They are ready to start. Frankie counts, “one--two--three--four”--and away go Reindeer, Express, Lightning, Victor, and Light. Willie steers too much toward the right, and Reindeer plunges head-foremost into a drift; Joe looks around to see Willie, Express runs off from the track, and both are landed in a ditch on the left. The race is now for Lightning, Victor, and Light; Light being a little in advance, Lightning next, then Victor. Ben is very anxious to win the race. By a push he may turn Light from the track, and thus gain upon Frankie. He steers his sled to the right, and comes down upon Light so suddenly that Frankie is thrown off into the snow, and Victor and Lightning reach the foot of the hill nearly at the same time. “You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Ben Field. That was a mean trick. I’d play fair if I didn’t beat.” All this Frankie said, as he brushed the snow from his clothes, and his flashing eyes _looked_ every word of it. “Guess I ain’t ashamed to beat,” Ben said, sullenly. “But it wasn’t fair,” said the girls, all in a breath. “You know Frank was ahead till you steered your sled right into his.” “You’d better keep still. I don’t want girls meddlin’ with my business,” said Ben, rudely. “We are the judges,” answered Lou White. “We aren’t meddling.” By this time, Frankie had thought what he ought to do. It was hard, but Jesus gave him strength to do it bravely. “Never mind,” he said. “Don’t say any more about it. Forgive me, Ben, for being angry with you.” Ben _did_ feel ashamed then, and the boys and girls looked very much surprised. “I’d rather not beat than be so mean,” Willie said. “I’d give it to him,” said Joe, as he carefully examined Express to see if it was marred by its tumble into the ditch. “I beat anyhow,” Ben said, sullenly, kicking in the snow. “I think Frank Western beat the best,” said little Millie Ray. “Let’s judge that Frank beat, girls.” So Millie, and Kate, and Lou, and all the girls said that Frankie beat. “No,” said Frankie, “that isn’t fair. I _didn’t_ beat. Perhaps I _might_, but I didn’t.” “Just like girls,” muttered Ben. “Go for a fellow they like.” He walked off, vexed with himself and his playmates, while the others went into the school-room and told Miss Ruth all about it. Miss Ruth opened the large Bible, and turning to Proverbs, read: “A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger.” “Better is it to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city.” Then, turning to the New Testament, she read: “Love your enemies.” “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in _deed_ and in truth.” Miss Ruth closed the Bible, saying nothing, for she knew that the children understood what she had read, and that God’s word would reach their hearts better than anything she might say.