was "a
terror." Further, it was rumored that there was a chance of them
getting for goal Farquhar McRae, "Little Farquhar," or "Farquhar Bheg"
(pronounced "vaick"), as he was euphoniously called, who presumably had
once been little, but could no longer claim to be so, seeing that he was
six feet, and weighed two hundred pounds.

It behooved the Twentieth team, therefore, to bestir themselves with all
diligence, and in this matter Hughie gave no rest either to himself or
to any one else likely to be of use in perfecting his team. For Hughie
had been unanimously chosen captain, in spite of his protests that the
master or one of the big boys should hold that place. But none of the
big boys knew the new game as perfectly as Hughie, and the master had
absolutely refused, saying, "You beat them once, Hughie, and you can do
it again." And as the days and weeks went on, Hughie fully justified the
team's choice of him as captain. He developed a genius for organization,
a sureness of judgment, and a tact in management, as well as a skill and
speed in play, that won the confidence of every member of his team. He
set himself resolutely to banish any remaining relics of the ancient
style of play. In the old game every one rushed to hit the ball without
regard to direction or distance, and the consequence was, that from end
to end of the field a mob of yelling, stick-waving players more or less
aimlessly followed in the wake of the ball. But Hughie and the master
changed all that, forced the men to play in their positions, training
them never to drive wildly forward, but to pass to a man, and to keep
their clubs down and their mouths shut.

The striking characteristic of Hughie's own playing was a certain
fierceness, amounting almost to fury, so that when he was in the attack
he played for every ounce there was in him. His chief weakness lay in
his tempestuous temper, which he found difficult to command, but as he
worked his men from day to day, and week to week, the responsibility of
his position and the magnitude of the issues at stake helped him to a
self-control quite remarkable in him.

As the fateful day drew near the whole section was stirred with an
intense interest and excitement, in which even the grave and solemn
elders shared, and to a greater degree, the minister and his wife.

At length the day, as all days great and small, actually arrived. A big
crowd awaited the appearance of "the folks from the Front." They were