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〃Ladies and gentlemen；〃 he said in a slightly bored voice； 〃this
gentleman is Mr。 Howard E。 Bigelow； a representative of the
American Federation of Labour； whom as a member of the Woodworkers'
Union； Local 197； I am anxious to hear if you don't mind。〃
He bowed to the visitor； bowed to the audience once more swaying
under a tempest of cheers； and； followed by McNish； made his way to
his seat。
From the first moment of his speech Mr。 Howard E。 Bigelow had to
fight for a hearing。 The little Cockney was the centre of a well…
organised and thoroughly competent body of obstructers who by clever
〃heckling；〃 by points of order； by insistent questioning； by playing
now upon the anti…American string； now upon the anti…Federation
string； by ribald laughter； by cheering a happy criticism；
completely checked every attempt of the speaker to take flight in
his oratory。 The International official was evidently an old hand
in this sort of game； but in the hands of these past masters in the
art of obstruction he met more than his match。 Maitland was amazed
at his patience； his self…control； his adroitness； but they were all
in vain。 At last he was forced to appeal to the Chairman for
British fair play。 But the Chairman was helplessly futile and his
futility was only emphasised by Mr。 Wigglesworth's attempts now at
browbeating which were met with derision and again at entreaty which
brought only demands for ruling on points of order； till the meeting
was on the point of breaking up in confused disorder。
〃McNish； I think I'll take a hand in this；〃 said Captain Jack in
the Scotchman's ear。 〃Are you game？〃
〃Wait a wee；〃 said McNish； getting to his feet。 Slowly he once
more made his way to the platform。 As the crowd caught on to his
purpose they broke into cheering。 When he reached the side of the
speaker he spoke a word in his ear； then came to the front with his
hand held up。 There was instant quiet。 He looked coolly over the
excited； disintegrating audience for a moment or two。
〃A belonged tae the Feefty…fir…rst Diveesion；〃 he said in his
richest Doric。 〃We had a rare time wi' bullies over there。 A'm
for free speech！ Noo； listen tae me； you Cockney wheedle doodle。
Let another cheep out o' yere trap an' the Captain there will fling
ye oot o' this room as we did the Kayser oot o' France。〃
〃You said it； McNish；〃 said Maitland； leaping to the aisle。 With a
roar a dozen returned men were on their feet。
〃Steady； squad！〃 rang out Captain Jack's order。 〃Fall into this
aisle！ Shun！〃 As if on parade the soldiers fell into line behind
their captain。
〃Macnamara！〃 he said； pointing to a huge Irishman。
〃Sir！〃 said Macnamara。
〃You see that little rat…faced chap？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Take your place beside him。〃
With two steps Macnamara was beside his man。
〃Mr。 Chairman； I protest；〃 began the little Cockney fiercely。
〃Pass him up；〃 said the Captain sharply。
With one single motion Macnamara's hand swept the little man out of
his place into the aisle。
〃Chuck him out！〃 said Captain Jack quietly。
From hand to hand； with never a pause； amid the jeers and laughter
of the crowd the little man was passed along like a bundle of old
rags till he disappeared through the open door。
〃Who's next？〃 shouted Macnamara joyfully。
〃As you were！〃 came the sharp command。
At once Macnamara stood at attention。
Captain Jack nodded to the platform。
〃All right；〃 he said quietly。
Mr。 Howard E。 Bigelow finished his speech in peace。 He made appeal
for the closing up of the ranks of Labour in preparation for the
big fight which was rapidly coming。 They had just finished with
Kaiserism in Europe but they were faced with only another form of
the same spirit in their own land。 They wanted no more fighting；
God knew they had had enough of that； but there were some things
dearer than peace； and Labour was resolved to get and to hold those
things which they had fought for； 〃which you British and especially
you Canadians shed so much blood to win。 We are making no threats；
but we are not going to stand for tyranny at the hands of any man
or any class of men in this country。 Only one thing will defeat
us； not the traditional enemies of our class but disunion in our
own ranks due to the fool tactics of a lot of disgruntled and
discredited traitors like the man who has just been fired from this
meeting。〃 He asked for a committee which would take the whole
situation in hand。 He closed with a promise that in any struggle
which they undertook under the guidance of their International
Officers the American Federation of Labour to their last dollar
would be behind them。
Before the formal closing of the meeting Maitland slipped quietly
out。 As he reached the sidewalk a light hand touched his arm。
Turning he saw at his elbow Annette； her face aglow and her black
eyes ablaze with passionate admiration。
〃Oh； Captain Jack；〃 she panted； her hands outstretched； 〃you were
just wonderful！ Splendid！ Oh！ I don't know what to say！ I〃
She paused in sudden confusion。 A hot colour flamed in her face。
Maitland took her hands in his。
〃Hello； Annette！ I saw you there。 Why！ What's up； little girl？〃
A sudden rush of tears had filled her eyes。
〃Oh； nothing。 I am just excited； I guess。 I don't know what〃
She pulled her hands away。 〃But you were great！〃 She laughed
shrilly。
〃Oh； it was your friend McNish did the trick；〃 said Captain Jack。
〃Very neat bit of work that； eh？ Very neat indeed。 Awfully clever
chap！ Are you going home now？〃
〃No； I am waiting。〃 She paused shyly。
〃Oh； I see！〃 said Captain Jack with a smile。 〃Lucky chap； by
Jove！〃
〃I am waiting for my father；〃 said Annette； tossing her head。
〃Oh； then； if that's all； come along with me。 Your father knows
his way about。〃 The girl paused a moment； hesitating。 Then with a
sudden resolve she cried gaily；
〃Well； I will。 I want to talk to you about it。 Oh； I am so
excited！〃 She danced along at his side in gay abandon。 As they
turned at the first corner Maitland glanced over his shoulder。
〃Hello！ Here's McNish；〃 he cried； turning about。 〃Shall we wait
for him？〃
〃Oh； never mind Malcolm；〃 cried the girl excitedly； 〃come along。 I
don't want him just now。 I want〃 She checked herself abruptly。
〃I want to talk to you。〃
〃Oh； all right；〃 said Captain Jack。 〃He's gone back anyway。 Come
along Annette； old girl。 I have been wanting to see you for a long
time。〃
〃Well； you see me；〃 said the girl； laughing up into his eyes with
a frank； warm admiration in hers that made Captain Jack's heart
quicken a bit in its steady beat。 He was a young man with a normal
appreciation of his own worth。 She； young； beautiful； unspoiled；
in the innocence of her girlish heart was flinging at him the full
tribute of a warm； generous admiration with every flash of her
black eyes and every intonation of her voice。 Small wonder if
Captain Jack found her good to look at and to listen to。 Often
during the walk home he kept saying to himself； 〃Jove； that McNish
chap is a lucky fellow！〃 But McNish； taking his lonely way home；
was only conscious that the evening had grown chilly and grey。
CHAPTER IX
THE DAY BEFORE
Business was suspended for the day in Blackwater。 That is； men
went through their accustomed movements； but their thoughts were
far apart from the matters that were supposed to occupy their minds
during the working hours of the day。 In the offices； in the
stores； in the shops； on the streets； in the schools； in the homes
the one； sole topic of conversation； the one mental obsession was
The Great Game。 Would the Maitland Mill Hockey Team pull it off？
Blackwater was not a unit in desiring victory for the Maitland Mill
team； for the reason that the team's present position of proud
eminence in the hockey world of Eastern Ontario had been won by a
series of smashing victories over local and neighbouring rival
teams。 They had first disposed of that snappy seven of lightning
lightweights； the local High School team； the champions in their
own League。 They had smashed their way through the McGinnis
Foundry Seven in three Homeric contests。 This victory attracted
the notice of the Blackwater Black Eagles； the gay and dashing
representatives of Blackwater's most highly gilded stratum of
society； a clever； hard…fighting； never…dying group of athletes
who； summer and winter； kept themselves in perfect form； and who
had moved rapidly out of obscurity into the dazzling spotlight of
championship over their district。 For the sake of the practice in
it and in preparation for their games in the Eastern Ontario Hockey
League； they took on the Maitland Mill team。
It took the Black Eagles a full week to recover sufficient control
to be able to speak intelligibly as to the 〃how〃 and 〃why〃 of that
match。 For the Mill team with apparent ease passed in thirteen
goals under and over and behind and beside the big broad goal stick
of Bell Blackwood； the goal wonder of the League； and the single
register for the Eagles had been netted by Fatty Findlay's own
stick in a moment of aberration。 During the week following the
Black Eagle debacle the v