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diff --git a/old/13250.txt b/old/13250.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bd7c1a3 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13250.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4982 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Chums of Scranton High at Ice Hockey +by Donald Ferguson + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Chums of Scranton High at Ice Hockey + +Author: Donald Ferguson + +Release Date: August 22, 2004 [EBook #13250] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CHUMS OF SCRANTON HIGH *** + + + + +Produced by Al Haines + + + + + + + + + + +THE CHUMS OF SCRANTON HIGH + +At Ice Hockey + + + +BY + +DONALD FERGUSON + + + + +THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO. + +CLEVELAND, O. NEW YORK, N.Y. + + + + +Copyright, MCMXIX + +by + +THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO. + + + + + + + +Printed in the United States of America + +by + +THE COMMERCIAL BOOKBINDING CO. + +CLEVELAND, O. + + + + +CONTENTS + +CHAPTER PAGE + + I. GOOD TIMES COMING + II. A BULL IN THE CHINA SHOP + III. GIVING NICK A CHANCE + IV. THE HOCKEY MATCH WITH A SCRATCH SEVEN + V. THAD BRINGS SOME STARTLING NEWS + VI. NOT GUILTY + VII. TURNING A PAGE OF THE PAST + VIII. OWEN DUGDALE'S ANNOUNCEMENT + IX. AN ADVENTURE ON THE ROAD + X. THE MYSTERY DEEPENS + XI. A MOTHER'S SACRIFICE + XII. TIP SATISFIES HIS CRAVING--AND LOSES + XIII. THE LIVELY GAME WITH KEYPORT'S SEVEN + XIV. ENCOURAGING NICK + XV. WHERE THE SPARKS FLEW + XVI. AT THE DEACON'S FIRESIDE + XVII. A WONDERFUL DISCOVERY + XVIII. IN A SAFE HARBOR AT LAST + XIX. MEETING BELLEVILLE'S STRONG TEAM + XX. NICK MAKES GOOD--CONCLUSION + + + + +THE CHUMS OF SCRANTON HIGH AT ICE HOCKEY + +CHAPTER I + +GOOD TIMES COMING + +Hugh looked at the big thermometer alongside the Juggins' front door +as he came out, and the mercury was still falling steadily. + +"It's certainly a whole lot sharper than it was early this morning, +Thad. Feels to me as if the first cold wave of the winter had struck +Scranton." + +"The ice on our flooded baseball field, and that out at Hobson's +mill-pond ought to be in great shape after a hard freeze to-night, +Hugh." + +"We're in luck this time, chum Thad. Look at that sky, will you? +Never a cloud in sight, and the sun going down yellow. Deacon +Winslow, our reliable old weather prophet blacksmith, who always +keeps a goose-bone hanging up in his smithy, to tell what sort of a +winter we're going to get, says such a sign stands for cold and clear +to-morrow after that kind of a sunset. Red means warmer, you know." + +"I only hope it keeps on for forty-eight hours more, that's all I can +say, Hugh. This being Thursday, it would fetch us to Saturday. I +understand they're not meaning to let a single pair of steel runners +on the baseball park, to mark the smooth surface of the new ice, +until Saturday morning." + +"Which will be a fine thing for our hockey try-out with the scratch +Seven, eh, Thad?" + +"We want to test our team play before going up against the boys of +Keyport High, that's a fact; and Scranton can put up a hard fighting +bunch of irregulars. There are some mighty clever hockey players in +and out of the high school, who are not on our Seven. I guess there +ought to be a pretty lively game on Saturday; and there will be if +several fellows I could mention line up against us." + +The two boys who had just left the home of a schoolmate named Horatio +Juggins were great friends. Although Hugh Morgan had seemed to jump +into popular leadership among the boys of Scranton, soon after his +folks came to reside in the town, he and Thad Stevens had become +almost inseparables. + +Indeed, some of the fellows often regarded them as "Damon and +Pythias," or on occasions it might be "David and Jonathan." Both +were of an athletic turn, and took prominent parts in all baseball +games, and other strenuous outdoor sports indulged in by the boys of +Scranton High; a record of which will be found in the several +preceding books of this series, to which the new reader is referred, +if he feels any curiosity concerning the earlier doings of this +lively bunch. + +Hugh was cool and calm in times when his chum would show visible +signs of great excitement. He had drilled himself to control his +temper under provocation, until he felt master of himself. + +It was the 10th of January, and thus far the opportunities for +skating that had come to the young people of that section of country +where Scranton was located, had been almost nil; which would account +for the enthusiasm of the lads when Thad announced how rapidly the +thermometer was giving promise of a severe cold spell. + +Scranton had two keen rivals for athletic honors. Allandale and +Belleville High fellows had given them a hard run of it before they +carried off the championship pennant of the county in baseball the +preceding summer. + +Then, in the late fall, there had been a wonderfully successful +athletic tournament, inaugurated to celebrate the enclosing of the +grounds outside Scranton with a high board-fence, and the building of +a splendid grandstand, as well as rooms where the athletic +participants in sports might dress in comfort. + +With the coming of winter the big field thus enclosed had been +properly flooded, so that it might afford a vast amount of healthy +recreation to all Scranton boys and girls who loved to skate. + +Hitherto they had been compelled to trudge all the way out to +Hobson's mill-pond, and back, which was a long enough journey to keep +many from ever thinking of indulging in what is, perhaps, the most +cherished winter sport among youthful Americans. + +The two friends had been asked around by the Juggins boy to inspect a +wonderful assortment of treasure trove that an old and peculiar +uncle, with a fad for collecting curios of every description, and who +was at present out in India, had sent to his young nephew and +namesake. + +These consisted of scores of most interesting objects, besides +several thousand rare postage stamps. Taken in all it was the +greatest collection of stamps any of them had ever heard of. And the +other things proved of such absorbing interest that Hugh and Thad had +lingered until the afternoon was done, with supper not so far away +but that they must hurry home. + +Thad, apparently, had something on his mind which he wished to get +rid of, judging from the way in which he several times looked queerly +at his chum. Finally, as if determined to speak up, he started, half +apologetically: + +"Hugh, excuse me if I'm butting in where I have no business," he +said; "but when I saw you talking so long with that town bully, Nick +Lang, this afternoon, after we got out of school, I didn't know what +to think. Was he threatening you about anything, Hugh? After that +fine dressing-down you gave Nick last summer, when he forced you to +fight him while we were out at that barn dance, I notice he keeps +fairly mum when you're around." + +Hugh chuckled, as though the recollection might not be wholly +displeasing; though, truth to tell, that was the only fight he had +been in since coming to Scranton. Even it would not have taken place +only that he could not stand by and see the big bully thrash most +cruelly a weaker boy than himself. + +"Oh! no, you're away off in your guess, Thad," he replied +immediately. "Fact is, instead of threats, Nick was asking a favor +of me, for once in his life." + +"You don't say!" ejaculated Thad. "Well, now you've got me excited +there's nothing left but to tell me what sort of a favor Nick would +want of you, Hugh." + +"It seems that for a long time he's been admiring those old hockey +skates of mine," continued the other. "In fact, they've grown on +Nick so that he even condescended to ask me to _sell_ them to him for +a dollar, which he said he'd earned by doing odd jobs, just in order +to buy my old skates. He chanced to hear me say once that my mother +had promised to get me the best silver-plated hockey skates on the +market, for my next birthday, which is now only a few days off. +That's all there was to it, Thad." + +"Well," commented Thad, "we all know that Nick is a boss skater, even +on the old runners he sports, and which mebbe his dad used before +him, they're that ancient. He can hold his own with the next one +whenever there's any ice worth using. And as to hockey, why, if Nick +would only play fair, which he never will, it seems because his +nature must be warped and crooked, he could have a leading place on +our Seven. As it is, the boys refused to stand for him in any game, +and so he had to herd with the scratch players. Even then Mr. +Leonard, our efficient coach and trainer, has to call him down good +and hard for cheating, or playing off-side purposely. It's anything +to win, with Nick." + +"You're painting Nick pretty true to life, Thad," agreed Hugh; +"though I'm sorry it's so, I've got a hunch that chap, if he only +could be reconstructed in some way or other, might be a shining mark +in many of our athletic games." + +"Oh! that's hopeless, Hugh, I tell you. The leopard can't change its +spots; and Nick Lang was born to be just the tricky bully he's always +shown himself." + +Hugh shook his head, as though not quite agreeing with his chum. + +"Time alone will tell, Thad. There might come a sudden revolution in +Nick's way of seeing things. I've heard of boys who were said to be +the worst in the town taking a turn, and forging up to the head. +It's improbable, I admit, but not impossible." + +"Oh! he's bad all the way through, believe me, Hugh. But did you +sell the skates, as he wanted you to do?" + +"No, I told him I didn't care to," Hugh replied. "I was tempted to +agree when he looked so bitterly disappointed; then an ugly scowl +came over his face, and he broke away and left me; so that +opportunity was lost. Besides, it's best not to be too sure I'm +going to get those silver-plated skates after all, though Mom is +looking pretty mysterious these days; and some sort of package came +to her by express from New York the other day. She hurried it away +before I could even see the name printed on the wrapper." + +"Perhaps," said Thad a bit wistfully, "you might bequeath me your old +skates in case you do get new ones. Mine are not half as good for +hockey. I don't blame Nick for envying you their possession; but +then it hasn't been so much what you had on your feet that has made +you the swift hockey player you are, but coolness of judgment, +ability to anticipate the moves of the enemy, and a clever stroke +that can send the puck skimming over the ice like fury." + +"Here, that'll do for you, Thad. No bouquets needed, thank you, all +the same. According to my notion there are several fellows in +Scranton my equals at hockey, and perhaps my superiors. Nick Lang, +for instance, if only he had skates he could depend on, and which +wouldn't threaten to trip him up in the midst of an exciting +scrimmage." + +"But, see here, Hugh, you were speaking just now about a chap built +like Nick turning over a new leaf, and making himself respected in +the community in spite of the bad name he's always had. Honestly +now, do you really believe that's possible? Is there such a thing as +the regeneration of a boy who's been born bad, and always taken +delight in doing every sort of mean thing on the calendar? I can't +believe it." + +Hugh Morgan turned and gave his chum a serious look. + +"I've got a good mind to tell you something that's been on my mind +lately," he said. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +A BULL IN THE CHINA SHOP + +On hearing his chum say that, Thad gripped Hugh's arm. + +"Then get busy, Hugh," he hastened to remark. "When you start +cogitating over things there's always something interesting on foot. +What is it this time?" + +"Oh! just a little speculation I've been indulging in, Thad, and on +the very subject we were talking about--whether a really bad man, or +boy, for that matter, can ever turn right-about-face, and redeem +himself. You say it's impossible; I think otherwise." + +"Tell me a single instance, then, Hugh." + +"Just what I'm meaning to do," came the ready response, "but it's in +romance, not history; though there are just as strong instances that +can be proven. I've heard my father mention some of them long ago. +But it happens, Thad, that I've been reading over, for the third +time, a book we once enjoyed together immensely. We got a splendid +set of Victor Hugo's works lately at our house, you remember." + +"Oh!" exclaimed Thad, "you're referring to his _Les Miserables_, I +guess. And now I remember how you said at the time we read it +together that the scene where that good priest forgave the rascally +Jean Valjean for stealing his silver candlesticks and spoons, after +he had been so kind to him made a great impression on your mind. +But, see here, Hugh, are you comparing that sneak Nick Lang to Jean +Valjean, the ex-convict?" + +"Yes, in a way," the other replied. "The man who had been released +from the galleys, after he had served his term for stealing a loaf +of bread was despised by society, which shut the door in his face. +He was like a wild beast, you remember, and hated everyone. Well, by +degrees, Nick is finding himself in just about the same position. +Everybody looks on him as being thoroughly bad; and so he tells +himself that since he's got the name he might as well have the +game." + +"I suppose that's about the way it goes," Thad admitted. + +"There's no doubt of it," Hugh told him. "Several times I remember +we had an idea Nick meant to reform; but he went back to his old +ways suddenly. I think people must have nagged him, and made him +feel ugly. But I've been wondering, Thad, what if Nick could have a +revelation about like the one that came to Jean Valjean at the time +that splendid old priest, looking straight at the thief when the +officers dragged him back with those silver candlesticks and spoons +hidden under his dirty blouse, told them the men had committed no +wrong, because he, the priest, had given the silver to him; which we +know he _had_ done in his mind, after discovering how he had been +robbed." + +Thad shook his head in a dogged fashion, as though by no means +convinced. + +"I reckon you'd be just the one to try that crazy scheme, Hugh, if +ever the chance came to you; but mark me when I say it'd all be +wasted on Nick." + +"But why should you be so sure of that?" asked the other. "The +ex-convict was pictured as the lowest of human animals. Hugo painted +him as hating every living being, because of his own wrongs; and +believing that there was no such thing as honor and justice among +mankind. It was done to make his change of heart seem all the more +remarkable; to prove that a fellow can never sink so low but that +there _may_ be a chance for him to climb up again, if only he makes +up his mind." + +Thad laughed then, a little skeptically still, it must be confessed. + +"Oh! that sounds all very fine, in a story, Hugh, but it'd never +work out in real life. According to my mind that Nick Lang will go +along to the end of the book as a bad egg. He'll fetch up in the +penitentiary, or reform school, some of these fine days. I've heard +Chief Wambold has declared that the next time he has anything +connected with breaking the law on Nick he expects to take him +before the Squire, and have him railroaded to the Reformatory; and +he means it, too." + +"Well, you can hardly blame the Chief," agreed Hugh, "because Nick +and his pals, Leon Disney and Tip Slavin, have certainly made life +hard for the police force of Scranton for years back. Brush fires +have been started maliciously, just to see the fire-laddies run with +the machine and create a little excitement; orchards have been +robbed time and again; and, in fact, dozens of pranks more or less +serious been played night after night, all of which mischief is laid +at the door of Nick Lang, even if much of it can't be actually +traced there." + +"Of course, what you say is the exact truth, Hugh." + +"Give dog Tray a bad name, and he gets it right and left," chuckled +Hugh. "I've had an idea that once in a while some of the more +respected fellows in town may have broken loose, and gone on night +expeditions. They felt pretty safe in doing it, because every +citizen would believe Nick was the guilty one. But, in spite of your +thinking my idea impossible, I'd be tempted to try it out, if ever I +ran across the chance. It'd settle a thing I've worried over more +than a little." + +No more was said on that subject, though afterwards Thad had it +brought to his attention again, and in a peculiar way at that. + +The two boys separated a little further on, each heading homeward. + +On the following morning it was found that their predictions +concerning the weather had been amply verified. The mercury had +dropped away down in the tube of the thermometer, and every +youngster had a happy look on his or her face at school, as though +the prospect for skating brought almost universal satisfaction. + +Thad, with several others, had gone out to Hobson's mill-pond to try +the new ice after high school had dismissed for the week-end. Hugh +wanted to accompany them very much, but he had promised his mother +to spend a couple of hours that afternoon in mending something, +which had gone for a long time. And once his word was given Hugh +never broke it, no matter how alluring the prospect of sport might +be abroad. + +It was about half-past three in the afternoon. + +Hugh sat in his den amidst his prized possessions. He was working on +his lessons so as to get them out of the way, as there was some sort +of affair scheduled for that evening, which he meant to attend; and +he would be too tired after skating all day on Saturday to study any +that night, as he well knew. + +Several times he glanced over to where his carefully polished and +well-sharpened skates, strapped together, lay on a side table. Each +look caused him to shrug his shoulders a bit. He could easily +imagine he heard the delightful clang of steel runners cutting into +that smooth sheet of new ice out at the mill pond; and the figures +of the happy skaters would pass before his eyes. Yes, probably Sue +Barnes would be there, too, with her chums, Ivy Middleton and Peggy +Noland, wondering, it might be, how he, Hugh, could deny himself +such a glorious opportunity for the first real good skate of the +season. + +Then Hugh would heave a little sigh, and apply himself harder than +ever to his task. When he had an unpleasant thing to do he never +allowed temptation to swerve him. And, after all, it was pretty snug +and comfortable there in his den, Hugh told himself; besides, that +was a long walk home for a tired fellow to take, even in good +company. + +Then he heard his mother speaking to someone who must have rung the +doorbell. + +"Go up to the top of the stairs, and turn to the right. You will +find Hugh in his den, I believe. Hugh, are you there? Well, here's a +visitor to see you." + +Supposing, of course, that it must be one of his close friends, who +for some reason had not gone off skating, and wished to see him +about some matter of importance, Hugh, after answering his mother, +had gone on skimming the subject on which his mind just then +happened to be set. + +He heard the door open, and close softly. Then someone gave a gruff +cough. Hugh looked around and received quite a surprise. + +Instead of Thad Stevens, Owen Dugdale, Horatio Juggins, "Just" +Smith, or Julius Hobson he saw--Nick Lang! + +"Oh, hello, Nick!" he commenced to say, a little restrained in his +welcome; for, of course, he could give a guess that the other had +come again to try and buy his skates, which Hugh was not much in +favor of selling. + +He shoved a chair forward, determined not to be uncivil at any rate. +After that talk with Thad about this fellow it can be understood +that Hugh was still bent on studying Nick, with the idea of deciding +whether he did actually have a grain of decency in his make-up, such +as could be used as a foundation on which to build a new structure. + +The outlook was far from promising. Indeed, he could not remember +ever seeing Nick look more antagonistic than just then, even though +he tried to appear friendly. + +"But then," Hugh was telling himself, "I reckon now Jean Valjean was +about as fierce looking a human wild beast as that good old priest +had ever seen at the time he invited the ex-convict into his snug +house, and horrified his sister by asking him to sit at table with +them, and spend the night there under his hospitable roof." + +"You wanted to see me about something, did you, Nick?" he asked the +other. + +Nick had dropped down on the chair. His furtive gaze went around +the room as if it aroused his curiosity, for this was really the +first occasion when he had ever graced Hugh's den with his company. + +When his eyes alighted on the coveted skates Nick's face took on an +expressive grin. Then he turned toward Hugh, to say, almost +whiningly: + +"Sure thing, Hugh. I thought mebbe I'd coax you to let me have the +skates, if I told you I'd managed to get another half dollar by +selling a pair of my pigeons. Here's a dollar and a half; take it, +and gimme the runners, won't you?" + +His manner was intended to be ingratiating, but evidently Nick was +so accustomed to bullying everyone with whom he came in contact that +it was next to impossible for him to change his abusive ways. Hugh +felt less inclined than ever to accommodate him. Under other and +more favorable conditions he might have been tempted to promise Nick +to hand him over the skates, _for nothing_, after he had actually +received the expected new ones. + +"I'm sorry to refuse you again, Nick," Hugh said coldly; "but at +present I have no other skates, and, as I expect to take part in a +hockey match with the scratch Seven to-morrow, I'll need my +runners." + +"But there's nothing to hinder you selling me the same, say next +week, that I can see; unless mebbe you're just holdin' out on +account of an old grudge against me. How about that, Hugh?" + +Hugh was still unconvinced. + +"Just now I'm not in a humor to sell the skates, Nick," he said. +"If I change my mind, I'll let you know about it. That's final. And +when I dispose of my skates it's my intention to _give_ them away, +not sell them." + +He turned to do something at the desk where he was sitting. +Meanwhile, Nick had shuffled away, as though meaning to leave the +room. When Hugh looked up he was half-way through the door, and +turning to say with a sneer: + +"I ain't going to forget this on you, Hugh Morgan, believe me. I +thought I'd give you a chanct to smooth over the rough places +between us; but I see you don't want anything to do with a feller +who's got the reputation they give me. All right, keep your old +skates then!" + +With that he hurried down the stairs. And a minute afterwards Hugh, +happening to glance over to the table at the side of the room, made +a startling discovery. The skates had disappeared! + + + + +CHAPTER III + +GIVING NICK A CHANCE + +"Why, he cribbed them after all!" Hugh exclaimed, as he jumped to his +feet, and hurried over to the table, hardly able to believe his own +eyes. + +Something caught his attention. A dirty dollar bill and a fifty cent +silver piece lay in place of the skates. Then Nick had not exactly +_stolen_ Hugh's property, but imagined that this forced sale might +keep him within the law. + +Hugh at first flush felt indignant. He gave the money an angry look, +as though scorning it, despite the hard work Nick may have done and +sacrifices also made in order to build up that small amount. + +"Why, the contemptible scamp, I'll have to set Chief Wambold after +him, and recover my skates!" he said, warmly for him. "Serve him +right, too, if this is the last straw on the camel's back, to send +him to the House of Refuge for a spell. He is a born thief, I do +believe, and ought to be treated just like one." + +Hugh, aroused by the sense of injustice, and a desire to turn the +tables on the slippery Nick, even stepped forward to snatch up his +cap, with the full intention of hurrying out to see if he could +overtake the thief; and, if not, continuing on until he came to the +office of the police force. Then he stopped short with a gasp. + +He had suddenly remembered something. Into his mind rushed the +details of a certain recent conversation in which he had indulged +with his closest chum, Thad Stevens. Again he saw the picture of +that good priest of the story, looking so benignly upon the wretched +Jean Valjean, brought into his presence with the valuable silver +candlesticks and spoons found in his possession, which he kept +insisting his late host had presented him with, however preposterous +the claim seemed. + +"Why, this is very nearly like that case, I declare!" ejaculated +Hugh, almost overcome by the wonderful similarity, which seemed the +more amazing because of the resolution he told Thad he had taken. + +He dropped back into his seat, with the money still gripped in his +hand. He stared hard at it. In imagination he could see Nick, who +never liked hard work any too well, they said, busying himself like a +beaver, putting in coal for some neighbor, perhaps; or cleaning a +walk off for a dime. He must have done considerable work to earn +that first dollar. + +"Then after that," Hugh was saying to himself, "he sold a pair of his +pet pigeons, and I reckon he thinks a heap of them, from all I've +heard said. Yes, Nick must have wanted my old skates worse than he +ever did anything in all his life. And when I refused to sell them +to him he just thought he'd do the trading by himself. It's a queer +way of doing business, and one the law wouldn't recognize; but, after +all, it was an upward step for Nick Lang, when he could have taken +the skates, and kept the cash as well. This certainly beats the +Dutch! What ought I to do about it, I wonder? Of course, if I told +the whole thing to mother, I suppose she'd let me have the new skates +ahead of time; or I could borrow Kenneth Kinkaid's, because, after +breaking his leg that way in the running race he says he isn't to be +allowed to skate a bit this winter. But ought I let the scamp keep +my skates?" + +He mused over it for several minutes, as if undecided. Then the +sound of voices outside caught his attention. One seemed to be gruff +and official, another whining. + +Hugh jumped up and stepped to a window. He could see down the street +on which the Morgan home stood. Three persons were in sight, and +hurrying along toward the house. One of these he recognized as his +chum, Thad, who must have returned from Hobson's mill-pond earlier +than he had expected. Another was the tall, attenuated Chief +Wambold; and the party whom he was gripping by the arm--yes, it was +none other than Hugh's late visitor, Nick Lang! + +"Oh, they've caught him, it seems, just like those awful police did +poor, wicked Jean Valjean," Hugh muttered, thrilled by the sight; +"and right now they're fetching Nick back here, to ask me if he +wasn't lying when he said I'd sold or given him my skates!" + +He realized that, undoubtedly, by some strange freak of fortune Thad +must have seen the other gloating over his prize; and recognizing the +skates, for they were well-known to him, he had beckoned to the +policeman who happened to be near by, with the result that Nick was +nabbed before he realized his peril. + +Hugh had to decide quickly as to what he should do, for they were +coming in through the gate even now. Once again did the wonderful +story he had been reading flash before his mind. + +"I _must_ try it out!" he exclaimed suddenly, gripped by the amazing +coincidence between this case and that so aptly described by Hugo. +"I said I would if ever I had a chance. It worked miracles in the +story; perhaps it may in real life, Anyway, it's going to be worth +while, and give me a heap of enjoyment watching the result. So here +and now I say that I've sold my skates to Nick, and that they really +belong to him at this minute. But I reckon he'll be scared pretty +badly when he faces me again, expecting the worst." + +Thad knew how to get in by the side door that opened on the back +stairs; so he did not waste any time in ringing the bell. Now Hugh +could hear heavy footsteps. They were coming, and the great test was +about to be made. + +The door opened to admit, first of all, Thad, his face filled with +burning indignation, and his eyes sparkling with excitement. Close +on his heels the others also pushed into the room on the second +floor, transformed into a genuine boy's den by pictures of healthy +sport on the walls, besides college burgees, fishing tackle, a bass +of three pounds that had been beautifully stuffed by Hugh himself to +commemorate a glorious day's sport; and dozens of other things dear +to the heart of a youth who loved the Great Outdoors as much as he +did. + +Chief Wambold looked triumphant and grim. Nick fairly writhed in +that iron clutch, and his face had assumed a sickly sallow color; +while his eyes reminded Hugh of those of a hunted wild animal at bay, +fear and defiance struggling for the mastery. + +"Stand there, you cub!" snarled the police officer, as he gave Nick a +whirl into the room, closing the door at the same time, and planting +his six-foot-five figure against it, to prevent such a thing as +escape. + +It was quite a tableau. Hugh believed he would never forget it as +long as he lived. But Thad, it appeared, was the first to speak. + +"Hugh, this skunk has gone and beat you after all!" he cried, +pointing a scornful finger at the glowering Nick, who was eyeing Hugh +hungrily, as if trying to decide whether or not the other would tell +Chief Wambold to lock him up as a thief. "I chanced to see him pull +something out that he had been hiding under his coat, and recognized +your nickel-mounted skates. So I beckoned to Chief Wambold, and told +him about it; he made Nick come back here to face you, and confess to +the theft." + +Nick growled something half under his breath, that sounded like: + +"Didn't steal 'em, I tell you; I bought the skates fair and square +from Hugh here. You're all down on me, and won't listen to a thing I +say; that's the worst of it." + +The tall head of the Scranton police force held up something he had +been carrying all the while. + +"Here's the skates he had, Hugh," he went on to say. "Thad tells me +they are your property. He even showed me your initials scratched on +each skate. Take a good look at the same, and let me know about it, +will you, before I lug this sneak off to the lock-up. I reckon he's +headed for the Reform School this time, sure!" + +At that Nick grew even more sallow than before, if such a thing were +possible; and the fear in his eyes became almost pitiable. + +Hugh, meaning to make a straight job of his idea, calmly looked the +skates over. He knew full well how Nick was watching his every +action, trying to hug just a glimmer of hope to his heart that, +perhaps, Hugh might be merciful, and let him off, as the skates were +now once again in his possession. The shadow of the Reformatory +loomed up dreadfully close to Nick Lang just then, darker than he had +ever before imagined it could look. It terrified him, too, and +caused him to shiver as though someone had dashed a bucket of +ice-cold water over him unexpectedly. + +"Yes, I recognize these skates very well, Chief," Hugh told the +waiting officer. + +"And do they belong to you, Hugh?" continued the officer, with a +stern look at the cringing culprit near by, who weakly leaned against +the table for support after his recent rough handling. + +"They _were_ my property until just ten minutes, more or less, ago, +Chief," said Hugh, deliberately fixing Nick with his eye, so as to +impress things on him in a way he could never forget. "Then I had an +offer from Nick here to buy them. At first I was averse to letting +him have them, but I changed my mind. These skates belong to Nick, +Chief. You must set him free, and not hold this against him. He's +going to wipe the slate clean this time and astonish folks here in +Scranton by showing them what a fellow of his varied talents can do, +once he sets out to go straight. And, for one, I wish him the best +of success from the bottom of my heart. I hope you enjoy your +skates, Nick." + +He held out his hand, and the astounded Nick mechanically allowed +Hugh to squeeze his digits. But not one word could he say, simply +stared at Hugh as though he had difficulty in understanding such +nobility of soul; then, taking the skates, he went from the room. +They could hear the clatter of his heels as he hurried down the +stairs, as though afraid Hugh might yet repent and send the officer +after him. + +Of course, Chief Wambold departed, shrugging his shoulders as though +still more than half convinced there had been something crooked about +Nick's suspicious actions. + +Of course Thad had to be told the whole amazing story. He shook his +head at the conclusion, and went on record as being a doubter by +saying: + +"I wish you success in your wonderful experiment, Hugh, I sure do; +but all the same I don't believe for a minute the leopard is going to +change its spots, or that Nick Lang, the worst boy in Scranton, can +ever reform." + +Hugh would say nothing further about it, only, of course, he made +Thad promise to keep everything secret until he gave permission to +speak. If Nick made good this would never happen. + +That night Hugh had a jolly time, and it was fairly late when he +crept into bed. As he lay there, instead of going to sleep +immediately, he looked out of the window toward the west, where a +bright star hung above the horizon. It seemed like a magnet to Hugh, +who lay there and watched for its setting, all the while allowing his +thoughts to roam back to the remarkable happening of that afternoon. + +"It's a toss-up, just as Thad says, whether anything worth while will +come of my experiment," he told himself; "but, anyhow, I've given +Nick something to think over. And if he makes the first advances +toward me I'm bound to meet him half-way. I only hope it turns out +like the story of Jean Valjean did. But there goes my Star of Hope +down behind the horizon; and now I'd better be getting some sleep +myself. All the same I'm glad I did it!" + +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: + + _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. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THAD BRINGS SOME STARTLING NEWS + +"Hugh, have you heard the news this Sunday morning?" + +With these abrupt words Thad Stevens burst upon his chum who was +feeding some long-eared, handsome Belgian hares, which of late he had +taken to keeping, as it had become quite a fad among the Scranton +boys. + +Hugh turned to look at his friend. It was plain to be seen that Thad +was laboring under considerable excitement. His face was flushed as +if with running, while his eyes glowed much more than was their wont +under ordinary conditions. + +"Why, no, I haven't heard a thing except the church bells ringing, +and people going past our house early this morning for mass. You +know we live on a street that is largely used by those who have to +get out shortly after daybreak Sunday mornings in winter. What's +happened during the night? There couldn't have been a fire, because +I'd have heard the bell, and been out with the rest of the boys." + +"Oh! you couldn't guess it in a dozen trials, Hugh. It was a regular +down-right burglary that was pulled off, even if the stuff taken +consisted of candy, cigarettes, and the like, as well as some +sporting goods and several revolvers." + +Hugh looked interested. + +"From the way you talk, Thad, I should say it might have been Paul +Kramer's Emporium that had suffered; because he's really the only man +in Scranton who keeps sporting goods." + +"A good guess, Hugh, because Paul is the chap. They got in through a +back door, and everybody says it was a pretty slick job, too," Thad +went on to say. + +"Let's see what you're telling me," Hugh remarked thoughtfully. "If +they took candy and cigarettes and sporting goods it would look to me +pretty much as if the robbery was the work of unprincipled boys, +rather than men." + +Thad stared hard at his companion. + +"Well, you are a wonder, Hugh, at seeing through things!" he hastily +declared. "Why, that was what Chief Wambold said right away. And, +Hugh, he followed it with the declaration that he guessed he could +put his finger on the guilty fellows without much trouble. You know +who he had in mind, of course, Hugh?" + +"It goes without saying that one of them would be Nick Lang," came +the quick reply, while a small cloud crept over Hugh's face. + +"Sure thing," continued Thad, shrugging his shoulders. "When a +fellow has built up a nice reputation for himself along those lines +he can't blame folks for suspecting him of every single tricky piece +of work that is pulled off in town. In the past Nick has been +ring-leader in lots of lawless doings, and the Chief was dead certain +he'd get him with the goods on this time, as he called it." + +"Perhaps he may, but I hope that for once Chief Wambold will find +himself mistaken," said Hugh soberly, and then adding: "How did you +happen to hear about it, Thad?" + +"Oh! I chanced to be out early this morning on an errand for mother, +taking some things over to that sick colored wash-lady we have do our +weekly work, and passing through the public square on my way back I +saw a crowd around Kramer's place. Of course I stayed on the job, +and heard all sorts of things said. But, Hugh, they've got one of +the thieves, all right." + +"Who was he, Leon Disney?" asked the other, quickly, as he suddenly +remembered the actions of the boy in question when he twice +approached Nick Lang on the ice during that intermission for rest in +the hockey match; and when he, Hugh, fancied Leon was entreating his +former pal to do something which Nick refused to entertain. + +"Just who it is," said the wondering Thad. "The Chief went to his +house and insisted on making a thorough search. He's a shrewd old +duck, is Chief Wambold, for all his faults. He seemed to guess just +where a boy like Leon would hide the spoils of a raid like this. +Under the floor of the old barn on the Disney place he found about +half the stuff that was taken, candy by the wholesale, cigarettes, +two revolvers, and even a pair of choice hockey skates." + +"About _half_ you are saying, Thad; then it looks to me as if there +must have been just two of the thieves, for they had divided things +equally between them." + +"What a lawyer you would make, Hugh, or a detective either, for that +matter," the other boy exclaimed. + +"What did Leon say when they found the stolen stuff hidden under his +barn?" further questioned Hugh, deigning to smile at his chum's +compliment, however. + +"Nary a thing would he say, except to declare himself innocent, and +that he himself had heard a noise out there last night, and guessed +that some enemy of his must have set up a mean game on him, wanting +to get him nabbed. But say, Hugh, the Chief pulled seven packets of +cigarettes out of his coat-pocket, every one stamped with the same +maker's name; and nobody in Scranton handles that brand but Paul +Kramer." + +"It looks pretty bad for Leon, I should say," remarked Hugh. + +"Oh! he'll get a free pass to the Reform School this time, as sure as +anything!" asserted Thad; "and a good riddance of bad rubbish, most +people in Scranton will be saying. Of course they'll be sorry for +his mother, who is a respectable woman, and has had heaps of trouble +with that good-for-nothing son of hers." + +"But about the other thief, Thad?" + +"Well, Chief Wambold said there wasn't any doubt in the wide world +but that it must be Nick Lang, and I guess everybody around agreed +with him, Hugh." + +"Did he go up and arrest Nick?" asked Hugh, deeply interested. + +"Just what he did, and I was along with the crowd," Thad told him. +"Well, sir, you never saw such a cool customer. Nick smiled as +brazenly in the face of the Chief as anything you ever saw. They +searched, and searched, but never a scrap of the stolen goods could +they run across." + +"Well, what then, Thad?" + +"Why, of course the Chief declared that Nick had only been some +smarter than his pal in hiding the spoils where no one could find the +stuff. He told Nick he would have to arrest him on general suspicion +because Leon and he were such great pals, and Leon was already as +good as convicted." + +"Yes, and what did Nick say to that?" asked Hugh. + +"Would you believe it, Hugh, he up and told the Chief that he could +prove an alibi. You see, the robbery was done before eleven o'clock +last night, because the clock that was knocked down when the thieves +were rummaging around in the store had been broken, and it stopped at +just a quarter to eleven. Even Chief Wambold agreed on that point." + +"Yes, and it was cleverly settled, I must say, Thad. But how about +Nick's alibi; would the Chief accept his mother's word, knowing that +the chances were Nick had slipped out of the house by a window when +she supposed him to be sound asleep in his bed?" + +"Oh! Nick had much better proof than that, Hugh. He demanded that +Chief Wambold call up old Deacon Joel Winslow, who, you know, is a +man much respected around Scranton, and keeps the blacksmith shop out +on the road to Allandale where it crosses the one leading to Keyport. +Yes, sir, and when the officer did so from Headquarters the +blacksmith weather prophet plainly told him Nick had been working +alongside himself from seven until a quarter-after-eleven the night +before!" + +Hugh laughed. It really seemed as though a load had been suddenly +taken off his chest. He had begun to fear lest his experiment might +have already met with its Waterloo. + +"I'm pleased to hear you say that, Thad, I certainly am," he +remarked, "And did our wonderful Chief conclude to hold Nick after +that?" + +"He wanted to, Hugh,--I could see that plain enough; but Nick +demanded that he be set at liberty. Say, you know I'm not much of an +admirer of Nick Lang, but he did bluff the tall Chief of Police good +and hard. He actually told him he'd sue him for damage to his +reputation if he dared to hold him when there wasn't a particle of +evidence connecting him with the robbery, except that once upon a +time he used to go with Leon Disney, as lots of other fellows did, +too." + +"Then he was let go free, I take it, from what you say, Thad?" + +"Oh! well, the police head said he knew very well Nick was in the +racket, even if he had covered his footsteps so cunningly; and even +fooled Deacon Winslow. He told Nick he'd parole him temporarily, but +that he might still consider himself as under arrest." + +"That must be a joke," chuckled Hugh. "It was silly on the part of +Chief Wambold. But then, of course, Nick has made him a whole lot of +trouble in the past. So only one fellow has been taken, and he +refuses to tell on his pal, does he?" + +"Absolutely, though the Chief says he means to put Leon through the +third degree, and force a confession from him. What does he mean by +that, Hugh? I've seen it mentioned in the papers lots of times." + +"I believe in cities like New York some of the detectives act roughly +with a suspected prisoner, and scare them into saying things. But a +clever head of police once on a time had a smarter way of getting a +confession than by rough-house tactics." + +"Yes? Tell me about it then," pleaded Thad. + +"When he had reason to believe several members of a gang were +implicated in a robbery, or other crime, he would have the weakest +arrested, and brought into his presence. Then, while the man sat +there nervously waiting for the dreaded ordeal of an interview and +looking out of a window, he would see one of his fellow gangsters +taken past in charge of several plain clothes men. Of course that +would give him a shock, and when the Chief turned and told him the +other fellow had already promised to make a confession in order to +save himself, the prisoner nearly always broke down, and told +everything to get in ahead." + +"Well, the last I saw of Chief Wambold," continued Thad, "he was +starting out to interview Deacon Winslow. You see, he believes the +old blacksmith must have meant ten-fifteen instead of eleven. That +would give Nick plenty of time to get back to town, so as to take +part in the robbery of the Emporium." + +Hugh rubbed his hands together after the manner of one whose mind was +completely satisfied. + +"I fancy he'll have all his trouble for his pains," he went on to say +calmly. + +"Meaning that the deacon will stick to his statement, and so clear +Nick of complicity in the crime--is that it, Hugh?" + +"We all know Deacon Winslow to be a reliable man," Hugh told him. +"He is accustomed to dealing in figures, and not inclined to make a +mistake about the time. I'd wager now he has something positive to +settle the matter of Nick's staying there, working at the forge, and +learning how to be a blacksmith, until exactly fifteen minutes after +eleven." + +"Well," said Thad, scratching his head as though still confused, +"things look pretty queer to me, and I hardly know what to believe +about that Nick Lang." + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +NOT GUILTY + +At that Hugh, having finished his work in connection with the care of +his tame pets, turned around and faced his chum. + +"On my part, Thad," he was saying, quietly but sincerely, "I'm +getting to be hopeful of Nick. I honestly believe that fellow has +seen a great light. I think he's made up his mind to turn over a new +leaf and redeem his rotten past. And I want to say here and now it's +up to every boy in Scranton High to treat him decently while he's +still fighting his old impulses of evil. I know I shall let him feel +I believe in him, until he does something to forfeit my esteem." + +"That's just like you, Hugh; and I guess the rest of us ought to be +ashamed to throw any stumbling block in the way of a chap who is +trying to get out of his old rut. But it passes my comprehension how +he can change, and play fair and square, when all his life he's been +so tricky and low-down mean." + +"As for that, lots of men who were once down in the gutter have +reformed, and proved giants in helping others to get up to +respectability again. Take that Jean Valjean we were talking about +the other day, who changed right-about-face, and became just as fine +a man as he was bad before. You don't suppose it all came in a +flash, do you?" + +"Why, no, of course not, Hugh. He was the lowest sort of a beast, as +pictured by Hugo, with the vilest ideas concerning human nature. +After he had that revelation, and saw the good priest actually tell a +lie in order to save him, he woke up, and, as you said, began +thinking for himself. Then the change came gradually, and he +determined to work to help those who were down and out like himself." + +"All right," said Hugh. "This case of Nick Lang is like this, in a +small way. But, Thad, do you feel like taking a walk this fine crisp +winter morning?" + +"Just for the exercise, or have you any scheme in your mind, Hugh?" + +"Both, I might say. The mile walk will do us good, and then we may +be able to satisfy ourselves about a few things. It is just half a +mile out to the cross-roads, and Deacon Winslow's house and smithy, +you know." + +Thad looked interested at once. + +"So, that's the way the wind blows, is it?" he remarked. "You want +to interview the deacon, too, as well as Chief Wambold?" + +"But not from the same motive, Thad. On the contrary, while he went +out to try and find a reason for believing Nick guilty, in spite of +his alibi, I mean only to ask a few questions that will clear up a +little point that is a bit muddled." + +"Perhaps I could guess what that is," said Thad quickly. "You're +puzzled to understand why Nick should have been out there on just +last night of all times, when any other would have done just as well. +How about that, Hugh?" + +"That's one of the things I'd like to have cleared up," Hugh +admitted. "Between us, Thad, I've got a pretty good notion Nick knew +about this contemplated raid on Kramer's store. Perhaps in times +past they may even have plotted such a thing, so as to get all the +cigarettes and candy they wanted for once. I even believe he was +refusing Leon and Tip Slavin, who were urging him to join in with +them, when I saw him shake his head and skate away yesterday." + +"Go on, Hugh, you've got me interested again; sure you have." + +"While Nick wouldn't think of betraying his former associates, from +whose company he had broken away, at the same time he was smart +enough to see he would be placed under suspicion. And he must have +arranged this alibi so as to prove his positive innocence. If that +turns out so, it shows Nick to be a wise one." + +Shortly afterwards the pair were trudging along the road outside the +corporation limits of the town of Scranton. It was some time before +the customary church hour, and they were almost certain to find the +old deacon at home, Hugh believed. + +On the way they met a car coming along the road. In it was Chief +Wambold. Scranton had advanced far enough toward the dignity of +cityhood to have an auto for the police force, since the Chief often +had to go to neighboring towns on matters of business, taking a +prisoner, or getting one to fetch back. + +He nodded to the boys as he shot past. + +"Doesn't look very amiable, does he?" muttered Thad. "So I rather +guess he didn't get much satisfaction from the old deacon. But he's +awful stubborn, is our efficient head of police; and if he can find +any way to put that business on Nick's shoulders he will, take my +word for it." + +Hugh only smiled as though he was not worrying about anything Chief +Wambold could accomplish. He had known the other to make several +"bone-plays" since coming to Scranton, and hence Hugh did not have a +very high opinion of the official's merits, though not doubting his +honesty of purpose at all. + +After a short time they arrived at the smithy. Deacon Winslow lived +close to his shop. He was a big man, with the proverbial muscles of +the blacksmith; and for many years he had been looked upon as a +pillar in the church he attended. + +Besides this he was reckoned a good man, who could always be counted +on to go out of his way to do a favor for anybody. The poor of +Scranton loved him better than they did anyone they knew. His acts +were often "hidden under a bushel," since he did not go around, as +Thad once said, "blowing his own horn, and advertising his goodness +as one would soft soap." + +Strange as it might seem, Deacon Winslow had taken quite a fancy to +Nick Lang, and possibly he was the only respectable man in all +Scranton who did. Perhaps he admired Nick's muscular build, and +believed he would make a fine smith, if the husky boy only took a +liking to the vocation of hammer and forge and anvil. + +Then again it was likely that the deacon, who was a shrewd old fellow +as well as good-natured and honest, saw deeper into that bad boy's +soul than ordinary people, judging from surface indications. Hugh +himself was inclined to believe this might be the case. + +Be that as it may, Nick had been known to go out there to the Winslow +shop occasionally after supper, and work alongside the old man for +hours at a time. Folks considered it only another odd fad on the +part of the deacon. They prophesied that he would sooner or later he +sorry for having anything to do with such a good-for-nothing +scapegrace as Nick Lang, who would not hesitate to play some nasty +practical joke on his benefactor when the notion seized him and he +had grown tired of bothering with blacksmithing. + +The deacon himself came to the door. He knew both lads, and asked +them to step in and sit with him before his cheery fire, as he had +half an hour on his hands before starting to church. + +Hugh plunged into the matter without waste of time. He told Deacon +Winslow how he had been reading that wonderful story of Jean Valjean; +and then what a strange freak of fate allowed him to play the same +part that the good priest had done. + +Step by step he carried it along, and Deacon Winslow appeared to be +deeply interested, if one could judge from the way he rubbed his +hands together, and nodded his head approvingly when he learned of +the motives that had influenced Hugh to act as he did. + +Even what had occurred on the ice on the preceding afternoon was +narrated, for, as Hugh explained, he believed it had a great deal to +do with the startling event that had stunned Scranton that same +Sunday morning. + +When he had finally ended with a profession of his belief in Nick's +innocence the old man once more nodded his head. His wise eyes shone +with a rare delight as he gazed at Hugh. The boy could not help +thinking that the good priest in the story must have been a whole lot +like old Deacon Winslow; who could believe wrong of no one, boy or +man, but was always finding some excuse for forgiving, even those who +deceived him in business transactions. + +"You have done well, my lad," said the old man warmly, patting Hugh +on the arm affectionately. "And rest assured Nick is entirely +innocent of this crime. I have become deeply interested in that boy. +He has had a bad name, it is true; but somehow I seemed to feel that +there were elements of great good in him, if only he could be brought +to book, and made to change his ways of life. He must have a new +viewpoint of human nature, to start with. I thought I might arouse +him through talking, and fatherly advice, but so far I could not see +success following my labors. But you have hit upon an ingenious +device, my boy, that promises wonderful results. We may yet make a +second Jean Valjean of the despised Nick Lang; and that would be an +achievement worthy of anyone." + +Hugh felt more than repaid for all he had done when he heard the old +deacon say this with such warmth. + +"There was one thing I wanted to learn, sir, if you don't mind +telling me," he went on to say. "It concerns his engagement to come +out here and help you last night. Were you expecting him? Was +Saturday night the one he generally took to come and help you get rid +of some of your extra work that couldn't be done in the daytime, for +all the horse-shoeing you have on your hands?" + +The deacon smiled, and Hugh really had his answer before the old man +even opened his lips. All the same he was pleased to hear him say: + +"Up to now it has always been on Monday night Nick came out. That +was more convenient for me, as a rule, and he accommodated himself to +my wishes. But yesterday afternoon he dropped in to see me here, +with his skates dangling across his shoulder, as if he had been +skating. He said he would like very much to come for that once on +Saturday night, instead of Monday; and that he had a good reason for +making the change, which meant a whole lot to him." + +"I see," remarked Hugh; "and it was clever of Nick. You agreed, of +course, sir, seeing that he was here?" + +"It made no particular difference to me," added the blacksmith, "and +I was glad to know the lad cared enough about the work to want to +make the change. So I told him to be along as usual about seven, as +I had a raft of work on hand that would keep us until well on after +eleven. As a fact, it was fifteen minutes after that hour when Nick +started for home." + +"You remember that positively then, sir,--the hour, I mean?" asked +Hugh. + +"Oh! I could swear to it," came the reply. "In the first place I +heard the town clock strike eleven, and counted the strokes myself, +remarking that we must shut up shop soon as it was getting close to +Sunday morning. Then as he was quitting Nick asked me again just +what time it was, and I consulted my reliable watch. I can see now +that possibly Nick had an object in impressing the time on my mind, +so I could say positively he was there at eleven, and after. I don't +like the idea of his having known about the intended robbery, and +keeping silent, but suppose he considered himself in honor bound to +his former chums." + +So their interview with Deacon Winslow proved a very enjoyable one +after all. Hugh felt he should like to know the big amiable +blacksmith better, for he had been drawn to him very much indeed. + +"And," he told Thad, as they trudged back along the road to town, +"the way things seem to be working, I'm more than ever encouraged to +keep on with my experiment." + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +TURNING A PAGE OF THE PAST + +"Do you know," mused Thad, as they continued on their way to town, +"the more I see of that blacksmith the better I like him. In my +opinion, he's a grand old man." + +"I was just going to say that myself," Hugh told him. "He makes me +think of the priest in the story. And they say he loves boys--all +boys." + +"You can't make him believe there's a boy living but who has +_something_ worth while in him," Thad advanced. "Sometimes it's hid +under a whole lot of trash, as Deacon Winslow calls it, and you've +got to search a heap before you strike gold; but if you only persist +you'll be rewarded." + +"His actions with regard to Nick prove that he practices what he +preaches, too," said Hugh. + +"Well, the old man went through a bitter experience many years ago," +Thad went on to say; "and he learned his lesson for life, he often +says." + +"Why, how's that, Thad? I've heard a great many things about +different people since we came to Scranton; but I don't remember +listening to what happened to the old deacon long ago." + +"Is that a fact, Hugh? Well, I'll have to tell you about it, then. +Once upon a time they had a boy, an only child; and, as happens in +some families where the parents are the finest kind of Christian +people, young Joel had a bad streak in his make-up. Oh! they say he +gave his father no end of trouble from time to time. And it wound up +in a row, with the boy doing something disgraceful, and running away +from home, nearly breaking his mother's heart." + +"Didn't he ever come bad again?" asked the interested listener. + +Thad shook his head in the negative. + +"They never looked on his face again, either living or dead," he +said. "Worse than that, they never even heard from him. It was as +if Joel had dropped out of sight that night when he left a line to +his mother saying he was going west to where they raised men, not +sissies. And so the years rolled around, and, they say, the old lady +even now sits looking into the sunset skies, dreaming that her Joel, +just as she remembered him, had sent word he was coming back to visit +them in their old age, and to ask forgiveness for his wrong-doing." + +Hugh was greatly moved by the sad tale, which, however, he knew could +be easily matched in every town of any size in the country; for it is +of common occurrence, with a multitude of sore hearts turning toward +that Great West. + +"That must have been how long ago, Thad?" he asked presently. + +"Let me see, I should think all of forty years; perhaps forty-five +would be closer to the mark, Hugh." + +"How sad," mused the other lad, with a shake of his head; "and to +think of that poor old lady, an invalid, you said, and confined to a +wheelchair, watching the sinking sun faithfully each evening as it +sets, still yearning for her boy to come back. It is a dream that +has become a part of her very existence. Why, even if young Joel had +lived he would now be over sixty years of age, but she never thinks +of him that way. The deacon, they say, is eighty-five, though you'd +never believe it to see his brawny muscles and healthy complexion." + +"You see," continued Thad, anxious that his chum should know +everything connected with the subject, now he was upon it, "the old +man often takes himself to task because he didn't understand boys as +he might have done, when younger. He believes he could have spared +his wife her great sorrow if he had only been more judicious, and won +the boy's confidence as well as his affection." + +"And that accounts for the deep interest he has felt in all boys ever +since," Hugh was saying reflectively; "especially those who seem to +have a streak of badness in them." + +"I suppose," Thad remarked, "it is his way of doing penance for what +he considers a fault of his earlier years. Sometimes I think I'd +just like to be able to follow up that chap when he ran away from +home, and learn what really did become of him." + +"He may have met with a sad fate out West, Thad; plenty of fellows +have gone out and been swallowed up in the whirlpool." + +"If, on the other end, he didn't, and lived for many years," +continued the other, "he must have been pretty tough not to write to +his poor old mother at least once in a while. I could never forgive +Joel for that. But they say he had an ugly nature, and was very +stubborn. Well, I'm glad the deacon has taken an interest in the +reformation of Nick Lang, even if I have my doubts about his meeting +with any sort of success." + +"Well, you may be a whole lot surprised one of these fine days, my +boy," Hugh smilingly told him. + +"The age of miracles has passed, Hugh," remarked Thad skeptically. + +"Not the miracles that are brought about by a complete change of +heart on the part of someone the world looks down on as a scamp," +Hugh persisted. "But you're one of those who want to be shown; I +reckon, Thad, your folks must have come from Missouri, didn't they?" + +"Wrong again, Hugh, because none of them ever saw the Mississippi, +though my grandfather fought through the Civil War, and was with +Grant when Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House. But I admit I +am a little stubborn, and prejudiced. It runs in the blood, I +suppose. The Stevens were always sort of pig-headed." + +"I've also heard considerable about the deacon as a weather seer, +Thad; how about that? Does he manage to hit it off occasionally, so +as to equal our forecaster at Washington, whose predictions come true +every now and then?" + +"Oh! the deacon has made that quite a fad," he was told by the +obliging Thad. "He doesn't confine himself to figuring out just what +sort of day we'll have to-morrow, or even for the coming week. He +looks ahead, and finds out from the signs of Nature what sort of +winter or summer we're going to have next,--cold, mild, hot, cool, +dry or rainy. And say, I've heard he hits it nearly every time." + +"Well, what did he say about this particular winter?" Hugh asked, +with renewed interest; for such subjects always gripped his +attention, because he believed some of these shrewd countrymen, who +watched the weather and observed what was going on all around them, +could tell better than any scientific gentleman what was liable to +come along during the succeeding seasons. + +"He predicted a severe winter," replied Thad promptly. "Some people +laughed at what he said, especially when Christmas came and went, and +so far we'd had precious little of cold. But it's come along at +last, and from all reports some of the most dreadful weather ever +known is happening away out in the Northwest right now." + +"And how does the old blacksmith get his ideas--from Nature, you +said, I believe, Thad?" + +"He studies the bark on the trees; the way the squirrels store the +nuts away; and how the caterpillars weave their cocoons. Oh! he has +a hundred different signs that he depends on before making up his +mind. I used to laugh when I heard him talking about it, but since +I've grown older I've decided that there may be a whole lot in that +sort of weather prediction." + +"I incline that same way," agreed Hugh. "Many of the little animals +of the woods are given a wonderful instinct that enables them to know +what to expect. Even bees that always lay by a certain amount of +honey for winter use, are said to stock up extra heavy on years when +a severe winter comes along. It must be a mighty interesting study, +I should think. Some time I mean to know the old deacon better, so +as to get posted on his vast store of knowledge along those lines." + +"His wife is rather feeble now," continued Thad. "She's a fine old +lady though, and as cheery as can be, considering all things." + +"But if, as you said, she has to move around in one of those +self-propelling wheel-chairs, how does she ever get her house-work +done, Thad?" + +"Oh! they have a girl in during the daytime," came the explanation; +"though Mrs. Winslow still mixes all the cakes and bread. And, say, +she does make the greatest crullers you ever tasted in your born +days. I know, because that couple are always sending things out to +houses where there are growing boys. Their world lies in boys only; +you never hear either of them say a thing about girls." + +Hugh could easily understand that. He had been in numerous homes +where there were only boys in the family; and the parents knew next +to nothing about the delight and constant anxiety of girls. + +"As I like crullers about the best of any sort of cakes," he +chuckled, "I think I'll have to cultivate the acquaintance of Mrs. +Winslow. Some time I may have the pleasure of tasting her famous +cooking that you rate so highly. But to turn to another subject, +Thad, have you heard any more reports about those Keyport High +fellows we expect to go up against next Saturday?" + +"Yes, I have, Hugh. Podge Huggins was over there two days back. He +saw them practicing on some thin ice over a pond, and he told, me +they were an exceptionally husky proposition. He also saw us work +yesterday afternoon in the scratch game, and when I asked him how we +compared with Keyport, why Podge wouldn't give me a straight answer; +but only grinned and turned the subject." + +"Evidently then Podge doesn't have the confidence in his school team +that he ought to feel," said Hugh, apparently not at all disturbed. +"Well, we have a whole week still for practice, and ought to keep on +improving. I'm hoping that Keyport may overdo it, which is always +possible." + +"You mean too much work will cause them to go stale; is that it, +Hugh?" + +"Physical directors and coaches are always on their guard against +that, Thad. The boat team is always strongest at a certain point. +If the race comes off when they attain that top-notch pinnacle, +they're apt to do their very best; but should it be delayed, by +weather or something else, the coach becomes alarmed, because he +knows there's a great chance of their losing speed from too much +nervous tension and overwork." + +From which talk it was evident that Hugh must have imbibed +considerable valuable knowledge from Mr. Leonard, who, as a college +man, ought to understand a thing or two concerning sporting matters. + +So the two chums continued to talk all the way back to town. Hugh +had picked up a whole lot of information by making the journey out to +the cross-roads. Somehow he seemed to feel drawn toward the old +blacksmith, who seemed to be such a sterling character. + +Hugh had met him in church circles and at sociables, but, not knowing +the tragedy that lay back in the deacon's younger life, he had so far +failed to cultivate his acquaintance. But he was now determined to +see more of Deacon Winslow, for he believed the weather prophet would +be able to tell him a host of interesting things about Nature's +storehouse, from which he had gleaned astonishing facts during many +years' study. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +OWEN DUGDALE'S ANNOUNCEMENT + +Another week of school had commenced, with winter now in full swing. + +The weather seemed to have settled down to show what it could do, +after such a long delay. It was making up for lost time, some of the +boys declared. But then it could hardly be too cold for fellows +warmly dressed, and who had their three hearty meals a day. The poor +might complain, because they suffered, especially when such spells +were prolonged. + +Deacon Winslow was seen in town more frequently than usual, he +leaving the work to the charge of his assistant for an hour or so at +a time. He always carried a big basket in his wagon or sleigh; and +those who knew his warm heart could easily understand that his visits +were wholly at homes where there was none too much in the way of +comforts and food. + +During the earlier days of the week the talk was pretty much of +winter sports. Ice hockey occupied a prominent place in the +conversations that were carried on wherever three or more Scranton +High fellows clustered, to kick their heels on the pavement, or sun +themselves while perched on the top of the campus fence that would go +down in history as the peer of the famous one at Yale. + +During afternoons the hockey players gathered at the park, and each +day saw them engaging in some sort of practice game,--their opponents +being such fellows as could be gathered together to constitute a fair +Seven. + +Hugh seemed satisfied with the progress made, and Mr. Leonard, too, +looked as if he felt well repaid for the trouble he was taking +showing them certain clever moves that might reward them in a +fiercely contested match. + +Meanwhile the mystery concerning that robbery at Paul Kramer's +Emporium had not yet been wholly solved. Leon Disney still +languished in the lock-up at Police Headquarters, his folks having +been unable to secure bail for him. They could not raise the amount +themselves, and somehow there seemed to be no person in the whole +community philanthropical enough to take chances with Leon, who was +reckoned an exceedingly slippery individual, who would most likely +run away before his trial came off, leaving his bondsman to "hold the +bag," as the boys called it. + +He was just as stubborn as ever in his denial of complicity in the +robbery. Leon doubtless believed that a lie well stuck to was bound +to raise up friends. There are always well disposed people whose +sympathies are apt to be aroused when they hear of a case like this. + +But Leon was not being held on circumstantial evidence. He had been +caught "with the goods on him." All that loot hidden under the old +barn on his place was positive proof of his guilt. Still he held +out, and declared himself the victim of some base plot calculated to +ruin his reputation; which was rather a queer thing for Leon to say, +since the only reputation he had in Scranton was for badness. + +Another thing was that he still declined to betray his pal, for +everyone felt positive he had had company when foraging through the +cases in Paul Kramer's establishment, taking such things as naturally +appeal to a boy's heart--candy, cigarettes, revolvers and sporting +goods. + +Chief Wambold suspected one boy from the start, after finding that +the former chief offender in these lines could prove a positive +alibi. This was the third of the bad lot, Tip Slavin. + +He had even gone to Tip's humble home and made a thorough search, +high and low, but without the least success. If Tip were guilty he +must have been smarter than his confederate, who had hidden his share +of the plunder under the loose boards of the floor of his folks' barn. + +Not having any evidence beyond suspicion the officer did not dare +arrest Tip, who continued to loaf about his customary corners and +look impudently at every fellow who stared meaningly at him when +passing. Hugh himself never once doubted the guilt of Tip Slavin; +though he fancied the authorities might have a hard time catching +him, unless the stubborn Leon at the last, finding himself on the way +to the Reform School, confessed, and implicated his companion. + +He and Thad were talking about that very same thing on Thursday +afternoon while on the way home from the park a little earlier than +usual. + +"Where do you think that sly Tip could have hidden the stuff, Hugh?" +Thad asked, continuing their conversation. + +"Oh! there would be plenty of places, and no one likely to ever run +across it, on one condition," replied the other. + +"What might that be?" demanded Thad. + +"If only Tip could himself keep away from his cache," he was told. +"That may be his undoing, after all. You know, when an ordinary +thief has done something big, and is being looked for, the smart +police always ask whether he has a wife or a sweetheart; because they +know that sooner or later he is bound to communicate with such a +person, and so a clue may be found to his hiding-place. Well, Tip's +heart will be located where his treasure is. He'll soon get a +_yearning_ to indulge in some of the candy and cigarettes he's got +hidden away." + +"Then if Chief Wambold knew his duty," snapped Thad vigorously, "he'd +keep tabs of Tip day and night, and shadow him wherever he went." + +"That would be his best move," agreed Hugh. + +"You ought to post the Chief on that same sort of clever job, Hugh." + +"Well, I did think of that," admitted the other boy, "but somehow I +hated to have a hand in railroading Tip to the Reformatory. It's +true he ought to be there, for he's a terror to the whole community; +but he's got a mother, Thad, and I'd hate to see her swollen eyes, +and remember that I'd had a hand in parting her from her boy. It +isn't as if I were paid for doing such things, as Chief Wambold is; +this is hardly any business of mine, you know, and I've concluded to +keep my hands off." + +"Well, now, somehow I don't just look at it the way you do, Hugh. +Perhaps I'm not quite so tender-hearted as you are. It may be the +best thing that ever happened to Tip if he is sent to the Reform +School before he plunges any deeper into the mire of crime. Plenty +of boys have become fine men after being sent there, to be taught +what it should have been the duty of their careless or incompetent +parents to put into their heads." + +"Do you mean that you might take a notion to drop a hint to the +Chief, Thad?" + +"I'll think it over, and decide later," the other told him. "Perhaps +I'll ask advice of Dominie Pettigrew, who's a good friend of mine, +and would tell me what my duty was, not only to Tip, but to the +community at large, which he had so flagrantly abused time and again." + +"Suit yourself about that, Thad. Perhaps, after all, you may be +right, and that it would be a good thing all around if Tip could be +sent away with Leon. But it's likely Leon will weaken when his trial +comes off, and betray his pal; though he may give Tip a hint +beforehand so he can clear out in time." + +"And about Nick Lang?" continued Thad. + +"I haven't changed my mind about him, as yet," Hugh replied sturdily +enough. "So far Nick seems to be minding his own business, and +having as little to do with other boys as possible. I heard Dr. +Carmack say he was astonished at the difference in Nick's work in +classes. He seemed particularly pleased, too, because, with all the +other teachers, he's had a hard time with Nick in the past." + +"But in all the days we've practiced our hockey work Nick hasn't once +joined the scrub team we've fought against. That's why we've been +able to lick them so easily, I guess, Hugh. That fellow certainly is +a wizard on runners, and would make a good addition to our Seven, if +by some chance he could be squeezed in. But one of the Regulars +would have to be dropped, and I think there would be some bad blood +shown if anyone had to give way to a fellow who's had such a bad +reputation in the past. Even now lots of people think he's only +shamming reform for some deep purpose." + +"Lots of people are due for a surprise, then, let me tell you," said +Hugh. "But, of course, just as you say, I wouldn't dare take any +fellow out as long as he was working his best, and substituting Nick. +It would raise a howl, to be sure. But, Thad, if the time should +ever come when we're up against a hard proposition, with defeat +staring us in the face, and one of our team was injured, I'd grab at +Nick like a drowning man does at a plank floating near." + +"One lucky thing happened for us, Hugh, anyhow." + +"You're referring to the toss of the coin that gave us the choice of +grounds for the game, and will force Keyport to journey over here on +Saturday, eh, Thad?" + +"Yes, that's what I had in mind. Captain Mossman seemed to be a +pretty fine sort of chap, too, I thought, when he dropped in on us +yesterday afternoon to look the place over; because it seems he's +never played before in Scranton." + +"Well, Scranton was hardly on the map until this year," Hugh laughed. +"However, some of our neighboring towns have already learned that +Scranton is alive and wide-awake." + +"Just what they have, Hugh, and there are other surprises coming for +them, too. I noticed that you cut out all play while the Keyport +chap was with us. Didn't want him to get a line on our methods, I +suppose?" + +"It might give them a little advantage, you see, and weaken our play. +Some of the Scranton boys have gone over to Keyport to see what's +doing there. They bring back great reports of the confidence shown +in the team; but Coach Leonard has positively forbidden any member of +our Seven to make the trip. He says it smacks too much of spying to +please him." + +"Oh! that's drawing the line pretty tight, Hugh. Lots of players in +the baseball world try their level best to get a line on a pitcher +who is going to oppose them, and consider it legitimate enough." + +"Well, they are professionals, to begin with," said the other; "and +business is business with them. But, right or wrong, there's going +to be no spying on our part, so long as Mr. Leonard has charge of the +athletic end of the game at Scranton. You can depend on that every +time." + +"There's Owen now; he wasn't at practice this afternoon, I wonder +why?" exclaimed Thad, as they sighted another boy coming toward them. +"He looks as if he might be bursting with some sort of news, Hugh. +Now I wonder what he's run up against." + +Owen quickly arrived. His face did have an eager look, and his eyes +were fairly dancing with some sort of emotion. + +"Hugh, I've got something to tell you!" he burst out with, at which +Thad shot a knowing glance toward his chum, which said as plain as +could be: "There, what did I say to you?" + +"All right, Owen, relieve yourself of the load right away, before you +burst," Hugh went on to advise, in his pleasant fashion. + +"It's about a certain chap who's under suspicion right now of having +been implicated in that breaking into the Kramer store and robbing +it." + +"Tip Slavin, you mean, Owen?" asked Hugh, looking interested at once. + +"Yes, no other, Hugh. Well, I've discovered beyond a shadow of a +doubt that he is the guilty partner of Leon Disney, just as everybody +suspected!" + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +AN ADVENTURE ON THE ROAD + +Thad gave utterance to an ejaculation, and then followed it up by +saying: + +"Well, now, I like that! After all, Hugh, I may not have to bother +giving the Chief that tip you mentioned, if Owen here has discovered +something big. Tell us about it, Owen, please; since you've got us +excited by your news." + +"I couldn't get over to practice this afternoon, Hugh, as of course +you noticed," the other commenced to say. "But it wasn't any fault +of mine, I give you my word. I had to do several things around the +house for mother. One of the pipes had frozen and had to be thawed +out. Then there were other jobs that kept me busy for an hour. +Finally, when I began to hope I might get down a short time before +you closed shop, she remembered an errand that would take me out on +the road leading to Hobson's Mill-Pond. I had to go to Farmer +Brown's for some butter and eggs." + +All this was said with such a lugubrious expression that Hugh had to +laugh. + +"It's plain to be seen you started on that walk feeling anything but +pleased, Owen," he went on to remark. "Of course you'd much rather +have been skating with the balance of the crowd over at our new rink. +Well, what happened?" + +"Just this, Hugh. I was well out of town, and walking briskly along, +thinking of the game we expect to win on Saturday, when someone +suddenly turned a bend ahead. I saw that it was a boy who was +smoking a cigarette like everything,--yes, Tip Slavin, if you please. +He discovered me at about the same second, and, say, you ought to +have seen how he flipped that coffin-nail thing from his lips, and +came on as bold as anything." + +Thad chuckled. + +"Huh! guess you got him dead to rights that time, Owen. Did you +accuse him of being a thief?" he asked hurriedly. + +"Well, hardly, because, you see, I wasn't begging for a fight; and +there's no doubt in the world that's what would have followed. But I +made out as if I hadn't noticed anything out of the way, and just +nodded careless like to Tip as we passed by." + +"I admire your way of grasping the situation," said Hugh +impressively, "because already I can guess you had some sort of +scheme in your mind to make use of your discovery." + +"Just what I did," chortled Owen. "I walked on, and turned the bend +he had come around. Then I crept back, and peeked, taking care he +didn't glimpse me. When I saw him stop as if deciding on something I +was disappointed, because I expected he meant to come back after it; +but then he seemed to think it not worth while, and later on passed +out of sight in the distance." + +"And then you hunted for the cigarette he had thrown away, I +suppose?" ventured Thad. + +"Oh! I'd noted the exact spot where he was at the time, and also on +which side of the road he'd tossed the stub; so I didn't have much +trouble about picking it up; after which I continued on my way. +Hugh, here it is." + +"With that Owen took something from his pocket, carefully wrapped in +the folds of his handkerchief. It turned out to be a half-smoked +cigarette. Hugh fastened his eyes instantly on some small printing +in blue ink, giving the name of the manufacturers down in Virginia. + +"It's the same make as those found under the Disney barn-floor," he +said impressively; "and that alone would be proof that Tip has a +cache somewhere back along the road to the mill-pond, perhaps in a +hollow tree in the woods. A clever police officer could easily find +it by following back Tip's trail, and learning just where he came out +of the woods. I myself happen to know his left shoe has a triangular +patch across the toe,--that would serve to identify the tracks +anywhere." + +"Listen to that, will you, Owen?" gasped the wondering Thad. "If my +chum here doesn't take up the line of an investigator of crime for a +livelihood believe me there'll be a great loss to the world. I +wonder now, Hugh, if you've got tabs on all the fellows, so that you +could tell who made any footprint in the mud?" + +Hugh only laughed as he went on to say: + +"It was just a mere accident that I knew that about Tip's mended +sole, and it might never happen again. But when Owen here told us +about a hidden cache I only gave you my opinion as to what would be +the easiest way to discover its location. But what will you do about +it, Owen,--let the Chief know of your discovery, or keep mum?" + +"Why, I look at it this way," said the other, with a line of +perplexity marked upon his usually smooth forehead; "if it was only a +_suspicion_ I might keep quiet, not wanting to injure Tip, though +I've got little cause to love the brute. But since I actually _know_ +something that would prove a valuable clue to the officers, I'm +afraid it would be what I've heard a lawyer call 'compounding a +felony' if I refused to inform on Tip. How about that, Hugh? I want +to do the right thing, even if I hate to be an informer." + +"It's up to you, Owen, and your duty is plain enough," said Hugh. + +"Then I ought to see the Chief, you mean?" asked the other. + +"I'd advise you to do so, for your future peace of mind, if nothing +else," Hugh told the hesitating boy, who thereupon drew a long +breath, and remarked: + +"I'm more than half sorry now I went back to look for this cigarette; +because only for my picking up such positive evidence I needn't get +into this nasty game. But I'm in now, and I'll have to shoulder my +share of the responsibility, I guess. So, while the thing is still +fresh in my mind, I'll trot around to Headquarters to wake up our +sleeping Chief. Things have come to a pretty pass here in Scranton +when boys have to lend a helping hand to the police force so as to +nab a petty thief." + +With that Owen left them. When he had a duty to perform, however +unpleasant it might be, Owen was accustomed to grappling with it, and +not compromising. + +Thad looked after the other and remarked: + +"How queer things do come about, Hugh. Just to think of Owen +discovering Tip sauntering along the road and smoking one of those +stolen cigarettes. Pretty cute of him, too, sneaking back and +hunting for the evidence. I suppose it'll wind up in Tip being +locked up with Leon, and eventually going to the Reform School." + +"Few people will be sorry," observed Hugh, although he felt a twinge +when his mind reverted to the mothers of the two boys. + +"I wonder what Nick thinks of it all," mused Thad. "He must realize +that he had a narrow squeak of it; because, only for that sudden +change of heart on his part, brought around by what you did about +those nickeled skates, he might have been in the cooler right now, +along with crafty Leon." + +As they had arrived at the point where their paths diverged, the two +chums separated. Hugh had returned home somewhat earlier than +customary, as he had something to do for his mother, just as Owen had +admitted was the cause of his absence from the ice that same +afternoon. + +Usually boys like to linger on the ice until long after the shades of +night have settled down and time for supper is perilously near. With +a jolly bonfire blazing on the bank, and the skaters going and coming +all the while, the prospect is so alluring that it is indeed +difficult for any lad to break away. And the father who has not +forgotten his own shortcomings of long ago is apt to wisely overlook +some such transgression of parental authority, when the ice beckons, +and, in spite of good intentions, all outdoors seems to grip a fellow +in fetters of steel. + +Some little time later Hugh might have been seen in a neighbor's +family sleigh heading out of town. There was plenty of snow for this +sort of thing, though the ice had been kept well cleared through the +use of brooms handled by many willing hands. The skating had not +been injured in the least, for they flooded the pond each night +afresh, giving it a glittering new surface by morning. + +Hugh had to go a couple of miles out. He, too, was bound for a farm, +to fetch back a sack of potatoes that his mother had purchased, and +which should have been delivered before then, only that the one horse +on the place had taken a notion to fall sick, and that rendered the +farmer helpless. + +It was already well on toward sunset when Hugh started out. He +expected to be overtaken by twilight before getting back home; but +that was a small matter, since he knew the road very well, and with +the snow on the ground it would not be really dark at any time. + +It was certainly bitter cold. Hugh wore warm gloves especially +suited for driving, or any purpose when the zero mark was approached +by the mercury in the tube of the thermometer. He also kept his ears +well muffled up by means of a toque of dark blue worsted, which he +wore under his ordinary cap. + +As he had on a heavy wool-lined pea-jacket that buttoned close up +under his chin the boy found nothing to complain about in that cold +atmosphere, for his blood coursed through his veins with all the +richness of healthy youth. + +"But all the same," he was telling himself, as he passed an humble +cottage where, through a dingy window, a lone lamp could be seen; and +some children gathered about the kitchen stove, "I'm thinking this +bracing weather that we boys have wanted to see so much, is pretty +hard on poor folks. The world is unevenly divided, as mother often +says; some have too much for their own good; and others far too +little for comfort." + +He presently arrived at his destination. The neighbor's horse, while +not at all fleet, was a steady goer, and Hugh had not allowed him to +"loaf on the job" so long as he could touch the whip to the animal's +broad back. + +The sack of potatoes was soon tucked away in the back part of the big +sleigh. He also bundled some extra coverings about it, which he had +brought along with him, to prevent any chance of the precious tubers +freezing. A basket, with some other things, was also stowed away in +the back of the vehicle; after which the boy said good-night to the +farmer, and started on his return trip. + +Hugh was about half-way home when something occurred to excite him +not a little, though at the time he did not even suspect what an +intimate relation it might have in connection with certain facts that +he and his chum had only recently been discussing at length. + +His horse suddenly gave a series of snorts, and at the same time +shied to one side as if startled. Hugh gripped the lines tighter, +and strained his eyes to see what was wrong, while, perhaps, his +heart did start to beating faster than ordinary, although he could +not be said to be alarmed in the least, only excited. + +A wavering figure started out toward him. Then Hugh discovered, +greatly to his surprise, that it was a woman, and that she held by +the hand a child of about five, a boy at that. + +She tried to speak to him, but seemed overcome with weakness, as +though she might have been trudging along until exhausted by want of +food and the severe cold. Hugh guessed that possibly the couple must +have come out of a side road he had passed a few hundred feet back, +for they were certainly not there when he went by on the way to the +farmer's place. + +He saw her stretch out her hand toward him, caught the feeble words, +"Help--my poor little boy!" and then, to Hugh's utter dismay, she +sank to the ground in a heap! + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE MYSTERY DEEPENS + +Fortunately, Hugh was a lad equal to any occasion. Of course, he had +never had an experience like this before; but somehow he seemed to +understand that the first, indeed, only thing to be done, was to get +the woman and child in the sleigh some way or other, and then make +for home at breakneck speed. + +So out he jumped, and, after considerable difficulty, managed to lift +the now unconscious woman into the sleigh. He had never realized +until then how like lead an inert person might seem, although not +heavy in reality, when possessed of life and animation. + +He tore the coverings off the sack of potatoes, and tucked them +eagerly about his charges; for he had also placed the little fellow, +now sobbing bitterly, under the possible impression that "mommy" was +dead, in the sleigh. As for the potatoes they could "go hang," as he +told himself under his breath; though, perhaps, they might not freeze +in the brief time he meant to be on the road now. + +In again Hugh jumped. Old Bill felt the whip come down this time in +deadly earnest, and actually jumped in his amazement. Hugh kept him +going at a mad pace. He was thrilled with the importance of getting +home as speedily as possible. The woman had looked so deathly white +that the boy was alarmed. And how he pitied the little chap who +cuddled against his side, still surging over now and then with his +grief, while Hugh drove along. + +They struck town, and people turned to stare upon seeing Hugh +whipping his horse so unmercifully. They could not understand it, +and rubbed their eyes. Surely that was Hugh Morgan in the sleigh, +but why should _he_ be pounding his horse, and half standing erect? +If it had been a fire chief going to a blaze he could hardly have +excited more comment. + +A boy who was walking briskly along the street with a package under +his arm came to a full stop, and stared as though he thought he had +taken leave of his seven senses. It was Thad Stevens, and no wonder +he was amazed, having recognised his chum in the frantic driver. + +Thad gave vent to a whistle to relieve his pent-up feelings. Then he +started on a gallop after Hugh. He could not rest easy until he had +learned just what might have happened to cause his usually collected +chum to act in this strange fashion. + +When he arrived at the Morgan home it was to find Hugh had landed the +child on the little porch in front of the door. This latter was +open, and his mother, together with the hired girl, stood there, +trying to comprehend what Hugh was saying. + +Thad came panting up, and was immediately seized upon by Hugh. + +"Great luck! Just in time to give me a helping hand, Thad!" cried +the other. + +"What with--the Murphies?" asked the astonished Thad; for he had +known Hugh expected to go out to the farm after a sack of potatoes. + +"Not this time," snapped the other; "it's a poor woman who fainted +from cold and exhaustion while she was trying to ask me the way +somewhere. That child is hers. Come, give me a hand, Thad, and +we'll carry her into the house. Mother says she must be put to bed +right away, and won't hear of my taking her over to the hospital." + +That aroused Thad, and between them the two stout lads had little +difficulty in carrying the still unconscious young woman into the +warm house. Up the stairs Mrs. Morgan and the girl led them, and +into the neat spare-room, reserved for favored company. + +Once she had been laid on the bed, after the blankets and coverings +had been turned down, and the little boy was being soothed by Hugh's +mother, she told the boys they could now go downstairs again, and she +would report later as to what next should be done. + +"First carry in the potatoes, Hugh, for they are too expensive this +season to let the frost get them," she went on to say, patting the +little fellow, whose tears had by now ceased to run down his chubby +cheeks; "then call up Doctor Cadmus, and tell him to come around +immediately. I'm sorry your father is away from home just now, but I +can depend on my son." + +The boys went out again and lugged the heavy sack of potatoes around +to the cellar door, by means of which they were taken in where they +would be safe from the bitter air of the winter. Then Thad was sent +around to the neighbor's with the horse and sleigh, while Hugh meant +to get the good physician on the wire, and hasten his coming on an +urgent call. + +"If Mr. Jones notices that old Bill is wheezing a bit, as if he'd had +a warm run of it, please explain how it happened, Thad. I wouldn't +like him, after all his kindness, to think I'd whip up his horse for +nothing, or just in a spirit of sport." + +As it was an hour when Doctor Cadmus was through with his day's +calls, Hugh had the good luck to hear the physician's voice on the +wire. + +"Mother wants you to come right over, Doctor!" Hugh told him. + +"Who's sick?" demanded the other, being very fond of all the Morgan +family; "not your good mother, I hope, Hugh?" + +"No, neither of us, Doctor," the boy continued. "I ran upon a young +woman and a small child when on the road after potatoes in Mr. Jones' +sleigh. She fainted dead away before she could tell me who she was, +or where she was going. I managed to get them both aboard, and +fetched them here. Mother has put her to bed; but she is afraid a +fever is coming on, and it worries her. You'll be here right away, +Doctor, won't you, please?" + +"As fast as I can get there, my son!" came the prompt reply. + +If there was a touch of pride in the voice one could not wonder at +it; for like a good many other people of Scranton Doctor Cadmus had +conceived a great liking for Hugh; and thought there had never been +another boy fashioned after his model, which, of course, was all +nonsense, as Hugh often protested indignantly when he heard any such +talk. + +Only a short time elapsed before the doctor and Thad reached the +front door at the same minute. + +"Wait for me in the library, Thad, if you don't mind being late for +your supper. Doctor, I'll show you the way upstairs," and with this +remark Hugh preceded the stout little physician up to the second +floor. + +As for Thad, he never once dreamed of "breaking away" at that most +interesting stage. Suppers occurred three hundred and sixty-five +times a year, with an extra one thrown in for good measure when +leap-year came around; but exciting events like the one happening to +Hugh were of rare occurrence. Catch him thinking of eating when +there was a chance right at his door to have a hand in a thrilling +drama that beat the "movies" all hollow! + +So Thad sat down. + +Hugh soon joined him. He was immediately pounced upon by his curious +chum, and plied with all manner of questions. By degrees Thad +"pumped him dry," and there was nothing more to tell. + +"We'll have to wait until she comes back to her senses," Hugh finally +remarked sagely, "before we'll be able to learn anything definite +about them, mother and the doctor both say." + +"And she's actually out of her head, is she, right now?" Thad +demanded. + +"Yes, and keeps on saying the same thing over and over, just as if it +might have been in her mind so much lately. She keeps on pleading +with someone she calls grandfather, and begging him not to put them +out of his heart and home, for little Joey's sake--it's always little +Joey she's worrying about and not herself. The doctor says she was +utterly exhausted by want of sustaining food, added to anxiety and +the exposure she had suffered." + +"But where could she have come from, Hugh? She has never been in +Scranton, you said that, and I never saw her before either. You told +me the little boy can only say his name is Joey Walters; and honest +to goodness, Hugh, there isn't a single family of that name in or +around this town that I ever heard of." + +"They've been trying to get some clues out of the little chap," +continued Hugh, "but without much success. All he's said so far is +that they've come ever so far, and that he liked riding on the cars +first-rate, only mommy cried so much and wouldn't eat every time he +did. From the way he talked they suspect that the young woman may +have come from the West somewhere." + +"She _is_ young then, Hugh?" + +"Yes, not over twenty-five or so, the doctor says, but frail-looking. +He thinks there is nothing serious the matter with her, only that +she's been underfed for a long time, and has suffered. Perhaps she's +denied herself proper food so as to save up enough money to make this +trip." + +Thad shook his head as if feeling sad over the happening; for the boy +had a tender heart. + +"Well, I certainly hope she'll be better tomorrow, and able to tell +something about herself," he went on to say, as he prepared to leave. +"And, Hugh, it was fine of your mother to refuse to let her be taken +over to the Scranton Hospital, when the doctor proposed such a thing." + +"My mother wouldn't hear of it," Hugh told him proudly. "Why, +already she's in love with that little chap, and he's enough of a +darling to make any woman with a heart want to mother him. Both of +us seem to think we may have seen him before somewhere; or else he +resembles someone we've known once on a time; but, so far, we can't +imagine who or where it was. But once she comes to her senses, +whether to-morrow, or some days afterwards, of course the truth will +be known." + +"And Hugh," said the other, with one of his smiles, "if you feel that +you can't wait for her to tell, suppose you start out to-morrow +afternoon and try to strike a clue on your own account. That +wonderful faculty you possess for investigating things ought to put +you on the track." + +"Perhaps I may, that is, if I have time to-morrow," chuckled Hugh; +"because, you know, we have our last practice at hockey before +meeting those Keyport experts." + +"You said you felt sure she must have come out of that side road near +where you met them," continued the persistent Thad. + +"Yes, but only because I hadn't seen them when going out to the +farm," his chum explained. "They may have come out of that road; and +then again it's barely possible they were trying to make a fire +somewhere among the trees to keep them from freezing." + +"By going along that same road, and inquiring at every house you came +to," Thad continued, "like as not you'd get word of them, if so be +they stopped to ask directions, or a warm cup of coffee. People +around here never refuse anyone who comes to their doors. Well, see +you in the morning then, Hugh. Good-night!" + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +A MOTHER'S SACRIFICE + +Friday afternoon had come, and the game at the park was over. +Although the scratch team organized by Mr. Leonard to oppose the +Regulars put up a strong fight, they were virtually "snowed under" by +the splendid playing of Hugh and his six comrades. + +The experienced coach seemed very well satisfied. He openly +complimented the lads after the contest had been carried to its +finish. + +"You are doing splendid work, fellows," he told them, with a look of +pride on his face; "and the way you played this afternoon was worthy +of any Montreal Seven that ever toured the East to show how they do +things up there in Canada at their favorite winter sport. And the +boys who fought tooth and nail to hold you back, I congratulate them +also; for they did excellent work. It was no disgrace to be beaten +in that game; few hockey teams could have held their own against such +fine play. Keep it up to-morrow, and there need be no doubt as to +who the winners will be." + +It can be easily understood that Hugh and Thad were feeling in a +particularly good humor then, as they started to walk to town after +the game, having an errand there before going home. + +"I haven't had a fair chance to say a word with you to-day, Hugh," +the latter broke out with, once they were alone; "and I'm awfully +anxious to hear how that poor young woman at your house is coming +along. Has she spoken yet, and told who she is, and where she came +from?" + +Hugh shook his head in the negative. + +"Never a word as yet, Thad. Fact is, Doctor Cadmus says she mustn't +be worried by questions for several days, possibly." + +"Then she's still wandering in her mind, is she, Hugh?" + +"Yes, and saying all sorts of things about her girlhood days, as well +as about her husband, who, mother thinks, must have come to his death +in some accident. She calls him Joey, too, just like the boy. It +must be a family name, we imagine. So mother is content to wait +until she is better, when she will tell all she wants us to know." + +"Then you didn't bother taking that wise tip I gave you, Hugh?" and +Thad's voice had a little ring of disappointment about it. + +"Oh! I was up early this morning, and, as the road out there seemed +so hard and firm, the snow being packed down solid, I just jumped on +my wheel, and took a little run up in that direction. It wasn't so +easy, once I struck in on that side road, but I managed to pedal +along somehow." + +"There are a number of houses on that road, I chance to know, Hugh; +the Simms live there, likewise the Thompsons and the Garrabrants." + +"I managed to reach those three houses," Hugh continued; "but it +didn't pay me, so far as results went, though I enjoyed the run all +right." + +"From that I imagine nobody had seen the woman and child yesterday +afternoon coming along that particular road, eh, Hugh?" + +"No one could remember having met or seen such a person," Hugh told +him; "and as strangers are uncommon in these parts they would surely +have noticed her if she passed their doors. So I came to the +conclusion, as I couldn't even find the marks of her shoes in the +snow along the road, that she must have come over from Belleville +way, and was in the woods at the time I first went by, which would +account for my not meeting her." + +"To change the subject, Hugh, I notice that Nick still fights shy of +the rest of the crowd these days. He was skating on the ice to-day; +but absolutely declined to take part in the game; though Mr. Leonard, +wanting to make the opposition as strong as possible so as to put us +to our best licks, went over and talked with him, trying to coax Nick +to join the line-up. What makes him act that way, Hugh? One would +think Nick'd be glad of the chance to play." + +"He would, Thad, he certainly would, because he enjoys hockey as much +as you or myself; but I reckon Nick, for the first time in all his +life, finds himself afflicted with shyness. You see, he knows people +don't, as a rule, believe in this sudden reformation. They can't +have any faith in a fellow who's fooled them so often before. And +that makes him want to keep away. Nick is fighting it out all by +himself. If we knew all the wonderful things that he's grappling +with these days I imagine we'd sympathize with the poor fellow, Thad." + +"Hugh, you may be right. Already I'm beginning to feel sorry for +saying some of the mean things I did when first we guessed Nick was +trying to turn over a new leaf. It must be terrible hard for a boy +who's always been bad to change around and face the other way." + +"Stop and think, Thad. Take the case of that Jean Valjean, for +instance. Now, he underwent a complete change of heart, and from +being a beast, hating humanity, he grew to love other people, and be +ready to sacrifice himself to save another. You remember how he +voluntarily gave himself up to the law in that courtroom scene, just +to save a miserable wretch who was about to be punished under the +belief that he was the genuine Jean Valjean." + +"Yes, but Hugh, he was unknown when he fought his battle, and won +out. Besides, he had the money he received for the silver the priest +gave him, with which to get a start in the world. But Nick here is +known, and people point their fingers at him with scorn, and talk +openly about his playing another of his pranks." + +"That was just what I had in mind when I spoke, Thad. Nick has the +harder row of the two to hoe. And if he wins out he'll deserve a lot +of praise, I tell you. But see who's coming along here in a rig, +will you?" + +"Why, it's good old Deacon Winslow, the blacksmith weather prophet; +and, Hugh, isn't he beckoning to us right now?" + +"Just what he is; let's cross over and see what he wants with us," +Hugh immediately went on to say; for, as has been intimated before in +these pages, he had come to feel a great interest in the brawny +smith, and wanted to cultivate a closer acquaintance with him; there +was something so genial, so wholesome about the owner of the +crossroads smithy. + +"Jump in and go along with me, lads," sang out Mr. Winslow, as they +came up. "I'm bound around to the home of Mrs. Disney on a little +errand; and, since you two are interested, I thought you might like +to help me explain to the poor woman that I want to go on her boy's +bail. It's a shame he has to stay in the lockup all this time, +waiting for his trial to come off." + +The chums exchanged quick looks. + +"How about it, do we go along, Hugh?" asked Thad. + +For answer the other hopped up alongside the deacon, and, of course, +Thad did likewise. Since the Disney home was not far away they were +quickly at the door, and knocking for admittance. + +Leon's mother answered the summons. She looked frightened at seeing +the huge bulk of the blacksmith there, and the two boys with him. +But no sooner had he spoken in his kindly fashion than the anxious +expression fled from her pale face. + +"Please excuse me for dropping in on you, Mrs. Disney," said the +deacon, after they had been ushered into the humble sitting-room, +where a wood-fire burned on the hearth; "but I just couldn't stand it +any longer. I want to stand bail for your boy, so you can have him +home again with you till his trial comes off." + +Leon's mother looked embarrassed. She twisted her apron in her +nervous fingers, and seemed very near the point of tears. + +"Oh! it's kind of you, Deacon Winslow, indeed it is!" she finally +exclaimed, as she looked up at the smiling, sympathetic big man; +"but, after all I think it is better that Leon remained where he is +though it almost breaks my heart to say it." + +Thad looked astonished, but Hugh nodded his head, as though he could +understand what was back of those words so strange for a mother to +speak. Deacon Winslow was also considerably surprised, it seemed. + +"But the bail bond is only for a thousand dollars, madam," he said; +"and I can afford to put that up for his appearance in court later." + +"Thank you again and again for your kindness to a poor woman, and a +mother, sir!" she exclaimed with a half-suppressed sob in her voice; +"but there does not seem to be any doubt about my boy's guilt, much +as I hate to acknowledge it. His association with that Lang boy has +been his ruin. And he would be likely to run away, to try and escape +his just punishment, so that the bail bond would be forfeited." + +"But even so it wouldn't ruin me, Mrs. Disney," continued the deacon; +"and I hate to think of you sitting here, and crying your eyes out +because he is locked up." + +She looked straight at him then, as she went on to say bravely: + +"But, sir, I am thinking of what will eventually become of my boy. +If he runs away now he will sink lower and lower, until he commits +some terrible crime, it may be. But Dominie Pettigrew tells me that +if he goes to the Reform School there is a chance that he may come +out later on completely changed in heart, and ready to play his +honest part in the world. No, I have thought it all over, and prayed +to be led to do what is best for my Leon. I cannot accept your +offer, though you mean it in all kindness. For his sake I will wait +until his time has expired, and continue to hope it may be the making +of my poor boy." + +Deacon Winslow did not attempt to urge her. Indeed, he could hardly +say anything, for he was half choking with emotion. But he squeezed +her hand, and gave her a look that must have carried some comfort to +her poor distracted heart. + +Once outside, the boys shook hands with the big man. Hugh was +feeling more drawn towards him than ever. + +"I'm coming out to visit you soon, Deacon," he told the other; "I +want to know you better. There are a lot of things I mean to ask you +about the habits of those little animals from which you get your +hints about the weather; and you told me to drop in any time I felt +like it, you remember." + +"You'll be doubly welcome, both of you, lads!" the big blacksmith +assured Hugh, as he drove away, more or less disappointed because his +little plan to assist a sorrow-stricken mother had fallen through. + +"Say, his heart must be as big as a bushel-basket, Hugh," admitted +Thad, as they walked along, heading for the open square in the center +of the town. + +Two minutes later and Thad gave vent to an ejaculation. + +"It's all up now, Hugh!" he said, in a half-disappointed tone. + +"What is?" demanded his comrade wonderingly. + +"The Chief has arrested Tip Slavin, I mean. He must have heard what +Owen Dugdale had to say about meeting Tip Slavin smoking a cigarette +on the road to the mill-pond, and set a trap for him. He's just +stopped his big car in front of Headquarters, and one of his men is +lifting out a load of stuff, doubtless the plunder Tip cached in the +woods up there. And the Chief has his hand on Tip's shoulder as they +get out. I notice that Tip has lost his arrogant look, and seems +badly scared, too!" + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +TIP SATISFIES HIS CRAVING--AND LOSES + +"Let's step over and see how it happened, Hugh!" + +As Hugh himself was not averse to picking up some information along +that same line, the two chums entered the station-house just after +the Chief and his man. The latter officer had placed the large +package done up in a burlap bag on the floor. He was grinning, as +though considerably pleased with the final results of the raid. +Chief Wambold, too, was indulging in a smile as the boys entered; he +even winked one eye at Thad, as though in a particularly good humor. + +But there was one person present who did not seem to be in a happy +frame of mind. That was Tip. He looked "in the dumps," as Thad +expressed it; and on seeing the boys enter dropped his chin upon his +breast in shame. All the bravado was gone from his demeanor now; he +knew that with that evidence against him he was headed for the House +of Refuge on a fast train. + +The man took him through a door into another room, the Chief's +private office. From this Hugh guessed that Tip was about to be +questioned at length, in the hope of his possibly implicating still a +third party in the theft. + +"So you found his secret cache, did you, Chief?" remarked Thad +boldly. "When Owen Dugdale left us he said he was going straight to +you, to tell about meeting Tip on the road smoking a cigarette; and +he showed us that it bore the same trademark as those stolen from +Paul Kramer's place." + +Thad went into detail so as to let the tall Chief understand they +already knew all about the discovery, and had been told, in fact, +even before he was. + +"Yes, we took a hunt up there in the woods this morning," explained +the other, with a broad smile; "and ran across some tracks that +looked like Tip's. When we followed the trail it led us direct to a +big tree that was hollow; and inside the cavity lay that bundle, +wrapped in a burlap sack. It was almost too easy. An experienced +crook would never have committed such a blunder, and left so plain a +trail. Why, it looked as if we were being taken by the hand and led +there." + +"But I guess you didn't carry away the stuff right then, did you, +Chief?" Thad went on to say, a wise look on his face. + +"Hardly, son, hardly," replied the other, with a gesture of his +hands. "That would have been too silly for anything. What we did +was to back away, and cover our own footprints as well as we could. +Then we hid to await developments. I left my man up there while I +came back to town to conduct my business. Later in the day I once +more joined him. I expected the boy might be getting hungry for a +smoke about the same time Owen met him on the road. Well, he came, +and we pounced down on him just when he had opened the pack, and was +lighting a weed with his trembling, tobacco-stained fingers; because, +just like Leon Disney, and that slick Nick Lang, Tip is a confirmed +cigarette fiend, you know." + +"Well, for one, Nick has cut the habit out, Chief, I happen to know, +for he told me so," Hugh ventured to say. + +The big police officer sneered, as though he refused to believe there +could any good come out of the boy who bore that detested name of +Nick Lang. During the whole of the time he occupied his present +exalted position, Chief Wambold had been plagued by the pranks of +Nick and his cronies; and, in spite of all his efforts, up to now he +had been unable to fasten anything serious upon them, although he +gave them credit for every piece of maliciousness practiced in +Scranton during that period. + +"Well, perhaps some people may believe Nick didn't have a hand in +this outrage," he went on to say, "but I'll never think otherwise +than that it was his genius for organizing raids that was responsible +for the robbery. At the least, he may have changed his mind, seeing +things getting too warm in police circles here. But never forget to +keep one eye open when dealing with such a slippery customer, for his +repentance is only skin-deep at the best." + +Hugh made no reply. He knew it would have been utterly useless, +because the Chief was not only a very stubborn man, but inclined to +be a narrow-minded one in the bargain. So he and Thad walked out. +The last they heard the officer call after them was: + +"Make up your minds, boys, Scranton is going to be purged now as +never before. We've made a good beginning, and it'll be pretty +unhealthy for anybody to start a racket from now on. Tip and Leon +will be going to the Reform School inside of a few days, after +they've had their trial before the Justice; and the town will be well +rid of a pair of scapegraces. And thank you for what assistance you +may have given us, boys." + +As they walked along Thad vented his feelings in the matter. + +"It looks as if that episode might be called closed, eh, Hugh? The +evidence is so powerfully strong that neither of the boys can put up +anything like a half-way decent defense. They're going to be sent +away, and we'll not be bothered with the bunch again. With Nick on +the mourners' bench, the old town is going to be pretty orderly for a +while, until some fresh spirits break loose." + +"Let's hope it may be a long time before Nick has a successor," said +Hugh. "This whole thing is going to be a lesson to such fellows as +were inclined to run around with the street gangs, and play practical +jokes nights." + +"I notice one thing," remarked Thad, "which is that some of those +fellows who used to loaf on the street corners in summer are now +coming to the club-house at the baseball park, now it's opened three +nights a week. The only trouble is they haven't got half enough +magazines and games there to go around, so many visit the big room to +get in out of the cold these nights." + +"That is going to be remedied before long," Hugh told him. "Some of +the men of the town, and Deacon Winslow heads the list, I understand, +have arranged to spend a lot more money on certain improvements; and +among other things there will be a pretty fair gymnasium, as well as +more reading matter of the right sort for boys." + +"Now, that's news to me, Hugh!" exclaimed the delighted Thad; "queer +that I hadn't heard a word about it before. But then you get wind of +everything that's going on. Folks think they ought to ask your +advice on all sorts of subjects. That's what it means to be the most +popular boy in a town." + +Hugh laughed. + +"Thanks for the compliment, Thad," he said; "but just think of the +weight of responsibility I have to stagger under, even as the captain +of the Scranton Seven. Why, everybody stops me on the street, and +asks the most remarkable questions. They seem to think I'm gifted +with prophetic vision. They ask me to tell them just how badly we're +going to whip Keyport to-morrow morning, and lots of other things +that I know no more about than a baby might." + +"Well, have you decided to give up trying to learn where the woman +with the little child came from?" asked Thad, again switching the +subject in an abrupt fashion he had. + +"Oh! I don't know whether it will pay me to go out again, and try to +trace her back to Belleville, or some such place," said Hugh. +"Doctor Cadmus assured my mother she would certainly be in her +rational mind inside of two days at the longest. So I reckon I had +better lie on my oars, and wait. I've got plenty to bother about, as +it is, with that hot game coming off in the morning." + +"Perhaps you're wise about that, Hugh. I know I'm a lot too +impatient by half, and can't bear to wait for things to come to me. +That's why I always stepped out to meet the ball when at bat; and I +often caught it before the break came to make it a sharp drop." + +"Mother says she thinks her full name is Judith Walters, though, as +far as we know now, that doesn't help any. Still, if she didn't +recover, it might assist in finding her family, so they could take +the boy. He's a fine little chap, and I've already made great +friends with him." + +"You say she keeps on speaking to someone she calls grandfather, who +seems likely to turn them both out of the house?" Thad persisted, as +though he might be trying to figure something out. + +"Yes, and so we take it for granted there must be some sort of a +pitiful family tragedy about the whole affair," Hugh told him. +"Mother suspects she may have married some years ago against her +grandfather's will; and, losing her husband suddenly through +accident, she is now on her way back, to plead with a hard-hearted +old man for a place under his roof. But as you say there's no family +named Walters near here, and we certainly don't know of any girl +leaving her home that way." + +"The chances are," Thad said decisively, "that she was meaning to +pass through Scranton, and was heading for some other town, perhaps +Allandale. You might find out if any such thing happened there some +years ago; or if an old man could be found who would welcome a dear +little boy named Joey." + +The subject being exhausted for the time being, the boys talked of +something else until they finally separated, each heading for his own +particular supper table. + +Of course, the news of Tip's arrest was soon known all over town. +Most people had anticipated such an event, and professed not to be in +the least surprised to hear about it. Nevertheless, the clever +device of Chief Wambold, which he took care should be passed from lip +to lip, so as to add to his popularity, was highly commended. + +And there never was a time when Scranton passed a more peaceful night +than on that occasion. Already great good was coming of the breaking +up of the vicious gang that had held sway much too long. With two of +the members locked up, being just as good as on their way to the +Reform School, and the leader forsaking his former evil practices, it +looked as though the police force of Scranton would soon become fat +and lazy through lack of activity. + +Hugh did not go out that evening. He was tired, and wished to +conserve his energies so as to be in first-class trim for that lively +morning brush with Keyport's Big Seven. + +So he spent considerable time playing with little Joey; and, being +still hopeful of learning something that would afford a clue to the +mysterious past of the boy's young mother, Hugh often plied him with +questions. + +But his success was hardly flattering to his acumen, for the little +fellow could not tell him anything that would be of material help. +Hugh guessed that they had once been out in some mining country, from +certain things the boy chanced to mention. He also had reason to +believe the father had come to his death through such a catastrophe +as so often happens in the mines; for the boy spoke of many families +losing those they loved when "poppy" was buried in the cold ground. + +It was slow work, and anyone less tenacious than Hugh might have +given up all hope of making a discovery. He believed, however, that +if no other way arose by means of which they could find out what they +sought, some time or other Joey was apt to let fall a word that might +lead to discoveries. + +The doctor came before bedtime, and said his patient was getting +along nicely. + +"Given one more day, and possibly by Sunday she may come into her +senses again," he told them before leaving. "And then she can thank +you, madam, for all your kind heart has done for her. But that +little boy is a sunbeam for any house. I have half a mind to steal +him myself." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE LIVELY GAME WITH KEYPORT'S SEVEN + +Many a fellow in Scranton felt blue early on Saturday morning, when, +jumping from his warm bed, and hastening over to a window, he looked +out to discover a few flakes of snow lazily drifting earthwards. + +The gloomy sky seemed to be in fit condition for a heavy snowfall, +that would put the hockey game with Keyport entirely out of the +question. + +By the time breakfast was ready, however, these fugitive snowflakes +had ceased falling entirely, and, shortly afterwards, the bright sun +broke out, lifting the load from myriads of enthusiastic young hearts. + +After all, it turned out a perfectly glorious winter's day, the air +being keen, but with little wind to mar the work of the contenders on +the icy rink. + +Along about nine in the morning people began to gather at the park, +paying for seats in the grandstand. Everybody was as warmly clad as +possible, since it is no joke to sit for an hour or two, with the +thermometer registering half-way down to zero. + +As before, one-half of the enclosed area was shut off from the +general public, in order to afford the | hockey players the benefit +of the new ice. Of course, it had been flooded on the preceding +night, after the last skater had left, and this caused a splendid +surface to congeal. + +Boys and girls came flocking to the place. Many bore skates, but +there were others who only wished to witness the contest between the +two rival high-school teams, as scheduled for that morning. There +were hosts of other people present also; and already cars and +conveyances of every description were arriving from Keyport, +Allandale, Belleville, and such places, filled with eager +enthusiasts, who loved a good hockey game above all sports, and would +journey far afield in order to be present when one was to be played. + +Shortly afterwards some of the Scranton players appeared on the +enclosed area. Their coming was greeted with all sorts of cries, +meant, for the most part, as encouragement, and expressing a firm +belief in their ability to win out. + +"We're pinning our faith on you boys. Dugdale, remember!" cried one +fellow. + +"Don't let them get too big a start on you, because they're terrible +fighters, once they get a lead!" came from another, who, having lived +in Keyport, was supposed to know the characteristics of the boys on +that team. + +"And, Hobson, always remember that it's the longest pole that knocks +the persimmons!" whooped a third fellow student. + +Thad and Hugh were sitting on a low bench, adjusting their skates +leisurely, and listening in an amused way to much of this friendly +badinage. + +"The boys are certainly wanting to win this game, Hugh," chuckled +Thad. "Makes me think of some of the warm sessions we had last +summer in baseball contests with Allandale and Belleville. ["_The +Chums of Scranton High in the Three-Town League_."] + +"It seems as if Scranton boys and girls have developed a voracious +appetite for every kind of out-door sport lately," Hugh went on to +say. "Did you hear what the committee in charge of the grounds here +intends to do next week?" + +"Haven't heard a whisper so far, Hugh; so give me the news," pleaded +the other. + +"Why, you know the fellows have been building bonfires here at +night-times when skating. It was all very fine, but there seemed to +be considerable worry about the new high fence taking fire and +burning during the night. So they've concluded to run wires across +from side to side, and string electric lights for use on dark nights, +but only when the skating is good." + +Thad looked pleased. + +"Why, that's a boss idea; who suggested it, Hugh?" he demanded. + +"Oh! somebody just happened to think of it, and the committee agreed +it was a good scheme," returned Hugh; but something about his manner +told Thad the truth. + +"Huh! I can give a pretty good guess who that smart chap is; but +don't bother trying to deny it, Hugh. The only bad thing about it in +my mind is that we'll miss those jolly fires. It's always been so +fine to skate up and stand before one, to get warm, and hear the +flames crackle, while the girl you're skating with sits on a log, or +something like that, to warm her feet." + +"Oh! well, when you want the romantic side of night-skating, Thad, +you'll have to go out to Hobson's mill-pond, like you say you used to +do. There, with plenty of wood handy, you can have the biggest fire +you feel like making. Here, so close to town, we have to get our +light in a more modern way. Now, I reckon I'm ready for any sort of +a scrimmage that comes along." + +A shout presently announced that the boys from Keyport had arrived in +a big car of the "rubber-neck" variety, with five seats across; and +used for sight-seeing purposes, or any excursion where a dozen or +twenty wished to go in a crowd. + +A little later the fellows came on the ice in a body, with their +distinguishing jerseys. They appeared to be an exceedingly lively +bunch, and were soon spinning about, displaying a nimbleness that +excited apprehensions in many a loyal Scranton heart. + +As boys need little introduction, the opposing players quickly +intermingled, and seemed on the best of terms. Captain Mossman and +Hugh paired off, to talk over matters connected with the game. They +were soon joined by Mr. Leonard, and several gentlemen, some from +Keyport, others hailing from Allandale and Belleville. + +It was soon decided that the officials should be chosen as far as +possible from neutral territory. There were to be a referee, an +assistant referee, two goal umpires, as many timekeepers, and a pair +of penalty timekeepers. + +Fortunately, Allandale and its sister town had quite a quota of +former college players and gentlemen who had been members of famous +hockey clubs in Canada and elsewhere when younger. They had kept in +touch with the progress of events, so that they were eminently +qualified to act in the various capacities to which they were now +assigned by Mr. Leonard and the coach of the Keyport Seven. + +Hugh kept looking around from time to time. He wished to be posted +as to what other promising players connected with Scranton High were +on the ice, so that in case of necessity he could call on one of them +to take the place of an injured Scranton boy. + +And when he finally noted that Nick Lang had arrived, and was on his +skates, somehow Hugh seemed relieved. Deep down in his heart he +believed that should he have occasion to replace a player, as the +rules allowed, on account of serious injury, which is about the only +excuse for such a thing, Nick would be his first choice. + +He wished now he had spoken to Nick about it, so that he could depend +on his remaining throughout the game. There was not another fellow +who would be of such great benefit to Scranton as the boy now wearing +Hugh's old hockey skates. But it was too late to think of seeking +him out, for the game was about to be called. + +When the rival teams faced each other, and listened to the last +instructions of the head referee, they were found to line up as +follows: + + + _Scranton High_ _Position_ _Keyport_ + Stevens .......... Goal ............ Kellogg + Hobson ........... Point ........... Ackerson + Danvers .......... Cover Point ..... Bell + Smith ............ Right End ....... Elly + Dugdale .......... Center .......... Braxton + Juggins .......... Left End ........ Mossman + Morgan ........... Rover ........... Jackson + + +Hugh faced Mossman when the puck was dropped on the ice, and play +began. There was a furious scramble, but Hugh came out of it +first-best, for he bore away the little elusive rubber disc, and +managed to carry it some distance down toward Keyport's goal before +losing control. Then the fun became fast and furious, indeed. Those +agile skaters whirled back and forth across the smooth ice with every +imaginable turn and twist. + +Clever plays were continually occurring on either side, and these +were greeted with outbursts of enthusiastic cheering. + +The crowd really seemed very impartial and sportsmanlike, considering +that possibly four-fifths of it represented the local team, and might +be supposed to feel prejudiced in their favor. They shouted +themselves fairly hoarse over a brilliant dash on the part of Captain +Mossman, whereby he outwitted his opponents, and, despite all Thad's +efforts to block the play, shot the puck home in the cage for the +first well-won goal of the game. + +Later on Owen Dugdale repeated the performance in almost as masterly +a manner. The applause was, if anything, a shade more uproarous. +Now the game went on evenly, with a goal apiece; but Keyport was out +for scoring and would not be denied; so, in a hurry, they pushed the +fighting down on Scranton territory, and put another goal to their +credit, though three times did Thad balk the effort before it was +accomplished. + +When the first twenty minutes had expired the score was six to five. +Keyport was ahead, but the margin was so small that no one despaired. + +After the intermission they went at it once more, "hammer-and-tongs." +Thus far no one had been injured seriously enough to more than delay +the game a few minutes, and, before the fatal seven had expired, the +fellow who had been hurt was able to take his place in the line; so +no substitutes were called on. Hugh was glad of this, though he +frequently shot a quick glance around to see if Nick Lang still hung +about; which he certainly did, being deeply interested in the game. + +The second half was even more fiercely contested than the previous +one had been. Scranton rallied behind Hugh, and put up a savage +attack that carried them up a couple of pegs, the score then standing +eight to seven; but after a bit Keyport came back and tied it again. +So it remained until the limit of the game approached perilously +near, and it seemed as though an extension of time would have to be +granted, as the rules allowed. But at the last minute, Hugh himself +carried out a daring steal of the puck; and, before the opposing +players could block him, shot it into their net for the winning score. + +Before the players could get in position again, and the puck be +faced, the whistle of the referee declared the game over, with +Scranton a bare winner. + +The Keyport players were plainly greatly chagrined, but they proved +game losers, and had not a fault to find, shaking hands cheerfully +with their late opponents, and expressing a hope that a return match +could be arranged on their rink at some date not far in the future. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +ENCOURAGING NICK + +It was well on toward noon when Hugh, tired of skating for one day, +started homeward. For a wonder he walked by himself, something Hugh +seldom had happen; for if his chum Thad Stevens was not at his side, +some other fellow, possibly several, would be sure to hurry so as to +catch up with him. + +But Thad had been compelled to go home an hour before on some +account, his folks having certain plans that forced him to accompany +them immediately after lunch. + +Hugh was feeling a bit tired, but in good spirits, nevertheless, +because of the clever victory his team had won, in which he had borne +his part consistently. It always gives a boy a warm sensation around +the region of his heart to realize that he has not failed those who +put their faith in his ability. How many can look back with a +feeling of pride to that "great day" when it was their home-run +drive, or whistling three-bagger that pulled the home team out of a +slump, and started a batting-bee that, eventually, won the game? +Those days are marked with a red letter in the pages of memory. + +When part way to town, for the athletic grounds lay outside the +limits of Scranton, though not far away, Hugh suddenly discovered a +familiar figure just ahead of him, which, somehow, he had not noticed +up to then. It was Nick Lang. He had his skates dangling over his +shoulder by a strap, and Hugh could actually catch his whistle as he +strode along. + +Somehow this told him Nick was feeling in higher spirits than had +lately been the case. Perhaps he was beginning to feel a new +confidence in himself, Hugh suspected. In the beginning Nick must +have seriously doubted his ability to, as some of the boys would have +called it, "come across, and deliver the goods," when he set out to +reform his ways. + +He had now been keeping up the pace for more than a week. It was +gradually growing easier, too, the further he went along the +unfamiliar road. People did not sneer quite so much at him as in the +beginning. Some even ventured to give him a half-friendly nod when +they chanced to meet. + +And so for the first time perhaps since that day when he made up his +mind, Nick was unconsciously whistling as he walked along, his +thoughts busy with matters connected with his set purpose. + +Obeying an impulse Hugh quickened his pace. + +"Oh, Nick! Hold on a minute, will you?" he called out. + +On turning his head quickly and seeing who it was, Nick stopped short +in his tracks. He was looking a little confused, yet not displeased, +when Hugh reached him. + +Hugh thrust out his hand, and, of course, Nick had to accept it, +though he did look a little awkward, because this was a new +experience with him. Still, he gave Hugh's digits a fierce squeeze +that might be taken as an index to his feelings toward his one-time +hated enemy. + +"I've been wanting to have a little chat with you for some time, +Nick," the other hastened to say; "but somehow every chance I got +something would interfere, and the best I could do was to wave my +hand, or give you a nod. Now this morning, just as I started to +skate through the crowd to say something important to you, the coach +called me back and said they were ready to start play. Do you know +what it was I meant to ask of you this morning, Nick?" + +Nick looked puzzled and curious also. + +"I might guess it in a week, Hugh," he said, grinning; "but not right +away. You see, I ain't used to having _anybody_ ask things of me. +It's generally been a scowl, and a suspicious look, as if they +thought I mean to play a trick on 'em if they so much as turned their +heads on me. But then that's just what I used to do often enough; so +I oughtn't to complain. What did you want with me, Hugh?" + +"I was going to ask you to stand by during the entire game, because, +in case one of my players was hurt so badly that he'd have to be +dropped out, rather than cut both sides down to six, I meant to put +you in as substitute, no matter what position had to be filled." + +Nick caught his breath. His face flushed, and a glow appeared in his +eyes. That expression of confidence shown in Hugh's words filled his +aching heart with new encouragement. Hugh could see the muscles of +his cheeks working, as though he found it difficult to control his +emotions. Then Nick spoke. + +"That was mighty kind in you, Hugh, to think of me," he said, with +just a suspicious quiver to his voice. "I'd sure liked to have +played in that game; but do you think it'd have been wise to have +picked _me_ for a substitute when there were plenty of other fellows +on the ice competent to take the place?" + +"Not one able to fill your shoes, Nick, and they know it," asserted +Hugh stoutly. + +"But then if you'd done that there'd sure have been a howl raised +later on by lots of folks who still have it in for me because of the +past," urged Nick, though it could be easily seen that he felt +particularly pleased by what the captain of the Scranton High Seven +had just told him. + +"Let them howl," Hugh went on to say. "There never yet was a fellow +who nobly redeemed his past but what a bunch of wolves set up a howl +on his heels. Don't you pay any attention to those fellows, Nick. +Stick to your game through thick and thin. Every day you go on as +you have been doing you win fresh friends. Even Mr. Leonard, who +used to fairly detest you, is now singing your praises; and Dr. +Carmack told me he was pinning his faith on you. He's a long-headed +man, Nick, a very far-seeing man, who knows boys and is not easily +deceived. He believes in you; so do I, and a lot of other fellows. +You're going to make good, and I know it." + +"Well, I'm going to keep on fighting, that's all I can say, Hugh," +replied Nick grimly. "I'll get there, or bust the biler trying. But +sometimes I have an awful time with myself, just because I can't +wholly believe folks will respect a chap who's done as many mean +things as I have in the past." + +"You must put that out of your mind, Nick," urged the other. "Why, +don't you think I'd have ten times as much respect for the fellow +who's been down, and climbs up again through his own will-power, than +for the one who's always been shielded from temptation, and never +really proved what he had in him? Nine-tenths of the fellows who +walk along so straight are kept on that road because they happen to +have wise parents to watch over them; and they were never given an +overpowering appetite to do wrong things." + +Nick drew a long breath. His eyes glistened again, and perhaps with +something besides the animation that Hugh's kind and encouraging +words kindled within his soul. + +"You see," he went on to say, presently, when he could control his +voice, "I always did like to run smack up against a hard proposition. +It's in my nature to want a good fight, and I reckon I've got it this +time. But I'm a whole lot stubborn, too, Hugh, as likely you've +learned; and I don't give up easy. Since I started to reform I'm +a-going to get there if it takes a leg. Anyhow, it's a heap sight +pleasanter doing it _outside_ the Reform School than inside, like +some fellows I used to train with are a-going to do, it seems." + +All this kind of talk pleased Hugh immensely. He felt more than ever +satisfied with the magnificent result of that clever little scheme of +his. Reading Hugo's masterpiece had brought it about, too, and he +would always have occasion to remember this when handling that volume +recording the wonderful achievements of the one-time ignorant convict +and human beast named Jean Valjean. + +Nick just then saw several other boys hurrying to overtake Hugh. He +immediately evinced a desire to start off on a tangent, and head +elsewhere. + +"I've got an errand over in town, Hugh, so I'll break away," he said +hurriedly, though Hugh could easily guess the real reason for his +departure. "But I want to tell you I appreciate your kindness, and +if in the next hockey match there's need of a substitute, and you see +fit to put _me_ in, why, I'll work my fingers to the bone to make +good, sure I will." + +And Hugh believed it. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +WHERE THE SPARKS FLEW + +Along about three o'clock that afternoon Hugh, feeling refreshed, +made up his mind he would go for a walk. There had been no positive +change in the condition of the mother of little Joey. She was coming +along nicely, though, Doctor Cadmus assured Mrs. Morgan, and would +very likely awaken in her proper senses on the following morning. He +was successfully combating the inclination towards fever, he told the +good lady, and this gave Hugh's mother considerable relief. + +The boy was a fine little chap. Hugh had already come to feel a deep +interest in him, and had played for an hour with Joey. + +"Why not take him out with you, Hugh, if, as you say, you're going +for a walk?" asked his mother. + +"I'd like to," the boy said, "if you thought he could stand going +such a distance as out to the Cross-roads; for I meant to drop in on +Deacon Winslow. He asked me to come and see him, and perhaps stay to +supper in the bargain, for he wants to have a good chat with me. +And, Mother, I've been meaning to get to know that fine old man +better; there's something about him that draws me. He's got such +healthy ideas about everything, and is an entertaining talker when it +comes to the habits of animals, and the secrets of all animated +nature." + +"Well, I'm sure little Joey would enjoy the walk. He seems fond of +being outdoors, and has been shut up here since you brought him home. +And if Deacon Winslow urges you both to take supper with him, there's +no reason why you should decline. He may fetch you home in his +sleigh, if the child seems tired, and sleepy." + +Hugh decided he would do as his mother suggested. + +"Would you like to take a nice long walk out in the country with me, +Joey?" he asked the little fellow, who had been hovering near by, and +listening to all that was being said. + +"I like to walk," the small chap replied quickly; "but not all day, +like mom and me did. Mebbe she'll be awake when we come back, Hugh?" + +Each time he had been allowed in the room to see his mother was when +she happened to be in a deep sleep, and her ravings had ceased; so it +was natural for Joey to conclude she was only making up for lack of +rest. + +So, shortly afterwards, the two started forth, the little fellow with +his hand in that of Hugh. He had come to feel the utmost confidence +in this big boy who, in the time of their distress, had fetched +himself and his poor fainting mother to the nice warm house, where +they seemed to have the nicest things to eat he could ever remember +of seeing. + +Hugh kept an eye about him, half hoping he might run across Thad, +although the other had not expected to return before dusk. No such +luck befell him, and so Hugh concluded he must carry out his original +scheme, and have only the child for company during his stroll. + +Of course, they could not walk at a fast pace, and so it took quite a +long time for them to draw near the place where the two roads +crossed. Here, at a point where there was much traffic in vehicles, +the smithy of the old deacon stood. Time was when he attended only +to the shoeing of horses, and such other business as a blacksmith +would find in his line. The coming of the auto had made him change +his work to some extent; so he kept a line of rubber tires and tubes +in his shop, and was capable of doing all ordinary repairing, such as +might be found necessary after a minor accident to a car on the road. + +It was pleasant, indeed, when the wintry air was so keen, to step up +to the open doors of the shop, and see that seething fire in the +forge beyond the grim anvil. Mr. Winslow stood there, with his +leather apron on, and his woollen sleeves rolled up to his elbows, +showing his brawny arms with their muscles of steel. He was working +the bellows and singing softly to himself, after a habit he had when +alone. + +Apparently, he had let his helper off earlier than customary that +afternoon, for the deacon was not a hard employer, and ready to grant +favors when business was not rushing. + +Hugh stood there and took in the striking picture, with the glowing +fire in the forge, that fine, big figure of the old blacksmith +standing there. The rosy light played on his strong features as he +crooned his song, his thoughts possibly away back in the past, as is +the habit of those who near the end of their life span. + +Just then little Joey sneezed. The low song of the deacon came to an +abrupt end, as he turned his head and discovered the two figures in +the open doorway. + +He recognized Hugh immediately, and a look of genuine pleasure +flashed across his face. + +"Is that you, Hugh?" he called out, stopping work with the bellows; +"and have you come out to take a bite with the old lady and myself? +I'm certainly glad to see you, lad. And who might this fine little +chap be?" + +It was only natural that a man who loved all boys, little and big, as +Deacon Winslow did, should drop down on one knee and take Joey in his +arms. When he looked into the little fellow's winsome face he seemed +strangely moved. But then in these later days it was always so with +the old man; never a child did he see but that long-hidden memories +flowed again, and once more he seemed to be looking on his own boy, +gone ages and ages ago. + +"He and his mother are stopping at our house," said Hugh, meaning to +tell how he had come to find them in their extremity, later on, when +possibly the child was not present to hear what he said. + +"I've just got a small amount of work to finish, and then I'm done +for the week," said the brawny smith, as he arose again, winking very +fast, it seemed to Hugh, for some reason or other. "Here's a bench +you can both sit on, and watch the sparks fly from the anvil when I +get my hammer busy. Likely the lad has never seen the same before, +and it is always deeply interesting to children, I've found." + +So they made themselves comfortable. Little Joey was a bit tired +after his long walk, and leaned confidingly up against Hugh, who had +thrown an arm about him. + +The smiting of the red bar with the hammer caused a shower of sparks +to fly in every direction. It was fairly fascinating, and Joey +stared with all his might. Even Hugh always enjoyed seeing a +blacksmith at work, and hearing the sweet-toned ring of steel smiting +steel. + +Now and again as he worked, Deacon Winslow would ask some question. +He was acquainted with the fact that the boys of Scranton High had +expected to play a hockey match that morning with the Keyport team, +and as no one had thus far told him how the game came out, he asked +Hugh about it. + +From this subject the talk drifted to others, always being of a +somewhat sporadic nature, caused by the smith's starting work again, +after heating his iron bar sufficiently in the fire. + +"I'll have the night free, for a wonder," he told Hugh, with a sigh +of pleasure. "I try as best I can to avoid working late on Saturday, +because I want to be as fresh as possible Sundays, which are always +full days for me. So when Nick wanted to come out Saturdays, I +induced him to change it to an earlier night instead. By the way, +how is the lad coming, on these days with his new resolutions?" + +Accordingly, Hugh started in to tell him how Nick was doing finely, +and even repeated a part of the little talk he and the other had had +that morning, while on the way to town from the park. + +Mr. Winslow listened intently, as he worked the bellows. + +"I'm very much interested in the outcome of your experiment, Hugh," +he said. "It was a clever idea on your part; and now that Nick has +made a start I do believe he'll see it through. I always thought he +had it in him to work out his own salvation, if ever he got a fair +chance. That opportunity has now dawned, and he's on the right road, +Hugh; he's on the right road." + +"I agree with you there, sir," said the boy. "The very stubborn +spirit that used to get him into so much trouble is now going to be +his redemption, since he's got it harnessed up to the right sort of +vehicle. The more they try to shove Nick off the track the harder +he'll be apt to stick." + +"It was the luckiest thing that ever happened for him," continued the +deacon, "when you hatched up that wonderful plan on the spur of the +moment, and tried it out on him. But for that, Hugh, he'd now be +locked up with his former mates, and headed for the Reform School at +full speed. As it is, he is free to walk the streets, and already +beginning to win the confidence of many good people in the town." + +Ten minutes afterwards and the brawny smith threw his hammer aside, +and commenced to undo the thongs that fastened his leathern apron +about his loins. + +"I've finished my stint, lad," he said; "and now we can go into the +house, where you'll meet my better-half. I've told her so much about +you, she is eager to make your acquaintance. As for this fine, manly +little chap here, who seems to spring straight into my heart the more +I look at him, as if he belonged there, she'll be half-tickled to +death at the chance to cuddle him in her motherly arms. Alas! lad, +it's been many a long, weary year since she had the privilege of +loving a child of her own. Sometimes when I see her sitting there, +so quiet like, and looking into the wonderfully brilliant sunset +skies, I seem to know what she is thinking about, and I feel for her. +It's harder on a mother, than anyone else, to lose her child as we +did our poor, reckless boy." + +Hugh felt a queer sensation in the region of his heart when he heard +the big man speak so mournfully. He realized then as never before +how the heart of a parent can never fully recover from a cruel shock, +such as the loss of one who as a little child had come, it was hoped, +as a ray of sunlight in the lives of those who loved him. + +The home of the smith adjoined his shop. There was, in fact, a door +that connected them, and through this Deacon Winslow now led his +thrice welcome guests. Presently they found themselves in what +seemed to be a cozy little sitting-room, where a wood-fire blazed +cheerily on the hearth. + +Seated in one of those invalid wheel-chairs, which can be so easily +manipulated by the occupant, after becoming expert at the job, was a +most benign-looking and motherly old lady, with snow-white hair, and +a face that was one of the sweetest and most patient Hugh had ever +gazed upon. + +He knew instantly that he was going to like Mrs. Winslow just as much +as he did her big husband. All the good things he had heard about +her benevolence must then be true, he concluded, as he looked on her +smiling face. + +"Mother, here's my friend, Hugh Morgan, come out to take supper with +us, as I told you he'd half-promised to do," said the deacon, in his +breezy fashion. "And see, he has fetched a little chap along with +him who'll warm your heart as nothing else could do. This is Joey +Walters, who, with his mother, is stopping at the Morgan home. Hugh +didn't say whether they were any relatives of his or not; but this is +a mighty winsome morsel, Mother, for you to hug." + +He thereupon lifted the child up in his strong hands and placed him +in the lap of the old lady. Hugh noticed that she started, and +stared hard at the chubby face of little Joey, just as the deacon had +done; and then she turned her wondering eyes toward her husband. +There was a look akin to awe in their depths, something that told how +the sight of the child took her instantly back years and years to +those never-to-be-forgotten days when just such a lovely little +cherub had come to bless their home. + +Then the old lady gave a long sigh. + +"Oh, Joel!" she said, in a trembling voice, "how the sight of him +startled me. I can shut my eyes, and think time has taken me back to +our first year of wedded life. Yes, I am overjoyed at making the +acquaintance of such a robust little fellow. And, Hugh, forgive me +for not speaking to you before. I have heard much about you, and am +pleased to know you. But, above all things, let me thank you for +bringing this child out here to open the hearts of two lonely old +people who live only in the past as their sun goes down toward the +darkness of the night." + +"I'll run along now, and take my regular bath after my work," said +Deacon Winslow, trying to speak cheerily, though Hugh knew very well +he had been more or less affected by what his wife had just said. + +Left alone with the old lady, while the servant bustled in and out, +laying the cloth, and setting the table, Hugh commenced an +interesting conversation. She asked him a multitude of questions +covering all sorts of subjects, even to that of athletic sports. + +"You see, the Deacon is fond of boys to an extent that it has become +his one hobby," she explained, in order to let Hugh know why she felt +an interest in such matters. "He spends all his spare time doing +things to make growing lads happier, and more contented in their +homes. People will never know one-tenth of what he's done to save +boys who were going the pace. His latest protege in that line you +happen to know, a hulking fellow named Nick Lang, who, I understand, +has been the terror of Scranton for years. I've met him, and must +say I have my doubts whether he can ever be tamed, and molded into a +respectable member of society; but Joel seems to believe no boy is so +bad but what he has a soft streak in him _somewhere_, if only you can +find it." + +"Well, since he hasn't told you about the inspiration that came to +me," Hugh felt constrained to say, though averse to speaking of his +own successes, "I want to say that right now Nick Lang is on the road +to making good." + +"Please tell me all about it then, Hugh?" she urged him. + +Accordingly, Hugh started to relate the story from the very +beginning; and he had a deeply interested auditor; for Mrs. Winslow +sat there in her wheel-chair, with little Joey cuddled in her arms, +and one of his soft, chubby hands patting her face. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +AT THE DEACON'S FIRESIDE + +"Hugh, I do believe you will succeed in your undertaking, and that +Nick Lang is already firmly planted on the right path!" exclaimed the +old lady, with considerable warmth, when the story had been brought +up to date, bringing in an account of Hugh's most recent talk with +the former terror of the town. + +"It looks encouraging, anyhow," he merely replied; though, of course; +he felt a flush of boyish pride at the warm look she gave him when +saying what she did. + +"My husband has worked with many an erring lad," she continued +reminiscently; "sometimes with fair success, but only too often +without, apparently, winning him away from his bad companions. But +your idea was most unique. To think it all came of your reading +Hugo's masterpiece, and taking it to heart. But here comes Joel; and +we can soon be seated at the supper table." + +The more Hugh saw of this remarkably genial old couple the closer did +he seem to be drawn to Deacon Winslow and his crippled wife. Indeed, +Hugh soon came to the conclusion that they were the warmest-hearted +pair he had ever known in all his life. + +Mrs. Winslow was wheeled cheerily to her appointed place at the table +by her husband, who waited on her just as assiduously as though they +were lately married; instead of having "trudged along life's highway +in double harness," as the deacon, humorously put it, for a matter of +sixty years or so. + +Of course, as Deacon Winslow was a deeply religious man, Hugh +expected he would ask a blessing before partaking of the bountiful +spread that was placed on the table; nor was he disappointed. The +deacon's deep-toned voice was wonderfully musical, and to Hugh it +sounded almost as though he were singing whenever he spoke. He never +grew tired of hearing the old blacksmith talk; though they would not +allow him to be a mere visitor, but, by asking many questions, kept +Hugh in the conversation. + +The little fellow had been placed in a high chair. It looked of very +ancient vintage, Hugh thought, when first sighting it. Seeing the +look on his face the good lady of the house said in a voice that she +tried to keep from vibrating: + +"It was our Joel's chair; somehow we have managed to keep it intact +through all the years. There was a time when I dreamed of some day +seeing this boy seated at my table in his father's high chair. But +your small friend, Hugh, fills a long vacant spot. I could almost +fancy he belonged there, he seems so like----" + +Deacon Winslow must have seen that his wife was getting on forbidden +ground, for just at that moment he broke in with a question that +demanded an answer from Hugh; and so the subject was dropped. But +Hugh understood, and he felt his boyish heart throb with genuine +sympathy for this splendid couple, who had yearned to have a house +full of children, but somehow found their dearest wish set aside by a +mysterious decree of Providence. + +They had a merry time at the table. Little Joey was as bright as +Hugh had ever known him to be, and fairly captivated the aged pair +with his prattle. The old lady in particular hung upon his every +word, as though in an ecstacy of delight. She anticipated his +childish wants, and, really, little Joey could never have sat down to +such a bountiful feast as on that memorable occasion. + +Then the meal being ended they repaired again to the cheery fire. +The deacon put on fresh wood, and the crackle of the blaze was very +delightful on that cold night. Hugh had already spoken of the long +walk ahead of him, and how, perhaps, he had better postpone his visit +for another occasion, so as to get the child back home before it grew +too late. + +"Don't think of it, son," said Deacon Winslow instantly, and in a +tone that would not be denied. "When the time comes I'll hitch my +horse to the big sleigh; we'll wrap the child up as snug as a bug in +a rug; and be over to your house in a jiffy. What if he does get a +bit drowsy; let him take a nap. I'm sure he'll be safe in the loving +arms of grandma." + +At his mention of that last word the old lady hugged the child, and +bent her wrinkled kindly face close to his cheeks; but Hugh believed +it was to hide the rush of sacred emotions that swept over her. + +Then they talked. + +By degrees Hugh got his host started on the subject that was nearest +his heart, and which had to do with the wonderful habits of all the +small, wild animals of which the deacon had made a life-long study. + +"It's a wonderfully fascinating subject, Hugh," the old blacksmith +philanthropist went on to say, as he started in. "I took it up just +as a fancy, but as the years went by it became a habit that grew on +me more and more. Yes, I have had an amazing lot of pleasure out of +my observations. As the good wife here will tell you, I've spent +hours on hours at night, hidden in the woods, with a light fixed on +some nest of a muskrat or gopher or fox, just to learn what the +cunning little varmint did betimes; when of rights I should have been +in my bed getting rested for another hard day's labor at my forge." + +"His holidays have always been taken up in the same way," interrupted +Mrs. Winslow, smiling lovingly at her husband, whose heart she +evidently could read as though it were a printed book. "At first I +begrudged him the time, but later on I knew it was taking his +thoughts away from subjects that we were trying to keep out of our +minds, and I never tried to hold him back." + +"It was my study of the habits of these small animals and birds that +gave me what little faculty I may possess for prophesying the weather +ahead," continued the old man. "They seldom, if ever, go wrong. If +I've hit it wrong now and then, the fault was mine, not theirs. I +had failed to properly interpret their actions, that was all." + +So he went on to tell Hugh many deeply interesting experiments he had +undertaken along those lines. He also had a fund of wonderful +anecdotes, many of them quite humorous, connected with his little +friends of fur and feather. + +The more Hugh heard him tell the greater grew his interest. He +resolved that at some time in the not distant future, when an +opportunity came along, he, too, would begin to pay more attention to +the multitude of interesting things that could be discovered in +almost any woods, if only the observer kept his eyes about him, and +did nothing to alarm the timid inmates of various burrows and hollow +trees. + +So an hour passed, all too quickly. + +Once Hugh took out his little nickel watch, as if under the +impression that it must be getting near time for him to think of +saying good-night; though he hated to leave such a jolly fireside, +and the fine couple. + +"Please don't think of going home yet, Hugh," said the old man, +looking distressed at once. "The night is young, and I don't know +when I've enjoyed anyone's company as I have yours. My dreams in the +long ago were for just such a son as you. I envy your parents, my +lad. Providence, however, saw fit to turn my activities in another +direction; and I have done the best I could to be of some little help +to other people's sons. I only bitterly regret that I am able to do +so little." + +"But I'm afraid the child may become too much bother for your good +wife, sir," Hugh was saying, although already deciding he would +remain longer. + +The deacon laughed softly. He put out his big hand, and gently +touched Hugh on the sleeve. + +"Look yonder, lad!" he went on to say; "does that strike you as if a +heavenly little sunbeam like the boy could ever be too much trouble +for her? See how her dear face is lighted up as she bends over him. +He's gone fast asleep in her arms, as contented as though with his +own mother. Ah! lad, it was a kindly act, your fetching that tiny +bit of humanity out to visit us. You have made her almost happy +again for once." + +Hugh, looking, saw that the old lady was paying no further attention +to them, or listening to what they were saying. She touched the +sweet face of the child, and pressed her withered lips against his +soft skin. If a tear fell on the little fellow's head, was it to be +wondered at? He saw her open his clothes at the neck, as though the +heat of that blazing fire might be a little too much, in her matronly +estimation. + +The deacon, too, was looking as though his heart might be in his +eyes. Such a spectacle as that must have been of rare occurrence at +his fireside, deeply as he regretted it. + +Then he started talking again, for he had been in the midst of an +unusually interesting description at the time he drew the boy's +attention to the beautiful picture at the opposite side of the +fireplace. And Hugh, becoming wrapped up in the amusing episode for +the moment forgot all about little Joey and the loving soul who had +him held in her arms. + +What the blacksmith was telling related to a thrilling happening he +had experienced on one occasion, when lying out in the woods watching +for a certain timid little rodent to commence moving around. At the +time the deacon had one of those new-fangled hand electric torches +with him, which he meant to use when the proper moment arrived. + +Hearing voices drawing near he thought it best to warn the darkies +who were advancing in time, for, otherwise, they threatened to walk +directly over him in the pitch darkness. When, however, he flashed +his light suddenly toward them, he must have given them the fright of +their lives, for they uttered howls, and fled precipitately, despite +his reassuring calls. + +"I afterwards learned," said the deacon, smiling broadly at the +amusing recollection, "that the three men were those colored players +who constitute the band you young people always have at your barn +dances, Daddy Whitehead, the leader, and his able assistants, Mose +Coffin and Abe Skinner. They really believed they had met something +supernatural in the woods, when taking a shortcut home, after +attending a dance somewhere out in the country. And, really, I never +had the heart to undeceive the poor ignorant chaps. But I warrant +you they kept to the highway after that terrible experience with +ghosts." + +Hugh laughed at the mental picture of those three aged musicians, one +with his fiddle, another carrying a 'cello, and the third an oboe, +"streaking" it through the dark woods madly, possessed of a deadly +fear lest their time had come, and that they were pursued by +something from the spirit world. + +He was just about to make some remark when the words froze on his +lips. Mrs. Winslow had given vent to a cry. It thrilled Hugh +strangely, as though he feared some agonizing pain had suddenly +gripped the old lady. + +Both he and the deacon were instantly on their feet. As they glued +their eyes on the figure across on the other side of the broad hearth +they saw that she was sitting there with a marvelous look on her +wrinkled face--a look that seemed to tell of sheer amazement, +exceeding great joy, incredulity, and many other like emotions that +Hugh could not stop to analyze. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +A WONDERFUL DISCOVERY + +"Joel, come to me quickly!" they heard her gasp, as though she were +almost suffocating; and both of them hastened to her side. + +"What has happened, wife?" cried the alarmed deacon. + +"Oh! tell me, am I awake, or dreaming, husband?" she went on to say +thickly. "See what the child is wearing about his dear chubby neck! +Surely we ought to know that tiny gold locket. It carries me far +back through the long, weary, waiting years to the day I clasped it +about his neck--my baby Joel!" + +The deacon snatched the object from her quivering hand. He stared +hard at it, as though he, too, might suspect he were asleep, and that +it was all but a vision of a disordered mind. + +Hugh was trembling, he hardly knew why. Something seemed to rush +over him, something that thrilled him to the core. He had felt a +touch of the same sensation when the good old lady let him look at +the pictures in her family album, and pointed to one of her baby boy; +although at the time he could not fully grasp the idea that appealed +so dimly to his investigating mind. + +Then Deacon Winslow found his voice, though it was thick and husky +when he went on to say hastily: + +"Yes, it does look mighty like the one you had for the boy; and we +never found it again, you remember, after he--left home; so we +thought he had taken it along with everything else he owned. But +wait, wife, don't jump at conclusions. It is next to impossible that +this should be the tiny chain with the plain gold pendant that you +bought for our little Joel. Surely there must have been many others +like it made." + +Apparently, he was sorely afraid lest the bitter disappointment would +follow. The blasting of those new, wild hopes of hers might have a +bad effect on the old lady. That was why the deacon tried to keep +her from being too sanguine, even though he himself was possibly +hugging suddenly awakened rapturous dreams to his heart. + +"There may have been others, Joel!" she cried exultantly; "but look +on the back of the medallion. I feared it might be lost some day, +Joel, so I scratched his initials there. My glasses are too moist +for me to see well; look and tell me if you can make out anything, +husband!" + +Even Hugh held his breath while the deacon turned the tiny medallion +over in his hands. Then he snatched up a reading glass of +considerable power from the table, and held it close to the object in +his quivering clutch. + +They heard him give a cry, and it did not hint at disappointment. + +"Oh! Joel, are the three letters there?" she begged piteously, as she +hugged the still calmly sleeping child closer and closer to her heart. + +"Something I can see, wife, although it is very faint," he told her. +"But then think of the many years that have elapsed. The scratches +must have been very lightly done at best. Hugh, your eyes are +younger than mine; and, besides, I'm afraid there are tears dimming +my sight. Look, and tell us what you see!" + +It was a picture, with those two old people so eagerly hanging on the +decision of the clear-eyed youth. Hugh used the glass, for he wanted +to make certain. It would be doubly cruel if by any mistake on his +part those anxious hearts were deceived. + +"I can plainly make out the first initial, which is J beyond +question," he almost immediately said. + +At hearing that the deacon cast a swift look toward his wife, which +she returned in kind. Neither of them could find utterance for a +single word, however, such was the mental strain under which they +labored. + +"The last letter looks like a W," continued Hugh. "Yes, now that +I've rubbed it with my finger I am positive of that. As for the +middle one, I think it must be either an O or a C, though it's rather +hard to say." + +Deacon Winslow gave a deep sigh. + +"And our boy's middle name was Carstairs, named after his mother's +family!" he hastened to say. + +Then they exchanged more wondering looks. It was very like a +miracle, the bringing of the little child into the home of that +couple whose fireside had so long awaited the coming of such a +sunbeam. + +Deacon Winslow turned almost fiercely on Hugh, and gripped his sleeve. + +"You must tell us more about the boy," he said. "Who is he, and +where did he come from? Those are vital things for us to learn. We +could never know peace again if this mystery were not made clear. So +tell us, Hugh, tell us as quickly as you can, so that we may learn +the best, or the worst." + +He saw that they were strangely shaken, and Hugh wisely believed it +best to reassure them in the very beginning. + +"First of all, sir," he started to say, "I begin to believe it may be +what you would wish most of all. This boy who so much resembles your +own child of the past is likely to turn out his son or perhaps +grandson, for his mother's name is Walters, we've learned. You ask +me where I found him, and I meant to tell you later on, never +dreaming that it would interest you more than casually. I picked him +and his mother up Thursday evening just at dusk, when I was coming +home from a farm in a sleigh, where I had been to get a sack of +potatoes. The young woman was trying to ask me something when she +swooned away." + +"Go on, lad, go on!" pleaded the deacon hoarsely, as Hugh paused for +breath. + +"Of course, the only thing I could do was to get them into the sleigh +and whip up the horse," Hugh continued. "Once I reached home my +mother would not hear of the poor thing being taken to the hospital. +She had her put to bed and the doctor called in. Since that time she +has been threatened with fever; in fact, is partly out of her head, +though Doctor Cadmus says he believes she will be sensible by +to-morrow morning. She was simply half-starved, and dreadfully +worried about something." + +"But could you not hear a few random words she uttered that would +give you some idea as to her identity, and where she came from?" +asked the deacon. + +"Besides her name, which seemed to be Walters, she has said nothing +that gives us a clue, save that we imagine they must have lived +somewhere in the West." + +"In the West--and our Joel started for that section of the country!" +gasped the old lady, still patting the curly head on her lap lovingly. + +"And then the lad's name is very similar," broke in the deacon. "Are +you sure, Hugh, if isn't Joel? Might not the child have simply given +the baby pronunciation of Joey?" + +"I think that would be very likely, sir," admitted the boy readily. + +Again the agitated couple exchanged looks. Hugh would certainly +never forget the joyous expression that sat upon both faces. It was +as though Heaven had opened to them, and given them back the child of +their younger years. + +The deacon dropped down on his knees. One arm went around his aged +wife and the little fellow she cuddled in her lap. In sonorous tones +he lifted up his voice and gave thanks from the depths of his heart +for the great mercy shown to them that night. + +Hugh was deeply affected. He believed some invisible hand must have +guided him when he took that sudden notion to have the child go +walking with him, his mother having suggested that it might do the +little chap good to get an airing after being shut up in the house +all day long. + +His mind raced back, and once more he marshalled all the facts, as +far as he knew them, before him. Yes, there did not seem to be any +reason to believe such a thing as a sad mistake could be made. That +boy certainly had the Winslow blood in him; why, he greatly resembled +the Joel of more than fifty years back, as shown in that old-time +daguerreotype. + +Then Deacon Winslow once more rose to his feet. His face was fairly +radiant, as was that of his wife. + +"I believe I can understand how this comes about," he was saying, +just as if he might have had a revelation as he prayed there. "It is +no accident, but the hand of a special Providence. Our petitions +have been heard, and this is the answer; so the last few years of our +lives may be made happy by the sight of our own flesh and blood. My +poor service has come up as a memorial before Heaven. And let us +hope that tomorrow, when that poor girl comes into her senses again, +she will be able to tell us all of the wonderful story." + +"There is one thing I should have mentioned, sir, which slipped my +mind," Hugh went on to say just then. "Always in her delirium she +seems to be pleading with someone not to deny her a place under his +family roof with her little Joey. And it is to an imaginary +_grandfather_ she is appealing, so pathetically that I have seen my +mother crying time and again, for very sympathy." + +"A grandfather, and cruel at that!" said the old man, shaking his +head, while the tears rolled unheeded down his furrowed cheeks. "At +least, that does not apply to me. She will learn presently that we +stand ready to take her into our hearts and home as our own. Oh! it +seems too good to be true, this blessing that has come to us +to-night. And, Hugh Morgan, you must always be associated in our +minds with this realization of our utmost hopes, which of late years +we have not even dared whisper to each other." + +He wrung the boy's hand until Hugh almost writhed under the pressure; +while the happy "grandma" continued to devour the plump, rosy-cheeked +face of her charge with her eyes, as though she could not tear her +gaze away. + +Long they continued to sit there and talk, always upon that one +subject, because everything else must be subordinated to the +wonderful revelation that had come to them, to prove that truth is +often stranger than fiction. + +Three times did Hugh suggest that he had better be heading towards +home: but they pleaded with him to stay "just a little longer"; for +their starved hearts found it hard to let the newly found treasure +out of sight, even for a short time. + +"But I must really be going," Hugh finally told them. "It is now +after ten, and mother will be worrying about the child, not knowing, +of course, that he has found a new protector, two of them, in fact. +You can both come over after breakfast in the morning, and visit the +boy. If his mother has regained her senses, and the doctor permits +it, you will be able to settle the matter once and for all by seeing +her." + +So with that they had to rest content. The child was bundled up +warmly, and tenderly placed in the sleigh by his huge grandfather, +after the old lady had kissed his forehead and cheeks a dozen times. + +Then they were off, and shortly afterwards arrived at the Morgan +home. Deacon Winslow insisted on carrying the tiny chap indoors; +after which he hastened back, to sit up most of the night with his +wife, talking of the wonderful thing that had come to bless them in +their old age. + +And Hugh, on his part, had a deeply interested auditor in his mother, +as he spun the yarn that equaled anything he had ever read in the +Arabian Nights. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +IN A SAFE HARBOR AT LAST + +Hugh had finished breakfast on Sunday morning, and was out looking +after a few pets he had in the way of Belgian hares and homing +pigeons, when he heard his mother calling him. + +"Coming, Mother!" he answered hack, thinking on the spur of the +moment he was needed to look after the furnace or steam boiler, from +which the hired girl did not always succeed in getting the best +results on particularly frosty mornings. + +She waited for him just inside the door. Hugh saw immediately that +his first surmise was wrong, for there was a look on her face to tell +him it was no trivial matter she had to communicate. + +"What is it, Mother?" he asked quickly. + +"She is asking for you, Hugh," he was told. + +Then he suddenly remembered about the young mother who had lain there +since Thursday evening, and out of her mind with fever. + +"Oh! then the good old Doc was right!" Hugh exclaimed; "he said, you +know, that he felt sure she'd be in her right senses by Sunday +morning. You've been talking with her, have you, Mother?" + +"Yes, and relieving her immediate curiosity and alarm," he was told. +"Naturally, she was full of wonder when she awoke to find herself in +a strange room, with no little Joey near by. She thought it was the +hospital, and that the cold had claimed him for a victim. But I soon +calmed her fears, and she knows now all about how she came here; and +also that her boy is still sleeping happily close by; for he is +taking a long nap this morning, after his dissipation of last night." + +"But, you didn't say anything about the deacon and his dear old wife, +did you?" continued Hugh. + +"Not a word, my son. I wished you to be the one to convey the glad +news to that poor young mother. She wanted to ask me further +questions, but I avoided committing myself. She did come from the +Far West, it appears. Her money ran out just too soon and they had +to leave the train at a station this side of Waldron Falls. She was +go determined to reach Scranton before night that she actually +started out afoot, it seems, despite the cold and the snow-covered +roads. Several kind-hearted men gave them lifts on the way; but it +was a long journey, and she became exhausted before reaching her +destination. But come with me, Hugh; she wishes to thank you face to +face." + +Hugh did not like that part of it. As a rule, he ran away from such +scenes; but in this case he knew that would never do, since he wished +to learn further concerning Joey and his mother; and, besides, had +some pleasant information to tell her that must cheer her heart +amazingly, and also hasten her recovery. + +So he followed his mother into the spare room where the young woman +lay. She had been propped up with extra pillows by Mrs. Morgan while +they talked, though kept well covered up. Indeed, the loving hands +of the older lady had succeeded in placing a warm, knitted sack upon +her arms and shoulders, Hugh saw. + +She looked eagerly at the boy. Her face was not so feverish as +before; indeed, he could see without being a physician that the +patient was much better. + +"And this is Hugh?" she said, in a voice that trembled. "Yes, I seem +to remember your face, and how you listened to me trying to tell you +how much I wanted to get to Scranton before I fell sick, for I could +feel it coming on. And your mother tells me you carried us both home +in your sleigh. It was a generous heart that could take an utter +stranger in, as you have done, and care for her as if she were your +own flesh and blood. Please let me thank you, Hugh, from the bottom +of my heart." + +Hugh took the hand she extended; but he was careful not to give it +one of his customary vigorous squeezes; she looked so wan and frail +that he knew he must hold himself in check. + +"Oh! it was a mighty little thing for anyone to do, Mrs. Walters," he +said, in some confusion, but speaking the name with a purpose in view. + +"How did you know that was my name, Hugh?" she asked immediately. + +"You mentioned it, my dear, in your delirium," explained Mrs. Morgan; +"and then, besides, Joey told us that much." + +"And did I tell you anything more in my ravings?" she asked, looking +worried. + +"Only something about a certain grandfather whom you seemed to think +might not receive you as you ardently hoped when you started forth on +this long journey," the older lady told her. "But then you did not +know what was in store for you. Sometimes great blessings, as well +as dire calamities, spring upon us without the least warning. Hugh, +I shall leave the telling to you from this point on." + +The young mother looked from one face to the other. + +"Oh! what is it?" she almost gasped. "You are keeping something from +me I ought to know. Please tell me, Hugh, I beg of you. If it is +good news I shall be so very grateful, for little Joey's sake mostly. +Everything I do, everything I think of, is in connection with my +darling child." + +"Then I hope you will forgive me if I'm rushing things too fast!" +exclaimed the eager boy, unable to restrain his news longer; "but +little Joey spent two hours last evening asleep in the loving arms of +his great grandmother; while Deacon Winslow again and again embraced +both, and gave thanks for the great blessing that had come to his +fireside!" + +How her eyes sparkled when she heard what he said. If Doctor Cadmus +had been in the room just then he might have cautioned them against +too much excitement, lest the fever return; but surely such glorious +news could not do harm, with her heart singing songs of thanksgiving. + +"Oh! tell me all about this wonderful thing!" she cried; "how could +you guess my secret, if I did not betray it in my delirium? Now that +you have said this much I must know all about it. Please go on, +Hugh!" + +He needed no such urging when the words were ready to fall in a +stream from his lips. So Hugh commenced, and rapidly sketched the +strange happenings of the preceding evening--how he had taken the +little fellow with him for a walk, and stopped at the smithy to see +the sparks flying upwards in showers; of the invitation to take +supper, and spend an hour in chatting with the deacon and his good +wife. Then, quick on the heels of this he told how Mrs. Winslow, +while holding Joey in her arms so lovingly as he slept in his +innocence, had suddenly made that amazing discovery in connection +with the baby chain, and smooth medallion, shaped like a locket. + +She lay there with her eyes closed, eagerly drinking in every word +the boy uttered. The unrestrained tears crept unheeded down her +cheeks; but Mrs. Morgan did not worry, because only too well did she +know these were tears of overpowering joy; and not of grief. + +Finally the story was all told, and she opened her eyes, swimming as +they were, to look fondly at each of them in turn. + +"What happiness has come into my life!" she said, with a great sigh; +and, evidently, the load of years had rolled from her heart. "And +how grateful I must always be to the kind friends who have brought it +to me and mine. I can never do enough to show you how I appreciate +it all." + +Then Hugh thought himself privileged to ask a few questions in turn, +wishing to thoroughly satisfy himself with regard to several points +that were as yet unexplained. + +She told them how her husband had lost his life; and that, when she +and the boy faced poverty, the resolution had come to her to go East +and try to find the relatives whom she had only lately learned were +located somewhere near Scranton. She had come across an old and +time-stained diary kept by her mother's father, who, of course, was +the runaway son of Deacon Winslow; and thus she learned how he had +left his home in the heat of anger, and never once communicated with +his parents up to the time of his death, which occurred a short three +years after his marriage. + +It was all very simple, and supplied the missing links in the chain. + +After she had told them these things once more she asked Hugh about +the aged couple. That was a subject the boy could talk about most +enthusiastically for a whole hour, he was that full of it. And the +happy look on her face told how like balm to her heart his words came. + +"And they are coming to see you early this morning," he finally +assured her. "I wouldn't be surprised if either of them has had a +single wink of sleep last night for counting the minutes creep by, +they are that anxious to claim you and Joey." + +Just then the doorbell rang. Hugh laughed, as though he had been +expecting such a happening; in fact, he had heard the sound of sleigh +runners without creaking on the hard-frozen snow, and suspected what +it signified. + +"There they are this minute!" he exclaimed; "shall I run down and let +them in, Mother? And ought they come right upstairs?" + +"Have them take off their wraps first, and warm their hands at the +radiator," she wisely told him, thinking of the invalid who would +soon be in their embrace. + +It was a very brief time before he ushered them into the room. First +the old lady was assisted across the floor, for she could hardly +walk, even when so determined to come over, and greet her +granddaughter. And when her arms were twined around the weak little +figure on the bed, and she pressed her to her matronly bosom, Joey's +mother broke down in hysterical sobs, and, in turn, twined her arms +about the neck of her newly found relative. + +The old deacon looked radiant. He kissed her on the forehead, and +tried to say something appropriate, but was compelled to turn his +head aside and blow his nose vigorously, for his emotions overpowered +him. + +Presently, however, they were able to talk rationally, and then it +was all settled how Joey and his mother were to live with the old +couple, and be their very own always. Everything was explained, and +Hugh finally found himself able to "break away," being consumed by a +desire to run across lots to Thad's house, and tell him the wonderful +story. + +There is no need of accompanying Hugh on his errand, and seeing how +Thad took the amazing news. Of course, he was simply thunder-struck, +and delighted also beyond measure. He must have made Hugh tell the +full particulars as many as several times, for they were all of an +hour together. But then, Thad's folks had been called in, and told +how after all these years a descendant of Deacon Winslow had come +back to the old roof-tree, to make the happiness of the aged couple +complete. + +Of course, the story was soon known all over Scranton, and everybody +rejoiced with the beloved old blacksmith who had so long been the +best friend of the boys of the neighborhood. But Hugh, who was +really the hero of the occasion, was congratulated by everybody for +being the means of re-uniting these lonely souls, and incidentally +providing Little Joey with a good home. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +MEETING BELLEVILLE'S STRONG TEAM + +Another week rolled around, and once again school had closed for the +Saturday and Sunday period of rest from studies. + +It seemed as though luck favored the young people of Scranton this +season, so far as fair weather went. There had been no snowfall of +consequence during the entire week; and now Saturday opened with fair +skies, as if inviting them to go forth and enjoy themselves to their +full bent. + +The great hockey game with Belleville High was to take place in the +neighboring town, as Captain Kramer (known far and wide simply as "O. +K.," because those were his initials) had drawn the long straw in +settling this matter with Hugh, and was, therefore, given the choice +of territory, according to custom. + +Really no one in Scranton was sorry. They had held the last match +there on the new rink, and could not expect to have a monopoly of +these happenings all through the season. Besides, they had a +splendid lake over at Belleville, which would be considerable of an +attraction to the young people of Scranton, whom fortune had not +treated so kindly, since they had formerly been compelled to trudge +several miles to Hobson's mill-pond when they wished to skate, swim, +or fish; though now, of course, they had the newly flooded area in +the baseball park for diversion. + +A great many went over to Belleville in every manner of vehicle. +Sleighs were in great demand, but, besides these, cars could be seen +by dozens on the highroad leading to the rival town, situated some +ten miles away. + +It must needs be something over which they had no control that could +keep any Scranton High boy or girl away from Belleville that Saturday +morning. The very atmosphere seemed to be charged with electricity, +and was calling them to hasten away, to join the throngs already +pouring forth, bent on giving encouragement to those gallant young +athletes representing their school, who had as yet not tasted of +defeat on the ice that season. + +The lake just outside of Belleville was quite extensive, and could +not be insulted with the name of "pond," for it ran at least a mile +in length, and half that in width. + +While the ice was no longer as smooth as had earlier been, the case, +still it seemed in fair condition. Besides, the Belleville boys had +managed to flood that section to be given over as a rink; and +ordinary skaters were warned to keep off, so that it might not be all +"cut up" with sharp runners before the match was started. + +The Belleville team looked dangerous. They were, of course, pretty +much the same fellows whom Scranton High had met the preceding summer +on the baseball diamond; some of them had also taken part in the +athletic tournament late in the Fall, accounts of which events will +be found duly chronicled in earlier volumes of this series. + +When all the preliminaries had been settled good-naturedly, the rival +teams lined up to hear the last instructions of the referee. This +party was the same gentleman who had officiated with such +satisfaction in the game with Keyport on the preceding Saturday. + +Here is the list of players, and the positions they occupied, +Scranton having kept the identical Seven with which the last game had +been so cleverly won, though many people were of the opinion they had +a much more difficult proposition before them in the Belleville boys: + + + _Scranton High_ _Position_ _Belleville_ + Stevens ......... Goal ............ Leonard + Hobson .......... Point ........... Wright + Danvers ......... Cover Point ...... "O. K." Kramer + Smith ........... Right End ........ Gould + Dugdale ......... Center ........... Waterman + Morgan .......... Rover ............ Conway + Juggins ......... Left End ......... Haggerty + +The game had hardly begun before Hugh realized that those Belleville +fellows had determined to down the visitors, if it took every ounce +of strenuous ability they possessed. Previous defeats at the hands +of Scranton High rankled in their hearts, and they were grimly +resolved, "to do or die," as one of them told Thad Stevens while +chatting before the game was called. + +They made a whirlwind beginning, and had scored two goals before the +visitors began to "find" themselves. This would never do, Hugh +determined. He gave his players a signal that called for a spurt, +and himself led the way by capturing the puck, and shooting it into +the cage of their opponents amidst loud footings of great joy from +the loyal and now anxious Scranton rooters. + +Juggins distinguished himself also immediately afterwards by a +lightning play that amazed the Belleville spectators. He dodged all +interference and when finally too hard pressed, managed to send the +rubber disc across to Dugdale, who continued the good work by +shooting it into the charge of Hobson; and, almost before Leonard +could try to stop its flight, it had gone with a crash into the cage +for the second goal on Scranton's side. + +Things began to look brighter. If Belleville could play brilliant +hockey through the coaching of an efficient instructor, the visiting +team knew a few things also, which were calculated to surprise their +rivals. + +Of course, most, if not all of the Belleville Seven had attended the +game on the preceding Saturday, their own match for that day, which +they had easily won, coming off in the afternoon. Consequently, they +had studied the methods of the Scranton boys, and believed they would +be able to profit by their knowledge later on. + +But Hugh had been wise to this fact, and posted Mr. Leonard, the +coach; who, meanwhile, taught them a few new little wrinkles that +were calculated to disturb the calculations of Belleville when the +time came for the meeting. As in football, ice hockey presents a +fruitful field for diplomacy and clever tactics; and the wisest +general usually manages to carry his team to victory over those who +may be much more nimble skaters and even smarter with their sticks, +but not so able in the line of strategy. + +Belleville also took a "hunch," as some of the boys called it, and +again forged to the front. Indeed, they scored three times against +one more goal for the visitors; and when the first half of the match +had been finished the game stood at five to three against Scranton. + +Hugh was in a dilemma. He knew that to win out he must have an +infusion of new blood, for those husky players of the local school +were too rapid for the Scranton boys. But, according to the rules of +the game, substitutes can only be allowed in case of serious injury. +So, unless one of his player chanced to be hurt in such a way as to +necessitate his withdrawal from the game there could be no changes +made in the line-up. + +This is so hedged about with safeguards against fraud that even if a +player is hurt he must be examined by someone competent to say +whether he may be able to commence work again inside of seven +minutes; and if so, the game must proceed. Should he be excused from +further participation in the contest his captain may have the +privilege of putting in another man; or, if he chooses to play with +only six on the ice, the other side must also eliminate a player, so +as to make the line-up equal. + +Perhaps some of Hugh's comrades must have guessed what was gripping +their leader around that time. Nothing else could have induced +Smith, for instance, to say, as he did to Hugh, while they were +resting in preparation for the last half of the game to start in: + +"I'm awfully ashamed of that rotten run I made, Hugh, when you handed +me the rubber so handsomely. If I'd known my business as I should +I'd have landed it in the wire cage as snug as anything. But I +fumbled, and that Conway got it away from me, the robber. I'm no +good, Hugh; and I'd give a heap if only you could kick me out of the +game, and get a better substitute." + +"It can't be done, Just," Hugh told him; "a player has to be pretty +badly hurt to be dropped, you know, and a substitute taken on. Cheer +up, and get a fresh start. Two goals shouldn't be a hard job for us +to tackle, once we get going at our old pace. There are a few tricks +left in the bag still, before we reach the bottom." + +"But, see here, I'm pretty lame at that, after the stumble and fall I +had, Hugh," said "Just" Smith eagerly; "perhaps the referee would let +me throw up my job if he saw how badly my shin has been scraped." + +"Oh! you're in pretty good shape still, 'Just,' and you know it," +remarked Hugh, smiling at the evident determination of his friend to +sacrifice himself for the general good. "When we start play again +we'll try the last dodge Mr. Leonard taught us, and see if it'll work +for a goal. It's clean sport, and nothing tricky, you know." + +So "Just" Smith shrugged his shoulders, and did not seem at all +happy, though he let the matter drop. Hugh wondered, though, what +that grim look on his face meant, and, later on, had a hazy idea that +he had found out. + +The game started again. Encouraged by their success, Belleville +again took matters in their own hands and forced the fighting. There +were several weak places in the Scranton High line-up. Many who +diagnosed the play were of the opinion that the game was already as +good as lost. + +Then came a most violent scrimmage, into which "Just" Smith plunged +with the utmost recklessness, as though determined to wipe out all +his former mistakes in some brilliant playing. Suddenly the +referee's whistle called the game. Something had happened to bring +about a stoppage of play. A fellow was down on the ice, with half a +dozen others bending over him. + +It was "Just" Smith, and he was apparently badly injured in the +bargain. A doctor was speedily called, who pronounced it a fracture +of the leg, and decided that the player would have to be taken home +immediately for a physician's attention. + +As "Just" Smith passed his captain, being carried by two husky +players to a waiting car that would convey him home, he actually had +the nerve to grin in Hugh's face. A suspicion came into the latter's +mind to the effect that the player had purposely taken terrible risks +in the hope that he might be disabled, so that a substitute could be +put in his place; though, of course, Hugh tried to banish this +thought as soon as it gripped him. + +"Get your substitute, Hugh, or else we'll have to drop a man!" called +the Belleville captain; and Hugh glanced apprehensively around; then +broke through the dense crowd, and seized upon a skater who had been +hovering near. + +It was Nick Lang! + +"We need another player, Nick!" Hugh exclaimed eagerly; "and I want +you to help get the team out of this nasty hole, for the sake of good +old Scranton High. So don't say you won't, but come along, and do +your level best to bring us out ahead!" + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +NICK MAKES GOOD----CONCLUSION + +The look upon the face of Nick Lang when Hugh spoke in this way told +the leader of the Scranton Hockey Seven he would fight with might and +main to turn the tables on the winning Belleville team. + +Nick's hour had struck! + +The long-awaited opportunity to prove the genuine nature of the +change that had taken place within his heart had arrived. He was +going into play as one of the Regulars; he had been especially picked +for that important service among twenty likely lads who only too +gladly would have accepted a chance to distinguish themselves in such +an emergency. + +Accordingly Nick had a large letter S fastened to his jersey, to mark +the side on which he fought, so that the referee might easily know +where he belonged. One word from the coach as he strode forward Nick +would never forget as long as he lived; it was a word of confidence; +and, remembering how Mr. Leonard had at one time detested and +distrusted this boy, it meant everything to Nick. + +The game started again after the lapse of seven minutes. + +Belleville considered that they had "the edge" on the visitors, and +immediately went at it as though bent on adding considerably to the +number of goals marked to their credit. But almost immediately it +was discovered that the infusion of new blood had somehow altered the +complexion of things greatly. + +Thanks principally to the marvelous agility and strategy of Nick, a +goal was shot inside of two minutes. It was immediately followed by +another, this time Nick winning the score without the least help from +anyone. + +Wild applause rang out from parts of the crowd, where, of course, +Scranton rooters mostly congregated. How sweet those cheers must +have sounded in the ears of Nick Lange, who for years had only earned +the hoots and jeers of his fellows in Scranton, on account of their +distrust, and his own evil ways. + +Why, the Belleville folks sat up and rubbed their eyes. They had +never dreamed that any fellow not a professional player could prove +himself such a marvelous wizard on steel runners. Nick fairly +dazzled them with his speed, his eccentric twistings when hotly +pursued, and the clever way in which he kept that rubber disc just in +front of his hockey stick, always carrying it along toward the point +where he meant to strike for goal. + +And when he did make that stroke vain were the frantic efforts of the +usually dependable Leonard to block its amazing passage; for almost +before he swung he heard the plug of the puck landing in the wire +cage which he was especially set to guard, and knew that another +tally had been added to Scranton's growing score. + +The conditions had changed, and the shoe was now on the other foot. + +Thanks to the fine playing of Nick Lang Scranton was now ahead, and +it seemed extremely doubtful whether Belleville would have another +chance to make a single tally. The boys were plainly disconcerted by +the excellent work of the substitute, and seemed to have lost much of +that aggressive spirit so absolutely necessary in ice hockey in order +to win games. They played almost sullenly, as if realizing that it +was all over but the shouting. + +Vain were the efforts of Captain Kramer to put new life in his +followers. He himself fought more desperately than ever, and once +even succeeded in taking the puck away from the triumphant Nick, the +only one who attained that glory; only to lose it immediately +afterwards to Owen Dugdale, who transferred it to Stevens by way of +Hobson; and then it plunged into the cage, despite Leonard's mad +attempt to stay its swift flight. + +"Who's this you Scranton boys have thrown into the game?" demanded +one chagrined Belleville gentleman, as he saw what a radical change +Nick's coming had made in the affair on the ice rink. "He plays +suspiciously like a certain Canadian I saw last winter, who set +everybody in New York City wild with his work. Is Jean La Rue +visiting anybody in Scranton; and have you rung him in on us to-day, +to send our poor chaps down to defeat?" + +"Don't you believe it, Mister," chortled a boy standing near by, +whose jersey was decorated with the letters "S. H. S.," standing, of +course, for Scranton High School. "That fellow is only our Nick +Lang, who was born and brought up in our home town. The place was +never proud of that face until this great day, because Nick, you see, +has been the worst boy ever known in Scranton. Why, his escapades +would take a week to tell you. He used to be the terror of +everybody, the bully all boys feared and shunned. But it seems like +Nick has turned over a new leaf. Folks didn't all believe in his +change of heart; but after to-day, say, Nick could own the whole town +if he was so minded. I'd give a heap if I was standing in his shoes +this same day. He'll be a hero, as sure as he used to be the town +scapegrace!" + +It was just that way up to the time the referee signaled that the +last half of the game had been played to a finish. Nick seemed +capable of doing almost as he pleased. Whenever he got possession of +the puck it was, as one enthusiastic Scranton boy whooped, a "regular +procession." The Belleville lads just couldn't touch him. His +actions bewildered them, so that they were continually becoming mixed +up with their own side when they thought to corner Nick and the puck. + +The score? + +Well, it seemed too bad that after such a brilliant beginning +Belleville should fall so low, and see the terrible figures, thirteen +to seven, marked up against them. + +In the annals of sport, as chronicled at Scranton High, that contest +would always be known as the "Battle of Winchester," just because, as +in the Civil War, when the Union army was in retreat and demoralized, +the coming of a single man, General Phil Sheridan, caused them to +turn about, and presently win a conclusive and overwhelming victory. +And Nick Lang had been the Phil Sheridan for Scranton on that +glorious day! + +Nick tried to make a "grand sneak" as soon as the game finished, but +the crowd would have none of that, hemming him in so that he could +not run; and then for the first time in all his life the one-time +bully of Scranton tasted of the joys of popularity. + +Fellows wrung his hand who had always treated him with disdain. He +was slapped on the back and praised to the skies. Why, even Sue +Barnes, Ivy Middleton, Peggy Noland, and a lot of other school-girls +seemed proud to shake hands with Nick, who was as red in the face as +a turkey gobbler, and rendered quite breathless trying to answer the +myriad of sincere congratulations that were showered on him. + +But by the happy light in his eyes Hugh knew the die was cast, once +and for all. Having tasted of the sweets of popularity and honest +praise, nothing on earth could now tempt Nick to fall back again to +his former ignoble ways. His foot was firmly planted on the second +round of the ladder, and he had his aspiring eye on the better things +nearer the top. + +The deacon had come over to see the game. He and Hugh went home +together, and the talk was mostly concerning the wonderful +reformation of Nick Lang. + +"I'm hoping to have Nick come to me when he leaves school," the good +old man was saying. "He has the making of a clever blacksmith in +him, and I'd dearly like to turn over my shop to him some day not far +in the future; because it's almost time the old man retired, now that +he has a sunbeam coming to his house, which is going to take up much +of his attention." + +So it seemed that Nick's future was assured, if so be he cared to +take up that honorable trade, by means of which the deacon had +accumulated his little fortune. + +As for the two former pals of Nick, Tip Slavin and Leon Disney, in +due time they were convicted of the robbery of Paul Kramer's store, +and sent away to the excellent State institution, to remain there +until they had reached the age of twenty-one. + +There was at least a fair hope that long before that time arrived one +or both of the boys would have learned a trade and decided to live a +respectable life in the future; for many lads who were deemed +uncontrollable at home, under the lax training they received there, +have been fashioned into splendid men because of the strict +discipline at the Reform School. + +There is little more to add to make our story complete. + +Joey and his mother were soon installed under the hospitable roof of +the deacon, where they found themselves the objects of love and +devotion. The miseries of the past would soon be forgotten in the +great happiness that had come to them. And certain it is that no one +would be a more welcome guest there than Hugh Morgan, because it was +partly through his efforts that this joyous event had been made +possible. + +Since Scranton High had taken such a leading part in the outdoor +sports so beloved by all wide-awake boys, it could be set down as +certain that the fellows in Allandale and Belleville would not be +content to let them rest upon their well-earned laurels, but would +strive with might and main to excel them on the diamond, the +cinder-path, the football gridiron, or some other field of athletic +endeavor. + +That many fiercely contested games would result was a foregone +conclusion; and it is to be hoped that we shall have the privilege of +meeting the readers of this volume in the pages of subsequent books, +where some of those exciting happenings may be set down in an +interesting manner. + + + +THE END + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Chums of Scranton High at Ice +Hockey, by Donald Ferguson + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CHUMS OF SCRANTON HIGH *** + +***** This file should be named 13250.txt or 13250.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/2/5/13250/ + +Produced by Al Haines + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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