He waited till the boys were on their way back. By this time
Luke was some eight rods in advance of his leading competitor.
Then Tom began to be on the alert. As Luke came swinging on to
victory he suddenly placed himself in his way. Luke's speed
was so great that he could not check himself. He came into
collision with Tom, and in an instant both were prostrate.
Tom, however, got the worst of it. He was thrown violently
backward, falling on the back of his head, and lay stunned
and motionless on the ice. Luke fell over him, but was
scarcely hurt at all. He was up agiin in an instant, and might
still have kept the lead, but instead he got down on his knees
beside Tom and asked anxiously: "Are you much hurt, Tom?"
Tom didn't immediately answer, but lay breathing heavily,
with his eyes still closed.
Meanwhile, Randolph, with a smile of triumph, swept on to
his now assured victory. Most of the boys, however, stopped and
gathered round Luke and Tom.
This accident had been watched with interest and surprise
from the starting-point.
"Tom must be a good deal hurt," said Linton. "What could
possibly have made him get in Luke's way?"
"I don't know," said the teacher, slowly; "it looks strange.
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