As luck would have it, the rubber was sent straight toward Elmer and, with a clever stop, he dribbled it along toward Harry, evidently thinking that he would be able to pa.s.s him easily because of his seemingly dazed condition.

But Harry realized his purpose and, with a burst of speed, he rushed in, s.n.a.t.c.hed the puck, steadied his stick-and then drove it spinning toward the goal net, sending it past the tender.

"Good boy!" shouted his team-mates. And the cheer was immediately taken up by the boys and girls who had gathered to watch the game.

Smarting more under the thought that the fellow they had sought to humiliate had succeeded in turning the tables against them than in the fact that their opponents had scored two goals, Socker called his men about him.

"Play for Watson!" he cried through clenched teeth. "That fellow's got to have his big head taken off him!"

"Ready!" called the lad who was acting as umpire; and with set teeth, Socker's men took their positions.

Straight and true for the goal Paul sent the puck, but Snooks checked it just in time to prevent another score, and cleverly Elmer took the rubber through the opposing players until only Harry stood between him and the man at the net.

Gritting his teeth, the new member of the Rivertown High School determined to show that he was an offensive as well as a defensive player. With a terrific rush, he bore down on Elmer Craven, and with a sudden twist of his stick, tripped the fellow, grabbed the rubber, dribbled it out of reach, then sent it spinning with a force that drove it through the net!

Loud were the shouts from the onlookers-but Elmer lay still and quiet.

"You hit him in the head with your stick!" growled Socker, starting toward Harry.

"Nonsense! _I_ play a clean game! Leave it to me-I'll bring him round in a jiffy!"

And while the others stood inactive, Harry sc.r.a.ped up some ice with his skate and rubbed the shavings on Craven's face.

"Who's doing that?" demanded the boy, sitting up.

But his only answer was a general laugh.

"Everybody ready, puck's going to be put in play!" shouted the umpire, and without delay, the boys took their positions.

"You want to watch out, the whole team will be down on you this time!"

warned Jerry to Harry, but the lad only laughed.

"I reckon I can give them as good as they send," he replied. "It just took me a few minutes to get onto their game. I--"

But his words were interrupted by the play.

While Snooks caught the rubber and started back with it, all the other members of the team bore down on Harry.

Not seeming to notice them, the boy hurried to the a.s.sistance of the goal tender, his pursuers in full cry. Then, with a suddenness that caused the scholars on the side lines to gasp, Harry turned, shoved his stick between the skates of the fellow nearest him, and sent him sprawling on the ice, causing the others to fall on top of him.

Loud was the laughter that rose from the boys and girls who were not in the game, while Jerry and Paul patted Harry on the back.

But several of the instructors happened to be among the spectators and, realizing that the game would soon be beyond the bounds of sport, they intervened.

"Vhy not ve all go and get kindling voods for a bonfire dis efening?"

shouted Prof. Schmidt, the genial German professor.

"Yes! Yes! Get wood for a bonfire!" cried the boys and girls on the side lines; and forgetful of the hockey game, they skated across the ice, effectually putting an end to the contest.

CHAPTER V-THE RACE ON SKATES

In thorough good humor on account of their winning the hockey game, Paul and Jerry called Harry, and together they started up the river to where a big pile of brush lay on the bank.

In full cry, a score or more of the other boys and girls, among whom were Viola and Nettie, set after them, calling to them to wait. But the three boys only checked their speed slightly.

"Come on. A race for the brush-pile," shouted Longback. "I'll wager hot soda for the bunch of us that I'll be the first one to reach it."

"You're on! You're on!" shouted a dozen of the boys, among whom were Harry and his recent team-mates.

And as the challenge was accepted, the boys dashed away.

No more than a few yards had he gone, than Elmer Craven shouted:

"Oh, you Paul and Jerry! You've got the start of the rest of us. Come back and line up."

"No. This is as fair for one of us as it is for another," cried Pud, whose inordinate love for soda caused him to exert himself to the utmost, and during the checking of the speed as the result of Craven's suggestion, he had taken the lead.

"Sure you think it's fair now, Pud," laughed Jerry, "so long as you're ahead."

"You'll have to come back and line up as Elmer said or I won't make good my offer," declared Longback.

At this ultimatum all the boys who had started ahead checked themselves and then returned to where the offerer of the prize had scratched a mark on the ice.

With great good nature, laughing and joking with one another, the boys lined up, Harry and his two team-mates happening to be on the end where Viola and Nettie were standing.

"Who's going to give the word to start?" demanded Snooks in a none too pleasant tone, for he was disappointed at having had to give up the lead which he had obtained over the others.

"I will," cried Viola.

"That means Elmer'll win," declared Nettie.

"Why not let Prof. Schmidt start it?" suggested some one.

Readily the genial professor consented; and taking his position at the opposite end of the line from where the two girls stood, he cried:

"Eferybody get retty! You Schnooks, you get back onto the line. Don't try to shteal a yard."

Grumbling to himself, the boy obeyed.

"Now, vonce again. Eferybody retty! Von, two, t'ree-_Go!_"

Eagerly the boys dashed forward and for a few minutes they were all bunched together. Then Elmer, Snooks, Longback and Harry dashed ahead of the others, and for a few moments raced neck and neck.

"Go it, Elmer!" "Go it Longback!" shouted their partisans, and as though the good wishes of their friends gave them greater speed, the two boys forged ahead.