The contestants leaned forward for the start.
"Ready!" Muscles were drawn taut, nerves were tingling.
"One! two! three!"-- Bang! Away darted the skaters, and the race had begun.
A cheer went up from the spectators.
Paul Rains took the lead at the very start, for he seemed to jump away at astonishing speed, while the others were gathering headway.
"Rains has a snap this time," declared one.

"Merriwell may be able to take the honors at jumping, but he won't be in this kind of a contest." "Jist wait a whoile an' see about thot, me b'y," said Barney Mulloy, who had overheard the remark.

"Frankie is as full av surproises as a horrunet's nest is full av stings.".