup to Rodman
Blake, and wanted him to come and receive it. Then somebody went out and
whispered to the President. Excusing himself for a moment to the throng of
spectators, he visited the dressing-room, where he heard the whole story.
It was hurriedly told; but he comprehended enough of it to know that the
cup could not, at that moment, be presented to anybody. So he went back,
and with a very sober face, told the people that owing to circumstances
which he was not at liberty to explain just then, it was impossible to
award the Railroad Cup at that meeting.

The crowd slowly melted away; but before they left, everybody had heard
one version or another of the story told to President Vanderveer in the
dressing-room. Some believed Rod to be innocent of the charge brought
against him, and some believed him guilty. Almost all of them said it was
a pity that such races could not be won and lost honestly, and there must
be some fire where there was so much smoke; and they told each other how
they had noticed from the very first that something was wrong with Snyder
Appleby's wheel.

Major Appleby heard the story, first from President Vanderveer, and
afterwards from his adopted son, who confirmed it by displaying the side
of his face which was swollen and bruised from Rodman's blow. Fully
believing what Snyder told him, the Major became very angry. He declared
that no such disgrace had ever before been brought to his house, and that
the boy who was the cause of it could no longer be sheltered by his roof.
In vain did people talk to him, and urge him to reflect before he acted.
He had decided upon his course, and the more they advis