to him that hath-第27章

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is　a　clever　loon　but　he　has　a　wee　bee　in　his　bonnet。〃　　The　old　lady
smiled　quizzically　at　her　big；　serious…faced　son。

〃Noo；　mither；　ye're　just　talkin'　havers；〃　he　said。　　〃My　mother　is
as　great　a　Socialist　as　I　am。〃

〃Ay；　but　A　keep　ma　heid。〃

〃That　ye　do；　mither。　　Ye're　gey　cannie；〃　replied　her　son；　shaking
his　head；　and　so　they　passed　the　word　to　and　fro；　and　Maitland　sat
listening　to　the　chat。　　The　delightful　spirit　of　camaraderie
between　mother　and　son　reminded　him　of　a　similar　relationship
between　mother　and　sons　in　his　own　home　in　pre…war　days。　　He　could
not　tear　himself　away。　　It　was　well　on　to　his　dinner　hour　before　he
rose　to　go。

〃You　have　given　me　a　delightful　hour；　Mrs。　McNish；〃　he　said　as　he
shook　hands。　　〃You　made　me　think　of　my　own　home　in　the　old　days；I
mean　before　the　war　came　and　smashed　everything。〃　　The　old　lady's
eyes　were　kindly　scanning　his　face。

〃Ay；　the　war　smashed　yere　hame？〃　　Maitland　nodded　in　silence。

〃His　brither；〃　said　Malcolm；　quietly。

〃Puir　laddie；〃　she　said；　patting　his　hand。

〃And　my　mother；〃　added　Maitland；　speaking　with　difficulty；　〃and
that；　of　course；　meant　our　homeand　everything。　　So　I　thank　you
for　a　very　happy　hour；〃　he　added　with　a　smile。

〃Wad　ye　care　to　come　again？〃　said　the　old　lady　with　a　quiet
dignity。　　〃We're　plain　fowk　but　ye'll　be　always　welcome。〃

〃I　just　will；　Mrs。　McNish。　　And　I　will　send　you　the　tickets。〃

〃Man！　　I　wish　ye　grand　luck　the　night。　　A　grand　victory。〃

〃Thank　you。　　We　are　going　to　make　a　try　for　it；〃　said　Maitland。
〃You　must　shout　for　us。〃

〃Ay；　wull　I；〃　she　answered　grimly。　　And　she　kept　her　word　for　of
all　the　company　that　made　up　the　Maitland　party；　none　was　more
conspicuously　enthusiastic　in　applause　than　was　a　white…haired　old
lady　in　a　respectable　black　bonnet　whose　wild　and　weird　Doric
expletives　and　exclamations　were　the　joy　of　the　whole　party　about
her。



CHAPTER　X

THE　NIGHT　OF　VICTORY


It　was　an　hour　after　the　match。　　They　were　gathered　in　the　old
rendezvous　of　the　hockey　teams　in　pre…war　days。　　And　they　were　all
wildly　excited　over　the　Great　Victory。

〃Just　think　of　it；　Mamma；　dear；〃　Patricia　shouted；　pirouetting　now
on　one　foot　and　then　on　the　other；　〃Eight　to　six！　　Oh；　it　is　too
glorious　to　believe！　　And　against　that　wonderful　team；　the
Cornwalls！　　Now　listen　to　me；　while　I　give　you　a　calm　and　connected
account　of　the　game。　　I　shall　always　regret　that　you　were　not
present；　Mamma。　　Victory！　　And　at　half　time　we　were　down；　five　to
two！　　I　confess　disaster　and　despair　stared　me　in　the　face。　　And　we
started　off　so　gloriously！　　Captain　Jack　and　Snoopy　in　the　first
five　minutes　actually　put　in　two　goals；　with　that　back　goal　play　of
theirs。　　You　know；　I　explained　it　to　you；　Mamma。〃

〃Yes；　dear；　I　know；〃　said　her　mother；　〃but　if　you　will　speak　a
little　more　quietly　and　slowly〃

〃I　will；　Mamma；〃　said　her　daughter；　sitting　down　with　great
deliberation；　in　front　of　her。　　〃I　will　explain　to　you　again　that
'round　the　goal'　play。〃

〃I　am　afraid；　my　dear；　that　I　could　hardly　grasp　just　what　you
mean。〃

〃Well；　never　mind；　Mamma。　　It　is　a　particular　and　special　play　that
Captain　Jack　worked　out。　　They　rush　down　to　the　goal　and　instead　of
trying　to　shoot；　the　one　with　the　puck　circles　round　the　back　and
delivers　the　puck　immediately　in　front　of　the　goal；　where　another
takes　and　slips　it　in。　　Two　goals　in　about　five　minutes；　wasn't　it；
Hugh？〃

〃About　eight　minutes；　I　should　say；〃　replied　Hugh　Maynard；　the　big
Captain　of　the　Eagles。

〃Well；　eight　minutes；〃　continued　Patricia；　taking　up　the　tale；　〃and
then　they　began　the　roughhouse　business。　　Jumbo　Larsona　terribly
big　Swede；　Mammaput　it　all　over　little　Snoopy。　　Chucked　him
about；　wiped　the　ice　with　him！〃

〃My　dear！〃　exclaimed　her　mother。

〃Well；　you　know　what　I　mean。　　A　great　big；　two…hundred…pound
monster；　who　simply　threw　Snoopy　and　Georgie　Ross　all　about　the
rink。　　It　took　Captain　Jack　all　his　time　to　stand　up　against　him。
And　then　they　ran　in　goals　at　a　perfectly　terrific　rate。　　Two
threefourfive！　　And　only　Fatty　Findlay's　marvelous　play　kept
down　the　score。　　I　adore　Fatty！　　You　know；　Mamma；　that　dear　old
Scotchwoman〃

〃Scotchwoman？〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Templeton。

〃Yes。　　Oh！　you　don't　know　about　her。　　Captain　Jack　brought　her
along。　　Mrs。　Mc…something。〃

〃McNish；〃　supplied　Adrien。

〃Yes；　McNish；〃　continued　Patricia；　〃a　perfect　dear！　　She　did
everything　but　swear。　　Indeed；　she　may　have　been　swearing　for　I
could　not　understand　half　of　what　she　said。〃

Adrien　interrupted：　　〃She　is　perfectly　priceless；　Mother。　　I　wish
you　could　meet　herso　dignified　and　sweet。〃

〃Sweet！〃　exclaimed　Patricia；　with　a　laugh。　　〃Well；　I　didn't　see　the
sweetness；　exactly。　　But　at　half　time；　Mamma；　fancy！　they　stood
five　to　two　against　us。　　It　was　a　truly　awful　moment　for　all　of　us。
And　then；　after　half　time；　didn't　those　Cornwalls　within　five
minutes　run　in　another　goal；　and；　worse　than　all；　Jumbo　Larson　laid
out　Snoopy　flat　on　the　ice！　　Now　the　game　stood　six　to　two！　　Think
of　it；　Mamma！〃

Then　Adrien　put　in：　　〃It　was　at　this　point　that　the　old　lady　made　a
remark　which；　I　believe；　saved　the　day。　　What　was　it　exactly；
Hugh？〃

〃I　didn't　quite　get　it。〃

〃I　know；〃　said　little　Vic　Forsythe；　himself　a　star　of　the　Eagle
forward　line。　　〃You　poor　Sassenach！　　You　couldn't　be　expected　to
catch　the　full；　fine　flavour　of　it。　　Maitland　was　trying　to　cheer
the　old　lady　up　when　she　said　to　him：　　'Yon　half　backs；　A'm
thinkin''she　was　a　soccer　fan　in　the　old　land；　I　believe'yon
half　backs；　A'm　thinkin'；　are　gey　confident。　　It　is　a　peety　they
cudna　be　shaken　a　bit　in　their　nerves。'　　By　Jove！　　Maitland　jumped
at　it。　　'Mrs。　McNish；　you're　right！　you're　right。　　I　wonder　I　did
not　think　of　it　before。'〃

Then　Adrien　broke　in：　　〃Yes；　from　that　moment　there　was　a　change　in
our　men's　tactics。〃

Then　Patricia　broke　in：　　〃Well；　then；　let　me　go　on。　　Captain　Jack
knew　quite　well　there　was　no　use　of　allowing　those　little　chaps；
Snoopy　and　Geordie　Ross；　to　keep　feeding　themselves　to　those　horrid
monsters；　Jumbo　Larson　and　Macnab；　so　what　did　they　do　but　move　up
〃Jack〃　Johnson　and　Macnamara。　　That　is；　you　see；　Mamma；　the
forwards　would　take　down　the　puck　and　then　up　behind　them　would
come　the　backs；　Macnamara　and　〃Jack〃　Johnson；　like　a　perfect　storm；
and　taking　the　puck　from　the　forwards；　who　would　then　fall　back　to
defence；　would　smash　right　on　the　Cornwall　defence。　　The　very　first
time　when　〃Jack〃　Johnson　came　against　Jumbo；　Jumbo　found　himself
sitting　on　the　ice。　　Oh！　it　was　lovely！　　Perfectly　lovely！　　And　the
next　time　they　did　it；　Jumbo　came　at　him　like　a　bull。　　But　that
adorable　〃Jack〃　Johnson　just　lifted　him　clear　off　his　feet　and
flung　him　against　the　side。　　It　seemed　to　me　that　the　whole　rink
shook！〃

Here　Vic　broke　in：　　〃You　didn't　hear　what　the　old　lady　said　at　this
point；　I　suppose。　　I　was　sitting　next　to　her。　　She　was　really　a
whole　play　by　herself。　　When　Jumbo　went　smashing　against　the　side；
the　old　lady　gave　a　grunt。　　'Hum；　that　wull　sort　ye　a　doot。'　　Oh！
she　is　a　peach！〃

〃And　the　next　time　they　came　down；〃　cried　Patricia；　taking　up　the
tale　again；　〃Jumbo　avoided　him。　　For　Macnamara；　'Jack'　Johnson　and
Captain　Jack　came　roaring　down　the　ice　at　a　terrific　pace；　and　with
never　a　stop；　smashed　head　on　into　Jumbo　and　Macnab　and　fairly
hurled　them　in　on　Hepburnthat　is　their　goal　keeper；　you　knowand
scored。　　Oh！　Oh！　Oh！　　Such　a　yell！　　Six　to　three；　and　ten　minutes
to　play。〃

〃But　Patricia；〃　said　Mrs。　Templeton；　〃do　moderate　your　tone。　　We
are　not　in　the　rink。　　And　this　terrible　excitement　can't　be　good
for　you。〃

〃Good　for　me？〃　cried　Patricia。　　〃What　difference　does　that　make？
Ten　minutes　to　play；　Mamma！　　But　that　was　the　end　of　the　roughhouse
game　by　the　Cornwall　defence。〃

Then　Hugh　stepped　in：　　〃It　really　did　break　up　that　defence。　　It
was　a　wonderful　piece　of　generalship；　I　must　say。　　They　never
seemed　to　get　together　after　that。〃

〃Let　me　talk；　Hugh；〃　exclaimed　Patricia；　〃I　want　to　tell　Mamma　what
happened　next；　for　this　was　really　the　most　terribly　exciting　part
of　the　game。　　And　I　think　it　was　awfully　clever　of　Captain　Jack。
You　know；　next　time；　Mamma；　when　they　came　downI　mea