“Thet’s a good one, thet is,” jeered one of the townspeople who had overheard this remark.  “Why, that guy Wilson ain’t got even a look-in.  Our champ will make him look like an also ran.”

“Is that so?” replied Sandy sarcastically.  “Well, yuh just stick around this arternoon, an’ yuh’ll realize what a plumb egreg’us idjut a feller can become by livin’ in town a spell.  Why, yuh poor boob, the feller you’re backin’ to rake in the chips ain’t got even a ghost of a show.”

Others of the citizens began to join in the argument, and words were beginning to run high when Hotchkiss, the sheriff, galloped up on his horse.  “Here, here, boys,” he exclaimed, “no hard feelin’ on the glorious Fourth.  We’re all here to have a good time, an’ anybody that don’t think so can talk to me.”

“All right, Bill,” said Sandy soothingly; “we warn’t allowin’ to have a scrap, but the people o’ this yere town is got too big a idea o’ themselves, thet’s all.”

“Come away, Sandy,” advised Dick, laughing.  “Maybe we’ll take a little of the starch out of them this afternoon.”

Sandy at last allowed himself to be persuaded, and the cowboys rode off.  Soon afterward the three boys left them, for they had arranged with Mr. Melton to lunch with him at the principal hotel.

When they entered its doors he was waiting for them in the lobby, his genial face beaming.

“Well, my lads,” he exclaimed, “how do you like the way we spend our holidays out here, eh?”

“Great!” exclaimed Bert, speaking for the others; “the boys certainly know how to make things hum when they get started.  There’s something doing every minute.”

“Yes, they’re a great lot,” said Mr. Melton.  “They’re hot tempered and inclined to jump too quickly into a quarrel, but their hearts are always in the right place, and they’re loyal to the core.  But how do you feel, Bert?” suddenly changing the subject.  “Have you got your winged shoes on to-day?”

“Never felt more like running in my life,” smiled Bert.  “Anybody that beats me to-day will have to travel a little, I think.”

“Good!” exclaimed the rancher, “that’s the kind of talk I like to hear.  Everybody I’ve talked to in the hotel here seems to think that this Johnson is going to have things all his own way, and I want you to give them the surprise of their lives.”

The fact that Bert was a Marathon winner was not generally known, and everybody in town thought that their candidate would have an unknown runner pitted against him, whom he could easily vanquish.  It was, therefore, with feelings of the utmost confidence that they streamed toward the place where the race was to be held.  They bantered the cowboys they met unmercifully, but the latter kept their own counsel, and only smiled in a knowing fashion.  Money was bet freely on both sides, and those who lost stood to lose heavily.