"They don't have to grow none, to beat some fellers."
"One—two—three!" cried Nat,—"go!"
Like a flash, the boys were off.
"Hi, hi, Billy!" yelled Tim Sladder; "go it! hi, hi!"
"Keep it up, Hacky—you've got 'em left at the post!" shouted Nat.
Three of the party kept neck and neck—Bob Somers, Hackett and Musgrove, while Dick Travers and Sam Randall fell to the rear.
All had expected to see slim John Hackett quickly take the lead, but, to their surprise, both Somers and Musgrove at once set such a pace that the tall youth was compelled to exert himself to a far greater degree than he cared to at that stage of the proceedings.
From an unexpectedly one-sided affair, the race developed into an exciting contest.
The non-contestants trailed along in the rear, at a pretty fast clip.
"You're winning, hands down, Hacky!" yelled Nat.