crawl a bit ahead.

"Oh, Bert, they are going to beat us after all," cried Nan
disappointedly.

"I knew we'd beat you," cried Nellie Parks. "Charley's is the best sled
on the hill."

"The race isn't over yet," said Bert.

His sled had been running in rather soft snow. Now he turned to where
the coasting was better, and in a twinkling his sled shot forward until
he was once more beside Charley and Nellie.

"Here we come!" shouted Bert. "Make room, I say! Make room."

On and on they went, and now the bottom of the hill was reached and they
ran along a level stretch. Charley's sled began to slow up, but Bert's
kept on and on until he had covered a hundred feet beyond where Charley
had come to a stop.

"We've won!" cried Nan excitedly. "Oh, Bert, your sled is a wonder."

"So it is," he answered, with pride. "But it was a close race, wasn't
it?"

When they came back to where Charley and Nellie stood they found Charley
rather sulky.

"Nellie is heavier than Nan," said he. "It wasn't a fair race. Let us