“Thought it might do me good to take a little exercise while I’m out there,” he explained. “I haven’t had these things on for years, and wasn’t sure I’d kept them until I rummaged through my trunk. Couldn’t find my shoes, though.” Perry saw that he was wearing a pair of rubber-soled canvas “sneakers” which had probably been white a long time ago. “How are you feeling? Ever up so early before?”
“A few times,” Perry laughed. “Usually on the Fourth.”
“Had anything to eat or drink?”
“No, sir, the fire wasn’t lighted. I’m not hungry, though.”
“Better have something inside you. We’ll stop at the drug store and get some hot malted-milk.”
This they did, and then went on to the field. It was a fine, warm May morning, and after yesterday’s showers the world looked and smelled fresh and fragrant. They found the gates at the field locked, but it was no trick at all to climb over the fence. Fudge had agreed to meet them there with his stop-watch, although Mr. Addicks had assured him that a time-trial was unthought of, but he was not on hand nor did he appear at all that morning. Later he explained that the maid had forgotten to call him.
Inside, Mr. Addicks threw off his ulster and, while Perry got into his running togs, stretched his long legs and surprised his muscles by various contortions to which they were long unused. Perry was soon back and Mr. Addicks put him on his mark and sent him away at little more than a jog. “Head up,” he instructed. “Shorten your stride. That’s better. Don’t be afraid to use the flat of your foot. Running on your toes is too hard on your legs. Now swing your arms, Perry. Drive ’em out and pull ’em back, boy! No, no, don’t make an effort of it. Just easy, just easy. That’s better.”
Mr. Addicks trotted alongside to the turn and then called a halt.
“That’s enough. Now get your breath and watch the way I do it. Watch my arms particularly.”
He crouched for a start, unlike the usual sprinter holding but one hand to the ground. Then he launched forward, caught his stride almost at once and ran lightly back along the track, his long legs scarcely seeming to make any effort and his arms reaching forward and back, his body twisting slightly above the hips from side to side. It was pretty work, and even Perry, who had never seen many runners, realized that he was watching one who was, allowing for lack of recent practice, a past-master. After that he was sent off again and again, for short distances, at scarcely more than a trot until he at last solved the philosophy of the arm movement. He had begun to despair of ever getting the hang of it when, suddenly, he awoke to the realization that, for the first time since he had been running, legs, arms and body were working together in perfect unison! He had the novel sensation of being a well-oiled machine of which every part was timing absolutely! He slowed down at the corner and returned to his instructor with shining eyes, triumphant and slightly astonished.