to him that hath-第28章

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of　the　game。　　And　I　think　it　was　awfully　clever　of　Captain　Jack。
You　know；　next　time；　Mamma；　when　they　came　downI　mean　our　men
they　pretended　to　be　playing　the　same　game；　but　they　weren't。　　For
Captain　Jack　and　Snoopy　went　back　to　their　old　specialty；　and
before　the　Cornwalls　knew　where　they　were　at；　they　ran　in　three
goalsone…two…three；　just　like　that！　　Oh！　you　ought　to　have　seen
that　rink；　Mamma；　and　you　ought　to　have　heard　the　yelling！　　I　wish
you　had　been　there！　　And　then；　just　at　that　last　goal　didn't　that
horrid　Jumbo　make　a　terrible　and　cruel　swing　at　Snoopy's　ankle；
just　as　he　passed。　　Knocked　him　clean　off　his　feet　so　that　poor
Snoopy　lay　on　the　ice　quite　still！　　He　was　really　nearly　killed。
They　had　to　carry　him　off！〃

〃Well；　I　wouldn't　say　that　exactly；〃　said　Hugh。　　〃The　fact　of　the
matter　is；　Snoopy　is　a　clever　little　beggar　and　I　happened　to　catch
his　wink　as　Maitland　was　bending　over　him。　　I　was　helping　him　off
the　ice；　you　know；　and　I　heard　him　whisper；　'Don't　worry；　Captain；
I'm　all　right。　　Get　me　another　pair　of　skates。　　It　will　take　a
little　time。'〃

〃Do　you　mean　he　wasn't　hurt？〃　exclaimed　Patricia　indignantly。
〃Indeed　he　was；　he　was　almost　killed；　I　am　sure　he　was。〃

〃Oh；　he　was　hurt　right　enough；〃　said　Hugh；　〃but　he　wasn't　killed　by
any　means！〃

〃And　then；〃　continued　Patricia；　〃there　was　the　most　terrible　riot
and　uproar。　　Everybody　seemed　to　be　on　the　ice　and　fighting。　　Hugh
ran　in；　and　VicI　should　loved　to　have　gone　myselfHugh　was
perfectly　splendidand　all　the　Eagles　were　there　and〃

Then　Mrs。　Templeton　said：　　〃What　do　you　meana　fight；　a　riot？〃

〃A　real　riot；　Mother；〃　said　Adrien；　〃the　whole　crowd　demanding
Jumbo's　removal　from　the　ice。〃

〃Yes；〃　continued　Patricia　impatiently；　pushing　her　sister　aside；
〃Hugh　went　straight　to　the　umpire　and　it　looked　almost　as　though　he
was　going　to　fight；　the　way　he　tore　in。　　But　he　didn't。　　He　just
spoke　quietly　to　the　umpire。　　What　did　you　say；　Hugh？〃

〃Oh；〃　cried　Vic；　〃Hugh　was　perfectly　calm　and　superior。　　He　knows
the　umpire　well。　　Indeed；　I　think　the　umpire　owes　his　life　to　Hugh
and　his　protecting　band　of　Eagles。〃

〃What　did　he　say；〃　cried　Patricia。　　〃I　wish　I　could　have　heard
that。〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Vic；　〃there　was　an　interesting　conversation。　　'Keep　out
of　this；　Maynard。　　You　ought　to　know　better；'　the　umpire　said；
'keep　out。'　　'Baker；　that　man　Larson　must　go　off。'　　'Rubbish；'　said
the　umpire；　'they　were　both　roughing　it。'　　'Look　here；　Baker；
that's　rot　and　you　know　it。　　It　was　a　deliberate　and　beastly　trick。
Put　him　off！'　　'He　stays　on！'　said　the　umpire；　and　he　stuck　to　it；
I'll　give　him　credit　for　that。　　It　was　old　Maitland　that　saved　the
day。　　He　came　up　smiling。　　'I　hope　you　are　taking　off　the　time；
umpire；'　he　said；　with　that　little　laugh　of　his。　　'I　am　not　going
to　put　Larson　off；'　shouted　the　umpire　to　him。　　'Who　asked　you　to？'
said　Maitland。　　'Go　on　with　the　game。'　　That　saved　the　day。　　They
all　started　cheering。　　The　ice　was　cleared　and　the　game　went　on。〃

〃Oh；　that　was　it。　　I　couldn't　understand。　　They　were　so　savage
first；　and　then　suddenly　they　all　seemed　to　quiet　down。　　It　was
Captain　Jack。　　Well；　Mamma；　on　they　came　again！　　But　when　poor
Snoopy　came　out；　all　bandaged　round　the　head　and　the　blood　showing
through〃

〃Quite　a　clever　little　beggar；〃　murmured　Vic。

〃Clever？　　What　do　you　mean？〃　cried　Patricia。

〃Oh；　well；　good　psychology；　I　meanthat's　all。　　Bloody　bandages
demanding　vengeance；　Jack's　team；　you　knowMacnamara；　for
instance；　entreating　his　captain　for　the　love　of　heaven　to　put　him
opposite　Jumboshaking　the　morale　of　the　enemy　and　so　forth
mighty　good　psychology。〃

〃I　don't　know　exactly　what　you　mean；〃　said　Patricia；　〃but　the
Cornwall　defence　was　certainly　rattled。　　They　pulled　their　men　back
and　played　defence　like　perfect　demons；　with　the　Mill　men　on　to
them　like　tigers。〃

〃But　Patricia；　my　dear；〃　said　her　mother；　〃those　are　terrible
words。〃

〃But；　Mamma；　not　half　so　terrible　as　the　real　thing。　　Oh；　it　was
perfectly　splendid！　　And　then　how　did　it　finish；　Hugh？　　I　didn't
quite　see　how　that　play　came　about。〃

〃I　didn't　see；　either；〃　said　Hugh。

〃Didn't　you？〃　cried　Adrien；　〃I　did。　　Jack　and　Geordie　Ross　were
going　down　the　centre　at　a　perfectly　terrific　speed；　big　Macnamara
backing　them　up。　　Out　came　Macnab　and　Jumbo　Larson　following　him。
Macnab　checked　Geordie；　who　passed　to　Jack；　who　slipped　it　back　to
Macnamara。　　Down　came　Jumbo　like　a　perfect　thunderbolt　and　fairly
hurled　himself　upon　Macnamara。　　I　don't　know　what　happened　then；
but〃

〃Oh；　I　do！〃　cried　Vic。　　〃When　old　Jumbo　came　hurtling　down　upon
Macnamara；　this　was　evidently　what　Macnamara　was　waiting　for。
Indeed；　what　he　had　been　praying　for　all　through　the　game。　　I　saw
him　gather　himself；　crouch　low；　lurch　forward　with　shoulder　well
down；　a　wrestler's　trickyou　know　Macnamara　was　the　champion
wrestler　of　his　division　in　Francehe　caught　Jumbo　low。　　Result；　a
terrific　catapult；　and　the　big　Swede　lay　on　his　back　some　twenty
feet　away。　　Everybody　thought　he　was　dead。〃

〃Oh；　it　was　perfectly　lovely！〃　exclaimed　Patricia；　rapturously。

〃But；　my　dear；〃　said　her　mother；　〃lovely；　and　they　thought　the　man
was　dead！〃

〃Oh；　but　he　wasn't　dead。　　He　came　to。　　I　will　say　he　was　very
plucky。　　Then　just　as　they　faced　off；　time　was　called。　　Six　to　six！
Think　of　it；　Mamma；　six　to　six！　　And　we　had　been　five　to　two　at
half　time！〃

〃Six　to　six？〃　said　Mrs。　Templeton。　　〃But　I　thought　you　said　we
won？〃

〃Oh；　listen；　Mamma；　this　is　the　most　wonderful　thing　of　the　whole
match；〃　said　Adrien；　trying　to　break　in　on　the　tornado　of　words
from　her　younger　sister。

〃No；　let　me；　Adrien！　　I　know　exactly　how　it　was　done。　　Captain　Jack
explained　it　to　me　before。　　It　was　Captain　Jack's　specialty。　　It
was　what　they　call　the　double…circle。　　Here　is　the　way　it　was
worked。〃　　Patricia　sprang　to　her　feet；　arranged　two　chairs　for　goal
and　proceeded　to　demonstrate。　　〃You　see；　Mamma；　in　the　single
circle　play；　Captain　Jack　and　Snoopy　come　downsay　Snoopy　has　the
puck。　　Just　as　they　get　near　the　goal　Snoopy　fools　the　back；　rushes
round　the　goal　and　passes　to　Jack；　who　is　standing　in　front　ready
to　slip　it　in。　　But　of　course　the　Cornwalls　were　prepared　for　the
play。　　But　that　is　where　the　double…circle　comes　in。　　This　time
Geordie　had　the　puck；　with　Captain　Jack　immediately　at　his　left　and
Snoopy　further　out。　　Well；　Geordie　had　the　puck；　you　see。　　He
rushes　down　and　pretends　to　make　the　circle　of　the　goal。　　But　this
time　he　doesn't。　　He　tears　like　mad　around　the　goal　with　the　puck；
Snoopy　tears　like　mad　around　the　goal　from　the　other　side；　the
defence　all　rush　over　to　the　left　to　check　them；　leaving　the　right
wide　open。　　Snoopy　takes　the　ball　from　Geordie；　rushes　around　the
goal　the　other　way；　Mamma；　do　you　see？passes　back　to　Reddy；　his
partner；　who　slips　it　in！　　And　poor　Jumbo　was　unable　to　do
anything。　　I　believe　he　was　still　dazed　from　his　terrible　fall！〃

Then　Hugh　breaks　in：　　〃It　really　was　beautifully　done。〃

〃It　certainly　was；〃　said　Vic。

〃Seven　to　six；　Mamma；　think　of　it！　　Seven　to　six；　and　two　minutes
of　the　first　overtime　to　play。　　Two　minutes！　　It　just　seemed　that
our　men　could　do　as　they　liked。　　The　last　time　the　whole　forward
lines　came　down；　with　Macnamara　and　'Jack'　Johnson　roaring　and
yelling　likelikeI　don't　know　what。　　And　they　did　the　double…
circle　again！　　Think　of　it！　　And　then　time　was　called。　　Oh；　I　am
perfectly　exhausted　with　this　excitement！〃　said　Patricia；　sinking
back　into　her　chair。　　〃I　don't　believe　I　could　go　down　to　that
rink；　not　even　for　another　game。　　It　is　terribly　trying！〃

At　this　moment　Rupert　Stillwell　came　in；　full　of　enthusiasm　for　the
Cornwalls'　scientific　hockey；　and　with　grudging　praise　for　the
local　team；　deploring　their　roughhouse　tactics。　　But　he　met　a　sharp
and　unexpected　check；　for　Adrien　took　him　in　hand；　in　her　quiet；
cool；　efficient　manner。

〃Roughhouse！〃　she　said。　　〃What　do　you　mean　exactly　by　that？〃

〃Well；〃　said　Rupert；　somewhat　taken　aback；　〃for　instance　that
charge　of　Macnamara　on　Jumbo　Larson　at　the　last。〃

〃I　saw　that　quite　clearly；〃　said　Adrien；　〃and　it　appeared　to　me
quite　all　right。　　It　was　Larson　who　made　the　most　furious