“Cheer up!” said Frank, slapping him on the back. “All this is going to be changed, just as if a wizard touched it with his magic wand. You wait and see what’s going to happen. I just feel it in my bones.” Lanky did brighten up a little; and then, as he happened to catch sight of that aggravating couple ahead, Dora chattering away like a little magpie, and that handsome curly head of Walter so close to her brown tresses, he gritted his teeth again and lapsed into his former gloomy state. So Frank went back to Minnie and the laughing group of which the gay girl was the center and the life. No call came over the wire from Lanky that afternoon or evening, much to Frank’s disappointment. And when he met his chum at school on Wednesday morning, there was a skeptical look on the thin countenance of Lanky that told of “hopes deferred making the heart sick.” “No use talking,” the other declared, in a disgusted tone, “I’m a regular Jonah nowadays. Never touch a thing but it flops upside-down. Now, if it’d been only you connected with this racket, Frank, chances are you’d ’a’ had a message before now; and the father and mother’d be on their way here. But I’ve just queered the game, that’s what. Everything’s against me, I do believe.” “Oh! wait a while,” said Frank, encouragingly. “It’s plain that your wire hasn’t reached the gentleman yet; because, if his little girl hasn’t been found you can just believe that he’d seize on any chance to hear news. And when he does get the telegram you’ll know it. If he’s off somewhere, it may be several days before they can reach him; but it will come, Lanky, it’s bound to come. So I say wait, and just hold your horses the best you know how.” “All right, Frank,” replied Lanky. “I’ll do the best I can; but I’m badgered if I don’t feel sore, the way things are knocking me. But I’m all trimmed for making that long run Saturday; and you and Bones’ll have to hustle if you want to get home anywhere near my time; for I’m going to show _somebody_ something, you understand!” CHAPTER XIII ON THE HARRAPIN Saturday saw quite a big crowd gathered in the afternoon at the athletic field, to witness what they called the “elimination trials.” By this means all who could not take part in the grand meet the following week would be weeded out. There were plenty of young people present from both Bellport and Clifford; for it was expected that these trial heats would prove almost as interesting as the real thing later on. Of course this was a Columbia day entirely, a sort of home affair, since only local boys could compete.