ball is beating round be- 

 neath their feet, their skates ' ' 

 are clashing steel on steel. I 

 hear the shuffling kicks, the battling 

 strokes of clubs, the husky mutterings of 

 passion half suppressed ; I hear the 

 panting breath and the impetuous whis- 

 perings between the teeth, as they push 

 and wrestle and jam. A lucky hit now 

 sends the ball a few feet from 

 ; ,..-\._ i ,-- the fray. A ready hand 



improves the chance ; 

 but as he lifts his 

 *t~2 stick a young- 



ster's nose 

 gets in the 

 way and spoils his stroke ; he slips, and falls upon the ball ; another and 

 another plunge headlong over him. The crowd surround the prostrate 



pile, and punch among them for the ball. When found, the same riotous 



17* 



