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 captain of the freshmen team, led his men forward on all easy lope.

Dick took his place at the extreme left of the pursuing line, with Tom Reade next to him; then Dan Dalzell.
"Ready!" A pause of a few seconds.