Saturday morning at ten o'clock nearly all of the boys who were to be in the race were at their meeting place, the vacant lot on Pine Street. 星期六早晨十点钟的时候，几乎所有参赛的男孩们都到了集合地——松树街的空地上。

Each Sunnysider wore a yellow band around his left arm, 每个阳光队的队员都在左臂上戴黄色袖标，

and each Shadysider wore a brown band. 每个阴凉队的队员都带棕色袖标。

Mr.Thompson, the physical director of the school, who was to be the umpire, had already come. 裁判员是学校体育部的主任汤普森先生，他已经到了。

A big crowd of boys and girls was standing around, waiting to see the race. 一大群男孩女孩们站在周围等着观看比赛。

"Why isn't Andy here?" asked Buddy. “安迪怎么还没来，”巴迪问道，

"We're going to start in a few minutes. Tom, you run to his house and see what's wrong." “还有几分钟比赛就要开始了。汤姆，你跑到他家里去看看怎么回事？”

Just then Andy and Francis came hurrying up. 就在这时，安迪和弗朗西斯匆匆忙忙赶来了。

"Buddy, I'm not going to skate," Andy began quietly. "Francis is going to take my place." “巴迪，我不参加比赛了，”安迪开始平静地说，“弗朗西斯将代替我。”

"What's the matter, Andy? Hurt yourself?" “怎么了？安迪，你受伤了吗？”

"No, but I've decided not to skate in this race." “没有，但是我已经决定不参加今天的比赛了。”

Buddy and all the other Sunnysiders looked surprised. 巴迪和其他的阳光队队员都吃惊地看着他。

"Lost your nerve, did you?" called out one of the boys. “退缩了，是吗？”其中一个男孩喊道。

Andy's face grew red. "No, I didn't!" he answered, "but I'm not going to skate in this race. 安迪的脸变红了。“不，我没有，”他回答说，“但是我不会参加这场比赛，

Francis Frame is going to take my place. He's a better skater than I am." 弗朗西斯·福雷姆将代替我。他比我滑得好。”

Buddy took Andy aside. "That new boy can't skate. 巴迪把安迪带到一边，“那个新来的男孩不能滑冰，

You're just giving the race away to the Shadysiders. 你正在将比赛的胜利送给阴凉队。

Come on and take your place." begged the captain. 别泄气，回到自己的位置。”队长恳求道。

"You just wait and see if he can't skate!" Andy exclaimed. “你就等着看他是否能滑冰吧。”安迪大声喊道，

"I know he'll help win the race. Anyway, I'm not going to skate." “我知道他会帮我们赢得比赛，无论如何我都不会滑得。”

Just then Mr. Thompson shouted, "First skaters come to the starting-place. It's time to begin." 就在这时，汤普森先生喊道：“第一组滑冰队员们到位，比赛开始了。”

Each Sunnysider was lined up with a member of the other team 因为每次只有两个男孩比赛，

who was about his own size for only two boys were to race at a time. 阳光队的每个队员都与对方一名与自己个头相当的队员站在一起。

The first two boys took their places at the starting-point. 第一组的两个男孩在起点就位后，

Then Mr. Thompson blew the whistle. 汤音森先生吹响了口哨。