,
Hughie was upon him, and ignoring the ball, blocked and bothered and
checked him, till one of the Twentieth centers, rushing in, secured it
for his side.

"Ha! well done, captain!" came Craven's voice across the ice, and
Hughie felt his nerve come back. If he could hold Dan, that deadly Front
combination might be broken.

Meantime Don had secured the ball from Craven, and was rushing up his
right wing.

"Here you are, Hughie," he cried, shooting across the Front goal.

Hughie sprang to receive, but before he could shoot Dan was upon him,
checking so hard that Hughie was sent sprawling to the ice, while Dan
shot away with the ball.

But before he had gone very far Hughie was after him like a whirlwind,
making straight for his own goal, so that by the time Dan had arrived at
shooting distance, Hughie was again upon him, and while in the very act
of steadying himself for his try at the goal, came crashing into him
with such fierceness of attack that Dan was flung aside, while Johnnie
Big Duncan, capturing the ball, sent it across to the master.

It was the master's first chance for the day. With amazing swiftness
and dexterity he threaded the outer edge of the ice, and with a sudden
swerve across, avoided the throng that had gathered to oppose him, and
then with a careless ease, as if it were a matter of little importance,
he dodged in between the heavy Front defense, shot his goal, and skated
back coolly to his place.

The Twentieth's moment had come, and both upon the ice and upon the
banks the volume and fierceness of the cheering testified to the
intensity of the feeling that had been so long pent up.

That game had revealed to Hughie two important facts: the first, that he
was faster than Dan in a straight race; and the second, that it would be
advisable to feed the master, for it was clearly apparent that there was
not his equal upon the ice in dodging.

"That was well done, captain," said Craven to Hughie, as he was coolly
skating back to his position.

"A splendid run, sir," cried Hughie, in return.

"Oh, the run was easy. It was your check there that did the trick.
That's the game," he continued, lowering his voice. "It's hard on you,
though. Can you stand it?"

"Well, I can try for a while," said Hughie, confidently.

"If you can," said the master, "we've got them," and Hughie settled down
into the resolve that, cost what it might, he would stick like a leech
to Dan.

He imparted his plan to