Then Dale's team came up once more and brought rope in another six inches.
"That's the way to do it! Now then, a good, stiff pull and you'll have 'em over!" "Wake up, Pepper! It's time you and your men got on the job!" cried Henry Lee.
"I knew Dale's team would win," said Paxton.
Hardly had Paxton spoken when Dale's team came up for another haul.

But this time Pepper and his men were on the alert, and in a twinkling they commenced to haul in--six inches, a foot, a foot and a half and then two feet--and then they dropped, the strain being as much as they could stand.
"Hurrah! Look at that!" "They got back all they lost and more!" "Hold 'em, Dale! Stone foundation!" A great many cries arose.

Dale and his supporters braced back as well as they could.

Then Dale gave the word to come up for another haul.
Back and forth went the rope, the center knot first on one side of the line and then on the other.

For several minutes it looked as if Dale's team might win.