The Chums of Scranton High at Ice Hockey | Page 9

to the hockey players. When the
game was finished the entire pond could be used by the general public.
The "rink" had been scientifically measured off, and such lines as were
necessary marked, after the rules of the game. The two goals in the
center of the extreme ends were stationary, the posts having been
rooted to the ice in some ingenious fashion, with the nets between.
Hugh Morgan had been unanimously chosen to serve as leader of the
Scranton Seven. He was admirably fitted for the position, since his
playing was gilt-edged, his judgment sound, and he never allowed
himself to become excited, or "rattled," no matter what the crisis.
The other members of the team consisted of fellows who had done
nobly in the stirring baseball encounters of the previous summer, and

were, moreover, well up in the various angles of skating.
By name they were as follows, and those who have read previous
stories in this High School Series will recognize old friends in the list:
Julius Hobson, Thad Stevens, Joe Danvers, Owen Dugdale, Horatio
Juggins and Justin Smith, commonly known as "J. J."
The scratch team consisted of some fine players in addition, boys who
were swift on the wing and able with their hockey sticks. When the two
teams were lined up to hear the last instructions from Mr. Leonard, who,
being the physical instructor at Scranton High, had taken upon himself
the duties of umpire and coach and referee all in one for this occasion,
they stood as follows:
Scranton High Position Scratch Team Stevens ......... Goal ...........
Anthony McGrew Hobson .......... Point .......... Frank Marshall
Danvers ......... Cover Point .... Dick Travers Smith ........... Right
End ...... Nick Lang Dugdale ......... Center ......... Tom Rawlings
Juggins ......... Left End ....... Phil Hasty Morgan .......... Rover ..........
Tug Lawrence
Just before the game began there was a hasty consultation among the
players opposed to the regular team. One of their members had sent
word he could not come up to time, as his mother had refused to let him
play. This necessitated a change of program. A substitute must be
found, and as they knew that Hugh's Seven already greatly outclassed
them it was of considerable moment that they pick up a player who
would strengthen their team, regardless of his identity.
So Nick Lang had been approached and offered the position of Right
End, a very important place for swift action and furious fighting. Nick
had been skating quietly by himself and evidently greatly enjoying his
new skates, which many boys recognized as the pair Hugh Morgan had
once owned.
He had hesitated just a trifle, and then agreed to fill the vacancy. There
were those who shook their heads dismally when they saw Nick the

trouble-maker in the line-up. Previous experiences warned them that
the game was very likely to break up in a big row, for such had been
the fate of many a rivalry when rough-and-ready Nick Lang entered the
lists.
But Hugh, who had secretly been the first to suggest to the captain of
the other Seven that Nick be chosen, somehow believed the one-time
bully of Scranton might surprise his critics for once by playing a
straight, honest game.
Hugh, of course, was mounted on his new silver skates. He had found
little difficulty in persuading his mother to advance his birthday gift a
few days, after telling her the whole circumstances; and it must be said
that Mrs. Morgan approved of his plan from the bottom of her heart.
Mr. Leonard had often had trouble with Nick in times gone by. When
he sternly told the boys before the game was started that he meant to be
severe in inflicting punishment and penalties for foul or off-side work
he had Nick mostly in mind. Indeed, everyone who heard what he said
concluded that it was meant almost entirely for the Lang chap.
Nick 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