Now the competitors, eight of them, were in a line, and coming forward, the master of the course, in a voice that every one might hear, called out the conditions of the race and the prize for which it was to be run, a splendid glass goblet engraved with the cross-keys, the Arms of Leyden.  This done, after asking if all were ready, he dropped a little flag, whereon the horses were loosed and away they went.

Before a minute had passed, forgetting all her doubts and annoyances, Lysbeth was lost in the glorious excitement of the moment.  Like birds in the heavens, cleaving the keen, crisp air, they sped forward over the smooth ice.  The gay throng vanished, the dead reeds and stark bushes seemed to fly away from them.  The only sounds in their ears were the rushing of the wind, the swish of the iron runners, and the hollow tapping of the hooves of their galloping horses.  Certain sledges drew ahead in the first burst, but the Wolf and the Badger were not among these.  The Count de Montalvo was holding in his black stallion, and as yet the grey Flemish gelding looped along with a constrained and awkward stride.  When, passing from the little mere, they entered the straight of the canal, these two were respectively fourth and fifth.  Up the course they sped, through a deserted snow-clad country, past the church of the village of Alkemaade.  Now, half a mile or more away appeared the Quarkel Mere, and in the centre of it the island which they must turn.  They reached it, they were round it, and when their faces were once more set homewards, Lysbeth noted that the Wolf and the Badger were third and fourth in the race, some one having dropped behind.  Half a mile more and they were second and third; another half mile and they were first and second with perhaps a mile to go.  Then the fight began.

Yard by yard the speed increased, and yard by yard the black stallion drew ahead.  Now in front of them lay a furlong or more of bad ice encumbered with lumps of frozen snow that had not been cleared away, which caused the sleigh to shake and jump as it struck.  Lysbeth looked round.

“The Badger is coming up,” she said.

Montalvo heard, and for the first time laid his whip upon the haunches of his horse, which answered gallantly.  But still the Badger came up.  The grey was the stronger beast, and had begun to put out his strength.  Presently his ugly head was behind them, for Lysbeth felt the breath from his nostrils blowing on her, and saw their steam.  Then it was past, for the steam blew back into her face; yes, and she could see the eager eyes of the child in the grey sledge.  Now they were neck and neck, and the rough ice was done with.  Six hundred yards away, not more, lay the goal, and all about them, outside the line of the course, were swift skaters travelling so fast that their heads were bent forward and down to within three feet of the ice.

Van de Werff called to his horse, and the grey began to gain.  Montalvo lashed the stallion, and once more they passed him.  But the black was failing, and he saw it, for Lysbeth heard him curse in Spanish.  Then of a sudden, after a cunning glance at his adversary, the Count pulled upon the right rein, and a shrill voice rose upon the air, the voice of the little girl in the other sledge.