第16章
“IwouldchangeSnoopyforGeordieRoss。YouknowGeordieisalittletoocareful，andheishardlyfastenoughforyou。NowyouandSnoopyonleftwingwouldbeoh！perfectlywonderful。“
“Patsy，youareawizard！“exclaimedCaptainJack。“Thatverychangehasbeenmadeandtheimprovementisunbelievable。Wearebothleft-handersandwepulloffourlittlespecialtiesfarmoresmoothlythanGeordieandIcould。Youhaveexactlyhitthebull。
Youwatchforthatbackofthegoalplayto-night。Well，hereweare。Youhavegoodseats，Iunderstand。“
“Oh，yes。Rupert，yousee，aspatronoftheEagleswasabletogettheverybest。Butwon’tyoucomeinandseemother？Sheisreallyquiteworkedupoverit，thoughofcourseshecouldn’tbeartogo。“
CaptainJackcheckedtherefusalonhislips。
“Yes，Iwillgoinforafewminutes，“hesaidgravely。“No！Yourmotherwouldnot——couldnotcome，ofcourse。“
Thereflashedbeforehismindapicturefrompre-wardays。TherinkpackedwithwildlyexcitedthrongsandinacertainreservedsectionmidwaydownthesidetheTempleton-Maitlandpartywithitsdistinguishedlookingmenandbeautifulwomenfollowingwitheagerfacesandshiningeyesthefortunesoftheirsonsinthefightbeforethem。TheflashofthatpicturewaslikeahandoficeuponhisheartasCaptainJackenteredthecosylivingroom。
“Hereheis，Mamma！“criedPatriciaassheusheredherherointotheroomwithasweepinggesture。“Andhebringsthemostcheeringnews。Theyaregoingtowin！“
“Buthowdelightful！“exclaimedAdriencomingfromthepianowhereshehadbeenplaying，withRupertStillwellturninghermusicforher。
“Isupposeuponthebestauthority，“saidStillwell，grinningatPatricia。
“Wearesogladyoufoundtimetorunin，“saidMrs。Templeton。
“Youmusthaveagreatdealtosaytoyourteamonthelastafternoon。“
“I’mgladIcametoo，now，“saidCaptainJack，holdingthefragilehandinhisandpattingitgently。“IamafraidPatriciaisresponsibleformycomingin。Idon’treallybelieveIcouldhaveventuredonmyown。“
Asilencefellonthecompanywhichnoneofthemseemedabletobreak。Otherdayswereharduponthem。Inthisveryroomitwasthatthatothersevenwerewonttomeetfortheirafternoonteabeforetheirgreatmatches。
Mrs。Templeton，lookingupatJack，foundhiseyesfixeduponherandfulloftears。Withaswiftupwardreachofherarmsshecaughthimanddrewhisheadtoherbreast。
“Iknow，Jackdear，“shesaid，withlipsthatquiveredpiteously。
Foramomentortwohekneltbeforeherwhilesheheldhiminacloseembrace。Thenhegentlykissedhercheekandrosetohisfeet。
“Givehimsometea，Adrien，“shesaid，makingagallantstruggletosteadyhervoice，“acupoftea——andnocake。Iremember，yousee，“sheaddedwithatremuloussmile。
Adriencamebackquicklyfromthewindow。
“Yes！afreshcup！“shecriedeagerly，“andasandwich。You，Pat，getthesandwiches。Nocake。Wemustdonothingtoimperilthecomingvictory。“
“Youhaveawonderfulteam，Jack，Ihear，“saidhermother。“Comeandsitherebesidemeandtellmeaboutthem。Patriciahasbeenkeepingmeinformed，butsheisnotverycoherentattimes。Ofcourse，IknowaboutyourwonderfulgoalkeeperFindlay，isitnot？“Andthegentlelittleladykeptastreamofconversationgoing，forshesawhowdeeplymovedMaitlandwas。ItwashisfirstvisittotheRectorysincehehadtakenupthegameagain，andtherushofemotionreleasedbythevividmemoryofthoseoldhappydayswhenthatjollygroupofboyshadfilledthisfamiliarroomwiththeirnoisyclatterwellnighovercamehim。
Foraminuteortwohefussedwiththeteathingstillhecouldmasterhisvoice，thenhesaidveryquietly:
“Theyareverydecentchaps——reallyverygoodfellowsandtheyhavetakentheirtrainingextraordinarilywell。Ofcourse，MacnamaraandJohnsonwereinmyoldcompany，andthathelpsalot。“
“Yes，IrememberMacnamaraquitewell。HeisafinebigIrishman。“
“Fancyyourememberinghim，Mrs。Templeton，“saidCaptainJack。
“Ofcourse，Irememberhim。Heisoneofourboys。“
“Let’ssee，heisoneofyourdefence，isn’the？“saidStillwell，whohadfelthimselfratheroutoftheconversation。Maitlandnodded。ThepresenceofStillwellinthatroomintroducedapainfulelement。OncehehadbeenoneofthesevenandthoughneversointimatelyassociatedwiththeRectorylifeastheothers，yetatallteamgatheringshehadhadhisplace。ButsincethewarMaitlandhadneverbeenabletoendurehispresenceinthatroom。
To-day，withthememoryofthoseoldthrillingdayspressingharduponhisheart，hecouldnotbeartolookuponaman，onceoneofthem，nowforeveranoutsider。TheteacominginbroughttoMaitlandrelief。
“Ah，hereyouare，“hecriedanticipatingStillwellinrelievingAdrienofpartofherload。“Youarealifesaver。Teaisthethingforthishour。“
“Threelumps，isitnot？“saidthegirl，smilingathim。“Yousee，Iremember，thoughyoureallydon’tdeserveit。AndhereisPatwiththesandwiches。“
“Yes！awholeplateforyourself，CaptainJack，“saidPatricia。
“Comeandsitbymehere。“
“Noindeed！“saidhersisterwithabrightglowonhercheeks。
“Jackisgoingtositrightherebythetea-pot，andme，“sheadded，throwinghimaswiftglance。
“No！youarebothwrong，children，“saidtheirmother。“Jackiscomingtositbesideme。He’smyboythisafternoon。“
“Mother，wewillallsharehim，“saidPatricia，placingchairsnearhermother。“Imusttalkaboutthematch，Isimplymust。“
Ashadowforamomentwipedthebrightnessfromthefaceandeyesoftheeldersister，butyieldingtohermother’sappeal，shejoinedthecircle，sayingtoMaitland，“Idon’tbelieveyouwanttotalkaboutthematch，doyou？Thatisnotsupposedtobegoodpsychologybeforeamatch。Whatyoureallywantisagoodsleep。Isn’tthatright？“
“Hehasjustsenthismenofftobed，Iknow，“saidPatricia，“andwewillsendhimoffwhenhehashadhistea。“
“Iamsogladyouareplayingagain，“saidMrs。TempletontoMaitlandashesatdownbyherside。“Youneedmorerecreationthanyouhavebeentaking，Ibelieve。“
AshadowcrossedMaitland’sface。
“Idon’tbelieveIneedrecreationverymuch，butthesechapsofminedo，“hesaidsimply。
“Theworkmen，youmean！“
“Yes。Theyleadratheradulllife，youknow。Notmuchcolour。A
poolroomonthewholehasratherarotteneffectuponachapwhohasbeennineortenhoursindoorsalreadyandwhosticksatthesamethingdayinanddayoutformonthsatatime。“
“Ah，Isee。Youmeanyoutookuphockeyfor——ah——tohelp——“
“Well，Idon’twanttoposeasaworkingman’sadvocateandthatsortofthing。Butreallyhehasaslowtime。“
“Then，whydoesn’thegetbusyanddosomethingforhimself，“brokeinStillwell，impatiently。“TheLordknowsheisgettingmostofthemoneythesedaysandhasmoresparetimethananyoneelseinthecommunity。“
ButMaitlandignoredhim，tillPatriciaintervened。
“Tellmeaboutthat，“shedemanded。
“Lookhere！“saidhersister。“YouarenotgoingtogetJackintoalabourcontroversythisafternoon。ButIwouldjustliketoaskyou，Pat，howkeenyou’dbeonorganisingandconductingaLiteraryandDebatingSocietyafteryouhadputinnotfiveandahalfhours’lessons，buteightorninehours’！Itwouldtakesomedoing，eh？Butlet’scutoutthelabourtrouble。Itisnearlytimeforhissleep，isn’tit？“
“Isit，CaptainJack？Ifso，wewon’tkeepyouaminute，“saidPatriciaanxiously。“No，mother！youmustnotkeephim。Hemustbeontip-toeto-night。“
CaptainJackrose。“Patriciawouldmakeanidealtrainer，“hesaid。“IfearImustreallygo。Iamawfullygladtohavecomeinandseenyouall。SomehowIfeelawholelotbetter。“
“Andsodowe，Jack，“saidtheoldladyinawistfulvoice。“Won’tyoucomeagainsoon？“
Maitlandhesitatedamoment，glancingatAdrien。
“Oh，do！“saidthegirl，withalittlecolourcomingintoherface。
“Ithasbeenalittlelikeoldtimestoseeyouthisway。“
“Yes，hasn’tit？“saidStillwell。“Awfullyjolly。“
Maitlandstiffenedandturnedagaintotheoldladywhoseeyeswereturnedonhimwithsadentreaty。
“Yes，Ishallcometoseeyou，“saidMaitland，bowingoverherhandinfarewell。
“Weshallexpectyoutocomeandseeusto-nightatthematch，remember，CaptainJack，“saidPatricia，ashepassedoutoftheroom。“Nowbesuretogoandhaveyoursleep。“
ButtherewasnosleepthatafternoonforCaptainJack。OnhiswaythroughthetownhewashaltedbyMcNish。
“Theboyswanttoseeyou，“hesaidbriefly。
“Whatboys？Whatdoyoumean，McNish？“
“Attherooms。Willyoucomedownnow？“
“Now？Ican’tcomenow，McNish。IhavetobeontheiceinthreehoursandImustgetalittlerest。What’sup，anyway？TellthemI’llseethemto-morrow。“
“No！theywantyounow！“saidMcNishfirmly。“Iwouldadvisethatyoucome。“
“Whatdoyoumean，McNish？Well，getinhereandI’llgotoseethem。“McNishgotintothecar。“Now，what’sallthemystery？“
“Betterwait，“saidMcNish，grimly。
“Well，itisadog’strick，“saidMaitlandwrathfully，“togetontoachapbeforeabigmatchlikethis。“
IntheUnionCommitteeroomsagroupofmenwereawaitingthem，amongthemMr。Wigglesworthandthelittlecockneywhohadmadehimselfsoobnoxiousatthepublicmeeting。
“What’sallthistomfoolery，Wigglesworth？“demandedCaptainJack，stridinginamongthem。
“(H)excuseme，“saidthelittlecockney。“YouareamemberoftheWoodworkers’UnionI(h)understand。“
“Whothedevilareyou，mayIask？“saidMaitlandinarage。
“(H)allowme，“saidMr。Wigglesworth。“MisterSimmons，Mr。
Maitland——Mr。Simmonsisournewsecretary，(h)electedlastmeetin’。“
“Well，whatdoyouwantofme？“demandedMaitland。“Don’tyouknowIamtiedupthisafternoon？“
“Tied(h)up？“askedSimmonscoolly，“’ow？“
“Withthematch，confoundyou。“
“Oh，thematch！Andw’atmatchmaythatbe？(H)Anythin’todowithyourUnion？“
Maitlandglaredathim，toodumfoundedtospeak。
“Yousee，Mr。Maitland，“beganMr。Wigglesworthinahurriedandapologeticmanner。
“’Ere！youkeepahto’this，“saidSimmonssharply，“this’ere’smyjob。IshalltellBrotherMaitlandallthatisnecessary。“
“Iwasonlygoingto(h)explain——“beganMr。Wigglesworth。
“Nawthen！ISthisyourjobormine？Wasyou(h)appointedorwasI？WhenIfindmyself(h)unabletodischargemydootytotheUnionImightper’apscallonyou，BrotherWigglesworth；butuntilIfindmyselfinthatsituationI’opeyouwillrefrainfromshovin’inyour’orn。“BrotherSimmons’sarcasmappearedtowitherBrotherWigglesworthintosilence。
“Nawthen，BrotherMaitland，weshallget(h)on。“
Maitlandglancedroundonthegroupofhalfadozenmen。Someofthemheknew；otherswerestrangerstohim。
“Idon’tknowwhatthebusinessis，gentlemen，“hesaid，curbinghiswrath，“butIwanttoknowifitcan’twaittillto-morrow？
Youknowourboysaregoingontheiceinacoupleofhoursorso——“
“Goin’onthe(h)ice！Goin’onthe(h)ice！W’at’sthattodowithUnionbusiness？“snarledSimmons。“This’ere’snosillykids’
gaime！It’saman’sworkweavein’and，ifyoudon’twanttodothebusinesstow’ichyouare(h)appointedw’yjustsaysoandweshallknow’owto(h)act。There’asbeentoomucho’thisgaimebusinesstosuitme。Ifwearemenletus(h)actlikemen。“