“It’s more than even chances that he will,” nodded Starbright. But Necker made that jump as if his life depended on it. He rose handsomely and cleared the bar without brushing it. Then the Eagle Heights crowd cheered, for their man led in the high jump by an inch and a half. Necker turned away smiling, giving Manton a look. Manton motioned for him to come nearer. “You might have won the broad jump just as easy,” said Manton. “I know that,” agreed Necker. “It was my fault. I thought I had it won.” The men who followed made a sorry showing beside Necker. Then came Merriwell. Manton grinned sneeringly, and Dent Frost laughed coldly. “This day the great champion is not doing so much,” said the gentleman pugilist. “Grafter won’t be offering so much money for his secret method. Secret method! Bah!” “Has he a method?” “Oh, that’s rot. He’s a mark. He’s just a little better than ordinary athletes, and he poses as the greatest wonder in the whole world.” At the very start Frank had the bar placed at six feet. “Never!” exclaimed Frost. “He can’t do it!” “Let him knock it down,” whispered Manton. Frank did knock it down. He did not get away just right, and his heel touched the bar as he was going over. Manton laughed outright, but checked himself. Frank spoke in a low tone to the judges. Then many persons uttered exclamations of astonishment, for he had ordered the bar raised an inch and a half! That placed it at the height of Necker’s best jump. “Never!” repeated Frost. In the stand several persons uttered cries of joshing. But they were destined to receive a shock, for Merry shot at the bar, leaped into the air, and went over it in beautiful style. Then the Yale men broke forth into that fine cheer. Necker seemed dazed. “He must have springs in his shoes,” he finally growled. Frost was speechless with rage. Manton managed to recover enough to say: “That only ties you.” But Merriwell had ordered the crossbar up an inch and a half more, making six feet three in all. “Not in a thousand years!” cried a voice in the crowd. “It’s impossible!” “He’ll show you!” exclaimed Bart Hodge. Frank settled himself, measured with his eye the distance he had to run and the height to the pole, and then started. Up and over he sailed. He had beaten Necker by an inch and a half, and the following contestants declined to make an effort. CHAPTER XI. FAILURE AND DISGRACE. The pole-vaulting contest came late in the afternoon, and Denton Frost set a stint at the very outset that appalled the greater part of the contestants. Man after man failed to come anywhere near the mark he had made. Frank Merriwell’s turn came at last. He had his own pole, which no one else was allowed to use. Farley Fisher had joined Hobart Manton, Frost remaining with the other contestants.