ck only grinned. Those who knew him best did not find any
encouragement about his apparent good nature. Nick could "smile, and
smile again, and still be a villain," as some of them were fond of
repeating.

The game began, and was soon in full progress, with the players
surging from one end of the rink to the other, according to which
side had gained possession of the puck, and were endeavoring by every
legitimate means possible to shoot the little rubber disc between the
goal posts, and into the net of their opponents.

It was soon seen that as a whole the Scratch Team was woefully weak.
Hugh's players had things pretty much their own way. Before more
than half of the first twenty-minute period had been exhausted the
score stood five goals for Scranton High, and none to the credit of
their opponents.

Then the tactics of the Scratch Team underwent a change. The captain
put Nick Lang forward to oppose Hugh Morgan when the puck was again
faced for a fresh start. In a fashion truly miraculous Nick managed
to gain possession of the rubber, and the way in which he sent it
flying before him along the ice was well worth seeing. Many started
to cheer, forgetting their former antipathy toward the bully.
Despite the clever work of Hugh, and others, as well as the able
defense of the goal-keeper, Thad Stevens, Nick succeeded in shooting
the puck between the goal posts for a score.

Hugh was ready to shake hands with himself, he felt so pleased. And
not once so far had Mr. Leonard found occasion to reprimand Nick on
account of foul work so flagrant that it could be no accident.

Many rubbed their eyes and asked their neighbors if that could really
be Nick Lang, the terror of Scranton, who played like a fiend, and
yet kept well within his rights?

"But just wait till something happens to upset Nick," they went on to
say, with wise shakes of the head. "We know how he's just bound to
carry on. It's a nice game so far, but the chances are three to one
it'll break up in a row yet; they always do when that fellow has a
hand in the going. He wouldn't be happy without a fuss, and an
attempt to win by some dirty work."

When the first half had passed, and there was a recess of fifteen
minutes called for the warm players to secure a little rest, the
score was five to three. That looked better for a well-contested
game. And so far there had not been any flagrant breaking of rules
to call for condemnation on the part of th