CHAPTER XXVI
JANUARY TO MAY
The hurrying weeks brought Sam once more face to face with his rival of Hillbury. Again one of thirty-odd numbers, he mingled with the confused throng of candidates near the starting line of the forty-yard hurdles in Mechanics’ Hall.
“Who’s that fellow with the blue stripes across his shirt?” asked a boy at his elbow, who wore the colors of a Boston school.
Sam gave his benighted neighbor a sharp glance of surprise. “That’s Kilham of Hillbury!”
“Any good?”
“Good enough to beat me!” returned Sam.
“I guess it lies between Sage of Worcester and Doane of Noble’s,” said the lad.
Sam smiled grimly. He knew that it lay between Kilham of Hillbury and—somebody else.
The first heat was run: Kilham led at the tape; Sage of Worcester fell out. In the second heat Number Eighteen was at the fore,—the programme showed Number Eighteen to be Archer of Seaton. The third went to Doane of Noble’s; the fourth to Jessop of Boston Latin; the fifth—but why detail the process of sifting? The final heat was called. In it stood Kilham, Archer, Doane, Whelan of the Boston High, and a nameless white shirt from a small school, who by luck and good natural ability had squeezed through the early heats.
Kilham gave Sam a nod of recognition. “We’ve been up against each other before.”