This frank and generous spirit greatly impressed Merriwell and his friends.
Browning exerted himself again in the hammer-throwing contest, and won by a good margin.
“Keep it up, fellows,” laughed Frank. “It strikes me that the Combine is bound to make a path of glory on its way East.”
But they were not to win at everything, as they soon discovered.
Barney Mulloy was a great jumper, but there was a youth from Mariposa who could jump. His name was Lundy, and he beat the Irish boy with such ease that Barney was quite crestfallen.
“Begorra! it’s wings he has somewhere about him!” declared Barney.
Then came the pole vaulting, and Preston, of Santa Barbara won, although Jack Diamond was a close second.
“I told you!” laughed Wallace Random, speaking to Frank. “You chaps are doing great work, but we have some good men right here.”
“That’s right,” agreed Merriwell, cheerfully. “You are right in it, and that’s a fact.”
Then came the bicycle race.