第19章
circleagain！Thinkofit！Andthentimewascalled。Oh，Iamperfectlyexhaustedwiththisexcitement！“saidPatricia，sinkingbackintoherchair。“Idon’tbelieveIcouldgodowntothatrink，notevenforanothergame。Itisterriblytrying！“
AtthismomentRupertStillwellcamein，fullofenthusiasmfortheCornwalls’scientifichockey，andwithgrudgingpraiseforthelocalteam，deploringtheirroughhousetactics。Buthemetasharpandunexpectedcheck，forAdrientookhiminhand，inherquiet，cool，efficientmanner。
“Roughhouse！“shesaid。“Whatdoyoumeanexactlybythat？“
“Well，“saidRupert，somewhattakenaback，“forinstancethatchargeofMacnamaraonJumboLarsonatthelast。“
“Isawthatquiteclearly，“saidAdrien，“anditappearedtomequiteallright。ItwasLarsonwhomadethemostfuriouschargeuponMacnamara。“
“Ofcourseitwas，“criedPatricia，indignantly。“Jumbodeservedallhegot。Why，thewayhemauledlittleSnoopyandGeordieRossinthefirstpartofthegamewasperfectlyhorrid。Don’tyouthinkso，Hugh？“
“Oh，well，hockeyisnottiddly-winks，youknow，Patricia，and——“
“AsifIdidn’tknowthat！“brokeinthegirlindignantly。
“AndJumboandMacnab，“continuedHugh，“reallyhadtobreakupthedangerouscombinationthere。OfcoursethatwasarottenassaultonSnoopy。Itwasn’tJumbo’sfaultthathedidn’tbreakanankle。
Asitwas，hegavehimaverybadfall。“
AtthisRupertlaughedscornfully。“Rot，“hesaid，“thewholetownislaughingatallthatbloodybandagebusiness。Itwasabitofstageplay。Veryclever，Iconfess，butnohockey。IhappentoknowthatMaitlandwasquitehotaboutit。“
ButHughandViconlylaughedathim。
“Heisacleverlittlebeggar，isSnoopy，“saidVic。
“But，meantime，“saidMrs。Templeton，“whereisJack！Hewasgoingtobehere，washenot？“
“Feastinganddancing，Iexpect，“saidRupert。“Thereisabigsupperon，givenbytheMillmanagement，andadanceafterwards——
’hottimeintheoldtown，’eh？“
“Adance？“gaspedPatricia。“Adance！Where？“
“OddFellows’Hall，“saidRupert。“Wanttogo？Ihavetickets。
Don’tcareforthatsortofthingmyself。Ratheramixedaffair，I
guess。Millhandsandtheirgirls。“
“Oh，“breathedPatricia，“Ishouldlovetogo。Couldn’twe？“
“ButmydearPatricia，“saidhermother，“adance，withallthosepeople？Whatnonsense。ButIwishJackwoulddropin。Ishouldsoliketocongratulatehimonhisgreatvictory。“
“Oh，doletusgo，justforafewminutes，Mamma“entreatedPatricia。“Hugh，haveyoutickets？“
Themenlookedateachother。
“Well，“confessedVic，“Iwasthinkingofdroppinginmyself。
Afterall，itisourhometeamandtheyaregoodsports。AndMaitlandhandledthemwithwonderfulskill。“
“Yes，Iamgoing，“saidHugh。“IamboundtogoasCaptainoftheEagles，andthatsortofthing，butIwould，anyway。Wouldyoucaretocome，Adrien，ifMrs。Templetonwillallowyou？Ofcoursetherearechaperons。Maitlandwouldseetothat。“
“Ishouldlikeawfullytogo，“saidAdrieneagerly。“Wemight，forafewminutes，Mother？Ofcourse，Patriciashouldbeinbed，really。“
PoorPatricia’sfacefell。
“Itisnoplaceforanyofyou，“saidthemother，decidedly。“Justthinkofthatmixedmultitude！Andyou，Patricia，youshouldbeinbed。“
“Butoh，Mamma，dear，“wailedPatricia，“Icanrestalldayto-
morrow。“
AtthispointanewvoicebrokeintothediscussionandDoctorTempletonappeared。“Well，what’stheexcitement，“heenquired。
“Oh，thematch，ofcourse！Well，whatwastheresult？“
“Oh，Daddy，wewon，wewon！“criedPatricia，springingathim。
“Themostgloriousmatch！BigJumboLarson，aperfectmonsterontheCornwalldefence，wasknockedout！Oh，itwasagloriousmatch！Andcan’tIgodowntoseethedance？AdrienandHughandVicaregoing。Onlyforafewminutes，“shebegged，withherarmsaroundherfather’sneck。“Sayyes，Daddy！“
“Givemetime；letmegetmybreath，Patricia。Now，dobeginsomewhere——say，withthescore。“
Theyallgavehimthescore。
“Hurrah！“criedtheolddoctor。“Noonehurt——seriously，Imean？“
“No，“saidPatricia，“exceptperhapsJumboLarson，“sheaddedhopefully。
“TheLordwasmercifultothisfamilywhenhemadeyouagirl，Patricia，“saidherfather。
“But，Daddy，itwasawonderfulgame。“Quitebreathlessly，shewentoncemoreovertheoutstandingfeaturesoftheplay。
“Soundsratherbloody，Imustsay，“saidherfather，doubtfully。
ButHughsaid:“Itwasnotreally——notquitesobadasPatriciamakesit，sir。Roughattimes，ofcourse，but，onthewhole，clean。“
“Clean，“criedPatricia，“whataboutJumbo’sswingatSnoopy？“
“Oh，well，Snoopyhadthepuck，youknow。Itwasalittleoff-
colour，Imustconfess。“
“Andnow，Daddy，“saidPatricia，goingatherfatheragain，“weallwanttogodowntothedance。Therewillbespeeches，youknow，andIdowanttohearCaptainJack，“sheadded，notwithoutguile。
“Won’tyouletmegowiththem？Hughwilltakecareofme。“
“IthinkIshouldratherliketogomyself，“saidherfather。A
shoutofapprovalrosefromthewholecompany。“But，“continuedthedoctor，“Idon’tthinkIcan。Mydear，Ithinktheymightgoforafewminutes——andyoucanbringmeinafullaccountofthespeeches，Patricia，“headded，withatwinkleinhiseye。
“But，mydear，“exclaimedhiswife，“thisisoneofthoseawfulpublicaffairs。Youcan’timaginewhattheyarelike。TheMillhandswillallbethere，andthatsortofpeople。“
“Well，mydear，JackMaitlandwillbethere，Ifancy，andyouwerethinkingofgoing，Hugh？“
“Yes，sir，Iamgoing。Ofcoursetherewillbeanumberofthefriendsofbothteams，townspeople。OfcoursetheMillhandswillbethere，too，inlargenumbers。Itwillbegreatfun。“
“Well，mydear，“saidthedoctor，“Ithinktheymightgodownforafewminutes。Butbesuretobebackbeforemidnight。Remember，Patricia，youaretodoexactlyasyoursistersays。“
ThenVicsaid:“Ishallkeepafirmhandonher，sir。“
“Oh，youdarling，“Patriciacried，huggingherfatherrapturously。
“Iwillbesogood；andwon’titbefun！“
OddFellows’Hallwaselaboratelydecoratedwithbuntingandevergreens。ThepartyfromtheRectory，arrivingintimetoheartheclosingspeechesofthetwoteamcaptains，tooktheirplacesinthegallery。Thespeecheswerebriefandtothepoint。
TheCaptainofthevisitingteamdeclaredthathehadgreatlyenjoyedthegame。Hewasnotquiteconvincedthatthebestteamhadwon，buthewouldsaythatthegamehadgonetotheteamthathadputupthebestplay。HecomplimentedCaptainMaitlanduponhisgeneralship。HehadknownCaptainMaitlandintheolddaysandheoughttohavebeenonthelookoutforthekindofthinghehadputover。TheMaitlandMillteamhadmadeaperfectlywonderfulrecoveryinthelastquarter，thoughheratherthoughthisfriendMacnamarahadhelpeditalittleatacriticalpoint。
“Hedidthat，“exclaimedJumboLarson，withmarkedemphasis。
Aftertheroaroflaughterhadquieteddown，theCornwallCaptainclosedbyexpressingthehopethattheMaitlandMillteamwouldtryforaplacenextseasonintheseniorhockey。Inwhichcaseheexpressedthehopethathemighthavethepleasureofmeetingthemagain。
CaptainMaitland’sspeechwascharacteristic。HehadnothingbutpraisefortheCornwalls。Theyplayedawonderfulgameandacleangame。HesharedinthedoubtoftheirCaptainastowhichwasthebetterteam。Hefranklyconfessedthatinthelastquartertheluckcametohisteam。
“Notabitofit，“roaredtheCornwallswithonevoice。
Astohisownteam，hewasparticularlyproudofthewaytheyhadtakenthetraining——theirfineself-denial，andespeciallythenever-dyingspiritwhichtheyshowed。ItwasagreathonourforhisteamtomeettheCornwalls。Ahardteamtomeet——sometimes——asSnoopyandhimselfhadfoundoutthatevening——buttheyweregoodsportsandhehopedsomedaytomeetthemagain。
Aftertheusualcheersfortheteams，individuallyandcollectively，fortheirsupporters，fortheMillmanagementandfortheladies，thedinnercametoanend，thewholepartyjoiningwithwideopenthroatsandallstandingatattention，intheCanadianandtheEmpirenationalanthems。
Whilethesuppertablewasbeingclearedawaypreparatorytothedance，CaptainJackrushedupstairstothepartyinthegallery。
Patriciaflungherselfathiminanecstasyofrapture。
“Oh！CaptainJack，youdidwin！Youdidwin！Youdidwin！Itwasglorious！Andthatdouble-circleplaythatyouandSnoopyputup——
didn’titworkbeautifully！“
“Weweremightylucky，“saidCaptainJack。
Theothers，Hugh，VicandRupert，crowdedround，offeringcongratulations。Adrienwaitedbehind，awonderfullightshininginhereyes，afaintcolourtouchingherpalecheek。CaptainJackcameslowlyforward。
“Areyounotgoingtocongratulateus，too，Adrien？“hesaid。
Shemovedapaceforward。
“Oh，Jack，“shewhispered，leaningtowardhimandbreathingquickly，“itwassoliketheold，thedearolddays。“
IntoMaitland’seyesthereflashedalookofsurprise，ofwonder，thenofpiercingscrutiny，whilehisfacegrewwhite。
“Adrien，“hesaid，inavoicelow，tense，almoststern，whichshealoneheard。“Whatdoyoumean？Thendoyou——“
“Oh，CaptainJack，“criedPatricia，catchinghisarm，“areyougoingtodance？Youare，aren’tyou？Andwillyougiveme——Oh，Idaren’task！Youaresuchagreatheroto-night！“
“Why，Patsy，willyougivemeadance？“
Thegirlstoodgazingathimwitheyesthatgrewmisty，thequickbeatingofherloyalheartalmostsuffocatingher。
“Oh，CaptainJack，“shegasped，“howmany？“
Maitlandlaughedather，andturnedtohersister。
“Andyou，Adrien，mayIhaveadance？“
AgainAdrienleanedtowardhim。
“One？“sheasked。
“Andasmanymoreasyoucanspare。“
“Myprogramisquiteempty，yousee，“shesaid，flingingoutherhandsandlaughingjoyouslyintohisface。
“Whataboutme？Andme？Andme？“saidtheotherthreemen。
“Isupposeweareallnowhereto-night，“addedRupert，withatouchofbitternessinhisvoice。
“Well，thereisonlyoneconqueringhero，youknow，“repliedAdrien，smilingatthemall。
“NowImustrunoff，“saidMaitland。“Yousee，Iamonduty，asitwere。Comedowninafewminutes。“
“Yes，go，Jack，“saidAdrien，throwinghimawarmsmile。“Wewillfollowyouinafewminutes。“
“Oh，Iamsoexcited！“saidPatricia，asMaitlanddisappeareddownthestairs。“Imeantodancewitheveryoneoftheteam。IknowI
amgoingtohaveaperfectlylovelytime！ButIwouldgivethemallupifIcouldhaveCaptainJackallthetime。“
“Pig，“saidhersister，smilingather。
“Wretch，“criedVic，makingaface。
ButPatriciawasquiteunabashed。“IamgoingtohavehimjustasoftenasIcan，“shesaid，brazenly。
Forafewminutestheystoodwatchingthedancersonthefloorbelow。Itwasindeed，asMrs。Templetonhadsaid，a“mixedmultitude。“Millhandsandtheirgirls，townsfolkwhosesocialstandingwassufficientlyassuredtoenduretheventure。Amixedmultitude，butthoroughlyjolly，makingupinvigourwhatwaslackingingraceintheirexpositionoftheTerpsichoreanart。
“Ratherghastly，“saidRupert，whoappearedtobequitedisgustedwiththewholeevening’sproceedings。
“Lovely！“exclaimedPatricia。
“Theyareenjoyingthemselves，atanyrate，“saidAdrien，“and，afterall，thatiswhatpeopledancefor。“
“Stacksoffun。Iamallforit，eh，Pat？“saidVic，makingadoringeyesattheyounggirl。