ed them." And
in this surmise Phil was correct.

An hour later found the three chums down on the river, where they were
met by the other members of the hockey team. A great crowd was
assembling, and in the number were Vera Rockwell, Mary Feversham, and a
number of other people they knew.

The boys from Oak Hall had come in sleighs and on skates, and they had
brought their horns, rattles, and banners with them. The Rockville
cadets were also alive to the occasion, and the combined din from both
sides was deafening.

"Here is where we do up Oak Hall!"

"Here is where Rockville gets another defeat!"

"Remember, this is for the championship of the Leming River!"

So the cries rang on, drowned ever and anon by the tooting of horns and
the clacking of rattles. Soon came a short practice, and then the two
sevens lined up for the great contest.

At a glance it was easy to see that the Rockville team was a fine one.
Every player was tall and thin, and an exceptionally swift skater. They
had been well drilled into team work, and sent the puck from one player
to another in a manner that brought forth many favorable comments.

"We sure have our work cut out for us!" whispered Ben to Dave. "They are
the swiftest bunch I have yet seen on skates."

"And their captain is certainly a star," added Shadow. "I never saw a
fellow turn quicker or send the puck with more force."

"We've got to fight and fight hard!" cried Dave. "I want every fellow on
the job, first, last, and all the time!"

CHAPTER XXXI

ANOTHER VICTORY--CONCLUSION

"That's the way to do it!"

"What did I tell you? Oak Hall won't be in this game!"

"This will wipe out that football defeat!"

So the cries rang out. The great ice-hockey contest was but six minutes
old, and amid a wild yelling and cheering Rockville had carried the puck
down into the Oak Hall territory, and Mallory, their star player, had
made a swift and safe goal.

"Wasn't that going some!"

"Three cheers for Mallory!" And the cheers were given with a will.

"Oak Hall! Oak Hall!" came the answering cry, and then the supporters of
that school burst out into a new slogan:

"Ice hockey!
Nice jockey!
Oak Hall
Has the call!
Wa! wa! wa! wa! Whoop!"

"Oh, what a shame that Rockville scored!" sighed Vera Rockwell.

"Never mind, the game isn't ended yet," returned Mary Feversham.

"No," came from a Rockville cadet, sitting near