He ambled along like a tired and footsore dog behind Bud, with his ears drooping and his toes kicking up the dust.  He was a sad-looking animal, and the word having gone abroad that he was the horse that was to enter the race with Magpie, he was jeered from one end of the street to the other, as Bud led him to the corral at the edge of the town.  Bud pretended to be angry at the joshing his steed received, but when he had turned his back upon the jokers he would wink gently to himself in a way that would have been puzzling to the supporters of the spotted horse.

Cap Norris had done his work well.

Every one in town knew of the coming race, and word had been sent to the ranches in the surrounding country, so that before noon the streets were crowded with people.

“Say, fellows,” said Ted, when the boys met at the hotel for dinner, “this fellow Norris is sure a sharp.  That talk about his wanting to get enough money to take him back home was a lie.  He’s a gambler, and is in league with a bunch of gamblers in this town.”

“How do you know?” asked Ben.

“How do I know?  Why, man alive, they’re betting on Magpie all over town.  The tip seems to have gotten out that Bud Morgan and the broncho boys have a surprise up their sleeves, and that they are going to ring in another horse than Hatrack.”

“How is that?”

“They believe we’re going to slip in another horse, a professional racing horse with a record.”

“Let ’em think so.  It won’t be a professional race horse—­at least, not in this country—­that we will put in, but jest ole Hatrack, an’ if he don’t win the race by a city block I’ll eat him, hoofs an’ all.”

“Put us next, Bud,” said Ben.

“That’s what,” said Kit.  “You’ve sure got a trick concealed somewhere.  What is it?”

“No, I haven’t,” said Bud.  “But if I wuz a bettin’ man I know what hoss I’d back to win.”

That was all the boys could get out of him on the subject, but they were convinced none the less that Bud had a secret concerning the horse, and that they would learn what it was in good time.

The race was to be held at the fair grounds, and was to be a dash of three hundred yards.

Cap Norris would not consent to a longer race, although Bud said he would run Hatrack any distance up to a quarter of a mile, but the innocent old man with the long whiskers objected to running his horse a long distance.

As the hour approached for the race, the grounds began to fill up.  Several races between Indian ponies took place to keep the crowd amused until the big race of the day was to come off.

“They’ve been working us,” said Ted, coming up to where Stella and the boys were standing beside Hatrack, which looked more sad and dejected than ever.

“In what way?” asked Bud.

“This race is a gambling game to get the money away from the innocents,” answered Ted.  “They’ve had men going among the people from the country and the cow-punchers, telling them that it is a put-up job on our part, and that we’re sure to win.  In that way they have got a lot of people to bet on Hatrack.  I’ve a good mind to draw out of it altogether and spoil their game.”