“All ready on this end,” replied Tom, seeing to it that each of his team was in his proper position and had a proper hold on the rope.

“All ready here,” said Rockley, a few seconds later.

“Drop!” cried the teacher, and down went the two teams like a flash, each pulling for all it knew how.  But neither gained an inch at the fall, so the start-off was perfect.

“Now pull for all you’re worth, Rovers!” cried one cadet.

“Haul ’em over, Rockleys!” cried another.

“Steady, boys!” whispered Tom.  “Don’t get nervous.  There is lots of time.”

He was almost flat on his back, with both feet braced firmly in the soil.  Rockley was also down, and it looked as if it might be well-nigh impossible to budge either.

“This is a dandy tug of war,” said Fred Garrison.  “Neither has got an inch of advantage.”

“The Rovers will beat!”

“The Rockleys will win!”

“I think it will be a tie,” said another.

The strain was terrific and soon each member of the two teams was bathed in perspiration.

“Here is where you earn your rations!” cried one cadet, and this caused a general laugh.

“Watch your chances, Tom,” whispered Dick, and his brother nodded to show that he understood.

Both sides were glaring at each other.  The strain was beginning to tell, but so far nobody had thought of letting up in the least.

But now Tom saw two of Rockley’s men “getting their wind” as it is called.  They still held on to the rope, but were hardly pulling at all.

“Up!” cried Tom suddenly, and his men went up like a flash.  “Down!” came the cry, an instant later, and down they went, before Rockley’s men could recover.

“Hurrah! the Rovers have gained four inches!” came the shout.  And then those who favored that team set up a cheer.

It was true, the rope had shifted over four inches.  Rockley was angry, but could do nothing.

“Mind yourselves, Wilson and Brady!” he whispered.  “Don’t let up a minute.”

“I didn’t let up,” growled Wilson.  “It was Chambers.”

“Not much!” growled Chambers.  “I wasn’t—­”

“Up!” cried Tom again.  “Down!  Up!  Pull, pull! pull!  Down!”

Up and down went the team twice, the second time hauling the rope forward over a foot.  Then they went down once more and anchored as firmly as ever.

“Good!” shouted Sam enthusiastically.  “You’re doing it, boys!  Keep it up!”

“Are they?” sneered Lew Flapp.  “Just you wait and see.”

He had a little roll of paper in his hand, and watching his opportunity he blew the contents into the air, directly over the team led by Tom Rover.  The paper contained pepper and it set several of Tom’s men to sneezing.

This trick had been arranged between Flapp and Rockley, the latter feeling certain that Tom and his followers could not sneeze and pull at the same time.