Mr。HowardE。Bigelowfinishedhisspeechinpeace。HemadeappealfortheclosingupoftheranksofLabourinpreparationforthebigfightwhichwasrapidlycoming。TheyhadjustfinishedwithKaiserisminEuropebuttheywerefacedwithonlyanotherformofthesamespiritintheirownland。Theywantednomorefighting，Godknewtheyhadhadenoughofthat，butthereweresomethingsdearerthanpeace，andLabourwasresolvedtogetandtoholdthosethingswhichtheyhadfoughtfor，“whichyouBritishandespeciallyyouCanadiansshedsomuchbloodtowin。Wearemakingnothreats，butwearenotgoingtostandfortyrannyatthehandsofanymanoranyclassofmeninthiscountry。Onlyonethingwilldefeatus，notthetraditionalenemiesofourclassbutdisunioninourownranksduetothefooltacticsofalotofdisgruntledanddiscreditedtraitorslikethemanwhohasjustbeenfiredfromthismeeting。“Heaskedforacommitteewhichwouldtakethewholesituationinhand。HeclosedwithapromisethatinanystrugglewhichtheyundertookundertheguidanceoftheirInternationalOfficerstheAmericanFederationofLabourtotheirlastdollarwouldbebehindthem。
BeforetheformalclosingofthemeetingMaitlandslippedquietlyout。Ashereachedthesidewalkalighthandtouchedhisarm。
TurninghesawathiselbowAnnette，herfaceaglowandherblackeyesablazewithpassionateadmiration。
“Oh，CaptainJack，“shepanted，herhandsoutstretched，“youwerejustwonderful！Splendid！Oh！Idon’tknowwhattosay！I——“
Shepausedinsuddenconfusion。Ahotcolourflamedinherface。
Maitlandtookherhandsinhis。
“Hello，Annette！Isawyouthere。Why！What’sup，littlegirl？“
Asuddenrushoftearshadfilledhereyes。
“Oh，nothing。Iamjustexcited，Iguess。Idon’tknowwhat——“
Shepulledherhandsaway。“Butyouweregreat！“Shelaughedshrilly。
“Oh，itwasyourfriendMcNishdidthetrick，“saidCaptainJack。
“Veryneatbitofworkthat，eh？Veryneatindeed。Awfullycleverchap！Areyougoinghomenow？“
“No，Iamwaiting。“Shepausedshyly。
“Oh，Isee！“saidCaptainJackwithasmile。“Luckychap，byJove！“
“Iamwaitingformyfather，“saidAnnette，tossingherhead。
“Oh，then，ifthat’sall，comealongwithme。Yourfatherknowshiswayabout。“Thegirlpausedamoment，hesitating。Thenwithasuddenresolveshecriedgaily，“Well，Iwill。Iwanttotalktoyouaboutit。Oh，Iamsoexcited！“Shedancedalongathissideingayabandon。AstheyturnedatthefirstcornerMaitlandglancedoverhisshoulder。
“Hello！Here’sMcNish，“hecried，turningabout。“Shallwewaitforhim？“
“Oh，nevermindMalcolm，“criedthegirlexcitedly，“comealong。I
don’twanthimjustnow。Iwant——“Shecheckedherselfabruptly。
“Iwanttotalktoyou。“
“Oh，allright，“saidCaptainJack。“He’sgonebackanyway。ComealongAnnette，oldgirl。Ihavebeenwantingtoseeyouforalongtime。“
“Well，youseeme，“saidthegirl，laughingupintohiseyeswithafrank，warmadmirationinhersthatmadeCaptainJack’sheartquickenabitinitssteadybeat。Hewasayoungmanwithanormalappreciationofhisownworth。She，young，beautiful，unspoiled，intheinnocenceofhergirlishheartwasflingingathimthefulltributeofawarm，generousadmirationwitheveryflashofherblackeyesandeveryintonationofhervoice。SmallwonderifCaptainJackfoundhergoodtolookatandtolistento。Oftenduringthewalkhomehekeptsayingtohimself，“Jove，thatMcNishchapisaluckyfellow！“ButMcNish，takinghislonelywayhome，wasonlyconsciousthattheeveninghadgrownchillyandgrey。
BusinesswassuspendedforthedayinBlackwater。Thatis，menwentthroughtheiraccustomedmovements，buttheirthoughtswerefarapartfromthemattersthatweresupposedtooccupytheirmindsduringtheworkinghoursoftheday。Intheoffices，inthestores，intheshops，onthestreets，intheschools，inthehomestheone，soletopicofconversation，theonementalobsessionwasTheGreatGame。WouldtheMaitlandMillHockeyTeampullitoff？
BlackwaterwasnotaunitindesiringvictoryfortheMaitlandMillteam，forthereasonthattheteam’spresentpositionofproudeminenceinthehockeyworldofEasternOntariohadbeenwonbyaseriesofsmashingvictoriesoverlocalandneighbouringrivalteams。Theyhadfirstdisposedofthatsnappysevenoflightninglightweights，thelocalHighSchoolteam，thechampionsintheirownLeague。TheyhadsmashedtheirwaythroughtheMcGinnisFoundrySeveninthreeHomericcontests。ThisvictoryattractedthenoticeoftheBlackwaterBlackEagles，thegayanddashingrepresentativesofBlackwater’smosthighlygildedstratumofsociety，aclever，hard-fighting，never-dyinggroupofathleteswho，summerandwinter，keptthemselvesinperfectform，andwhohadmovedrapidlyoutofobscurityintothedazzlingspotlightofchampionshipovertheirdistrict。ForthesakeofthepracticeinitandinpreparationfortheirgamesintheEasternOntarioHockeyLeague，theytookontheMaitlandMillteam。
IttooktheBlackEaglesafullweektorecoversufficientcontroltobeabletospeakintelligiblyastothe“how“and“why“ofthatmatch。FortheMillteamwithapparenteasepassedinthirteengoalsunderandoverandbehindandbesidethebigbroadgoalstickofBellBlackwood，thegoalwonderoftheLeague；andthesingleregisterfortheEagleshadbeennettedbyFattyFindlay’sownstickinamomentofaberration。DuringtheweekfollowingtheBlackEagledebaclethevariousBankmanagers，LawOfficemanagersandotherfinancialmagnatesofthetownwerelenientwiththeirclerks。Socialfunctionswereabandoned。Theyounggentlemenhadonecontinuouspermanentandunbreakableengagementattherinkorinpreparationforit。Butallwasinvain。TheresultofthesecondencounterwasdefeatfortheEagles，defeatutter，unmistakableandinexplicableexceptonthetheorythattheyhadmetasuperiorteam。ThroughoutthehockeyseasontheMaitlandMillmaintainedanunbrokenrecordofvictorytilltheirfameflewfar；andatthecloseoftheseasonenthusiastsofthegamehadarrangedamatchbetweenthewinnersoftheEasternOntarioHockeyLeague，therenownedCornwallteamandtheMaitlandMillboys。To-
daytheCornwallswereintown，andthetowninconsequencewasquiteunfitfortheordinarydutiesoflife。TheEaglesalmosttoamanwereforthelocalteam；fortheyweresportstruetotype。
Notsohowevertheirfriendsandfollowing，whoresenteddefeatoftheirmenatthehandsofaworkingclassteam。
OfcourseitwasJackMaitlandwhowasresponsiblefortheirhumiliation。Itwashewhohadorganisedhisfellowworkmen，putthemthroughabloodandirondiscipline，filledthemwithhisownspiritofirresistiblefuriousabandoninattackwhichcarriedthemtovictory。
ItwasanoldgamewithJackMaitland。WhenaHighSchoolboyhehaddevelopedthatspiritofdominatingandindomitableleadershipthathadmadehisteamthegloryofthetown。Laterbysoundandsteadygrindingatthegamehehaddevelopedastyleandplanofteamplaywhichhadproducedatownteaminthewinterimmediatelyprecedingthewarthathadwonchampionshiphonors。NowwithhisMillteamhewassimplyrepeatinghisformerachievements。
IthadastonishedhisfriendstolearnthatCaptainJackwasplayinghockeyagain。Hehadplayednogameexceptinadesultorywaysincethewar。HehadresistedtheunitedeffortsoftheEaglesandtheirwomenfriendstotakethecaptaincyofthatteam。
Themerethoughtofeverappearingontheiceinhockeyuniformgavehimasickfeelingathisheart。Ofthatnoblesevenwhomhehadinpre-wardaysledsooftentovictoryfourwerestill“overthere，“onewaswanderingroundadarkenedroom。Oftheremainingtwo，oneRupertStillwellwastoodeeplyengrossedinlargefinancialaffairsforhockey。CaptainJackhimselfwastheseventh，andthemeresightofahockeystickonaschoolboy’sshouldergavehimaheartstab。
ItwashisloyalpalPatriciaTempleton，whogavehimthefirstimpulsetowardthegameagain。Toherpleadinghehadyieldedsofarastocoach，onaSaturdayafternoon，herteamofHighSchoolgirlstovictory。ButitwastheReverendMurdoMathesonwhofurnishedthespurtoconsciencethatresultedintheorganisingoftheMaitlandMillteam。
“You，JohnMaitland，morethananyofusandmorethanallofustogethercandrawtheseladsofyoursfromthepoolroomsandworse，“theReverendMurdohadsaidonedayinearlywinter。
“GreatScott，Padre“——theReverendMurdohaddonehisbitoverseas——
“whatareyougivingmenow？“
“You，morethananyorallofus，Iamsaying，“repeatedtheministersolemnly。“ForGod’ssake，man，gettheseladsontheiceoranywhereout-of-doorsforthegoodoftheirimmortalsouls。“
“Me！Andwhyme，pray？“CaptainJackhadasked。“I’mnouplifter。
Whyjumponme？“
“You，becauseGodhasbestowedonyouthegifttoleadmen，“saidtheministerwithincreasingsolemnity。“Ahighgiftitis，andoneforwhichGodwillholdyouresponsible。“
Thatverynight，passingbytheLuckyStrikePoolRooms，CaptainJackhadturnedintofindascoreandmoreofyouths——manyofthemfromthemills——flashingtheirmoneywithrecklessfreedominanatmospherethickwithfoultobacco-smokeandreekingwithprofaneandlewdspeech。OnreachinghishomethatnightMaitlandwentstraighttotheatticandduguphishockeykit。Beforeheslepthehadlaidhisplansforaleagueamongtheworkingladsinthevariousindustriesinthetown。
Itwasnoeasytasktoforcethesemenintotraininghabits，toholdthemtothegrind，todisciplinethemintoself-controlintemperandindesire。Itwasofvastassistancetohimthatthreeofhissevenwereoverseasmen，whilesomedozenorsoofthetwentyintheclubwerereturnedsoldiers。Itwaspartofhisdisciplinethathisteamshouldnevershirkaday’sworkforthegameexceptontherareoccasionswhentheywentontour。Hencethemanagementinthevariousmillsandfactories，atfirsthostileandsuspicious，cametoregardtheseathleticactivitiesonthepartoftheiremployeeswithapprovalandfinallycametogiveencouragementandsupporttothegames。
To-daywasahalfholidayfortheMaitlandMillsandthestreetswerenoticeablyfullofthemenandtheirsweetheartsandwivesintheirSundayclothes。Nottheteam，however。Maitlandknewbetterthanthat。Hetookhismenforaruninthecountrybeforenoon，bringingthemhomeinrichwarmglow。ThenafterabathandahardrubdowntheydinedtogetheratthemillandthentheirCaptainorderedthemhometosleep，forbiddingthemthestreetstilltheywereontheirwaytothegame。
OnhiswayhomeCaptainJackwaswaylaidbyhisadmirerandchampion，Patricia。She，standinginfrontofhiscar，broughthimtoahalt。
“Ihavenotevenseenyouforawholeweek，“shecomplained，gettinginbesidehim，“andyourphoneisalwaysbusyintheevening。Ofcoursenoonecangetyouduringtheday。AndIdowanttoknowhowtheteamis。Oh！dotellmetheyarefitforthegameoftheirlives！Aretheyeveryonefit？“
“Fitandfine。“
“Andwilltheywin？“
“Surething，“saidCaptainJackquietly。
“Oh，Ihopeyouareright。Butyouaresosure，“exclaimedhiscompanion。“TheCornwallsarewonderful，Rupertsays。“
“Hewould。“
“Oh！Iforgotyoudon’tthinkmuchofRupert，“sighedPatricia。
“Ihaven’ttime，yousee，“answeredCaptainJackgravely。
“Oh，youknowwhatImean。Itisapity，too，forheisreallyverynice。Imeanheissogoodtome，“sighedPatriciaagain。
“Don’tsigh，Patsy，oldgirl。Itreallyisn’tworthit，youknow。
Howisthesupplyofchoc’skeepingup？“
“Nowyouarethinkingmeapig。Buttellmeaboutyourmen。Aretheyreallyinform？“
“Absolutelyatthepeak。“
“AndthatdarlingFattyFindlay。Idohopehewillnotlosehisheadandletagoalin。Heisperfectlyadorablewiththateverlastingsmileofhis。IdohopeFattyisatthepeak，too。Ishe，really？“TheanxietyinPatricia’stonewasmorethanpainful。
“DearPatsy，heisrightatthepinnacle。“
“CaptainJack，ifyoudon’twinto-nightIshall——well，Ishalljustweepmyeyesout。“
“Thatsettlesit，Pat。Weshallwin。Wecan’t——Ican’tsparethoselovelyeyes，youknow，“saidCaptainJack，smilingather。
OnebyoneCaptainJack’steamwerepassedinreview——thedefence，Macnamaraand“Jack“Johnson，socalledforhiswoollywhitehead；
“Reddy“Hughes，Ross，“Snoopy“Sykes，whowithCaptainJackmadetheforwardline，allweredeclaredtobefittodeliverthelastounceintheirbodies，thelastflickerintheirsouls。
“Doyouknow，CaptainJack，“saidPatriciagravely，“thereisonechangeyououghttomakeinyourforwardline。“
“Yes！Whatisthat，Pat？“askedCaptainJack，withneverasuggestionofasmile。