OOD----CONCLUSION

The look upon the face of Nick Lang when Hugh spoke in this way told
the leader of the Scranton Hockey Seven he would fight with might and
main to turn the tables on the winning Belleville team.

Nick's hour had struck!

The long-awaited opportunity to prove the genuine nature of the
change that had taken place within his heart had arrived. He was
going into play as one of the Regulars; he had been especially picked
for that important service among twenty likely lads who only too
gladly would have accepted a chance to distinguish themselves in such
an emergency.

Accordingly Nick had a large letter S fastened to his jersey, to mark
the side on which he fought, so that the referee might easily know
where he belonged. One word from the coach as he strode forward Nick
would never forget as long as he lived; it was a word of confidence;
and, remembering how Mr. Leonard had at one time detested and
distrusted this boy, it meant everything to Nick.

The game started again after the lapse of seven minutes.

Belleville considered that they had "the edge" on the visitors, and
immediately went at it as though bent on adding considerably to the
number of goals marked to their credit. But almost immediately it
was discovered that the infusion of new blood had somehow altered the
complexion of things greatly.

Thanks principally to the marvelous agility and strategy of Nick, a
goal was shot inside of two minutes. It was immediately followed by
another, this time Nick winning the score without the least help from
anyone.

Wild applause rang out from parts of the crowd, where, of course,
Scranton rooters mostly congregated. How sweet those cheers must
have sounded in the ears of Nick Lange, who for years had only earned
the hoots and jeers of his fellows in Scranton, on account of their
distrust, and his own evil ways.

Why, the Belleville folks sat up and rubbed their eyes. They had
never dreamed that any fellow not a professional player could prove
himself such a marvelous wizard on steel runners. Nick fairly
dazzled them with his speed, his eccentric twistings when hotly
pursued, and the clever way in which he kept that rubber disc just in
front of his hockey stick, always carrying it along toward the point
where he meant to strike for goal.

And when he did make that stroke vain were the frantic efforts of the
usually dependable Leonard to block its amazing passage; for almost
before he swun