. "When it is the score
will be about forty to nothing, in our favor." And this remark caused
some cadets to smile, and made both of the girls turn very red.

"Aren't they horrid!" whispered Mary.

"Don't mind them," answered her friend. "But, oh, I do so hope Oak Hall
wins!" And then both girls waved their Oak Hall banners vigorously, by
way of encouragement to the team.

Once more the puck was put into play in the center of the field of ice,
and again Rockville sent it flying near to the Oak Hall goal. But this
time it came back, and now the fight was on for several minutes near the
left side line. There was a little rough play on both sides, and the
referee called time.

"I want no more such work," he said, almost sternly.

"I was hit in the side by somebody," growled Plum.

"I was hit in the back," came from a Rockville player.

"If there is any more such work I'll call the game," said the referee,
and then the whistle blew to start again.

This time Oak Hall worked with vigor, and presently had the rubber disc
down close to the Rockville goal. But alas for their hopes! Just as Ben
was on the point of striking for the net, a Rockville player stole the
puck from him, rapped it to another player, who sent it whirling to
Mallory, and in a twinkling it was down at the other end of the field.

"Another goal for Rockville!"

"What did I tell you? Boys, this is a walk-over for our school!" cried
Guy Frapley, who was on hand and as anxious as anybody to see Oak Hall
defeated.

"Oak Hall may be able to play football, but they don't know how to play
ice hockey!" added John Rand, who was with him and equally anxious to
see Dave and his friends lose.

The supporters of Oak Hall had little to say. The only lad who felt
happy was Nat Poole.

"Here is where Dave Porter and his crowd get what is coming to them,"
thought the money-lender's son. It pleased him greatly to think his
school might be beaten. Which shows how really mean-spirited Nat was.

Again the game proceeded, and now the contest waged in earnest. In a
mix-up near the center of the field, one of the Rockville players named
Devine crashed into Plum, and both went down in a heap, with two other
players on top. The puck went sailing toward the Oak Hall goal, and
though Dave did his best to stop it, the goal was made an instant later.

"Time! time! Somebody is hurt!"

"That goal ought not to count!"

A babble of voices sounded out, and slowly the play