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the creaky steps. …
    Dad turned and headed for the bathroom. Tod looked at Mom. She returned his look and smiled.
    “As soon as Dad finishes, you’d better wash up, too,” she said. “First, though, get out of that hockey uniform.”

10
    O n Sunday afternoon Ms. Hudson drove up in her old car and picked up Jane. She had Marylou Farmer with her. Afterwards Jane,
     in her breathless, excited way, told Dad, Mom, and Tod about all the men and women and boys and girls who had been at Manna
     Rink to practice for the coming Ice Show.
    “Marylou and I are the youngest ones in the whole show!” she said. “Isn’t that unbelievable?”
    “It sure is,” replied Tod, and tried to keep from smiling.
    Three nights a week—for almost an hour each time—Jane had to go to practice. Tod practiced hockey as much as he could at the
     ice pond, strengthening his leg muscles, improving his wind, trying body checks, and above all, trying to get the feel of
     the puck on his hockey stick.
    Then for two days the weather got so warm that he and all the other skaters were afraid that the ice would melt. However,
     the weather dipped to below zero after the second night, and their fears vanished.
    Tod worked hard to improve his skill at stickhandling. He, Jack Evans, and Biff Jones practiced together most of the time.
     He could play with those boys without feeling ashamed of his playing. Skip, Joe Farmer, and some of the other guys were too
     good. He wasn’t as comfortable practicing when they were around. They playedwith the puck mostly among themselves and gave him very few chances at passing.
    On Saturday morning the White Knights played the eleven o’clock game against the Vikings. Coach Fillis had Tod back at the
     right wing spot, with Jim Wright at left wing and Skip at center. Biff and Snowball played in their defensive positions.
    Tod was happy to be on the forward line again. He felt better playing forward. When you feel better at a certain position,
     you can play better. Tod knew he had to play much better if he ever hoped to use his new hockey stick. The season was moving
     along rapidly.
    Skip scored the first goal for the White Knights. Twice Tod had an opportunity to slip the puck past the Viking goalie, but
     both times he failed. If he hadn’t pushed the puck too hard …
    But that was his main trouble, not being able to control the puck.
    The score was 1-1 until fifteen seconds before the end of Line 2’s time on the ice. Then Jack Evans poked in a goal to put
     the Vikings in the lead 2 to 1.
    The White Knights’ Line 1 tied it up at the beginning of the second period. Joe Farmer scored with an assist by Larry Thomas.
    “Okay, you guys,” said Joe to the Line 2 players as Line 1 skated off the ice. “Let’s see you break the tie.”
    “I’ll break it,” replied Skip.
    Boy,
thought Tod,
he doesn’t think much of himself, does he?
From the second that the referee dropped the puck in the face-off, Skip was going to prove just what he said. He pokechecked
     the puck, gave Jack Evans a body check that almost knockedhim down, then had the puck to himself. He dribbled across the Vikings’ blue line. Tod envied the way Skip stickhandled the
     puck. He did it so easily, guiding the puck as if it were magnetized to the hockey stick.
    Then Jack Evans dashed up from behind Skip. He shoved his stick under Skip’s and stole the puck! In a flash Jack brought himself
     to a quick stop, ice chips flying from his skates. He turned and carried the puck back across the blue line, the red line,
     and then the White Knights’ blue line.
    Tod rushed him. Skip, who had skated back furiously, came at him from the other side. His leg shot in front of Jack and Jack
     stumbled and went down sprawling.
    Shreeeek!
    Time was called. The referee tapped Skip Haddock on the shoulder and pointed to the penalty box.
    “I didn’t mean it!” yelled Skip angrily.
    The referee ignored him. He skated with Skip up to the timekeeper’s