Hodge could not go much farther without appearing in full view of Hollingsworth, if the latter lingered behind the stand. Therefore he sprang over the inside fence and kept toward the stand in a straight line, running lightly on the turf. Bart reached the stand, slipped past the corner, climbed into it without seeking the regular entrance, and walked softly toward the southern end. There, hidden from any one at the south by the boarding at that end and equally well protected toward the west, he mounted without noise over the seats until he reached the highest one at the back. He might have looked over the boarding in search of Hollingsworth, but he decided not to run the risk of being seen. Squatting there in the upper corner, he peered through a crack and saw Huntley rapidly approaching. Bart knew his actions must seem suspicious to any one at the clubhouse who happened to observe them; but he minded that not at all, being determined to learn, if possible, if there existed a secret understanding of any sort between Hollingsworth and Huntley. The Buffalo man hastened his steps. Finally he was so near that Bart could no longer watch him through the crack, being too high for that. A moment later he heard Hollingsworth speak and knew the fellow was behind the stand and almost directly below. “What’s the matter, Arthur?” asked the Ashport trainer. “You’ve been talking too much,” retorted Huntley, and there was suppressed anger in his voice. “Talking?” exclaimed Hollingsworth. “I said so!” “’Ow—’ow ’ave I been talking?” cried the trainer, growing excited and beginning to misuse the eighth letter of the alphabet. “Hexplain what you mean!” “You’ve been talking to Merriwell.” “What if I ’ave? He didn’t get much satisfaction hout of it.” “He got enough to discover that we are friendly.” “’Ow did he? ’ow did he?” “I don’t know, but he did. Besides that, you were fool enough to say you had confidence in me.” “Never said hanything of the kind! Who told you all this?” “Merriwell himself called you my friend and said you expressed great confidence in me.” “He ’ad no right to say it! I only said an Englishman might win the race.” “And I’m the only Englishman entered! That was a wise remark!” Huntley’s sarcasm was cutting. “I didn’t stop to think he might make hanything of it,” said Hollingsworth, with some humbleness. “’Owever, it can’t do no ’urt.” “It can do any amount of harm. I fancy this Merriwell is a shrewd fellow. If he should learn that I have been staying in the country within ten miles of Ashford for the past two weeks, he might get an inclination to investigate and so discover that during that time I have every day been over the course we are to run.” “Heven then he could not prove hanything damaging, Harthur. ’Ow could he say you found hout the course through me? Why, sir, no one ’ere ’as any notion I know the course, which Mr. Hashley will give hout to-morrow.”