Thousands of pairs of eyes watched the Black as he pranced out there beyond the crowd. He did not want to come closer. Yet he did not seem to fight his rider. Some of the crowd broke through the police line and rushed toward him. They stopped suddenly when he reared, and moved back quickly as he came toward them, head and tail erect. His action was beautiful, springy, and every few steps he jumped with marvelous ease and swiftness. Experts shook their heads knowingly at the Black’s performance. “Here,” said one old man, “is the greatest horse that ever set foot on any track!”

Alec rode the Black up to the judges’ stand, and into the winner’s circle. The stallion stood still for the first time. Alec and Henry could hardly believe their eyes. Even flashlight bulbs exploding close at hand only caused him to toss his head. They put the horseshoe of roses around his neck.

Alec looked around at the crowd below him. Suddenly he stopped—could that be his father? “Dad,” he yelled. “Dad!” His father turned and waved. “Henry—look! There’s Dad over there!”

Henry pushed his way through the crowd and was halfway back with Alec’s father when a familiar voice made them both turn.

“Looks as though we’re all here!” said Alec’s mother.

“Belle!” gasped Mr. Ramsay.

She put a hand on her husband’s arm. “I’ve never had such an afternoon in all my life,” she said. “From the time I saw Alec come out on the Black and couldn’t do anything about it, until the end.” She paused and looked at Alec sitting proudly astride his horse. “But now all I care about is that it’s over and he’s safe.”

“We all should be mighty proud of him,” Henry said as he led the way toward Alec.

The governor of the state had just given Alec the Gold Trophy emblematic of track supremacy when Alec saw both his father and his mother with Henry. His mouth dropped open, and he forgot to listen to the governor, who was talking to him. He wasn’t seeing things—they were both there! He waved; his throat was too tight to say anything. The governor kept talking. The Black shook his head and pawed the ground.

Finally the governor was through. The crowd cheered and Alec slid off the Black. Henry unsaddled the stallion. Suddenly a line of policemen pushed through the crowd. Following them came Jim Neville leading Napoleon. The stallion whinnied and threw his head high into the air. Old Napoleon answered and thrust his nose up to the Black’s. “Nice going, kid!” said Jim. “I knew you two could do it!” He nodded at Napoleon. “He was almost going crazy back there—wanted to do a little congratulating himself!”

“He belongs up here, anyway.” Alec laughed.

The network sportscaster pushed his way through and rushed up to Alec. “—broke the world’s record!” he was telling his audience. Then he pushed the mike in front of Alec and motioned for him to say something.