The four who had been badly wet ran heavily now, yet afraid of ridicule if they fell out.

They were having their first taste of High School sports, which made no allowance for quitters.
Twenty minutes later a low hurrah went up from the freshmen hounds.
Dawson, of the hares, found the pace too swift for him.

With a slight pain in his side he lagged so that one of the hounds put on an extra spurt, then wound his arms around the sophomore.
"Fair capture!" bawled one of the judges, and Dawson, dropping out, sat down until he could get his wind back.
Within the next twenty minutes four more of the hares fell into the maws of the hounds.
Five captures! That was fine.

Only two more needed, and less than two miles to cover.
The hares were, at this time, again out of sight in the woods ahead.

But Captain Dick, having saved his wind well, now put on a slightly better spurt and jogged ahead, full of the purpose of capturing his second hare.