A GRE-AT HORSE 



not seem to be exerting himself. But Alike The 

 Tramp had trouble in keeping up with him. They 

 flew past the quarter pole in the twinkling of an eye. 

 Then for a moment the pace-maker pushed his nose 

 in front of Cresceus. The champion was not to be 

 outdone. The flying legs reached out with a still 

 greater stride and Cresceus was in front again. 



Down the back-stretch the great trotter swept. The 

 ground seemed to roll away beneath his flying feet. 

 Faintly the dull thud, thud of his hoofs came across 

 the oval to the breathless crowd in the stand. 



Past the quarter pole in :32j they rushed and Cres- 

 ceus was trotting like a piece of animated m.achinery; 

 with never a quiver and never a falter, the champion 

 turned at hurricane speed into the stretch. 



Far out over the rail the crowd leaned as the stallion 

 flew forward ; down, down, toward them he came like 

 a mad thing. His hammering hoofs appeared hardly 

 to touch the track. It seemed as if no living thing 

 could go faster. He shot past the judge's stand a 

 streak of chestnut color. Ketcham was holding him 

 with steady hand. Behind, with that ungainly gallop 

 came Mike The Tramp. "The half in i :o4f !" 

 shouted an enthusiastic man with a stop watch. "He'll 

 do it ! He'll do it !" 



They were at the eighth pole again before the crowd 

 could draw its breath. Cresceus's great legs were fly- 

 ing faster and faster. ]\Iike The Tramp was hang- 

 ing out the distress signal. On they flew. They 



174 



