Frank Merriwell's Athletes Part 45

"Now he is out for blood. I'll go something he takes this fall."

All at once, in some astonis.h.i.+ng manner, the Indian got under Barney and raised him into the air directly across his back.

Then Whirling Bear lifted Barney above his head to hurl him to the ground!

CHAPTER XXIV-THE FOOT RACE

Frank saw a gleaming spirit of evil in the eyes of the savage.

Whirling Bear meant to injure, perhaps to kill, Barney.

He intended to cast the Irish youth down upon his head, and the prospect was that Barney's neck would be broken instantly.

Immediately Frank leaped forward.

As the Indian dashed Barney to the ground, Frank caught him and kept him from falling on his head.

The Irish lad went down heavily, but he was not severely injured.

Whirling Bear gave a cry of anger when he saw what Merriwell had done, and then rushed at Frank.

Frank dodged and tripped the Indian with the greatest skill, so that the redskin was pitched forward on his face and stunned for the moment.

"If you will try the copper-skin a whirl, I'll back you for any amount,"

said Dan Carver, quietly.

Whirling Bear sat up, savagely glaring at the white boys.

"No can wrastle with two!" he growled. "One at time is 'nough. Why other white boy do something?"

"I simply kept you from murdering my friend," said Frank. "You were trying to break his neck, and I saw it."

Whirling Bear got up, looking disgusted.

"Sometime may get 'nother chance," he said, and then walked away, paying no heed to the spectators who were calling for him to remain and settle the match by seeing who could get the third fall.

"Begorra! it's a roight nate thrick he did whin he lifted me inther th'

air," confessed Barney. "Sorry a bit do Oi know how he did it at all, at all!"

"I do not think I ever saw a throw made in that manner," confessed Frank. "He went under you like an eel, and brought you up across his back and over his shoulder."

"He is the champion wrestler of the Pueblos," declared a spectator. "I did not fancy you would be able to throw him at all."

"You should be proud to say you broke even with him," declared another.

Frank felt a hand on his arm, and a voice said in his ear:

"The sun priests are resting. While they rest there will be a footrace, the same as white men run. Will you enter. Swiftwing says you are a great runner."

The speaker was a young Indian of evident intelligence.

Frank was willing and ready to take part in the footrace, and he immediately accepted the invitation.

"I know I shall be pitted against Swiftwing," he thought, "and it is liable to be the race of my life, for he can run like the wind. I will beat him-or die!"

A straight course of nearly a quarter of a mile was prepared, and the spectators ranged up on either side near the finish.

There were five starters, four of whom were Indians. Merriwell was the only white persons who had been invited to take part.

The Indians were stripped for the race, as they had been in taking part in other sports.

Frank brought out a pair of running shoes, and these he put on. He removed his sweater and stripped down to a light, sleeveless unders.h.i.+rt.

As they stood side by side, Swiftwing spoke to Frank.

"Much depends on this race," he said-"much more than you can know. Beat me, Merriwell, if you can. You will be sorry if you fail."

All this was very mysterious, but Frank returned:

"You may be sure I shall do my best to beat you."

A moment later a great shout went up from the spectators.

The runners had started, darting off from the scratch like so many deer.

Swiftwing started in a most astonis.h.i.+ng manner, seeming to leap off at full speed in a second.

Frank was not slow in starting, but he found the Indian had gained a slight advantage at the outset.

It was a beautiful sight to see the five runners come speeding along the track, heads up, b.r.e.a.s.t.s thrown forward, nostrils dilated and eyes flas.h.i.+ng.

Of them all, two persons seemed to fly over the ground with very little exertion.

They were John Swiftwing and Frank Merriwell.

At Frank's side ran a tall Indian who was making great speed, but did not seem as graceful as the white boy or the Indian in advance.

Although Swiftwing had gained an advantage at the start, he was not able to widen the distance between himself and the white boy. Close behind him he could hear the feet of Frank Merriwell.

And Frank? He was preparing for one mighty spurt at the last of the race, feeling that he would surprise Swiftwind then.

The spectators cheered wildly, and some enthusiastic cowboys fired shots into the air, yelling for the white boy to run faster and not let a "copper-skin" beat him.

Far ahead at the end of the course Frank saw Inza Burrage watching their approach. Near her stood an Indian who had just dismounted from the back of a magnificent horse, which he was holding.