The Center: Beacon Hill Bad Boys #1

Jamie Long
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 The Center
Beacon Hill Bad Boys 1

Jamie Long

7th Veil Books

 Copyright © 2023 7th Veil Books

All rights reserved

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real
persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in

any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without express written permission of the publisher.

Cover design by: C. Buitrago

Printed in the United States of America
 Contents

Title Page
Copyright
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Epilogue
About The Author
 Chapter 1
Jack

As I rounded across the ice, the crisp winter air biting at my cheeks
and nose, I couldn't help but feel a sense of peace wash over me.
Gliding effortlessly across the rink, the sound of skates cutting
through the din of the stadium made me feel at home.

The days leading up to a game were always the worst with

nothing to do but wait for the moment to come. Not that I ever
worried, but it was only natural to feel annoyed with the
anticipation. As the game approached, my anxiety gave way to calm.
With each step towards the first whistle, I slowly built myself up;
lacing my skates, snapping in my helmet, and picking up my stick.
By the time the buzzer sounded, I was invincible.

Life had never been easy for me. Home was filled with uncertainty,
my mother died when I was young and my father was a drunk. The
ice was my domain. The place where I had complete control.

Over four years at Beacon Hill University, I had developed into a

school legend and one of the best players in the league. Today, we
had a chance to take our place in the championship game with a win
over our border rival.

The stadium was packed. I scanned the crowd, allowing my eyes

to stop momentarily at the seats in section 012. They were
unoccupied as always. I breathed in deeply, allowing myself to close
my eyes. The calm before the storm.
 Time for my pregame ritual. I picked up speed, heading towards
the student section. The puck bunnies would be in a frenzy today
given the importance of the game. Coming up to the crowd, I saw
faces materialize from the rocking sea of blue and black shirts. I
waved to the screaming crowd, before dipping down to one knee,
playing the air bass on my stick as I skated by, my signature
celebration. The crowd went ape, I live to please.

Emily
It was fucking freezing. I wasn’t sure why I had let Chloe drag me
out, I should have been studying and I really couldn’t care less
about the hockey team.

Despite the cold, I couldn't help but feel a bit of heat rush to my
face when I saw Jack skate across the rink. His tall, athletic build
and chiseled jawline were the perfect combination of strength and
beauty. Even though the game hadn’t started, I found myself
admiring the grace and agility with which he moved across the ice.

The crisp smell of the ice made me think of my childhood when I

was a skater. I remembered the cold Saturday mornings when my
father would drive me to the rink. Seeing Jack move across the
stadium reminded me of the way I used to feel so free and peaceful
gliding across the ice.

Chloe’s voice cut through my daydream and brought me back to

the stadium. “That’s our star center, Jack Dougherty,” She yelled
over the crowd.

As Jack rounded the corner, I could see more of his face. His eyes
were a pale blue and seemed to dance with cockiness. As he
approached the feral swarm of fans, he dropped to a knee and did a
ridiculous air guitar move.
 I couldn’t help but chuckle, though the crowd seemed to love it.
As he rose, he skated right past where I was standing.

A shiver ran down my spine, and I didn’t think it was from the
cold. His icy eyes met mine and seemed to warm me. His face broke
into a gentle smirk. Was I dreaming? Did he…did he wink at me? I
could feel my face blush and was grateful that he turned away to
more pressing matters.

“I think he just winked at you,” Chloe giggled.

“Oh shut up.”

“Gosh, are you blushing?”

I shook my head and was grateful that the game was about to
start.
 Chapter 2
Jack

I was having my worst game of the season. Something was off.

Besides my physicality, I had always prided myself on being able to
diagnose the game.

Having spent every waking moment on the ice, playing at the park
after school, traveling with youth teams on the weekends, I had put
in so many hours that playing hockey was second nature to me. I
had an innate sense on the rink––an ability to see what would
happen before it did. Anticipating where the puck would end up
before it arrived, I was able to manipulate defenses easily and bait
opponents into overcommitting by exploiting their tendencies.

But today, my mind was elsewhere. That girl in the stands, who
was she? She was sitting next to Chloe, a notorious puck bunny, but
I had never seen her in the student section before. As the star
player at a hockey school, I assumed I knew everyone worth
knowing on campus. She was a mystery and one that was taking up
too much space in my mind.

The second period ended. I made my way back to the bench.

“We have got to make better decisions when we have the puck…”
Coach’s face had that characteristic blush. We could never figure out
if it was the cold or the stress that made his cheeks light like a fire.
 It was a darker blush than the one on her face. Her blush was
rosy and pink. I looked over to the crowd. She was still there. I felt
an urge to conquer her, to punish her for how she had taken my
head out of the game.

“You got that Dougherty?”

Fuck. I had zoned out on the huddle. “You got it, Coach,” I
grunted.

It was fine, not worth the time it would take for Coach to chew
me out, I would figure it out on the fly. But I needed to keep my
head in the game and keep blondie from breaking my focus.

As I skated back toward center ice, I heard the opposing center

chirping, “Dougherty, what happened to your air guitar bud? Seems
a little flat.”

I smiled, a little motivation was just what I needed.

Emily
"What is happening? Can they do that?" I was shocked, to see the
“center” that Chloe had pointed out locked in what looked like a
shoving match with a player on the other team. Both of them had a
handful of each other’s jerseys.

Chloe shrugged. “It happens sometimes. Our guys better be

careful though, we really can’t afford a penalty.”

All of this was over my head, but the idea that the game could boil
over into fisticuffs was absurd.

The two were tangled now, pulling the other around in a circle.

“Oh, shit.”
 The two figures circled faster, pulling more violently at one
another. The student section erupted in cheers as we saw Jack get
the better of the exchange, pushing over the other team’s player and
landing on top of him. I caught myself cheering with them.

Jack was leaning over the other player like you would a table and
was saying something while wagging a finger in his face.

The referee came between them, pulling Jack away.

“Damn it,” Chloe said

“What?”

“He’s penalized, he has to sit out for the next five minutes.” Jack
skated over to the side and hopped into a box. He had a smirk on
his face and his blue eyes were shining with delight as he waved his
arms up to the crowd.

“This isn’t good” Chloe yelled over the erupting cheers.

Though I didn’t really care about hockey, I couldn’t help but feel
caught in the wave of excitement from everyone around me. The
rush from seeing the confrontation had me caught up in the game.

Chloe’s worries seemed warranted. With an extra man on the ice,

the other school scored quickly. Bringing groans out of the fans.

0-1

I looked over at the box where Jack was sitting. He hadn’t moved,
his steely eyes surveying the skaters moving around.

He turned around as if he could feel me staring at him. His face

was completely relaxed. Through the hundreds of people, he
seemed to look right at me.
 Jack
There it was. The missing piece that I hadn’t been able to see
while on the ice.

Their center, the smart mouth, pressed a bit too much while on
the attack, and their left defenseman was weak on that side. I could
see the play we needed to make.

I suppressed the urge to crack my knuckles. I needed to be in

control. While I was known for being a bit of an instigator and
showboat, I knew I always played my best while in a flow state of
quiet calm. I took a deep breath and got ready to get back on the
ice. Down one with ten minutes to play, we would need everything
to pull this off. I looked up at the stands. There was that girl again;
for a moment I felt us lock eyes. I shook my head, focusing back on
the game. I couldn’t let her distract me.

I hopped back into the game after the five minutes were up. At
the next stoppage of play, I skated over to my huddled teammates.

“Hey Blue Devils, don’t look so blue.” I joined the huddle with one
arm around each of my wingers.

“It was my bad on the goal, I got beat.” John our defenseman was
shaking his head.

“We’re good,” I commanded, “John, when their playmaker gets

the puck, I need you to hang back a beat. He’s too eager. force him
left towards Tucker.”

As we got ready for play to resume, I skated over to center ice. It

was time for my plan.

Bending over and facing off against the smart mouth, he smiled as
I approached.
 “Oh, John Mayer, how was the bench?” he chortled

“It wasn’t bad. Not as comfy as you looked on your back though,”
I shot back

His smile disappeared. I decided to press an inch further.

“Hey, maybe after I score on you, I’ll have your girl on her back,” I
chuckled.

His face contorted to a glare. Perfect.

The puck dropped and I feinted an attempt at it, before allowing

him to take it by me. I circled clockwise and turned around just in
time to see Tucker deck him against the left side.

The puck came right to me.

Emily
I was hollering now. Jack had come back on the ice, and within
seconds the team had scored. Jack had taken it down the left side
and before I could process what had happened it ended up behind
the other team’s goalie.

1-1

The student section broke out in a chant that I didn’t know. A frat
guy took off his shirt and waving it in circles over his head.

Jack traced the perimeter of the ice, this time he had his stick in
his right hand and was dragging it back and forth in the crease of his
left arm that he held up fingering a mock violin. He had played them
like a fiddle.

Chloe screamed and we gave each other a high five.

 I had to admit, this was the most fun I had had since starting
school at Beacon Hill. It wasn’t just the drama, the game seemed to
bring us all together. I didn’t even fully know what was happening
but I was totally invested.

For the rest of the game, I didn’t take my eyes off Jack. I was
mesmerized by the way he moved. He had complete mastery of
himself. Contorting, sprinting, and gliding in just the way he needed
to move past the monsters on the ice.

Even when he didn’t have the puck, he was the center of the
game, the causal piece that all other factors orbited around. He
constantly put himself in the right place, backing off when he
needed to, and inserting himself at just the right moment. By
watching him, I could understand more. From his perspective, the
game opened up to me.

Before the game was over, Jack had scored two more times, each
goal more impressive than the last.
 Chapter 3
Jack

And there it was, the final buzzer. I had scored a hat trick in the
final ten minutes of play. What had started as one of my worst
performances had turned into the best hockey I had played in my
life. The last ten minutes were a blur. I was flowing, without
processing everything. The clock, my teammates, the opponents
were all just materials on the blank canvas of the ice.

That canvas was now erupting as the students stormed onto the
playing surface. Then it hit me. I remembered the stakes of the
game; we had sent our school to its first national championship in
over a decade.

Before I could skate away, I was being lifted by the crowd. This
wasn’t great. I didn’t trust these drunken idiots to lift me on ice. But
I had to play it cool, I flashed a smile and leaned back, raising my
hands. As the crowd lifted me up, I looked up at the stands where
she was. She was still standing there––now alone in an empty
student section.

It wasn’t that I blamed her for my poor performance, but seeing

her before the game had taken me a bit out of my element. It took
me two periods to fully regain my composure. Who was she? Why
wasn’t she storming the ice with the rest of the students? She had
been on my mind the whole game, and it wasn’t until after my time
in the penalty box that I was able to get back on track.
 I wanted to meet her.

Emily
I wanted to get out of there. The place was getting too crazy for
me. But Chloe had charged down to the ice with the rest of the
crowd. I stood back. There was no way I was going to go down
there now.

I saw them hoist Jack on their shoulders, his arms raised in

victory. I swore he was looking over at me again. His hair was
matted from his helmet and his cheeks were shining with joy.

Though I would never be so reckless as to go into that mob, I was

glad to see everyone celebrating. Even though I didn’t know
anything about hockey, I could tell it was a big accomplishment for
the school––and for Jack.

Eventually, he bent down to the crowd and said something

inaudible. They let him down, and he began to skate over toward
the sideline.

Was he coming here? I froze in my tracks, it couldn’t be. But he

was still looking right at me. Before he could reach the edge of the
rink, I was saved by a reporter who took him aside to do an
interview.

For a moment, I thought I could see mild annoyance on his face

before his congenial charm returned. The spotlight of the camera
was shining on him, lighting his face and causing his eyes to
shimmer. If he was annoyed, he wasn’t showing it. His smile was
infectious. Though I couldn’t hear what he said, it seemed to make
the reporter laugh.

I caught myself fixing my hair. What was I doing? I turned around

and headed up the bleachers. I’d catch up with Chloe later, I needed
to study anyway.
 Jack
I looked past the reporter. She had big dark eyes that matched
her brunette hair. She was tall and striking, but I couldn’t really care
less at the moment. I wanted to go talk to that girl.

Damn, she was moving away.

Surrounded by screaming girls and this hot reporter giving me

eyes, and I only want to go see her. Something was wrong with me.
She almost messed me up today.

When the reporter finally finished her questions, I started to skate

around looking for Chloe. She may know who she was.

Chloe wasn’t hard to find, she was chatting it up with my winger,

Jordan. I skated over and grabbed her arm gently.

“Woah, Jack. That was incredible.”

I flashed a smile. “Thanks, sweetheart. Did you enjoy the show?”

“You had me worried there in the third period.”

“Never a doubt. You gonna come celebrate with us tonight?”

Her eyes widened, she was desperate for the invite.

“Sure, I’m down.”

“Your friend that you were with, will she be there?”

Chloe smiled, “Why do you care?”

“I’ve just never seen her before. Who is she?”

“Her name’s Emily, she’s in my biology class. She’s super nice, but
she’s kind of quiet. I’m not sure if the hockey house is really her
scene.”

“Why? We don’t bite, do we, Jordy?”

“We will tonight,” Jordan said and then barked while grabbing
Chloe behind by the waist “We’re going to the natty, baby!”

I bumped heads with him and leaned down to Chloe.

“Bring your friend tonight, Chlo,” I looked down at her, giving her
a soft and warm look, “I’d really appreciate it.”

She giggled, “I’ll see what I can do. But you gotta promise to win
the championship next week.”

I grinned, “Never a doubt, Chlo.”

 Chapter 4
Emily

I was so behind on my homework. Finals were coming up in a week

and I was really feeling the pressure for my biology class after
bombing my midterm. Even with the pressure of failure threatening
to swallow me, I was having trouble focusing. The excitement from
the day kept coming back into my mind.

I resisted the temptation to daydream, but two blue eyes were

peering at me through the pages of my textbook.

My phone buzzed. I ignored it.

Was Jack really looking at me today?

It certainly had seemed that way, but that may have just been an
illusion, a trick of his eyes. They seemed to take in everything and
everyone and hold them at an arresting distance. He was definitely a
showman. I had gone to see my favorite band once, and the singer
had something similar. His eyes seemed to look directly at you, but
I’m sure everyone at the concert came out feeling like that.

Still, even then in the front row of that concert, I hadn’t felt as
strong of a connection as I did with Jack.

But surely I was being foolish. I mean, even if he was looking over
at me, it probably was just because he wanted to get in my pants. A
guy like that had girls practically drooling over him.
 My phone was ringing now, I looked over and saw that Chloe was
calling.

“Hey Emily, what you up to?”

“Oh you know, just elbows deep in this finals prep.”

“What? Biology? I know someone that wants to be elbows deep in

you.”

“Oh my god, Chlo.” Even over the phone, I could tell she was
tipsy.

“Listen, Em, you should come out with us tonight. Some of the
players invited us over to the hockey house. It’s going to be insane.”

“I really can’t. I told you, I’m already behind with going to the
game.”

“You don’t understand, Em… *czzch* want you there. Jack… to

come,”

The call dropped.

Did she say that Jack wanted me to come? That was crazy, he
didn’t even know me. Even though Chloe sometimes hung around
with the hockey team, I didn’t feel like she knew him that well either.

More than likely, Chloe had noticed me blush earlier and was
dangling him in front of me to come be with her.

I loved Chloe. Her carefree attitude sometimes made people miss

how sharp she was––at least when she wasn’t drinking. She was a
sweet friend, but she didn’t always understand the pressure I was
under.

I was a first-generation college student. I made it to Beacon Hill

because of my scholarship. If I didn’t maintain my grades, I wouldn’t
be able to afford college. My dreams of becoming a clinical
researcher would be over. I wasn’t ready to give that up for a night
of debauchery, no matter how fun it seemed.

I yawned and looked over at the clock. Ten thirty. I was looking at
a long night ahead. I should probably go get a coffee before
Dovetails closed.

Jack
The house was vibrating, a droning bass line was splitting my
skull.

I had been drinking since I got out of my hockey gear. My vision

was getting blurry. Now that I was off the ice, a familiar tightness
returned to my jaw.

The music was loud, the people straining to be louder. I was

sitting on the sticky couch of the hockey house. A small redheaded
girl was slinking next to me, she had her hand around the back of
the couch and her legs were bent under her. Her other hand twirled
around a red cup that matched her lipstick.

“Were you nervous when you were down one goal?”

It took everything to not roll my eyes. I gave her a serious look.

“I’m never nervous, not when I’m on the ice.”

Even in the most stressful situations, hockey was never a problem.

It was always off-the-ice activities that got me in trouble. Now that
the game was over, I was experiencing the all too familiar postgame
blues. Nothing to do but wait till next week. That meant one of two
things: practice maniacally or get wasted.

The redhead was giggling; she leaned forward to kiss me. Her
breath reeked of booze. I turned slightly, giving her my cheek. I
spotted Chloe dancing with some teammates across the living room.

“Hold that thought.” I said and made my way over, swaggering a

bit, and navigating the throngs of drunks.

“Chloe,”

“Hey,”

“What’s up, boys?” I said dapping up my teammates who were too

plastered to respond.

I leaned over to Chloe, “Hey, where's your friend?”

She gave me a pouty frown, “She said she had to study.”

I must have not done a good job hiding my disappointment.

“Don’t look so disappointed,” Chloe turned and spoke up to

address everyone in the group, “I brought other party favors.”

Tucker raised his cup, nodding his head.

“Let’s go skiing. You coming, Dougherty?”

Normally, after a game, I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere

else. Friends, drugs, girls. There was no room for me to be alone
with my anxiety. But I had a pit in my stomach. Somehow cocaine
didn’t feel like it would help.

“Nah you guys go ahead, I’m gonna step out for a smoke.”

I stepped outside of the house and looked down at my phone, it

was 10:50, December 16. Tomorrow would be the anniversary of my
mother's passing. I remember staying up with her all night on this
night so many years ago. That feeling of helplessness.

I started to walk up the road. A light snow began to fall.

 Emily
I was practically sprinting, I needed to make it across campus
before Dovetails closed. I really needed a cappuccino to help me
with tonight’s cramming.

As I went, I reviewed notes in my head. The three layers of the

heart wall are the myocardium, the endocardium, and the…
edicardium? No epicardium.

The function of the myocardium is…

“Oof”

I had been lost in thought and bumped into someone’s backside.

I mumbled an apology, not wanting to stop. As I looked up, I

froze. Standing in front of me was the unmistakable figure of Jack
Dougherty.

As he turned around to face me, a charismatic smile broke across

his perfect face.

“Hey,” he said, his voice low and gentle.

“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

His gaze was arresting. The same piercing eyes I noticed from
afar, up close, had a different kind of power.

While on the ice, his eyes seemed to dance with a kind of

electricity. Up close in this context, they hummed softly with interest
and understanding. I worried that he could peer into my soul the
way he peered into the game.

“It’s okay. I can take a hit,” he stepped forward and reached out
his palm, “I’m Jack.”
 “Emily.” His hand was warm and gentle. I felt a flush in my face. I
couldn’t help but think of my textbook. Arousal starts with the
dilation of pupils and a rush of blood to the face and erogenous
areas.

“Have I seen you before, Emily?” he said, pulling me in closer ever

so slightly.

Panicking, I pulled back my hand.

“I doubt it. I never go anywhere.”

He didn’t react to me pulling away but remained where he stood.

His shoulders were broad and relaxed. He chuckled, slow and easy.
“Well, you seemed like you were hurrying off somewhere just now.”

Snow fell softly around us, I could see it collecting like stars in his
fluffy brown hair.

“Yeah, sorry. I was trying to make it to Dovetails before they

closed.”

“Ah, you’re cramming for finals.”

I laughed and covered my mouth. “Yes. And I need my coffee.”

He looked down at his watch, “Well, Emily, I hate to tell you, but I
don’t think you’re going to make it.”

“Shit,” I looked down at my phone just in time to watch 10:59 turn

to 11:00.

“Just my luck. Sorry for running into you.” I walked past him.

“Hey, don’t be sorry,” he rotated to continue to look at me, still

standing his ground, “I know a spot. It’s way better than that
cafeteria shit.”
 A shiver ran through my body, “Oh, that’s ok. I really should be
studying.”

He looked down at me, taking me in, I felt like he could tell I had
tensed up, and when he looked back up into my eyes, his gaze had
softened.

His eyes were like crystal pools, mirroring the world around him
and reflecting his own quiet intensity. I was mesmerized by their
clarity and curious about the depths that lay beneath the surface.

Now he stepped to me, his hands still at his sides. I stood, rooted
to the spot, relaxing into his gaze. I could feel the warmth
emanating from his body. Blood was definitely rushing to more than
just my face now.

He spoke low, “Believe me, Emily. I wouldn’t dream of keeping

you from studying,” he took my hands in his, “But I can’t be the
reason you don’t get your coffee.”

His face broke back into a smile, “Let’s go get you what you need.”

His eyes hadn’t left mine. I wanted to look away, but they held me
with their generosity. For a moment, my anxiousness quelled. I
wasn’t worried about finals, studying, or what time it was. I could
have stayed there watching the snow dance across the reflection of
his eyes forever.

I hadn’t said anything, my voice was caught in my throat. But he

seemed to understand. Without another word, he led me into the
night.
 Chapter 5
Jack

What luck. This girl had come to me just out of the blue. Just like
the puck came to me that first goal today.

My heart was racing, but my mind was now clear. Now that she
was here, I had to make the most of my opportunity.

She had been beautiful up in the stands, but she was stunning up
close. Even in pajama pants and a puffy jacket, I could see she had
a petite but curvy figure. With her blonde hair and chocolate brown
eyes, she looked perfect.

Something about her put me at ease. Despite the drinks I had

had, I felt sober. I led her to where my bike was parked. Letting go
of her waist, I threw my leg over my bike and signaled for her to join
me. She hesitated, and I smiled.

“Come on,” I said, offering her a helmet, “It’s just a mile up the
road. We’ll take it easy.”

She took a deep breath and put on the helmet. She wrapped her
arms around my waist. I could feel her small hands holding onto me.
I felt a tug of excitement in my stomach.

As a hockey player, I was no stranger to physical affection from

women. In fact, there was a good argument that I was desensitized
to it. But the way her hands found my abdomen was scintillating.
The care and delicateness with which she handled me. I kicked off
my bike and revved the engine. I felt her grip tighten, along with a
tightening in my pants. I smiled and pulled off into the night.

The air was cold against my skin, and I felt her press herself into
my back. God, I wanted to feel her embrace against my skin. Her
breath was warm on my neck, as she leaned forward and relaxed
against my back.

We arrived at The Bluebird. Its second neon “b” was flickering

slowly.

“They make a mean espresso,” I said, directing her towards the

counter with my hand on her waist.

“Oh, Jackie Dough,” Mike, the owner, was standing behind the
grill, grease stains on his apron. His jet-black hair slicked back in
that particular way it always was. He looked up from the sausages
and smiled at me. I could tell by the glint in his eye that he wanted
to bust my balls, and would have started if I was alone.

“Hey, Mike. This is Emily.”

“Emily! Very nice to meet you. What can I get for you?”

“Double espressos,” I chimed in before Emily could answer. I

leaned over and whispered to her, “Mike takes his espresso seriously.
He doesn’t go for that latte stuff.”

“That’s right. You want coffee, get yourself the right beans and
have coffee. You want dairy? Have a glass of milk,” he chuckled as
he roughly tamped down the grinds.

Emily chuckled, “Hey, I take my coffee seriously too. But I do

usually prefer a cap.”
 Mike nodded, “I hear ya, personal preference. Thing is, in this
joint, I don’t have all those steamers, foamers to get the milk right.
Not to mention the time.”

“Ho! What are you doing?” he snapped around to yell at one of his
cooks, “Turn those steaks before they turn to leather.” The line cook
didn’t answer but turned the steak.

I laughed, “Mike never shuts up, huh Dean?”

Dean smiled, looking up from the steak, “How you doing, Jackie?”

Mike set the coffee down and excused himself. I clinked cups with
Emily, who smiled at me. I watched her sip the espresso, her rosy
lips taking in the side of the espresso cup delicately.

“Mm!” her eyes widened and then narrowed on the cup in front of
her, “That is amazing.”

“Now you see why Mike is the way he is.” I imitated his raspy east
coast accent, “You gotta tamp it down firm, so that the drip is slow.
That’s how you get it creamy.”

Emily covered her mouth, shaking with silent laughter. I smiled, it

felt good to make her laugh. Girls were always giggling over things,
desperate to show you they liked you. She seemed more reserved.
Like she didn’t want to let on she thought my wisecrack was funny.

My smile dissipated as a smack hit me behind the head.

I looked up to see Mike, coming back around the corner of the

counter, plates stacked in his left hand.

“Hey, ice princess, I don’t tell you how to play your air guitar, do
I?”
 I put on a mock face of aggression. “Hey. I almost knocked a kid's
teeth in today for that wisecrack.”

“Was that what that guy said when you got into that altercation?”
Emily looked interested.

I smiled, and spoke easily, “Yeah, but that’s not really why I
started the altercation, we needed a spark.”

Emily gave me a look and sipped her coffee.

“What?”

“You mean the spark that let the other team score with ten
minutes left?”

It was Mike’s turn to laugh.

“Good for you, Emily. Don’t let Boy Wonder bullshit you.”

“Hey,” I said, working hard to keep annoyance from my voice, “I

only got penalized because I won that exchange. And I scored a hat
trick when I got back from the box.”

Emily shrugged, “It’s crazy they let you fight in hockey. Seems
kind of… unsportsmanlike.”

I shook my head, “They only let you scrap for real in the big
leagues. College, most you can do is shove a bit without getting
thrown out.”

“Lucky for that kid with the wisecrack,” Mike leaned over the
counter and looked at Emily through his brows, “Don’t let the pretty
boy looks and dainty footwork fool you. Boy Wonder can hold his
own in a scrap.”

“Yeah? How come that doesn’t keep you from busting my balls?” I
said.
 “Cause you scrap with me, you won’t eat for free no more,” he
said, tussling my hair.

I hit his hand away and fixed my hair.

“And,” Mike said, holding a finger up, “someone in this town has to
keep your ego in check.”

He gave me a knowing look and shot his eyes slyly over at Emily.
As if to say, “That one could help out in that department.” I shook
my head.

“What else can I get for you?” he said, opening up. “First time
here, you gotta have my griddle cakes.”

Emily was smiling, “Thanks, but I should really get going, I need
to study.”

“Sure, sure. Come back another time, and I’ll hook you up. A
friend of Jackie’s is always welcome here.”

“Give us a couple espressos for the road, Mike?”

Mike made the coffee and gave us a packet of biscuits that he

insisted we take.

“Brain food. For your studying,” he said winking.

Emily
Warmed by the coffee, I didn’t shiver on the way back. Jack’s
motorcycle hummed peacefully, the sound dulled by the cushion of
snow surrounding us.

After he parked his bike, he offered to walk me back to my dorm

room. He placed his arm around my shoulder and I huddled up
against him, breathing in the scent of his cologne.
 “You know, I saw you up in the stands earlier today,” he whispered
in my ear, “I was hoping I’d see you at the party tonight.”

I looked up at him, “Sorry to disappoint.”

An easy smile spread across his face as his sapphire blue eyes
danced in the moonlight. He pulled me in closer, “I’ll take you any
way I can find you.”

His hands were on my waist now, pulling me into a warm

embrace. I inhaled sharply, his minty breath stinging my nose.

I looked at his lips, hesitantly, unsure of what was happening.

Glancing up, I saw his eyes as calm and bright as gemstones. I took
a deep breath; anxious thoughts had nowhere to linger as long as I
was held in his gaze. I brought my hands up to the back of his head,
feeling the feathery texture of his hair.

“Hey!”

The voice from across the street startled me as I turned to see a

group of students. “Dougherty! There you are, we were wondering
where you went.”

“Emily, is that you?”

I backed away from Jack’s embrace and saw Chloe pushing

forward from the group, her eyes wide with a pleasant surprise. I
turned back to look at Jack, who was smiling down at me.

“I got to go,” I said, feeling my cheeks turn red. As I turned back

toward the entrance to the dorm. I felt his eyes follow me up the
steps.
 Chapter 6
Jack

Practice the next day was tough. We were all groggy after a long
night of celebrating. Coming off a game, we weren’t supposed to
have a hard practice. Coach wanted us to run through some plays on
the ice. When he saw how sloppy we were, his cheeks turned red
and he started hounding us, turning the practice into a conditioning
session.

Back in the locker room, I sat bent at the waist with my arms on
my knees. I felt physically sick, sweat dripping from my head, and
pooling at my feet. The locker room was quiet, a rude change to the
euphoria we felt the last time we were here. Jordan sat next to me.
I made a private bet with myself about how long it would take
before he would make a wisecrack to try and bring our spirits up.

“You’d think we lost yesterday by that practice,” he said rubbing

his eyes with his shirt.

A few chuckles.

“Yeah, or like we didn’t just play a full game,” Tucker added,

spitting into the corner.

I stood up and turned towards my locker.

“What happened to you last night, JD?” Jordan asked.

 “What do you mean?”

“Who was that girl we saw you with?”

“You mean the one you interrupted me with?” I said with a smile.

“Our bad,” Tucker offered. “We were pretty fucked up is all.”

“No one, I ran into her when I went out last night.”

The truth was, Emily was still taking up a lot of my mind space. I
wanted to believe that my bad practice was because of the party,
but I knew that I usually was fine at practice even after a night of
drinking. I pulled my shirt over my head and turned to face the rest
of the team. A grin on Jordan’s face reminded me of our plans for
tonight. Suddenly, I cracked a smile.

Call it superstition, but at Beacon Hill, it was understood.

Whenever a team makes it to a national championship, that team
must streak on campus. It was a tradition that was started by the
hockey team, but it had been nearly a decade since we had the
opportunity to actually win a championship.

As a freshman, I had heard stories from the seniors about the last
time the Blue Devils made a championship game. Over the last four
years, one of my main goals was to be able to make my own mark
on this tradition.

Finally, I had the chance to participate. And I wasn’t taking it

lightly.

“So, are we still on for tonight fellas?”

Whoops of affirmation moved through the locker room, and the

mood suddenly lifted.
 “Alright, we’ll meet up at the hockey house at eleven. Then we
run down to the library.”

The team cheered and banged on the lockers. Tucker hopped up

on a bench, undoing the towel around his waist, and swiveled his
hips around. Laughter and jeering erupted from the team. I cupped
my hands around my mouth to be heard over the commotion.

“And don’t be late!”

Emily
Chloe and I were sitting in the library to study for our final. Well,
we were trying to, but our reading and note-taking were punctuated
with talk.

I told Chloe about coffee with Jack.

“So you just ran into him?” Chloe asked

“I was trying to make it to Dovetails before it closed.” I brushed a

strand of hair behind my ear and thumbed at the pages of my
textbook.

I was having trouble focusing on nucleotides. To be honest, I’d

been having trouble focusing on anything all day.

I kept thinking about the way Jack's eyes danced as they looked
at me. What would they have looked like, as I was pinned under his
body? How would his hands have felt gripping me by the hips as I
savored the taste of his lips?

We were sitting in armchairs with a low table between us. We

overlooked the main floor through a wide pane of glass.

I was lost in my daydream when I heard a scream from below. I

looked down and gasped. Streaming in from the library’s front
entrance was what looked like a gallery of naked men. I looked over
at Chloe who had her hand covering her mouth, her eyes wide.

I looked on as the throngs of streakers made their way through

the library. Bystanders turned and covered their eyes, others
cheered. Most stood rooted to the spot, holding their hands to their
mouths or giggling at the absurdity of what they saw.

The streakers themselves seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Running through the halls of the library, cheering and shouting.
Some of them wore shoulder pads, some were in their boxers. But
the majority of them were butt naked, as they charged through the
halls of the library.

“It’s the hockey team.” Chloe said, looking over at me with

laughter in her eyes. “I heard some rumor that they might pull
something like this. Apparently, it’s supposed to be good luck for
their game next week.”

Chloe cackled and pulled out her phone. A group of streakers

made their way up the stairs to the second floor. I froze as I picked
out the man who was leading them. Even from this distance, I
recognized his dark hair and bright blue eyes.

A buck-naked Jack was leading a group of his nude cohorts

straight toward me and Chloe. I turned my head and covered my
face with the back of my hand, hoping not to see or be seen.

“Hey, Jack!” Chloe waved to the ensemble of naked men. I shot

her a dirty look.

“Hey, Chloe.” I heard Jack’s voice call out as the beat of feet
moved past us.

“Chloe!” A chorus of boys called out as they moved down the hall.
 Slowly, I raised my head and cautiously looked up. I nearly
jumped in my seat, when I saw Jack looking down at me.

“Jesus,” I said, trying to avert my eyes.

“Hey you,” Jack said. He had his hands on his waist like some kind
of comic book superhero. Despite the ridiculous pose, I couldn’t help
being impressed by the figure he cut in front of me.

His chest bulged and his abdomen rippled like rocks in a stream.
His lower abdomen cut a tight “V” towards another more distinct
bulge which was threateningly close to eye level. I covered my face
again, turning away from the sight. I heard him laugh. “I think I’m
making your friend blush, Chloe.”

“I think you’re the one with the bush.” Chloe retorted. I laughed
nervously. I was definitely blushing now, still unable to bring my
eyes up.

“You’re not going to say hi?” Jack said.

“You’re naked.”

“Are you scared?”

I dropped my hands and looked up at him. His bright blue eyes

looked down at me, mischief dancing beneath their surface.

“What’s there to be scared of?” I asked with an attitude.

I looked down briefly and instantly looked away. Apparently, there

was plenty that I should be scared of. Jack just smirked.

“So what are you doing here?”

“Studying,” Chloe answered, though it seemed that he had

directed the line of questioning toward me.
 “What are we doing? What are you doing?” I interjected feeling
the warmth in my cheeks.

Jack chuckled. “Sorry, I don’t mean to make you nervous. It’s

good luck for the game next week.”

Just then, a voice called out from down the hall. “Come on,
Dougherty! We’re going to the dorms next.”

Jack nodded in the direction of his teammates who yelled out.

“Well, it looks like I gotta get going.”

“You guys are going to the dorms with this circus?” I asked.

He looked down at me again, his eyes piercing into my soul.

“Why? would you like to meet us there?”

I rolled my eyes. “No, I’d just like to avoid seeing all this again if
possible.”

“Oh is that so?” Jack raised an eyebrow. I looked down again as

he chuckled.

“Well, I’ll see you guys around.” And then he ran off.
 Chapter 7
Jack

The day after the team’s streaking incident, I decided to walk to

class. Usually, I’d take one of the golf carts reserved for athletes, but
for some reason I felt like stretching my legs.

It was a bright day with a clear sky. I got to the academic building
early and found a bench in the empty hall. I laid down and dropped
my arm over my eyes.

Waiting for class to start, I found myself daydreaming. After our

streaking episode, the team had gone back to the hockey house to
drink. It was a great night, but I was still preoccupied with Emily.

It annoyed me that she still occupied my thoughts. I felt like I had

made a good impression on her. I mean, it couldn’t have hurt that
she got a good look at my body. I smiled to myself, thinking back to
how flustered she had gotten while I was standing in front of her.

I wanted her, but I knew she was a little skittish. I would have to
take my time, allow the play to develop in front of me before I could
score.

Emily
I kept thinking back to last night. I was so embarrassed by the
thought of what happened. Seeing Jack naked had shaken me. And
why was I the one who felt awkward? He was the one naked.
Although, I guess with a body like that, I could understand why you
wouldn't easily feel embarrassed.

It was like looking at one of those old Greek statues in a museum.

With them being so beautiful and natural standing up there naked, it
left all the embarrassment up to you, the beholder. Of course, there
were some massive differences between Jack and those statues.

For one, the statues weren’t so full of themselves, and they didn’t
make smart remarks. He seemed to revel in the fact that he could
make me blush. Even naked, he seemed completely composed, and
sure of himself. His unshakeable self-assurance was kind of
annoying.

Still, I caught myself wondering what his body would feel like.
Would he be cold like marble? Would he be as hard and unyielding?
I looked up and realized that the last sentences my professor had
said had been droned out by my fantasies.

I looked up at the clock hanging by the door. Class was almost

over. As I looked away, I did a double take. There, in the little
window in the door, was the face of Jack Dougherty.

He smiled when I made eye contact with him. What was he doing
here? It was like I couldn’t shake him.

I tried to ignore him but found myself looking back over at the
door. Jack’s smirking face stared back at me as he gave me a wink. I
rolled my eyes.

I tried looking away and forced myself to ignore him. This worked
for a while, but eventually, my eyes drifted back toward the door.

Jack had made a fog on the window with his breath and was now
writing on it with his finger.

“ih” it said, and he had written the “h” backward.

 I tried to stifle a giggle. Did he think that the window worked like
a mirror? The professor paused briefly from her lecture, hearing my
giggle. She looked over at the door as Jack ducked below the door’s
window.

She turned her eyes back towards me. Shit, I need to be serious,
I’m in class! I gathered myself and pretended to take notes
diligently. The next time I looked back towards the door, Jack was
gone. A backward “later” smudged into the glass.

When class ended, I was anxious that I’d find Jack waiting for me
out in the hall. But I also found myself slightly excited at the idea. I
wondered if he would be waiting for me. I gathered my things
quickly and walked out into the hall. But there was no sign of him.

Jack
I sat in front of the computer screen and took a deep breath. It
was a tough break that I had so much academic pressure right
before the big game. I had hoped my professor would have
understood that I should focus on the championship game, but he
had denied my extension on the paper.

It wasn’t really a surprise. I knew that Howard was a stickler when

I signed up for the class. But I had had him before and I knew
exactly how to write papers for him. All told, he was an easy enough
of a pass.

But still, writing a paper took time. I never learned how to type
properly, so writing papers always took a lot of effort.

I reached up and stretched. I hated sitting at the library, but it

wouldn’t be long before I was done with this forever. This was my
last semester at school. After this, I would––hopefully––be drafted
into the big leagues. Then I would never have to write a paper
again.
 It was getting late, and I knew I had practice early next morning.
Still, I wanted to get this out of the way so that I could focus on the
game next week. I turned back to my paper, trying to type out the
last paragraphs without getting distracted. My mind kept wandering
back to Emiy, I couldn’t get her face out of my mind. She was also
on my checklist for things I wanted to get done before my college
career came to a close.

I laughed to myself, thinking back to last night when I ran into her
at the library. She was blushing when she saw me. It wasn’t just
because I was naked either, I was sure of that. I thought it was
adorable how flustered she got, and only more so when she tried to
hide it.

I sighed and looked back at my paper. It was getting late and I

needed to bear down to get this done soon. After about an hour, I
got it to where I thought it was good enough. I shut down the
library computer and stood up.

As I was leaving, I saw Emily walking down the stairs from the
upper floor of the library. I made eye contact with her and laughed
as her eyes went wide with shock.

“Hey, Emily,” I said, smiling and pulling her in for a hug.

“Are you following me or something?” she asked, nudging me

gently with her arm.

“No, I think it’s the other way around,” I said, looking down at her,
“I’ve never seen you before, now it’s every day.”

She shook her head. “Oh, I’m following you? Weren’t you the one
sticking your head through my class window today?”

“Ok, so I happened to see you today. But don’t forget the other
night when you literally ran into me.”
 “Well, I didn’t see you. Maybe if I did, I’d gone the other way.”

I smiled down at her and chuckled. “So what you’re not glad to
see me?”

“At least you have your pants on this time,” she said.

“I don’t just come to the library to streak,” I said,

“Well that’s good to hear,” she was holding her laptop across her
chest with both of her arms and looked around.

“So, are you done for the night?” I asked.

She shrugged, “At least with the library.”

“Come on,” I said putting an arm around her shoulder, “I’ll walk
you back to your dorm. Make sure you don’t run into anyone else on
your way back.”

Emily
Jack was walking with his arm around my shoulder. I could smell
the leather of his jacket and the fresh scent of his cologne
underneath.

“Are you always studying this hard?” he asked as we made our

way across campus.

“Pretty much.”

“Check’s out. I think I’ve only run into you while you’ve been
studying,” His eyes were soft. I couldn’t believe their depth. He
seemed to go so smoothly between intensity and charm.

I shrugged my shoulders. “I think this is the only time I’ve seen

you studying.”
 “It may also be the last. I just finished my last paper ever."

We walked silently for a bit, making our way back towards my

dorm building. The snow from earlier had stopped falling, leaving a
soft blanket on the world that glistened in the moonlight. The air
was still and dead in only the way that a fresh snowfall can bring.

“So what do you study?” Jack asked after a while.

“Biology.”

“That’s my favorite subject,” he said, a glint in his eyes.

“Really?” I said, anticipating the punchline.

“Yeah, well more so anatomy,” he bent over and nibbled at my ear.

I turned my face, pushing him lightly with my hand to keep him

away. Through his sweater, I could feel his hard abdomen. Without
thinking, I left my hand on his midsection, tracing around with my
fingers. I remembered the way his abs looked last night.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, I’ve been told I’m a bit of a natural.”

I laughed. “Can you tell me what the three layers of the heart wall
are?”

“I thought there were four,” he said, scratching his head with his
free hand.

“Four chambers,” I said, mockingly.

“Right. Well, I don’t know what they’re called but my heart beats
fine.”

“Sure. What happens if you ever have an issue?”

 For a moment, I thought I could see his face flash a sign of, what
was it? Worry? Sadness? But it was gone in an instant.

He stopped walking and turned to face me.

“Well, then I’ll come to you,” there was that smile, “Although, I
don’t know you might do more damage to my heart than help.”

He placed his hand over mine and slid it gently under his shirt. His
skin was smooth, but his abs rippled as I felt my fingertips trace
their way to his chest.

“How does it feel, doctor?” he said, softly but playfully.

I felt blood rush to my nipples, and further below. He turned to

face me. His eyes were intense yet gentle. He looked down at my
lips, and I looked up at his. His chiseled chin bent towards me as he
pulled me into him.

Warmth spread through my body as he moved his hands toward

the small of my back, pulling me into his kiss. His body was hard,
but his lips were soft. I could feel the strength of his grip around my
waist. I couldn’t believe what was happening. I pressed my hips
against his. It didn’t take my biology background to feel that he was
aroused too.

His arousal only compounded mine. My moan stifled through his

kiss. My hands dangled around his neck. He broke the kiss as I
looked up at him, his eyes now gleaming with a low intensity.

“How about we take this inside?”

In my room under dim lights, Jack picked me up and set me down

on my bed. He took off his top slowly, exposing his torso. I had seen
him naked before, but now I felt free to take him in fully. His body
looked incredible, his muscles seemed to ripple; the lines carved
around his abdomen cast shadows in the warm light. I looked up at
Jack, his knowing eyes were taking me in.

“You look beautiful,” he said as I relaxed into his grasp. His hands
traveled up my leg and his fingers worked under the waistband of
my pants, pulling them off.

He bent down and I embraced him, wrapping my arms around his

marbled frame, spreading my legs to the rhythmic pulsing of his
hips.

My heart was fluttering as his hands now gripped my butt roughly.

I could feel his desire raging beneath the cloth of his pants. He was
tracing the lines of my neck with his lips, carving along the contours
of my body toward my breast.

His rhythm picked up and I breathed heavily. I opened my eyes,

and his locked in with mine, two cool blue flames dancing brightly in
the dim light.

Slowly, almost methodically, he gripped fistfuls of my shirt and

ripped it down the center. The top of his back constricting in one
slow but continuous motion. I gasped but my eyes never left.

As he leaned forward to kiss me, he slid off his pants. Now holding
me by the back of my neck, and dragging the length of his bare cock
against my panties that were liquid with lust.

Jack
Fuck, she was hot. I loved the way her hair tangled against the
static of the pillow. The way she moaned in my ear as I pressed
against her.

I wanted to take my time, savor this moment. I could tell she was
enjoying it too. She was practically drenching my cock through those
silky panties.
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
pattern, basted down, and hemmed at the dotted lines, 1¹⁄₂ in. from
the edge. Sew the front to the curved sides. Allowance for shrinkage,
when the bag is washed and fireproofed, has been made in these
sizes.

Fig. 1 Fig. 7
Fig. 5
Fig. 2 Fig. 8

Fig. 3 Fig. 6 Fig. 9

Fig. 4

This Homemade Skylight was Made at a Cost of $3, Gives Satisfactory

Service, and Is Not Unsightly
 For fireproofing the bag, the following formula is good: water, 60
oz., ammonium phosphate, 4 oz., ammonium chloride, 8 oz. Soak
the fabric half an hour, wring it out slightly, and hang it up to dry.
Cut a hole, 6 in. square, in the lower half of the case for the door F,
Fig. 5. The door is of galvanized sheet iron, 7 in. square, covered on
one side with imitation leather and provided with a leather handle.
The door slides in guides of mount board, or metal, as shown in Fig.
4. Figure 8 shows the notch below the door to allow play for the
spring of the flash lamp, in place in Figs. 5 and 6. Mine was made for
cartridges, but by attaching a pan of heavy tin, I use it for flash
powder.
The leather socket, into which the top of the holder G, is slipped, is
shown in detail in Fig. 7. Suitcase catches, D, lock the apparatus in
open or closed position. The roof E, is supported by two folding desk
slides.
To fasten the bag in place, slip a cheap yardstick, or strip, cut to
the proper length, in each of the hems at the edges, and set them
snugly inside and against the sides of the open case and under the
edge of the roof. Fasten them with screws, as shown at the edges in
Fig. 5. The bag is easily removed by withdrawing the screws and the
strips, for washing and fireproofing it again. The front must hang
away from the lamp before the charge is fired, or the bag may be
burned. After firing the flash, the skylight is carried out and the
smoke expelled.
 Fuel Box in Seat Filled from Floor Trapdoor

The Fuel is Placed in the Box by Passing It Up through the Trapdoors in the
Floor

A fuel box for the fireplace may be easily arranged so that it is

unnecessary to carry the fuel through the living rooms, thus avoiding
soiling floors and rugs. It may be installed, as shown, for a summer
cottage, or even in the living room of a home. The fuel box is built
under the seat of a comfortable settle, and the wood, coal, etc., are
placed in the fuel compartment by passing it up through trapdoors in
the floor at the center of the box. The fuel is piled at each side of the
trapdoor behind a low partition, and the trapdoors are closed when
not in use. The seat of the fuel box is divided at the middle and
hinged to swing back. Suitable cushions should be provided for the
seat.—M. P. Norton, Chicago.
 Homemade Relay of Inexpensive Materials
A practical relay was made of odds and ends gathered in the
workshop. The base is of wood, ³⁄₄ by 3 by 6 in. The magnets A are
made of two wire nails driven into the base, the heads projecting 1¹⁄₂
in. They are wound with six layers of fine insulated No. 25 gauge
wire, as shown in the small sketch. The ends of these magnet wires
are carried to the two binding posts B and C, taken from dry-cell
carbons.
 Nails, a Screw Hook, and Similar Common Materials, were Used in Making
This Relay

The armature D is a piece of soft iron, ¹⁄₂ by 2¹⁄₂ in., screwed to the
armature lever E, which is a ¹⁄₂ by 4¹⁄₂-in. piece of wood. A piece of
tin is tacked to the opposite end F, and a ¹⁄₈-in. hole is bored through
the lever, 2¹⁄₂ in. from the front end. Nail a wooden block, G, to the
base, slotted to accommodate the lever, so that when the latter is
pivoted in the slot, the armature will lie directly over the magnet
heads. Fit a wooden stop, H, under the end of the lever, so that the
armature is held ¹⁄₈ in. above the magnets, by a brass spring, J,
connected to the tin, F, and the binding post, K, with copper wire.
Arrange the brass hook, L, so it comes in contact with F when the
armature bears down upon the magnets. Connect this hook to the
binding post, M. When current flows through the magnets, the
armature is pulled down and the contact of the hook, L, with the tin,
F, completes a secondary circuit.—L. R. Hardins, Harwich, Mass.

¶A nutcracker may be used as a substitute for a pipe wrench or

pliers, and its toothed handles grip round objects quite firmly.
 A Photographic Printing Machine
By L. B. ROBBINS

A printing machine for “gaslight” papers, to be used in localities not

equipped with gas or electricity and where printing is to be done
after daylight, is shown in the sketch. The measurements given are
only approximate, as conditions will determine its size. That shown is
made as follows: First procure a 6¹⁄₂ by 8¹⁄₂-in. or 8 by 10-in. printing
frame. Remove the brass clips from the pad and fasten one end of
the pad to the frame, by a pair of small hinges, with the glass in the
frame. Procure a box, about 12 by 15 in., by 8 in. deep, with one side
open. Cut a rectangular opening through the 12 by 15-in. side a bit
smaller than the printing frame, and secure the frame in place over
the opening with screws. Saw a slot ³⁄₄ in. wide through the top of the
box—the end nearest the hinged end of the printing frame pad—
running it the full width and about 3 in. from the front.
 Photographic Printing may be Done Rapidly by the Systematic Use of This
Machine

Nail cleats along the inside of each side of the box, placing them
vertical and parallel, and about ³⁄₄ in. apart, so as to form a slide
groove in conjunction with the slot. This groove is to receive a frame
or curtain constructed of stock, 2 in. wide and ¹⁄₂ in. thick. The
outside dimensions of the curtain are a trifle smaller than the inside
measurements of the box itself. Cover the frame with orange paper,
and when finished insert it through the slot in the top of the box.
Build a frame as indicated, on the outside of the box. Along the
inside of the uprights fasten cleats, thick enough to come flush with
the ends of the slot. These serve to steady the curtain when raised.
Make a suitable baseboard and secure the box to it. Then with sheet
tin construct a lamp house extending from the back of the box and of
sufficient size to accommodate a round-wick lamp. Leave an
opening in the top to admit the chimney, provide holes for ventilation,
and a door by which the lamp may be adjusted. When completed,
paint the interior of the box and lamp house white, to intensify the
printing quality of the light. Tie a piece of stout cord to a screw eye
inserted in the upper end of the sliding curtain, lead it through two
pulleys fastened as shown, and down to the hand lever. The latter is
pivoted at the rear end by a bolt. Attach a spring to the lower end of
the hinged pad on the printing frame. This holds the pad out of the
way when not in use. A curtain-roller spring is suitable for this
purpose.
To operate the machine, place the negative and paper in position,
and, with the left hand, bring the pad down. Pull down the hand lever
with the right hand, raising the orange curtain. When the required
exposure is made, release the lever, shutting off the direct light.
While nearly all light is shut out by means of the lamp house, the
paper may be handled safely and easily by means of that admitted
through the orange curtain. By systematic arrangement and handling
of materials, it is surprising what an amount of work can be turned
out by the aid of this machine, especially if one person attends to the
exposing and another to the developing.
 A Small Variable Condenser

Diagram for a Small Variable Condenser

The condenser shown in the diagram combines the large capacity

of a fixed condenser with the gradual capacity variation of a variable
one. It is suitable for a wireless receiving circuit, or to shunt around
the vibrator of an induction coil, by making the units considerably
larger. It is made up of several fixed condensers, connected in
parallel, a lever being the means whereby the capacity is varied.
Five or more units may be used, each being a small condenser, built
up of 10 sheets of waxed paper and nine sheets of tin foil. A
convenient size for the tin foil is 6 by 4 in., and for the paper, 5¹⁄₂ by
4¹⁄₂ in. The latter should be a good grade of very thin linen paper and
should be carefully prepared by dipping it in hot paraffin. The sheets
of tin foil and paper in each unit are piled up alternately, allowing
about ¹⁄₂ in. on each tin-foil strip to project beyond the paper for
making connections. The pile is covered with heavy paper, and a
heated flatiron is passed on the top of each unit until the paraffin
begins to melt. Upon cooling, the units are compact.
The connections necessary are shown in the diagram. The
condenser units C, D, E, F, G, each have one side connected to a
common terminal A. The other sides of the condensers are
connected to the copper strips H, J, K, L, M. They are ¹⁄₂ in. wide and
¹⁄₁₆ in. thick. A copper lever, ¹⁄₈ by ¹⁄₂ by 8 in., is pivoted on one end
so that it will connect two or more of the condensers in parallel. The
pivoted end is connected to the terminal B. The dotted line shows
different positions of the lever. The apparatus is mounted in a
wooden box.—Peter J. M. Clute, Schenectady, N. Y.
 Lighting a Candle without Touching the Wick
A candle may be lighted without the match flame touching the
wick, as follows: Light the candle, let it burn a bit; then blow it out. A
small column of smoke will rise from the wick. Touch the match flame
to this, a little above the wick, and it will ignite, travel down, and
relight the wick from the burning oil gas.
Emergency Lifting Device of Rope and Lever
 When block and tackle, chain hoists, or similar equipment are not
at hand, the simple arrangement shown in the sketch is useful for
lifting heavy loads. Make the lever A of a piece of 2 by 4-in. stuff, and
cut notches into it for the ropes, as indicated. From a suitable
support, B, fix the ropes C and D to the lever A at the proper
notches, permitting the ends C-1 and D-1 to be drawn down and
fastened to the floor or other support as required in raising the load.
Fix the rope E to the load W, and suspend it from the lever A at the
proper notch by means of a loop, E-1. To raise the load, bear down
on the end of the lever when it is in its original position A-1, bringing
it to the position A-2. This will bring the lower rope to position E-2.
Draw up the slack in rope D, to bring the loop to position D-2, and
fasten it. Then lift the lever A from its position A-2, to the position A-
3, and draw up the slack in rope C to bring the loop up to position C-
2. The lower rope will be brought to position E-3. By repeating this
process, the load may be raised gradually. The ropes may, of course,
be of various lengths within the range of the support and the
operators.
 Mucilage Brush and Container Made of a Test
Tube

An ordinary test tube, about ⁵⁄₈ by 6 in. in size, may be made into a
mucilage container and brush that economizes the material and
does not get the fingers sticky. The end of the tube is covered with a
piece of soft cloth after the tube is filled, as shown in the sketch. A
convenient way to care for the device is to keep it in a small tumbler.
—A. H. Carrington, Trenton, N. J.
 Holder for Household Ice Pick
An ice pick is often a source of danger, if left lying about the home,
and should be kept at a place convenient to the ice box, where it will
not be likely to cause injury. The small bracket on which the ends of
the roller curtain are supported is a satisfactory holder for the pick. It
may be fastened to the wall with nails, or screws, so that the pick
may be suspended in the center hole.—Robert J. Donnelly,
Cincinnati, Ohio.
Swing Made of Hickory Sapling