oy," said his mother, "you are playing a splendid game, and
you are getting better as you go on."

"Thanks, mother. That's the kind of talk we like," said Hughie, who
had been a little depressed by his father's rather gloomy views. "I'm
awfully sorry you can't stay."

"And so am I, but we must go. But we shall be back in time for supper,
and you will ask all the team to come down to celebrate their victory."

"Good for you, mother! I'll tell them, and I bet they'll play."

Meantime the team from the Front had been having something of a
jollification in their quarters. They were sure of victory, and in spite
of their captain's remonstrances had already begun to pass round the
bottle in the way of celebration.

"They're having something strong in there," said little Mac McGregor.
"Wish they'd pass some this way."

"Let them have it," said Johnnie Big Duncan, whose whole family ever
since the revival had taken a total abstinence pledge, although this
was looked upon as a very extreme position indeed, by almost all the
community. But Big Duncan Campbell had learned by very bitter experience
that for him, at least, there was no safety in a moderate use of "God's
good creature," as many of his fellow church-members designated the
"mountain dew," and his sons had loyally backed him up in this attitude.

"Quite, right!" said the master, emphatically. "And if they had any
sense they would know that with every drink they are throwing away a big
chance of winning."

"Horo, you fellows!" shouted big Hec Ross across to them, "aren't you
going to play any more? Have you got enough of it already?"

"We will not be caring for any more of yon kind," said Johnnie Big
Duncan, good-naturedly, "and we were thinking of giving you a change."

"Come away and be at it, then," said Hec, "for we're all getting cold."

"That's easily cured," said Dan, as they sallied forth to the ice again,
"for I warrant you will not be suffering from the cold in five minutes."

When the teams took up their positions, it was discovered that Dan had
fallen back to the center, and Hughie was at a loss to know how to meet
this new disposition of the enemy's force.

"Let them go on," said the master, with whom Hughie was holding a
hurried consultation. "You stick to him, and we'll play defense till
they develop their plan."

The tactics of the Front became immediately apparent upon the drop of
the ball, and proved to be what the master had foretold. No