"Shut up, or I'll wring your neck!"
"You can't catch me, you know," taunted the little fellow, as he skipped out of reach.
On the station platform Merriwell was quietly waiting the arrival of the others, fanning himself with his handkerchief.
It happened that Bruce Browning was at the station, and he had seen the race between the rivals. In his ponderous manner, he hurried to congratulate Frank.
"Yates was a fool to try it!" declared Bruce, his round face seeming to expand into one broad grin. "He might have known what would happen. I see Crockett and Gibbs, two of the committee, with the fellows. They witnessed the whole business, and it must have settled matters in their minds."
"I wish Yates had not fallen," said Frank, with regret.
"He did not fall accidentally, and you can bet your greasy coin on that! It was plain enough."
"Then you think—just what?"
"That he saw he was beaten, and fell so that he might make a claim that you outran him by accident."