oment.

"Play out toward the side," urged Dan, despairing of victory, but
determined to avert defeat, and at every opportunity the ball was
knocked out of play. But like wolves the Twentieth forwards were upon
the ball, striving to keep it in play, and steadily forcing it toward
the enemy's goal.

Dan became desperate. He was wet with perspiration, and his breath was
coming in hard gasps. He looked at his team. The little Reds were fit
enough, but the others were jaded and pumped out. Behind him stood
Jimmie Ben, savage, wet, and weary.

At one of the pauses, when the ball was out of play, Dan dropped on his
knee.

"Hold on there a minute," he cried; "I want to fix this skate of mine."

Very deliberately he removed his strap, readjusted his skate, and began
slowly to set the strap in place again.

"They want a rest, I guess. Better take off the time, umpire," sang out
Fusie, dancing as lively as a cricket round Jimmie Ben, who looked as if
he would like to devour him bodily.

"Shut up, Fusie!" said Hughie. "We've got all the time we need."

"You have, eh?" said Jimmie Ben, savagely.

"Yes," said Hughie, in sudden anger, for he had not forgotten Jimmie
Ben's cruel swipe. "We don't need any more time than we've got, and we
don't need to play any dirty tricks, either. We're going to beat you.
We've got you beaten now."

"Blank your impudent face! Wait you! I'll show you!" said Jimmie Ben.

"You can't scare me, Jimmie Ben," said Hughie, white with rage. "You
tried your best and you couldn't do it."

"Play the game, Hughie," said the master, in a low tone, skating round
him, while Hec Ross said, good-naturedly, "Shut up Jimmie Ben. You'll
need all your wind for your heels," at which all but Jimmie Ben laughed.

For a moment Dan drew his men together.

"Our only chance," he said, "is in a rush. Now, I want every man to make
for that goal. Never mind the ball. I'll get the ball there. And then
you, Jimmie Ben, and a couple of you centers, make right back here on
guard."

"They're going to rush," said Hughie to his team. "Don't all go back.
Centers fall back with me. You forwards keep up."

At the drop Dan secured the ball, and in a moment the Front rush came.
With a simultaneous yell the whole ten men came roaring down the ice,
waving their clubs and flinging aside their lightweight opponents. It
was a dangerous moment, but with a cry of "All steady, boys!" Hughie
threw himself right into Dan's way. But jus