d Riverport
to-night, or later on, don't let the grass grow under your feet about
giving me a tip."

"You just bet I won't, Fred. But I hope there'll be some way of finding
out about that pair of kids. Somehow I seem to have cottoned to 'em just
from what you'nd our other chum told me, and without ever havin' set eyes
on either the boy or the girl that I know about. I'm meaning to sound my
ma about how it could be fixed, so they'd have decent homes, in case
anything happened."

"That sentiment does you credit, Colon, and I promise that when the time
comes, if it ever does, I'll back you up to the limit."

"Shake hands on that, Fred!" exclaimed impulsive Colon, and then and
there they exchanged a grip that cemented the bargain.

"I certainly do hope that finishes the wonderful consultation!" called
out a clear girlish voice, and Flo Temple came toward them, with a little
pout on her pretty red lips. "We've grown tired of standing here, and
waiting, while you laid out your great plan of campaign. I should think
there was plenty of time for all that between now and the day of the
Marathon race. And Fred, you forget you promised to walk out in the
woods with me, and see if the first wild flowers hadn't popped up. This
is the only chance I've had so far this week, and it'll be late before we
get fairly started."

Of course Fred declared that nothing stood in the way of their immediate
departure, and as Sid and Cissie had agreed to go along, it may be
assumed they had a merry time of it.

CHAPTER XIII

THE MUFFLED VOICE

"Fred, someone wants you on the 'phone!"

"All right, Sis, tell him I'll be right down, and to hold the wire!"

At the time his younger sister, Josie, called him. Fred was sitting in
his own room at home. It was around eight o'clock, and he had just been
studying, so as to get such matters off his mind until Monday swung
around again. The next day being Saturday, he and the other selected
contestants for honors in the big race expected to cover the course at a
pretty good pace, so as to familiarize themselves with its numerous
shortcomings and advantages.

Not wishing to keep anyone waiting, and suspecting that it must be either
Colon or Bristles who had some sort of communication to make, Fred
hurried down to the lower hail where the 'phone hung.

"Hello!" he called.

Evidently the other party was waiting, for immediately there came an
answer.

"That you, Fred?"

"Yes,