“Not much doubt of it,” was the response; “they’ve sure got a fine sled there.”
“Say, young feller, want to bet on yer team?” cried the first speaker after Rob.
“I don’t bet, thank you,” was the response; “but we’ve got as good a chance of winning as the next fellow.”
“Well, wouldn’t that jar you?” muttered the man, as the crowd broke into a laugh at Rob’s retort.
“You want to bet all your money on us,” said Freeman Hunt, and he and his cronies prepared to follow Rob and his chums.
“How’s that?” asked the man.
“Because we’re going to win. There’s no doubt of it,” was the rejoinder.
“Well, you seem mighty positive about it,” commented the man.
Workmen were busy on either side of the hill stringing up electric lights, as the boys arrived. Between the rows of tall poles crowds of lads were scooting down the hill on their sleds, or laboriously hauling them up again. It was an animated scene, and there were plenty of lookers-on as the racing sleds glided swiftly over the smooth surface. It had been watered and packed till it was as hard and smooth as a sheet of glass. It glistened in the winter sun like polished steel.
“Wow! Won’t we whiz over that!” exclaimed Merritt, as they hastened to ascend the hill by a path left at one side of the course. Arrived at the top, an examination of the runners of the sled followed. They were found to be as smooth as a mirror, which is an important thing, for the slightest roughness will check a sled’s speed more than would be thought possible.