A scant fifteen feet from the string, Nibs Morey leaped and plunged forward. Such a spurt had never before been seen on State Street. Even the president, flinging aside his well-worn dignity, cheered on the long, lank figure, which hurled itself that instant across the string, and fell limp and panting into his open arms! "Well done, my boy," he cried,--"and you, too!" This to Billy, who was upon him a fine fraction of a second later. "You are both champions,--I am proud of you." And as they relaxed, weak and faint, he seized a hand of each in his own and shook them strongly. Then he threaded his way back through the seething crowd that had come up. Cheer upon cheer rent the atmosphere--cheers for Nibs, and cheers for Billy, who had done his best and failed, with greater honor to him, than if he had won without effort. IV At the bottom of the course, with the long-heralded event slipping with the moments into history, and surrounded by their cheering fellow-collegians, the eyes of the contestants met again, nor did they waver, nor did a challenge leap between them. They smiled; their hands shot forth with one accord, met and clutched, and it was then that another cheer arose unlike those that had gone before--a cheer that was a cheer. As it ended, Jimmy Hulburt, in a moment of fine frenzy, for him, cried: "I'm willing to bet ten dollars at two to one that Nibsey Morey can beat anybody runnin' that walks!" Even that brave if paradoxical cry was cheered, and the sportive Jimmy looked about him valiantly. He felt a hand upon his arm in another instant and heard a voice above him. Lifting his eyes, he looked up into the stranger's face. "What was your bet?" the soft voice inquired. Jimmy repeated it, none the less vigorously, at the same time pushing back to survey the uncouth figure of the man in the long coat, with a satchel dangling from his shoulder. "I'll take it," the stranger said, simply. Some one laughed, another called: "Shut up." As for Jimmy, he only stared at the absurd person before him, who had with such aggravating nonchalance picked up the glove that he had so bravely flung down. "Are you a student here?" he asked. "I entered to-day," was the reply, spoken in the same calm tones. "Where you from?" "Niles." "So you want to take that bet?" "I'm willing." He smiled most exasperatingly. "When do you want to run?" "Suit yourself." "Say," Jimmy exclaimed, perhaps a shade angrily, "are you fooling? To hear you talk anybody'd think you wanted to run now." "That would be all right. I will run now." The laughter became general. The stranger only pulled at his cigar more quickly. "Where are your togs?" Jimmy inquired scornfully. "I've got them on." So saying he flung back his overcoat. He was ordinarily dressed. The laughter broke out afresh. Jimmy hesitated just one instant.