on. If
six hares were captured, then the race was a "tie." But, as will
be seen, with the five minutes' start, and the hares averaging
a year more of age, the sophomore class usually won this chase.

These rules had originated at Gridley, where the High School boys
considered their form of the game superior to the rules usually
followed.

This year, as in previous years, the sophomores felt confident of
winning. The freshmen hounds averaged rather small in size,
though little was known as to the freshmen running powers or
wind. The sophomores were all good runners.

The contestants for positions on both teams had been tried out
three days before, by a committee of men from the first class.
The sophomores had not been allowed to see the freshmen run at
these trials.

The start was to be made at three o'clock on this Monday afternoon.
All the runners were now here, Reade and Dalzell having been
among the last of the freshmen to come up. It was ten minutes
before three.

"Half of the freshmen are a pretty mucky looking lot, aren't they?"
asked Ripley, as he and Purcell, of the hares, strolled by.

"I hadn't noticed it," replied Purcell pleasantly. "I thought
them a clean and able looking lot of young fellows."

"Humph! A pretty cheap lot! I call 'em," rejoined Ripley.

Dick Prescott heard and flushed slightly. He understood the allusion,
coming from the source that it did. But Dick was bent on making
a good run this afternoon, and kept his temper.

"Hares on the line!" shouted Frank Thompson, finally. He was
to fire the shots that started the two teams, then was to run
with the hounds to act as one of the judges of possible captures.

Purcell, who was captain of the hares, led his men forward to
the line laid across the grass. Just before they formed, the
captain gave some whispered instructions. Ben Badger was already
at the line. He was to run with the hares during the first five
minutes, then give the final signal for beginning to scatter the
paper trail.

"On the line there, quick!" called Thompson, watch in his left
hand, pistol in his right. "Ready!"

The hares, each with a bag of torn paper hanging over one hip,
bent forward.

Crack! At the report of the pistol the hares bounded forward.
In barely more than a minute afterwards they were out of sight.

Then followed some minutes of tedious waiting for the Gridley
freshmen.

"Hounds to the line!"

Dick, who had been elected capt