按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃He is a clever little beggar； is Snoopy；〃 said Vic。
〃But； meantime；〃 said Mrs。 Templeton； 〃where is Jack！ He was going
to be here； was he not？〃
〃Feasting and dancing； I expect；〃 said Rupert。 〃There is a big
supper on； given by the Mill management； and a dance afterwards
'hot time in the old town；' eh？〃
〃A dance？〃 gasped Patricia。 〃A dance！ Where？〃
〃Odd Fellows' Hall；〃 said Rupert。 〃Want to go？ I have tickets。
Don't care for that sort of thing myself。 Rather a mixed affair； I
guess。 Mill hands and their girls。〃
〃Oh；〃 breathed Patricia； 〃I should love to go。 Couldn't we？〃
〃But my dear Patricia；〃 said her mother； 〃a dance； with all those
people？ What nonsense。 But I wish Jack would drop in。 I should
so like to congratulate him on his great victory。〃
〃Oh； do let us go； just for a few minutes； Mamma〃 entreated
Patricia。 〃Hugh； have you tickets？〃
The men looked at each other。
〃Well；〃 confessed Vic； 〃I was thinking of dropping in myself。
After all； it is our home team and they are good sports。 And
Maitland handled them with wonderful skill。〃
〃Yes； I am going；〃 said Hugh。 〃I am bound to go as Captain of the
Eagles； and that sort of thing； but I would； anyway。 Would you
care to come； Adrien； if Mrs。 Templeton will allow you？ Of course
there are chaperons。 Maitland would see to that。〃
〃I should like awfully to go；〃 said Adrien eagerly。 〃We might； for
a few minutes； Mother？ Of course； Patricia should be in bed；
really。〃
Poor Patricia's face fell。
〃It is no place for any of you；〃 said the mother； decidedly。 〃Just
think of that mixed multitude！ And you； Patricia； you should be in
bed。〃
〃But oh； Mamma； dear；〃 wailed Patricia； 〃I can rest all day to…
morrow。〃
At this point a new voice broke in to the discussion and Doctor
Templeton appeared。 〃Well； what's the excitement；〃 he enquired。
〃Oh； the match； of course！ Well； what was the result？〃
〃Oh； Daddy； we won； we won！〃 cried Patricia； springing at him。
〃The most glorious match！ Big Jumbo Larson； a perfect monster on
the Cornwall defence； was knocked out！ Oh； it was a glorious
match！ And can't I go down to see the dance？ Adrien and Hugh and
Vic are going。 Only for a few minutes；〃 she begged； with her arms
around her father's neck。 〃Say yes； Daddy！〃
〃Give me time； let me get my breath； Patricia。 Now； do begin
somewheresay； with the score。〃
They all gave him the score。
〃Hurrah！〃 cried the old doctor。 〃No one hurtseriously； I mean？〃
〃No；〃 said Patricia； 〃except perhaps Jumbo Larson；〃 she added
hopefully。
〃The Lord was merciful to this family when he made you a girl；
Patricia；〃 said her father。
〃But； Daddy； it was a wonderful game。〃 Quite breathlessly； she
went once more over the outstanding features of the play。
〃Sounds rather bloody； I must say；〃 said her father； doubtfully。
But Hugh said： 〃It was not reallynot quite so bad as Patricia
makes it； sir。 Rough at times； of course； but； on the whole；
clean。〃
〃Clean；〃 cried Patricia； 〃what about Jumbo's swing at Snoopy？〃
〃Oh； well； Snoopy had the puck； you know。 It was a little off…
colour； I must confess。〃
〃And now； Daddy；〃 said Patricia； going at her father again； 〃we all
want to go down to the dance。 There will be speeches； you know；
and I do want to hear Captain Jack；〃 she added； not without guile。
〃Won't you let me go with them？ Hugh will take care of me。〃
〃I think I should rather like to go myself；〃 said her father。 A
shout of approval rose from the whole company。 〃But；〃 continued
the doctor； 〃I don't think I can。 My dear； I think they might go
for a few minutesand you can bring me in a full account of the
speeches； Patricia；〃 he added； with a twinkle in his eye。
〃But； my dear；〃 exclaimed his wife； 〃this is one of those awful
public affairs。 You can't imagine what they are like。 The Mill
hands will all be there； and that sort of people。〃
〃Well； my dear； Jack Maitland will be there； I fancy； and you were
thinking of going； Hugh？〃
〃Yes； sir； I am going。 Of course there will be a number of the
friends of both teams； townspeople。 Of course the Mill hands will
be there； too； in large numbers。 It will be great fun。〃
〃Well； my dear；〃 said the doctor； 〃I think they might go down for a
few minutes。 But be sure to be back before midnight。 Remember；
Patricia； you are to do exactly as your sister says。〃
Then Vic said： 〃I shall keep a firm hand on her； sir。〃
〃Oh； you darling；〃 Patricia cried； hugging her father rapturously。
〃I will be so good； and won't it be fun！〃
Odd Fellows' Hall was elaborately decorated with bunting and
evergreens。 The party from the Rectory； arriving in time to hear
the closing speeches of the two team captains； took their places in
the gallery。 The speeches were brief and to the point。
The Captain of the visiting team declared that he had greatly
enjoyed the game。 He was not quite convinced that the best team
had won； but he would say that the game had gone to the team that
had put up the best play。 He complimented Captain Maitland upon
his generalship。 He had known Captain Maitland in the old days and
he ought to have been on the lookout for the kind of thing he had
put over。 The Maitland Mill team had made a perfectly wonderful
recovery in the last quarter； though he rather thought his friend
Macnamara had helped it a little at a critical point。
〃He did that；〃 exclaimed Jumbo Larson； with marked emphasis。
After the roar of laughter had quieted down； the Cornwall Captain
closed by expressing the hope that the Maitland Mill team would try
for a place next season in the senior hockey。 In which case he
expressed the hope that he might have the pleasure of meeting them
again。
Captain Maitland's speech was characteristic。 He had nothing but
praise for the Cornwalls。 They played a wonderful game and a clean
game。 He shared in the doubt of their Captain as to which was the
better team。 He frankly confessed that in the last quarter the
luck came to his team。
〃Not a bit of it；〃 roared the Cornwalls with one voice。
As to his own team； he was particularly proud of the way they had
taken the trainingtheir fine self…denial； and especially the
never…dying spirit which they showed。 It was a great honour for
his team to meet the Cornwalls。 A hard team to meetsometimesas
Snoopy and himself had found out that eveningbut they were good
sports and he hoped some day to meet them again。
After the usual cheers for the teams； individually and collectively；
for their supporters； for the Mill management and for the ladies；
the dinner came to an end； the whole party joining with wide open
throats and all standing at attention； in the Canadian and the
Empire national anthems。
While the supper table was being cleared away preparatory to the
dance； Captain Jack rushed upstairs to the party in the gallery。
Patricia flung herself at him in an ecstasy of rapture。
〃Oh！ Captain Jack； you did win！ You did win！ You did win！ It was
glorious！ And that double…circle play that you and Snoopy put up
didn't it work beautifully！〃
〃We were mighty lucky；〃 said Captain Jack。
The others； Hugh； Vic and Rupert； crowded round； offering
congratulations。 Adrien waited behind； a wonderful light shining
in her eyes； a faint colour touching her pale cheek。 Captain Jack
came slowly forward。
〃Are you not going to congratulate us； too； Adrien？〃 he said。
She moved a pace forward。
〃Oh； Jack；〃 she whispered； leaning toward him and breathing
quickly； 〃it was so like the old； the dear old days。〃
Into Maitland's eyes there flashed a look of surprise； of wonder；
then of piercing scrutiny； while his face grew white。
〃Adrien；〃 he said； in a voice low； tense； almost stern； which she
alone heard。 〃What do you mean？ Then do you〃
〃Oh； Captain Jack；〃 cried Patricia； catching his arm； 〃are you
going to dance？ You are； aren't you？ And will you give me Oh；
I daren't ask！ You are such a great hero to…night！〃
〃Why； Patsy； will you give me a dance？〃
The girl stood gazing at him with eyes that grew misty； the quick
beating of her loyal heart almost suffocating her。
〃Oh； Captain Jack；〃 she gasped； 〃how many？〃
Maitland laughed at her； and turned to her sister。
〃And you； Adrien； may I have a dance？〃
Again Adrien leaned toward him。
〃One？〃 she asked。
〃And as many more as you can spare。〃
〃My program is quite empty； you see；〃 she said； flinging out her
hands and laughing joyously into his face。
〃What about me？ And me？ And me？〃 said the other three men。
〃I suppose we are all nowhere to…night；〃 added Rupert； with a touch
of bitterness in his voice。
〃Well； there is only one conquering hero； you know；〃 replied
Adrien； smiling at them all。
〃Now I must run off；〃 said Maitland。 〃You see； I am on duty； as it
were。 Come down in a few minutes。〃
〃Yes； go； Jack；〃 said Adrien； throwing him a warm smile。 〃We will
follow you in a few minutes。〃
〃Oh； I am so excited！〃 said Patricia； as Maitland disappeared down
the stairs。 〃I mean to dance with every one of the team。 I know I
am going to have a perfectly lovely time！ But I would give them
all up if I could have Captain Jack a