Now, Robert understood why the Virginians loved the sport.  The test of a horse’s strength and endurance and of a horseman’s skill and judgment was thrilling.  Presently he found that he was shouting with the shouting multitude, and sometimes he shouted Cressy and sometimes he shouted Blenheim.

They came around the curve, the finish of the first mile being near, and Robert saw the nose of the sorrel creeping past the nose of the bay.  A shout of triumph came from the followers of Cressy and Cabell, but the partisans of Blenheim and Stuart replied that the race was not yet half run.  Cressy, though it was only in inches, was still gaining.  The sorrel nose crept forward farther and yet a little farther.  When they passed the judges’ stand Cressy led by a head and a neck.

Robert, having no favorite before, now felt a sudden sympathy for Blenheim and Stuart, because they were behind, and he began to shout for them continuously, until sorrel and bay were well around the curve on the second mile, when the entire crowd became silent.  Then a sharp shout came from the believers in Blenheim and Stuart.  The bay was beginning to win back his loss.  The Cressy men were silent and gloomy, as Blenheim, drawing upon the stores of strength that had been conserved, continued to gain, until now the bay nose was creeping past the sorrel.  Then the bay was a full length ahead and that sharp shout of triumph burst now from the Blenheim people.  Robert found his feelings changing suddenly, and he was all for Cressy and Cabell.

The joy of the Blenheim people did not last long.  The sorrel came back to the side of the bay, the second mile was half done, and a blanket would have covered the two.  It was yet impossible to detect any sign indicating the winner.  The eyes of Tayoga, sitting beside Robert, sparkled.  The Indians from time unknown had loved ball games and had played them with extraordinary zest and fire.  As soon as they came to know the horse of the white man they loved racing in the same way.  Their sporting instincts were as genuine as those of any country gentleman.

“It is a great race,” said Tayoga.  “The horses run well and the men ride well.  Tododaho himself, sitting on his great and shining star, does not know which will win.”

“The kind of race I like to see,” said Robert.  “Stuart and Cabell were justified in their faith in their horses.  A magnificent pair, Blenheim and Cressy!”

“It has been said, Dagaeoga, that there is always one horse that can run faster than another, but it seems that neither of these two can run faster than the other.  Now, Blenheim thrusts his nose ahead, and now Cressy regains the lead by a few inches.  Now they are so nearly even that they seem to be but one horse and one rider.”

“A truly great race, Tayoga, and a prettily matched pair!  Ah, the bay leads!  No, ’tis the sorrel!  Now, they are even again, and the finish is not far away!”