The Cordyce Steel Mills stood a little aside from the city of Greenfield, as if they were a little too good to associate with common factories. James Henry Cordyce sat in a huge leather chair in his private office. He was a man nearly sixty years of age whose dark brown hair was still untouched by gray. He had rather hard lines around his mouth, but softer ones around his eyes. Printed on the ground-glass top of his door were these words in black and gold:  
J. H. Cordyce—President
Private
 
Once a year J. H. Cordyce allowed himself a holiday. If he had a weakness, it was for healthy boys—boys running without their hats, boys jumping, boys throwing rings, boys swimming, boys with a long pole. And in company with three other extremely rich men he arranged, once a year, a Field Day for the town of Intervale. The men attended it in person, and supplied all the money. This was Field Day.
 
All through the spring and early summer months, boys were in training for miles around, getting ready for Intervale's Field Day. And not only boys, but men also, old and young, and girls of all ages into the bargain. Prizes were offered for tennis, baseball, rowing, swimming, running, and every imaginable type of . But usually the interest of the day centered on a free-for-all race of one mile, which everyone enjoyed, and a great many people entered. A prize of twenty-five dollars was offered to the winner of this race, and also a silver cup with little wings on its handles. Sometimes this cup was won by a man, sometimes by a girl, and sometimes by a trained athlete. Mr. Cordyce smiled about his eyes as he closed his desk, ordered his , and went out and locked the door of his office. The mill had been closed down for the day. Everyone attended Field Day.
 
Henry was washing the concrete drives at Dr. McAllister's at this moment. He heard the doctor call to him from the road, so he turned off the hose and ran out to see what was wanted.
 
" in," commanded the doctor, not stopping his engine. "You ought to go to see the at the athletic meet. It's Field Day."
 
Henry did not wish to delay the doctor, so he " in."
 
"Can't go myself," said Dr. McAllister. "I'll just drop you at the grounds. There's no charge for admittance. You just watch all the events and report to me who wins."
 
Henry tried to explain to his friend that he ought to be working, but there was actually no time. And when he found himself seated on the bleachers and the stunts began, he forgot everything in the world except the exciting events before his eyes.
 
Henry had no pencil, but he had an excellent memory. He repeated over and over, the name of each winner as it appeared on the huge signboard.
 
It was nearly eleven o'clock when the free-for-all running race was announced.
 
"What do they mean—free-for-all?" asked Henry of a small boy at his side.
 
"Why, just anybody," explained the boy, . "Didn't you ever see one? Didn't you see the one last year?"
 
"No," said Henry.
 
The boy laughed. "That was a funny one," he said. "There was a college runner in it, and a couple of fat men, and some girls—lots of people. And the little colored boy over there won it. You just ought to have seen that boy run! He went so fast you couldn't see his legs. Beat the college runner, you know."
 
Henry gazed at the winner of last year's race. He was smaller than Henry, but older. In a few minutes Henry had quietly left his place on the bleachers. When the boy turned to speak to him again, he was gone.
 
He had gone, in fact, to the room, where boys of all sizes were putting on sandals and running trunks.
 
A man stepped up to him quickly.
 
"Want to enter?" he asked. "No time to waste."
 
"Yes," replied Henry.
 
The man tossed him a pair of white shoes and some blue trunks. He liked the look of Henry's face as he paused to ask in an undertone, "Where did you train?"
 
"Never trained," replied Henry.
 
"I suppose you know these fellows have been training all the year?" o............