to him that hath-第24章

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and　lewd　speech。　　On　reaching　his　home　that　night　Maitland　went
straight　to　the　attic　and　dug　up　his　hockey　kit。　　Before　he　slept
he　had　laid　his　plans　for　a　league　among　the　working　lads　in　the
various　industries　in　the　town。

It　was　no　easy　task　to　force　these　men　into　training　habits；　to
hold　them　to　the　grind；　to　discipline　them　into　self…control　in
temper　and　in　desire。　　It　was　of　vast　assistance　to　him　that　three
of　his　seven　were　overseas　men；　while　some　dozen　or　so　of　the
twenty　in　the　club　were　returned　soldiers。　　It　was　part　of　his
discipline　that　his　team　should　never　shirk　a　day's　work　for　the
game　except　on　the　rare　occasions　when　they　went　on　tour。　　Hence
the　management　in　the　various　mills　and　factories；　at　first　hostile
and　suspicious；　came　to　regard　these　athletic　activities　on　the
part　of　their　employees　with　approval　and　finally　came　to　give
encouragement　and　support　to　the　games。

To…day　was　a　half　holiday　for　the　Maitland　Mills　and　the　streets
were　noticeably　full　of　the　men　and　their　sweethearts　and　wives　in
their　Sunday　clothes。　　Not　the　team；　however。　　Maitland　knew　better
than　that。　　He　took　his　men　for　a　run　in　the　country　before　noon；
bringing　them　home　in　rich　warm　glow。　　Then　after　a　bath　and　a　hard
rubdown　they　dined　together　at　the　mill　and　then　their　Captain
ordered　them　home　to　sleep；　forbidding　them　the　streets　till　they
were　on　their　way　to　the　game。

On　his　way　home　Captain　Jack　was　waylaid　by　his　admirer　and
champion；　Patricia。　　She；　standing　in　front　of　his　car；　brought
him　to　a　halt。

〃I　have　not　even　seen　you　for　a　whole　week；〃　she　complained；
getting　in　beside　him；　〃and　your　phone　is　always　busy　in　the
evening。　　Of　course　no　one　can　get　you　during　the　day。　　And　I　do
want　to　know　how　the　team　is。　　Oh！　do　tell　me　they　are　fit　for　the
game　of　their　lives！　　Are　they　every　one　fit？〃

〃Fit　and　fine。〃

〃And　will　they　win？〃

〃Sure　thing；〃　said　Captain　Jack　quietly。

〃Oh；　I　hope　you　are　right。　　But　you　are　so　sure；〃　exclaimed　his
companion。　　〃The　Cornwalls　are　wonderful；　Rupert　says。〃

〃He　would。〃

〃Oh！　　I　forgot　you　don't　think　much　of　Rupert；〃　sighed　Patricia。

〃I　haven't　time；　you　see；〃　answered　Captain　Jack　gravely。

〃Oh；　you　know　what　I　mean。　　It　is　a　pity；　too；　for　he　is　really
very　nice。　　I　mean　he　is　so　good　to　me；〃　sighed　Patricia　again。

〃Don't　sigh；　Patsy；　old　girl。　　It　really　isn't　worth　it；　you　know。
How　is　the　supply　of　choc's　keeping　up？〃

〃Now　you　are　thinking　me　a　pig。　　But　tell　me　about　your　men。　　Are
they　really　in　form？〃

〃Absolutely　at　the　peak。〃

〃And　that　darling　Fatty　Findlay。　　I　do　hope　he　will　not　lose　his
head　and　let　a　goal　in。　　He　is　perfectly　adorable　with　that
everlasting　smile　of　his。　　I　do　hope　Fatty　is　at　the　peak；　too。　　Is
he；　really？〃　　The　anxiety　in　Patricia's　tone　was　more　than　painful。

〃Dear　Patsy；　he　is　right　at　the　pinnacle。〃

〃Captain　Jack；　if　you　don't　win　to…night　I　shallwell；　I　shall
just　weep　my　eyes　out。〃

〃That　settles　it；　Pat。　　We　shall　win。　　We　can'tI　can't　spare
those　lovely　eyes；　you　know；〃　said　Captain　Jack；　smiling　at　her。

One　by　one　Captain　Jack's　team　were　passed　in　reviewthe　defence；
Macnamara　and　〃Jack〃　Johnson；　so　called　for　his　woolly　white　head；
〃Reddy〃　Hughes；　Ross；　〃Snoopy〃　Sykes；　who　with　Captain　Jack　made
the　forward　line；　all　were　declared　to　be　fit　to　deliver　the　last
ounce　in　their　bodies；　the　last　flicker　in　their　souls。

〃Do　you　know；　Captain　Jack；〃　said　Patricia　gravely；　〃there　is　one
change　you　ought　to　make　in　your　forward　line。〃

〃Yes！　　What　is　that；　Pat？〃　asked　Captain　Jack；　with　never　a
suggestion　of　a　smile。

〃I　would　change　Snoopy　for　Geordie　Ross。　　You　know　Geordie　is　a
little　too　careful；　and　he　is　hardly　fast　enough　for　you。　　Now　you
and　Snoopy　on　left　wing　would　be　oh！　perfectly　wonderful。〃

〃Patsy；　you　are　a　wizard！〃　exclaimed　Captain　Jack。　　〃That　very
change　has　been　made　and　the　improvement　is　unbelievable。　　We　are
both　left…handers　and　we　pull　off　our　little　specialties　far　more
smoothly　than　Geordie　and　I　could。　　You　have　exactly　hit　the　bull。
You　watch　for　that　back　of　the　goal　play　to…night。　　Well；　here　we
are。　　You　have　good　seats；　I　understand。〃

〃Oh；　yes。　　Rupert；　you　see；　as　patron　of　the　Eagles　was　able　to　get
the　very　best。　　But　won't　you　come　in　and　see　mother？　　She　is
really　quite　worked　up　over　it；　though　of　course　she　couldn't　bear
to　go。〃

Captain　Jack　checked　the　refusal　on　his　lips。

〃Yes；　I　will　go　in　for　a　few　minutes；〃　he　said　gravely。　　〃No！　　Your
mother　would　notcould　not　come；　of　course。〃

There　flashed　before　his　mind　a　picture　from　pre…war　days。　　The
rink　packed　with　wildly　excited　throngs　and　in　a　certain　reserved
section　midway　down　the　side　the　Templeton…Maitland　party　with　its
distinguished　looking　men　and　beautiful　women　following　with　eager
faces　and　shining　eyes　the　fortunes　of　their　sons　in　the　fight
before　them。　　The　flash　of　that　picture　was　like　a　hand　of　ice　upon
his　heart　as　Captain　Jack　entered　the　cosy　living　room。

〃Here　he　is；　Mamma！〃　cried　Patricia　as　she　ushered　her　hero　into
the　room　with　a　sweeping　gesture。　　〃And　he　brings　the　most　cheering
news。　　They　are　going　to　win！〃

〃But　how　delightful！〃　exclaimed　Adrien　coming　from　the　piano　where
she　had　been　playing；　with　Rupert　Stillwell　turning　her　music　for
her。

〃I　suppose　upon　the　best　authority；〃　said　Stillwell；　grinning　at
Patricia。

〃We　are　so　glad　you　found　time　to　run　in；〃　said　Mrs。　Templeton。
〃You　must　have　a　great　deal　to　say　to　your　team　on　the　last
afternoon。〃

〃I'm　glad　I　came　too；　now；〃　said　Captain　Jack；　holding　the　fragile
hand　in　his　and　patting　it　gently。　　〃I　am　afraid　Patricia　is
responsible　for　my　coming　in。　　I　don't　really　believe　I　could　have
ventured　on　my　own。〃

A　silence　fell　on　the　company　which　none　of　them　seemed　able　to
break。　　Other　days　were　hard　upon　them。　　In　this　very　room　it　was
that　that　other　seven　were　wont　to　meet　for　their　afternoon　tea
before　their　great　matches。

Mrs。　Templeton；　looking　up　at　Jack；　found　his　eyes　fixed　upon　her
and　full　of　tears。　　With　a　swift　upward　reach　of　her　arms　she
caught　him　and　drew　his　head　to　her　breast。

〃I　know；　Jack　dear；〃　she　said；　with　lips　that　quivered　piteously。
For　a　moment　or　two　he　knelt　before　her　while　she　held　him　in　a
close　embrace。　　Then　he　gently　kissed　her　cheek　and　rose　to　his
feet。

〃Give　him　some　tea；　Adrien；〃　she　said；　making　a　gallant　struggle　to
steady　her　voice；　〃a　cup　of　teaand　no　cake。　　I　remember；　you
see；〃　she　added　with　a　tremulous　smile。

Adrien　came　back　quickly　from　the　window。

〃Yes！　a　fresh　cup！〃　she　cried　eagerly；　〃and　a　sandwich。　　You；　Pat；
get　the　sandwiches。　　No　cake。　　We　must　do　nothing　to　imperil　the
coming　victory。〃

〃You　have　a　wonderful　team；　Jack；　I　hear；〃　said　her　mother。　　〃Come
and　sit　here　beside　me　and　tell　me　about　them。　　Patricia　has　been
keeping　me　informed；　but　she　is　not　very　coherent　at　times。　　Of
course；　I　know　about　your　wonderful　goal　keeper　Findlay；　is　it
not？〃　　And　the　gentle　little　lady　kept　a　stream　of　conversation
going；　for　she　saw　how　deeply　moved　Maitland　was。　　It　was　his　first
visit　to　the　Rectory　since　he　had　taken　up　the　game　again；　and　the
rush　of　emotion　released　by　the　vivid　memory　of　those　old　happy
days　when　that　jolly　group　of　boys　had　filled　this　familiar　room
with　their　noisy　clatter　wellnigh　overcame　him。

For　a　minute　or　two　he　fussed　with　the　tea　things　till　he　could
master　his　voice；　then　he　said　very　quietly：

〃They　are　very　decent　chapsreally　very　good　fellows　and　they　have
taken　their　training　extraordinarily　well。　　Of　course；　Macnamara
and　Johnson　were　in　my　old　company；　and　that　helps　a　lot。〃

〃Yes；　I　remember　Macnamara　quite　well。　　He　is　a　fine　big　Irishman。〃

〃Fancy　you　remembering　him；　Mrs。　Templeton；〃　said　Captain　Jack。

〃Of　course；　I　remember　him。　　He　is　one　of　our　boys。〃

〃Let's　see；　he　is　one　of　your　defence；　isn't　he？〃　said　Stillwell；
who　had　felt　himself　rather　out　of　the　conversation。　　Maitland
nodded。　　The　presence　of　Stillwell　in　that　room　introduced　a
painful　element。　　Once　he　had　been　one　of　the　seven　and　though
never　so　intimately　associated　with　the　Rectory　life　as　the　others；