You may go on with your lessons after the race." "Oh, say, can't you get along without me ?" "Can't anyway; you must come along." "Well, if I must, I must," murmured Frank, with mock distress.

"I will see you later, Miss Blossom, and we will do our best to induce that left foot to make the stroke properly." So, bowing and smiling, he left her, and, in her heart, Inza cried: "If he skates with her again this afternoon, I'll be outwitted--that's all!" As Bart drew Frank aside, he hastily and guardedly said: "You must go into this race to win, old man.

Rains' friends have been saying you would not dare skate against him, and that he would have a walk-over if you did." Frank's teeth came together with a click.
"Is that so!" he exclaimed.

"Well, they may be right; but we'll see." That was quite enough to put him on his mettle, and he lost no time in entering for the race.
A short time later the seven contestants were drawn up in line, waiting the signal.
One mile up the pond a rock reared its head from the ice, where, at low water, there was a tiny rocky island.

Every contestant was to "turn the rock" and skate back to the starting point, making a race of two miles in two long, straight stretches.
The gentleman who had offered the badge of honor stood, pistol in hand, ready to give the signal.