And, to save himself in more ways than one, Noddy felt he must succeed. But how to do it was the question. His heart was beating like a trip-hammer, and his head felt as if it would burst.

He tried to develop another burst of speed, but, as he had said, he was “all in.” Slowly he felt, rather than saw, Jerry creeping up on him. He knew that Jack was between him and his rival, however, and he hoped something might happen.

The crowd on the bleachers and on the grand stand nearly went wild as they looked at the most exciting race so far that day. The favorite was slowly but surely creeping up on the leader, and crowding him.

“Go on Jerry!” cried hundreds who wanted to see the plucky lad win. “Go on! Go on!”

“Peg away, Noddy!” shouted one or two of the bully’s friends, who had, thanks to his tips or those of Jack, put their money up on him. “Keep going!”

But it was no use. The gap between Jerry and Noddy lessened. Ned and Bob were close behind Jerry, and stood excellent chances of being at least third and fourth. But there was Jack to be reckoned with as well as Noddy, and Jerry knew this. He felt he must keep clear of Jack, for he had seen the attempted foul when Bob was racing.

Then, with a wildly beating heart, Jerry decided that the time had come to make his final sprint. He had just started on the last half mile. He grasped the handle bars with a firmer grip, shut his teeth hard and took a long breath. The burst of speed he then let out amazed and delighted the audience. There were wild cheers.

Noddy looked back in despair. He saw that Jerry and Jack were on even terms. Then something happened. The something that Jack had promised to have up his sleeve. With a quick motion he sent his wheel, ever so little over toward Jerry. The act was hardly noticeable on the stand.

“Keep off!” cried Jerry, seeing what Jack had in mind. “Do you want to have an upset?”

“You never mind me!” snarled Jack. “I’ll do as I please!”

Again he gave his wheel a twist. He was now riding dangerously close to Jerry. Noddy was barely a length ahead. There was a quarter of a mile to go.

“Keep back, do you hear!” yelled Jerry.

“Keep back yourself!” retorted Jack.

Then Jack deliberately fouled Jerry. He sent his front wheel against that of his rival, intending to cause an upset. But he reckoned without his host. Bob, who had, by a sudden sprint, approached nearer to Jerry than Ned, saw what was up. Without an instant’s hesitation Bob sent his wheel crashing full into Jack’s from the rear, and, amid a roar of surprise and terror from the spectators, the two boys went down in a heap on the track.

“He’s killed. They’re killed!” cried scores.

Jerry, with grim determination in his eyes, rode on, never looking back. Noddy cast a frightened glance over his shoulder, and, when he saw what had happened his heart grew faint. He nearly lost control of his wheel. The little swerve he gave it was fatal to him.

Like a flash Jerry dashed in, took the pole, and with a burst of speed, that set the excited spectators into cheer after cheer, Jerry passed Noddy, and won by a good five lengths.

“Jerry wins! The favorite wins!” shrieked the assemblage.

Though Bob was out of the race, by his own act of self-sacrifice in saving Jerry, Ned had managed, by clever riding to escape the spill. He saw his chance when Noddy looked back, and, with a fierce effort passed the bully and came in a good second.

Even the privilege of being third was denied Noddy. He lost control of his wheel before he could cross the finish line, and one of the stragglers in the race, who had been merely hanging on the tail end, sprinted up and came in third, so that, for all their plans, Noddy and his toady came to grief.

There were congratulations after congratulations for Ned and Jerry. The boys blushed almost like girls as they received the praises that sounded in their ears. There was some talk of the spill, but when it was seen that neither Jack nor Bob was hurt there was no further alarm. At first Jack sputtered and threatened to complain that he was deliberately run down.

“Go ahead,” said Bob coolly. “I saw what you tried to do to Jerry, and I know something about Bill Berry.”

At that Jack and his bully friend sneaked off without a word. They felt that it needed but a few words on the part of the three chums to get them into trouble, and they were glad enough to escape as easily as they did.

“I appreciate what you did, Chunky,” said Jerry. “You practically won the race for me, and you had a good chance yourself.”

“I hadn’t a chance in the world with you in it,” replied Bob. “Besides I won my race, so what did I want with another? I just had to run him down to save you. I’m glad I did.”