Page:Boys of Columbia High on the River.djvu/121

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THE WINNING OF BUSTER
111

hold his mane and climb on! Don't let a bucking broncho do you, old fellow! Now you've got him! Whoa! don't slide off the other side of the saddle, boy! Whoop! he's done it, fellows."

Once more Buster was securely settled in his tub, having accomplished a feat seldom successfully engineered by contestants in a tub race. Again he set a pace for the goal, and this time he absolutely refused to look back, no matter how the crowd shouted to him to take just one peep.

Consequently Buster came in an easy winner, for the other two, finding themselves hopelessly beaten, started to striving with each other as if to see which could upset the other out of his wabbly craft.

Frank gave a sigh of relief. His sense of satisfaction had nothing to do with the victory of Buster Billings, however. It was occasioned by seeing Lanky come up the bank, and noting the look of triumph on his lean face.

"What have you been doing, Lanky?" he managed to ask, as the other passed by.

Lanky shut one eye and looked very knowing as he bent forward to whisper the suggestive words:

"Green paint!" and nod his head violently several times.