THE HOCKEY MATCH WITH A SCRATCH SEVEN
There was a large crowd present to watch the local hockey match that
morning. Not only were Scranton High pupils interested, but many of
the town folks seemed to find it convenient to stroll around to the
field that, during the recent summer, had been the scene of bitterly
contested baseball games.
Even a number of gentlemen were on hand to criticize, and also
applaud, according to what their judgment of the work of the young
athletes proved to be. Some of these men had been college players,
or, at least, interested in athletic sports. They hailed the
awakening of Scranton along these lines most heartily. And most of
them had only too gladly invested various sums in the up-building of
the athletic grounds.
Now that the high board-fence surrounded the large field, and the
carefully planned clubhouse stood at the near end, the grounds had a
business-like air. Those who knew just how to go about it had seen
that the water was just the right depth, and this was now frozen
almost solid. As the enclosure was limited in dimensions, it became
apparent that half of the ice should be given over 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 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 the referee.
Mr. Leonard himself looked a little surprised. He could not
understand it, but continued to keep an extra sharp eye on the usual
trouble-maker, as though expecting Nick to break loose with more than
ordinary violence because he had kept "bottled up" so long.
Hugh noticed another thing that interested him. During this
intermission Nick skated by himself. His old cronies, Tip Slavin and
Leon Disney, were on the ice, and, of course, indulging in their
customary derogatory remarks concerning the playing of the Regulars,
but Nick did not seem to want to join them, as had always been his
habit hitherto.
Twice Hugh saw the crafty Leon skate up alongside and speak
insinuatingly to the other, as though trying to persuade him to agree
to something; but on each occasion Nick shook his head in the
negative, and broke away. Leon looked after him rather
disconsolately, as though at a loss to understand what could have
happened to take all the fight and "bumptiousness" out of the former
bully.
Then play was resumed.
Hugh had taken his comrades to task during the intermission. He told
them several weaknesses had developed in their team play, which
should be corrected if they hoped to down the strong Keyport Seven.
Nor did Hugh spare himself in making these criticisms, for he knew
his own faults. It is a wise boy who does.
Having tested Nick's superb playing and found it good, the captain of
the Scratch Seven was willing to put him forward as their star
player, even if it went against the grain to realize that they had to
depend on a fellow so much in disrepute.
There were several hot scrimmages, as always occur during a strenuous
game of ice hockey. Even the most careful of players will sometimes
err in judgment at such times, and either be reprimanded by the
referee or having their side penalized on account of their too
energetic work. Strange to say, Nick Lang never once caused a
penalty to be inflicted on his side, though Rawlings, Hasty and
Lawrence were unwitting offenders, as were also Dugdale and Hobson on
the part of Scranton High.
Everybody was satisfied when the game finally came to an end with the
score nine to six. It was a pretty good contest, all things
considered. Perhaps the Regulars did not try quite as hard as they
might, since after all this was to be considered only in the light of
practice, and they were more taken up with correcting certain glaring
errors than in making goals.
The talk of the whole game, however, was the playing of Nick Lang,
who had left the ice after it was all over; but not before Hugh had
congratulated him on his fine work.
"How did he ever go through with it all, and never make a nasty break
once?"
"This must foe one of Nick's special good days, I reckon!"
"He's sure a hummer, all right, when he chooses to play straight.
What a pity he has that crooked streak in his make-up. Only for that
Nick would be a jim-dandy hand at any old athletic sport. I wonder
if it will last, or is he due to break loose, to-night perhaps, just
because he's held himself in so long."
These and many similar remarks passed between the astonished boys of
Scranton High, but they did not seem able to understand it at all.
Hugh, however, only smiled when they appealed to him, and would say
nothing; but deep down in his heart he was satisfied that the seed he
had sown had fallen on fallow soil and taken root.