That was the end of the high jump; for though both attempted the 5 foot 5 inches, neither accomplished it, and the contest was declared to be a dead heat.
After this several unimportant races followed, which I need hardly describe.

Number 12 on the list was getting near, and I was beginning to feel a queer, hungry sort of sensation which I didn't exactly like.
However, the mile was to be run before our turn came, and that would give me time to recover.
For this race we had many of us looked with a curious interest, on account of the new boy, of whom I have spoken, being one of the competitors in it.

He didn't look a likely sort of fellow to win a race, certainly, for he was slightly bow-legged and thick-set, and what seemed to us a much more ominous sign, was not even arrayed in flannels, but in an ordinary white shirt and light cloth trousers.

However, he took his place very confidently at the starting-post, together with three rivals, wearing respectively black, red, and yellow for their colours.
The start for a mile race is not such a headlong affair as for a hundred yards, and consequently at the word "Off!" there was comparatively little excitement among us spectators.
Yellow went to the front almost immediately, with red and black close behind, while the new boy seemed to confirm our unfavourable impression by keeping considerably in the rear.

The mile was divided into three laps round the field, and at the end of the first the positions of the four were the same as at starting.