“Very much!” answered Coulter, with emphasis.
“Well, here is the chance. And another thing—what’s the matter with your betting that Ruddy, Ditmore and Snow will lose? Then, if they do lose, you’ll stand to win something.”
“But they may win,” said Paxton, who was rather cautious when it came to putting up his money.
“Yes, and I’ll tell you I haven’t a dollar to spare,” added Coulter, who was the poorest of the three. On more than one occasion he had borrowed spending money from Ritter and Dan Baxter.
“I’ve got a plan,” answered Ritter. “Come on out on the lake in a rowboat. Then we’ll be sure that nobody will overhear us,” and he led the way to where the rowboats were tied up. Ever since the scare over the use of the French headache powder Ritter had been more or less nervous and afraid of exposure.
All unconscious of any plot being hatched out to make them lose the bicycle contest, Jack, Pepper and Andy spent their spare time in exercising on their wheels. A prize of a fine story book had been put up by the club for the winner, and all three were determined to do what they could to come in ahead.
“One of us must win,” said Jack. “I don’t care who it is. But I do want to see Ritter and his cronies defeated.”
“Just what I say!” declared Pepper.
“Same here!” added Andy. “The way Ritter goes around blowing makes me sick!”
“Well, Brag is a good horse, but Win-out is it,” declared Jack.