A line was drawn on the floor and the long rope laid across this.

On either side wooden cleats were nailed down, so that the contestants might brace their feet.
The two teams consisted of eight cadets each.

With Pepper were Andy, Jack, and Fred Century, while on Dale's side were Bart Field, Bart Conners and some other cadets already introduced.
"Now, then, Pepper!" cried one of his friends.

"See what you can do!" "Don't give him a chance, Dale! Yank him right over the line!" cried one of Dale's friends.
"I'll bet Pepper Ditmore loses," said Nick Paxton, who was present.
Ritter and Coulter had said they did not consider a tug-of-war between such teams worth witnessing.
Frank Barringer was timekeeper and referee, and at the appointed hour he made both teams line up and catch hold of the rope.
"All ready ?" he asked.
There was a moment of silence.
"Drop!" was the cry, and on the instant both teams tightened their holds on the rope and dropped down on the wooden cleats.
"Hold them, Pepper!" "Don't let 'em haul you up, Dale!" "Glue yourself down, Jack!" "Stone foundation, Fred! Stone foundation!" So the cries ran on, as the two tug-of-war teams held on to the long rope like grim death, each team determined not to give in an inch.
For fully five minutes the rope remained as when the teams had first dropped.

Then, of a sudden, Dale gave a hiss and up came his men, to haul in on the rope several inches and then drop as before.
"Hurrah! that's the way to do it!" "Every inch counts, boys!" "Watch your chance for another!" "Get it back, Pepper! Get it back!" There followed another tense strain.