e fellow present who would hesitate to eliminate himself, if by
doing so he could advance the interests of the school!"

"Hear! hear!" cried Colon, "that's our sentiment, every time, Sid.
Riverport High first, and self next in this sort of rivalry. And believe
me, we're going to keep that Marathon prize right here in town this
year."

CHAPTER XXII

"THEY'RE OFF!"

"Somebody please give me the official list of entries; I'm not sure I
have it right," and as Cissie Anderson said this she looked around her at
the clump of enthusiastic school friends, both boys and girls,
surrounding her seat in the grandstand.

There were Flo Temple, Mame Wells, and several other girls, as well as
Semi-Colon, Cornelius Shays and a few other fellows who believed in being
comfortable during the long wait, while the contestants were absent.

"That's me, Cissie," Semi-Colon spoke up, flourishing a paper proudly.
"I've just come from the blackboard where they've posted the names of the
entries. You know each school was to be limited to four contestants?"

"Yes, but please give me the list," said Cissie, impatiently. "They're
beginning to gather around the starting line, and I want to be sure I've
got everything correct. Just think how small I'd feel if I cheered the
wrong one."

"You can cheer everybody," Flo told her, "until the time comes to welcome
the first runner, and then Riverport hopes to do herself proud."

"Mechanicsburg has four entries," Semi-Colon announced, purposely raising
his rather puny voice so that every one within a radius of twenty feet
might profit by his knowledge, "and they are Dolan, Wagner, Waterman,
and Ackers. The last named is called the Mechanicsburg Wonder, and they
all say he's going to win this Marathon in a walk."

At that there were scornful exclamations from the faithful Riverport
rooters.

"We've seen Ackers run plenty and good, when he played left tackle on
their football eleven!" announced one boy, jeeringly.

"And if I remember rightly he didn't run fast enough to make many
touchdowns, eh, fellows?" exclaimed another Riverport student.

"You wait and see, that's all!" they were told by an indignant girl
nearby, who undoubtedly had her home in the up-river town.

"Yeth," added her companion, a boy who lisped terribly, but was not
prevented by this affliction from speaking his mind in behalf of his
native town, "they thay thosth that laugh lasth laugh loudetht. Justh
wait, an