Of a truth Whipple was doing splendidly, there was no gainsaying that; but coming on back of him was one who appeared to be making much better time.  Hugh was gaining fast, they could see.  The only question that remained to be settled was whether Whipple had it in him to increase his pace sufficiently to cross the tape first; or, on the other hand, if Hugh Morgan was able to speed up still more, and close the gap.

How the shouts rang out.  Everybody seemed to be cheering madly at the same time.  Men stood up, and waved their arms; girls embraced each other, though not an eye was turned away from that wonderful finish of the great Marathon race.

Now, Hugh had apparently released his final effort.  He was gaining faster and faster.  Whipple seemed to know that he was in deadly peril.

He, too, looked back over his shoulder in alarm, possibly meaning in desperation to almost burst a blood vessel if he found that his rival was about to overtake him.

That proved his eventual undoing, though the result was no longer in doubt.  He lost his balance, and, being so exhausted that he could not stand longer, pitched headlong to the ground, just as the fleet Hugh jumped into the lead, raced twenty steps further, broke the extended tape, and thus won the race.

How the heavens seemed to fairly quiver with the roars that broke out!  It had been a most thrilling finish for the greatest race ever run in all the country.  Time might come and time might go, but never would those who had been so fortunate as to witness the conclusion of the Marathon forget the thrilling spectacle.

Hugh bore his honors meekly.

He utterly declined to let some of the Scranton fellows pick him up and bear him around on their shoulders, as they threatened to do.  After the prizes had been duly awarded the assemblage broke up, and the roads leading out of Scranton were soon blocked with hundreds of vehicles of every description carrying home the visitors.

Even Allandale and Belleville had no reason to be disappointed over the general results, for their young athletes had fared very well, all things considered.  Of course, most of them would rather have seen the Marathon won by a representative from their school than to “scoop in” all the other prizes grouped together; but since it had to go to Scranton, they voiced the opinion of most people when they declared they were glad Hugh Morgan had won it, and not Nick Lang.

Even though overwhelmed with congratulations on every hand, Hugh did not forget his promise to “Just” Smith.  As soon as he could get into his street clothes he hunted a fellow who chanced to have his father’s flivver handy, and easily won his consent to take him along the road in the direction of Belleville, in order to find poor “Just” Smith, and get him home again.

This they did without any mishap, and it may be easily understood that the disappointed boy hailed their coming with great joy.  He knew all about that grueling finish of the big race in the bargain, some of those Allandale chaps passing by in vehicles having readily informed him as to the winner, and what a tremendously thrilling sight the finish had been.