“She’ll have to hustle if she does that trick,” said Frank, when he had heard of the final settlement of terms, to which he had acceded readily enough, as he and his friends were out for the sport of the race, and did not wish to carry away the title of champions.
“Marruk me worrud,” said Barney Mulloy, “it’s some sort av a thrick Alixandry is up to, ur it’s nivver a bit she’d make such a proposal. Look out fer her!”
One thing in connection with the regular training for the race proved somewhat unpleasant for all the boys. They possessed hearty appetites, and Merriwell laid down a course of diet to which he insisted that they should adhere. For Browning and Dunnerwust, this was particularly hard, as each possessed an enormous appetite, and was in the habit of satisfying it to the fullest extent whenever possible.
“When I have a chill, I can’t eat, and when I don’t have a chill, Merry won’t let me eat,” grumbled the big fellow. “Sport! Is that what you call it? Well, when I get back to Old Yale I’ll forever forswear taking part in anything that resembles sport.”
“Yaw,” grunted Hans, in deep disgust, “dese may pe fun vor me, put don’t you pelief me! Mein stomach veels shust like a raw tog could ead me. You don’d peen vell ven mein stomach veels dot vay, eh, Prowning?”
“Say, yeou fellers make me tired, b’gosh!” burst forth Ephraim. “I ruther guess I’ve got jest as big appertite as any other critter livin’, but I don’t growl an’ kick all ther time. It ain’t goin’ ter be forever.”
“You don’d know apout dot,” squawked Hans, growing excited. “Ven you peen done dese race mit, maypie Vrankie got someding else indo you. Firginia peen a long tistance py Yale Goallege. I veel shust like takin’ a drain und valkin’ all der vay to New York.”
“Yeou make yerselves miserbul by thinkin’ an’ talkin’ about it so much. Why don’t ye try ter fergit it?”
“I don’d peen unaple to done dot. Dot eadin’ dinks apout me all der dime. Id peen awful ven you felt your packpone efry dime you put your handt mein stomach on.”
The Dutch boy finished with a lugubrious groan, which was faintly echoed by Bruce, while Ephraim went away laughing.