“Marruk me worrud,” said Barney Mulloy, “it’s some sort av a thrick Alixandry is up to, ur it’s nivver a bit she’d make such a proposal. Look out fer her!” One thing in connection with the regular training for the race proved somewhat unpleasant for all the boys. They possessed hearty appetites, and Merriwell laid down a course of diet to which he insisted that they should adhere. For Browning and Dunnerwust, this was particularly hard, as each possessed an enormous appetite, and was in the habit of satisfying it to the fullest extent whenever possible. “When I have a chill, I can’t eat, and when I don’t have a chill, Merry won’t let me eat,” grumbled the big fellow. “Sport! Is that what you call it? Well, when I get back to Old Yale I’ll forever forswear taking part in anything that resembles sport.” “Yaw,” grunted Hans, in deep disgust, “dese may pe fun vor me, put don’t you pelief me! Mein stomach veels shust like a raw tog could ead me. You don’d peen vell ven mein stomach veels dot vay, eh, Prowning?” “Say, yeou fellers make me tired, b’gosh!” burst forth Ephraim. “I ruther guess I’ve got jest as big appertite as any other critter livin’, but I don’t growl an’ kick all ther time. It ain’t goin’ ter be forever.” “You don’d know apout dot,” squawked Hans, growing excited. “Ven you peen done dese race mit, maypie Vrankie got someding else indo you. Firginia peen a long tistance py Yale Goallege. I veel shust like takin’ a drain und valkin’ all der vay to New York.” “Yeou make yerselves miserbul by thinkin’ an’ talkin’ about it so much. Why don’t ye try ter fergit it?” “I don’d peen unaple to done dot. Dot eadin’ dinks apout me all der dime. Id peen awful ven you felt your packpone efry dime you put your handt mein stomach on.” The Dutch boy finished with a lugubrious groan, which was faintly echoed by Bruce, while Ephraim went away laughing. Each day Dunnerwust seemed to grow more wild-eyed and desperate. Frank had given strict orders at the hotel, so it was impossible for any of his crew to get food between meals, and only certain kinds of food could be found on the table at regular meals. Hans became so ravenous that he was seen to stand glaring at a cow for an hour at a time, his mouth watering as he tried to estimate how many steaks could be obtained from her; and he often went across the Cove to the house of a settler who kept pigs. When asked why he stood staring at the pigs so much, he answered: “I peen tried to vigger oudt how much bork und peans dose bigs vould made uf dey peen gooked dot vay. I veel shust like one uf dose bigs could ead der whole uf me. Id vos dreatful ven you haf dot gone veeling py der mittle my stomach uf. Dunder und blitzens! uf I don’d got nottings to ead britty soon, you vill starf to death!” The owner of the pigs became suspicious of the Dutch lad, and fearing Hans would try to steal one of the animals, he drove him away.