CHAPTER XXVIII.--THE JOCKEY.
It was the day of the great race.
Shirley jumped out of bed eagerly, and shook Mabel, who was stillsleeping soundly.
"Mabel! Mabel!" she called.
Mabel turned sleepily.
"What's the matter?" she asked.
"Time to get up," was the reply. "It's almost eight o'clock. This isDerby day."
"So it is," exclaimed Mabel, awake in an instant now.
She jumped out of bed and the girls dressed quickly.
Mr. Willing and the others were already up and dressed when the girlscame from their rooms, and they all went down to breakfast together.
It was during the meal that Mr. Willing was suddenly called by a page.
"Gentleman to see you sir," said the boy.
Mr. Willing excused himself and left the dining room. He was back in afew minutes, however, and said to Shirley:
"The rest of you will have to come to the track by yourselves. I havesome business to attend to. I'll meet you there. I'll leave the car foryou."
Mr. Ashton spoke up.
"I have some business matters to see about also," he said. "I'll go withyou, and Jimmy and the girls can use the car."
This plan was agreed upon.
"By the way, Dad," said Shirley suddenly, as her father rose to go,"Dick is going with us."
"Dick!" repeated Mr. Willing. "Who in the world is Dick?"
Shirley explained.
"Bring him by all means," said her father. "I shall be glad to see him."
At the door he turned.
"Meet me in our quarters at 1 o'clock," he said; then to Jimmy: "Jimmy,you had better dress here in the hotel."
Jimmy answered that he would do so, and Mr. Willing and Mr. Ashton tooktheir departure.
The girls waited impatiently for Dick to arrive. He was announced sharpon the stroke of ten, and was shown to their suite.
"We had better leave here about noon," he said. "The crowd will beimmense and it may take us some time to get to the track."
This was agreed upon.
The four strolled about the street until eleven o'clock, when theyreturned to the hotel for lunch.
Jimmy partook of a very light meal, for he wished to be in exactcondition for the race. He left the table before the others, announcingthat he would go upstairs and change to his jockey clothes.
Fifteen minutes later the others followed him.
There was not a sound in the room when the three entered and a peculiarfeeling came over Shirley.
"Jimmy!" she called suddenly.
There was no answer, and again the girl called.
Still no answer.
"What in the world can be the matter?" asked the girl anxiously. Sheturned to Dick. "Will you go into Jimmy's room and see what is wrong?"she asked.
Dick disappeared into the other room and the two girls waited nervously.
They heard Dick's voice raised in an exclamation, and he came dashingback.
"Don't be alarmed," he said quietly, as the girls rose and ran to him.
"What's the matter?" demanded Shirley, wringing her hands. "Where isJimmy?"
"He is in there," said Dick. "But he has been hurt."
"Hurt!" exclaimed both girls in one voice.
"Yes."
"How?"
"Well," said Dick quietly, "he was struck over the head with a club."
The girls cried out in dismay.
"He is still unconscious," Dick continued. "I found him on the floor. Itried to revive him, but it was no use. I laid him on the bed."
"What are we to do?" said Mabel. "Gabriel will not be able to run."
"Never mind the race now," said Shirley. "Let's call a doctor for Jimmy.His life is more important than the race."
She stepped quickly to the telephone and summoned the hotel physician.Then all went into Jimmy.
The lad had not had time to change into his jockey costume. Apparentlyhe had been struck down the moment he entered the room.
As Shirley bent over him, he moved restlessly and opened his eyes. Hesaw Shirley, and smiled slightly.
"What's the matter, Jimmy?" asked the girl gently. "How did it happen?"
"I don't know," came the weak reply. "Something hit me as I stepped inthe door."
Dick came up to the bed at this point. In his hand he held a shortcudgel.
"Here is the weapon," he said quietly.
"But who did it?" asked Shirley.
"It's some of Jones' work, I should say," said Mabel.
"Of course," agreed Dick.
At this moment Jimmy tried to sit up.
"What time is it?" he asked in a feeble voice.
Shirley looked at her watch.
"Quarter after twelve," she said.
"Then I must get up," declared Jimmy. "I must get to the track."
A knock sounded at the door, and the hotel physician entered. He made aquick examination.
"Can I ride in the Derby this afternoon?" asked Jimmy eagerly.
The doctor shook his head.
"You'll stay in bed for a week," he said quietly.
"But I must get to the track," said Jimmy. "Mr. Willing is depending onme! I must go."
"It is impossible," said the physician.
"Then what shall we do?" cried the boy. "Who will ride Gabriel?"
"I guess Gabriel will not run," said the physician quietly.
"But he will," cried Shirley, "and he shall win too."
The others looked at the girl in surprise.
"What do you mean?" demanded Mabel.
The girl took a long breath, then said quietly:
"I will ride him!"
The others uttered exclamations of surprise.
"But you can't, Shirley," protested Mabel.
"But I will," came the firm reply.
"Your father would never hear of such a thing."
"He doesn't need to know anything about it. But the rest of you musthelp me. I'll dress here in Jimmy's clothes. No one will know thedifference. I have played Jimmy once and I can do it again. But you,Mabel, and you, Dick, must keep between me and father as much aspossible."
"What will your father say when he fails to see you at the track? Hewill want to know what has become of you."
"Then you must tell him something that will satisfy him for the time."
Shirley looked at her watch again.
"Twenty minutes past twelve. I shall have to hurry," she said.
Quickly she went to Jimmy's trunk and pulled forth his jockey clothes.Then she hastened to her own room.
The others waited her return without a word.
"How do I look?" came a voice from the doorway at last.
Jimmy, Dick, Mabel and the doctor took one look and cried out insurprise.
"Great Scott! I wouldn't have believed it possible," declared thephysician.
In her red and blue costume--the Willing colors--Shirley indeed made apretty picture. Her cap was pulled down well over her face and her thickhair was coiled up under it. In her hand she held Jimmy's short whip.
"Will I do?" she asked.
"You look enough like this lad to be his twin," said the physicianquietly. "You'll do."
"We must hurry," declared Shirley. "Ready, Mabel? Ready, Dick?"
"Yes," they answered.
Shirley approached Jimmy.
"I'll try not to lose your reputation," she said gently. "I'll do thebest I know how, and I am sure that Gabriel will try for me."
"There is no doubt about that," replied Jimmy. "With you on Gabriel'sback, I feel more certain of the outcome of the race than I would if Iwere there myself."
Shirley held out her hand and the lad grasped it warmly.
"Be very careful," he warned her. "Watch the others closely. They willprobably try some crookedness, for they must all be in it together. Keepas clear of the field as possible, and let Gabriel run his own race."
"I shall remember," said Shirley. "And now good-bye."
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bsp; She pressed Jimmy's hand gently and stepped toward the door. Thephysician stopped her.
"I want to say," he declared, "that you are the bravest girl I have everseen. I am sure that you will win."
"Thank you, doctor," replied Shirley with a slight smile. "Take goodcare of Jimmy."
"I shall stay right here until you return," said the doctor, knowingthis would make Shirley less worried about Jimmy during her absence.
Shirley nodded and passed out of the room ahead of her friends.
The Willing touring car stood in front of the hotel, and thechauffeur--a man Mr. Willing had hired because he knew the town--waswaiting.
Shirley stood aside while Mabel and Dick climbed in, and then she got inafter them.
"To the race track," she commanded, "and hurry."
Mabel looked at her watch.
"Twenty-five minutes to one," she remarked.
"Good," replied Shirley. "We'll make it."