And doubtless he slept all the more soundly because of the noble impulse that had impelled him to save Nick Lang from the Reform School.

CHAPTER IV

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: