It was brought out at right angles, and dropped by the umpire between the hockeys of the two captains. There was a few seconds of feverish scrimmage, in which all the forwards joined, and then a long hockey darted like the tongue of a snake into the crowd from the outside, skilfully hooking the block, and the owner whirled round in the very faces of his own men, and then backwards and sideways he zigzagged, until he found an open space, for which he made a dash, and before the astounded hussars could recover themselves he had carried it, skating like the wind, past the backs and the goal-keeper, in for a goal.
A storm of "Bravos!" greeted this successful trick, and Edith led with a rousing American cheer, for it was Charlie who had scored one for his country.
"That's jolly good hockey!" said a fat, breathless little Lieutenant; and Dick turned and looked at him in surprise.
Then the block was put in play again, and back and forth it flew, until the big hussar once more got the ball and a clear space, and by a brilliant exhibition of fast skating and clever tricking, he too carried it safely in for a goal.
"Deutschland, Deutschland über alles!" chanted the officers on the bank.
The German army was playing well, suspiciously well; their long passes would have brought joy to a lacrosse-player's heart, and their clean hits would have made a polo enthusiast shout with delight.
Dick and Charlie conferred together in low tones. Should they protest against the pure English of the gay hussars? Something was clearly wrong, though the uniforms seemed right. But no, they would not stop to challenge them.
Up and down the ice the rubber block spun, alternately threatening the well-guarded goal-posts. It was such pretty hockey that the officers on the bank, in the excitement of the game, forgot to chaff their representatives, and only when Charlie, "by playing for his man," had bowled a stiff little hussar clean over, did they give way to unrestrained mirth.
"You've broken my leg, you young idiot," roared out this forgetful officer, as he struggled to his feet; and then he bit his lip, and muttered "By Jove!" for he saw that he had given himself away.
"Was ist dann los?" (What's the matter) was called out from the bank as the game hung fire for a minute.