“Mr. Merriwell,” said Random, pleasantly, “I trust you will take part in the races. I do not think you will be able to win over me, but I am sure it will be a pleasant and fair rivalry between us, and there will be no hard feelings in any case.”
“Well,” said Frank, “I do not pretend to be a champion, but I will come in and do the best I can.”
“Good!” nodded Wallace. “I hope to see you at the hop to-night. Good-evening, gentlemen.”
Then he departed.
CHAPTER XIII—A GAME FOR TWO
Frank and Bart were the only ones of the party who attended the dance, that evening, which was an informal affair.
Fine music was furnished, and the young ladies and girls of Santa Barbara looked their best as they mingled with the guests at the hotel.
As Frank stood looking on he decided that the girls of the Golden State were charming indeed, and there was no reason why California should not be proud of them.
They were refined and cultured, too, as they showed by their manners and conversation. In this respect Frank felt that they might well be compared with the finest bred girls of the East.
“It is a great country,” he thought; “and the East is altogether conceited when it fancies it has all the brains and culture. There are other places besides Boston and New York, and I can understand why some of the other places seem superior to many people.”