By the time the first mile had been covered the pace was beginning to tell on both horses. Then came the point where they had to take two hedges in quick succession. Carrots took the first with scarcely an effort, but for some unaccountable reason shied at the second. Black Diamond and his rider shot ahead, and when Jack finally brought his mount over he found himself a good fifty yards to the rear.
“I’ve got to make it up! I’ve simply got to do it!” he muttered to himself, and, setting his teeth hard, he urged Carrots forward in a desperate effort to overtake Sedley.
Then came another turn and the riders crossed the state highway and came out on a stretch of road leading behind the Sedley estate. Here going was again rough, but this seemed to please Carrots better than it did Black Diamond and at a mile and a half Jack found himself only a length behind his opponent. Then each rider settled himself for the struggle on the homestretch.
“Here they come!” yelled Andy, as he looked down the roadway.
“Joe Sedley is in the lead! Hurrah!” shouted one of that young man’s admirers.
“Oh, don’t tell me Jack’s going to lose!” murmured Martha.
“Come on, Jack! Come on! You’ve got to win!” shouted Fred. “Come on!”
As the two riders drew closer there were all sorts of shouts and cries. In the midst of this the girls, and also several other spectators, prepared to take snapshot pictures of the finish.
“Joe Sedley is still ahead! He wins the race!”
“Jack Rover is crawling up!”