Matt was stunned by his good fortune. The position had come to him even before he had gone to the trouble to apply for it.
"Hiram Borden," went on the colonel affably, "is a fine old sportsman. He's a millionaire several times over and lives in a little town called Ottawa, in the Sunflower state. He has been an enthusiastic patron of automobile racing, and of its development in the West, ever since the sport began. He's too old to race a car himself, but he travels all over this country and Europe, keeping track of the contests. The cup he offered has been fought for for five years. Stark-Frisbie held it three years, hand-running. Our factory is here in Denver, so whoever wanted to take the cup away from us had to come here and race for it. Our principal Western competitors are Bly-Lambert, of Kansas City. During the last Colorado race, Bly-Lambert won the cup. We've tried twice to get it away from them, and as a token of appreciation of Mr. Borden, the third race is to be run on a circuit out of his home town."
"Are there only two competitors, Colonel Plympton?" asked Matt.
"There are a dozen or more competitors in each race, but Stark-Frisbie and Bly-Lambert build the fastest cars, and the issue is almost entirely between them. As soon as you sign on for the race, King, you'll have to start for Kansas and spend the rest of the time becoming familiar with the course. The car I intend to let you have is already at Ottawa. Perhaps you had just as soon sign the paper to-night? In that event you can start for Kansas in the morning."
"Your terms are satisfactory," said Matt, "and I'll sign the agreement at once."
"That's the spirit!" approved the colonel. He drew a paper from his pocket and handed it to Matt. "Just read that over," he added.
The paper was typewritten and set forth the terms already stated by the colonel, i. e., that Matt was to be furnished with a racing-car, have his entrance fee paid, and was to receive $500 for making the run, and a bonus of $2,000 if he won. His own expenses, however, were to be borne by himself.
While he was reading, the colonel was unlimbering a fountain-pen.
"Let me take the pen," said Matt, laying the paper on the table.
"You understand that thoroughly, do you?" asked the colonel, getting up and taking the paper from the table.