It soon appeared that it was not caprice, but that he had an object
in view, and that a very discreditable one.

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 again 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."