“It is a good omen,” he said. “I am going to do my best.”
“And, by Jingo! if you only had a chance,” said Mack, “I believe you would lick them all.”
At this Fatty bustled up.
“All ready, eh? Cameron, I shall owe you something for this. La Belle kicked like a steer against your entering at the last minute. It is against the rules, you know. But he's given in.”
Fatty did not explain that he had intimated to La Belle that there was no need for anxiety as far as the “chap from the old country” was concerned; he was there merely to fill up.
But if La Belle's fears were allayed by the secretary's disparaging description of the latest competitor, they sprang full grown into life again when he saw Cameron “all set” for the start, and more especially so when he heard his protest against the Frenchman's method in the “get away.”
“I want you to notice,” he said firmly to Dr. Kane, who was acting as starter, “that this man gets away WITH the word 'Go' and not AFTER it. It is an old trick, but long ago played out.”
Then the Frenchman fell into a rage.
“Eet ees no treeck!” sputtered La Belle. “Eet ees too queeck for him.”
“All right!” said Dr. Kane. “You are to start after the word 'Go.' Remember! Sorry we have no pistol.”