Amid shouts of applause, the two fat men started. It cannot be said they started like arrows from the bow, but they certainly exerted themselves uncommonly. Their faces grew red with the efforts they made, and their colossal legs hurried over the ground as fast as could reasonably be expected. "I could beat them easily," said James Watson. "Of course you could. Just wait till you've got as much to carry. Look! there's Morrison down!" It was true. Somehow one of Morrison's legs entangled with the other, and he tumbled and rolled over and over. "Go in and win, Hayden!" shouted fifty voices to his gasping competitor. About seventy-five yards remained to be traversed. It look as if Hayden could win the race with opposition. But he was quite out of breath. He pressed both hands on his stomach, stopped, and deliberately sat down on the track. "Don't give it up!" yelled the crowd. "Keep on, and the prize is yours!" "I can't," gasped Hayden, "and I wouldn't for five times the prize. I don't want it." So the prize was not awarded, but the crowd had their fun, and the two fat competitors sat down together to rest under a tree. They did not recover from their efforts for at least an hour. "Is there to be a boys' race?" asked Ben. "Yes, the boys' race is next in order. You'd better enter." "I will," said Ben. "What's the prize?" "Five dollars." Ben's eyes sparkled. "If I could only win it," he thought, "it would be equal to a week's pay at the factory." Chapter IV The Boys' Race Ben felt that his chances of winning the prize were very good. Among his schoolmates he was distinguished for his superiority in all athletic sports. He could jump farther and run faster than any of the boys of his age; and this was a ground of hope. On the other hand, he could not tell how many contestants there might be. He had measured himself against the boys of his acquaintance; but there were hundreds of other boys in the city, and among them it was quite possible that there might be one who surpassed him. However, Ben was always hopeful, and determined to do his best to win. One of the committee now came forward and announced the boys' race. The distance was to be the same, the prize five dollars, and there was a limitation of age. No boy over seventeen years of age was permitted to enter. "Are you going to compete, James?" asked Ben. "I guess not. I don't stand any chance against you." "I don't know about that. I might stumble or give out." "I should like the five dollars well enough." "Then enter your name." "Well, I will. I may as well try." So Ben and James were the first to enter their names. "Are you coming in, George?" asked Ben of George Herman. "No; I lamed myself in jumping yesterday, and am not in condition; my brother, Frank, is going to enter. Of course he won't stand any chance, for he is too young." The next to put down his name was Radford Kelso.