It was from there he’d start.

The gray light of dawn had come. He had figured everything just about right so far. The Black shook his head, his strides became longer. Alec rose high in his short stirrups, standing almost upright in them, his weight forward of the horse’s center of balance. He knew he wouldn’t be able to hold the stallion in check much longer. But they were almost at the start now, and he wouldn’t need to.

They had left the baseball diamond behind and were nearing the seventh tee. Far across the green fairway of the golf course Alec could see the tall elm tree that for them would be the finish of this race against time. The tree was directly opposite from where they were now, with the bridle path encircling the far edges of the fairway in the shape of a horseshoe. There was a long stretch ahead of them, a turn, then another stretch down past the tall elm.

Rising still higher in his stirrups, Alec worked hard to bring the Black under control. “No running start,” he said. “It’s got to be just as it would be in a race. Easy now, fella … wait a minute … slow … let’s walk now. That’s it. Nice and easy.”

They were just about opposite the seventh tee. Alec removed the stopwatch from his pocket, and his thumb was on the stem. A slight touch was all that was necessary to set the hands in motion.

“Steady,” Alec said softly. “Down to a stop now. We’re at the barrier. No moving forward. Stand still now, boy.” He knew this would be far different from riding the Black in the field, and his excitement was transmitted to the stallion. The Black’s ears pitched forward and didn’t move again; his eyes were fixed straight ahead. It was very evident he knew what was coming.

Momentarily his prancing stopped and he was still. Now Alec’s weight rested just off the saddle and only his knees gripped the stallion. Simultaneously he released the Black and pressed the stem of the stopwatch.

He was ready for the break. He had no doubt that the Black could get away from a standing start faster than Satan. He was expecting the swift surge forward, the great strides that would send the stallion into full gallop almost immediately.

But when it actually came he realized that even he had underestimated the speed of the Black’s break. It was like being hurled from the mouth of a giant catapult! And as he pressed his head close to the Black’s straining neck, his breath came short at the sheer, uncontrolled power unleashed beneath him!

The stallion raced down the bridle path, his hoofs sending the soft dirt flying behind him. Already he had leveled out and was running wild, with no thought of anything but to run as he had been born to run.

The wind tore at Alec’s face and blurred his eyes so he could not see. The reins were still clenched between his hands, but he knew they were of little use to him now. Nothing could stop the stallion.