Part 14 (1/2)

”How're you doin', Charlie?” asked a motorcycle cop of a policeman who was directing traffic at one of Chicago's busiest corners, as he pulled up beside him.

”Never saw anything like it, Pat!” came the answer. ”Where the devil they all coming from?” Horns blew from the endless lines of cars that stretched far down the avenues.

”I'm worn out myself. They're just about packed solid from here to the track. They'll never get all of 'em inside!”

”They're comin' from all over the country to see this race. Boy, I'd like to be up there myself-to see Cyclone lick 'em!”

The motorcycle cop kicked his motor over. ”So would I,” he yelled above the roar. ”But it's going to be Sun Raider by three lengths!”

”We'll see. Say, what do you think of this mystery horse?”

”Nothin' much-guess everyone's beginning to wonder how he got in the race anyway. He won't figure in it at all-that's inside stuff! See you later....”

In a large apartment house, not far from the track, Alec's mother and his Aunt Bess looked out the large living-room window at the slow-moving traffic below them. In the distance they could see the track already jammed with people.

”Bess, did you ever see such traffic in all your life?” Mrs. Ramsay asked. ”What on earth is happening over there?”

”Don't tell me that you haven't heard about the big match race that's being run today. Everyone has been talking about it. Why, I even bought box seat tickets. I was going to surprise you!”

”But, Bess, I've never seen a horse race in my life. I won't know what it's all about!”

”There's nothing to it.” Her sister laughed. ”The horse that gets around the track first wins! I don't go myself much, but this is something n.o.body should miss. For the first and only time Sun Raider and Cyclone are going to meet. You've heard of them. It'll probably be the grandest horse race of all times. And if you think we're not going to see it when we only live a quarter of a mile away from the track, why-” She looked out of the window. ”Look at those crowds! Come, Belle, let's get our hats and coats and go so that we get our seats.”

Mrs. Ramsay shook her head as she went for her hat and coat. ”If my husband or son ever finds out about my seeing this race, I won't have a moment's peace when I get home. I'll have to take that horse of Alec's right into the house! I told you, Bess, how they're both so crazy over him. I have all I can do now to keep everything under control.... They'd certainly love to see this race!

”It's too bad they're not here, but they are always too busy to have any fun....”

A plane dropped out of the cloudless sky. Swiftly it circled the field and then came roaring down and rolled to a stop.

The pa.s.sengers hurried toward the door. ”Just about time to make it, if we hurry,” one of them said.

The stewardess called, ”Bus is waiting directly ahead to take you to the track!” The pa.s.sengers sprinted for the car.

Alec's father darted into a seat behind the driver. ”Think we'll get there before they start?” he asked.

”Yeah, I think so. They always take some time getting those temperamental babies on the track!” the driver answered.

”Sun Raider always puts up a terrific fight beforehand anyway,” the man who slipped into the seat next to him said. ”He's a lot wilder than Cyclone.”

”Might as well do his fighting, then,” said a man behind them. ”He won't be anywhere near Cyclone once they're off!”

”Oh, yeah? It'll be Sun Raider by two lengths today!” He turned to Mr. Ramsay. ”Who do you think is going to win?” he asked.

”I'm picking the mystery horse.”

”Say, don't you know that's a publicity stunt,” the man answered. ”I'll bet you there won't even be a third horse out there today!”

”We'll see,” Alec's father said. ”We'll see.”

Alec stroked the Black. ”It's almost time, fella,” he said. The stallion pawed at the straw. Outside a line of policemen kept the eager spectators away. In the distance Alec could see the stands jammed with people. Band music drifted toward them. Henry came back from looking over the track.

”Fast as the devil,” he said. ”Better go over and check it out for yourself,” he said. He stopped and his eyes blinked a little as he put a hand on the green s.h.i.+rt Alec wore. ”Fits pretty good, doesn't it?” He smiled.

”Swell,” Alec answered. ”So do the pants and the cap.” He put on the cap and pulled the long peak down over his eyes to show Henry.

Henry straightened the number 3 on Alec's arm. ”They'll bring you luck,” he said. ”They did me....”

Alec was on his way back from the track when he pa.s.sed the two jockeys who were riding Cyclone and Sun Raider. They looked much older than they did in the pictures he had seen in the newspapers.

One of them saw him. ”Say, you're the kid with the mystery horse, aren't you?”

Alec nodded.

”So you're actually going to ride in this race!” Sun Raider's jockey grinned. ”We thought you were just part of a publicity gag, didn't we, Dave?”

The other jockey pulled him by the arm. ”Come on,” he said, ”quit wastin' time.” Then he looked at Alec. ”Better take it easy in this race, kid.” They turned and walked away.

Alec's anger mounted as he walked toward the stables. Who did those guys think they were, anyway! Just because they were old hands at this game they thought they owned the track.

Henry had the Black out of his stall when he got back.

”All set, kid?” he asked.

”All set.”

The noise from the distance made the stallion nervous. Alec rubbed his neck.

”Just a few things I want you to remember, Alec,” Henry continued. ”There isn't much to tell you about handling the Black-you know more about him than I do. You're a good rider, and I've taught you all the tricks I know-now, it's up to you to put them in use. Those other two jockeys are the slickest riders in the game. They won't let you get away with a thing-but they won't try anything that's outside the rules; they're smart but not dirty. They're out to win, but so are you. Remember you've got all the horse under you that they have.”

”I'm sure of that, Henry,” Alec interrupted as he looked proudly at the Black.

”I can't tell you to hold him back,” Henry continued, ”because you won't be able to. Stay on him and ride like you never have before! If the Black's the kind of a horse we've been figuring him to be, he should win all the way!”

Cyclone was the first out of the barn for the big race. He received l.u.s.ty cheers on his way to the paddock. He was draped in a flaming red robe and wore red blinkers.

A few minutes later Sun Raider was led from the barn almost wholly concealed in a white woolen blanket. He pranced nervously and his small head turned viciously around. Another cheer went up from the crowd gathered around the paddock rail when they saw him.

Then a hush fell upon the crowd as the Black appeared, covered in his new black robe and accompanied by old Napoleon. Alec held him by the lead rope attached to his halter. The stallion reared and Alec let the rope slip through his fingers until he came down. The Black's eyes blazed when he saw the other stallions. Alec remembered the fight the Black had had with the chestnut stallion in Rio. He tightened his grip on the rope and walked him far behind the others when they reached the paddock stalls.

The silence was broken by a man's loud yell, ”There's the mystery horse!” Then everyone started talking. They hadn't expected to see anything like the Black. ”He's even bigger than Sun Raider!” Alec heard one man exclaim.

A few minutes later one of the track officials called, ”Riders up!”

The blankets were whipped off the horses. Henry saddled and bridled the Black and then boosted Alec into the saddle. ”Let the others get out first, so there won't be any trouble,” he said, as they went slowly around the paddock ring. The Black's gaze was on the horses far ahead of him. His nostrils quivered and he shook his head nervously. Alec knew that only Napoleon beside him kept him under control.

A long line of policemen kept the crowd back and made a path from the paddock to the track. The bugle sounded. The Black raised his head and his ears p.r.i.c.ked forward. Henry led him toward the track.

They stopped at the entrance to the track. Cyclone and Sun Raider were already walking past the grandstand on their way to the post. Henry looked up at Alec. ”Well, kid, you're on your own now,” he said quietly. ”Go to it!”