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〃Mrs。 McNish；〃 said Maitland； 〃I happen to have two tickets that I
can let you have。〃 For an instant she hesitated。
〃We can find a way in； I think； Mr。 Maitland；〃 said Malcolm；
forestalling his mother's answer。 But with simple dignity his
mother put him aside。
〃A shall be verra pleased indeed to have the tickets； provided you
can spare them； Mr。 Maitland。 Never mind； noo； Malcolm。 A ken
well what ye're thinkin'。 He's gey independent and his mind is on
thae revolutionary buddies o' his。 A'm aye tellin' him this is nae
land for yon nonsense。 Gin we were in Rooshie； or Germany whaur
the people have lived in black slavery or even in the auld land
whaur the fowk are haudden doon wi' generations o' class bondage；
there might be a chance for a revolutionary。 But what can ye dae
in a land whaur the fowk are aye climbin' through ither； noo up；
noo down； noo maister； noo man？ Ye canna make Canadians
revolutionaries。 They are a' on the road to be maisters。 Malcolm
is a clever loon but he has a wee bee in his bonnet。〃 The old lady
smiled quizzically at her big； serious…faced son。
〃Noo； mither； ye're just talkin' havers；〃 he said。 〃My mother is
as great a Socialist as I am。〃
〃Ay； but A keep ma heid。〃
〃That ye do； mither。 Ye're gey cannie；〃 replied her son； shaking
his head； and so they passed the word to and fro； and Maitland sat
listening to the chat。 The delightful spirit of camaraderie
between mother and son reminded him of a similar relationship
between mother and sons in his own home in pre…war days。 He could
not tear himself away。 It was well on to his dinner hour before he
rose to go。
〃You have given me a delightful hour； Mrs。 McNish；〃 he said as he
shook hands。 〃You made me think of my own home in the old days；I
mean before the war came and smashed everything。〃 The old lady's
eyes were kindly scanning his face。
〃Ay； the war smashed yere hame？〃 Maitland nodded in silence。
〃His brither；〃 said Malcolm； quietly。
〃Puir laddie；〃 she said； patting his hand。
〃And my mother；〃 added Maitland； speaking with difficulty； 〃and
that； of course； meant our homeand everything。 So I thank you
for a very happy hour；〃 he added with a smile。
〃Wad ye care to come again？〃 said the old lady with a quiet
dignity。 〃We're plain fowk but ye'll be always welcome。〃
〃I just will； Mrs。 McNish。 And I will send you the tickets。〃
〃Man！ I wish ye grand luck the night。 A grand victory。〃
〃Thank you。 We are going to make a try for it；〃 said Maitland。
〃You must shout for us。〃
〃Ay； wull I；〃 she answered grimly。 And she kept her word for of
all the company that made up the Maitland party； none was more
conspicuously enthusiastic in applause than was a white…haired old
lady in a respectable black bonnet whose wild and weird Doric
expletives and exclamations were the joy of the whole party about
her。
CHAPTER X
THE NIGHT OF VICTORY
It was an hour after the match。 They were gathered in the old
rendezvous of the hockey teams in pre…war days。 And they were all
wildly excited over the Great Victory。
〃Just think of it； Mamma； dear；〃 Patricia shouted； pirouetting now
on one foot and then on the other； 〃Eight to six！ Oh； it is too
glorious to believe！ And against that wonderful team； the
Cornwalls！ Now listen to me； while I give you a calm and connected
account of the game。 I shall always regret that you were not
present； Mamma。 Victory！ And at half time we were down； five to
two！ I confess disaster and despair stared me in the face。 And we
started off so gloriously！ Captain Jack and Snoopy in the first
five minutes actually put in two goals； with that back goal play of
theirs。 You know； I explained it to you； Mamma。〃
〃Yes； dear； I know；〃 said her mother； 〃but if you will speak a
little more quietly and slowly〃
〃I will； Mamma；〃 said her daughter； sitting down with great
deliberation； in front of her。 〃I will explain to you again that
'round the goal' play。〃
〃I am afraid； my dear； that I could hardly grasp just what you
mean。〃
〃Well； never mind； Mamma。 It is a particular and special play that
Captain Jack worked out。 They rush down to the goal and instead of
trying to shoot； the one with the puck circles round the back and
delivers the puck immediately in front of the goal； where another
takes and slips it in。 Two goals in about five minutes； wasn't it；
Hugh？〃
〃About eight minutes； I should say；〃 replied Hugh Maynard； the big
Captain of the Eagles。
〃Well； eight minutes；〃 continued Patricia； taking up the tale； 〃and
then they began the roughhouse business。 Jumbo Larsona terribly
big Swede； Mammaput it all over little Snoopy。 Chucked him
about； wiped the ice with him！〃
〃My dear！〃 exclaimed her mother。
〃Well； you know what I mean。 A great big； two…hundred…pound
monster； who simply threw Snoopy and Georgie Ross all about the
rink。 It took Captain Jack all his time to stand up against him。
And then they ran in goals at a perfectly terrific rate。 Two
threefourfive！ And only Fatty Findlay's marvelous play kept
down the score。 I adore Fatty！ You know； Mamma； that dear old
Scotchwoman〃
〃Scotchwoman？〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Templeton。
〃Yes。 Oh！ you don't know about her。 Captain Jack brought her
along。 Mrs。 Mc…something。〃
〃McNish；〃 supplied Adrien。
〃Yes； McNish；〃 continued Patricia； 〃a perfect dear！ She did
everything but swear。 Indeed； she may have been swearing for I
could not understand half of what she said。〃
Adrien interrupted： 〃She is perfectly priceless； Mother。 I wish
you could meet herso dignified and sweet。〃
〃Sweet！〃 exclaimed Patricia； with a laugh。 〃Well； I didn't see the
sweetness； exactly。 But at half time； Mamma； fancy！ they stood
five to two against us。 It was a truly awful moment for all of us。
And then； after half time； didn't those Cornwalls within five
minutes run in another goal； and； worse than all； Jumbo Larson laid
out Snoopy flat on the ice！ Now the game stood six to two！ Think
of it； Mamma！〃
Then Adrien put in： 〃It was at this point that the old lady made a
remark which； I believe； saved the day。 What was it exactly；
Hugh？〃
〃I didn't quite get it。〃
〃I know；〃 said little Vic Forsythe； himself a star of the Eagle
forward line。 〃You poor Sassenach！ You couldn't be expected to
catch the full； fine flavour of it。 Maitland was trying to cheer
the old lady up when she said to him： 'Yon half backs； A'm
thinkin''she was a soccer fan in the old land； I believe'yon
half backs； A'm thinkin'； are gey confident。 It is a peety they
cudna be shaken a bit in their nerves。' By Jove！ Maitland jumped
at it。 'Mrs。 McNish； you're right！ you're right。 I wonder I did
not think of it before。'〃
Then Adrien broke in： 〃Yes； from that moment there was a change in
our men's tactics。〃
Then Patricia broke in： 〃Well； then； let me go on。 Captain Jack
knew quite well there was no use of allowing those little chaps；
Snoopy and Geordie Ross； to keep feeding themselves to those horrid
monsters； Jumbo Larson and Macnab； so what did they do but move up
〃Jack〃 Johnson and Macnamara。 That is； you see； Mamma； the
forwards would take down the puck and then up behind them would
come the backs； Macnamara and 〃Jack〃 Johnson； like a perfect storm；
and taking the puck from the forwards； who would then fall back to
defence； would smash right on the Cornwall defence。 The very first
time when 〃Jack〃 Johnson came against Jumbo； Jumbo found himself
sitting on the ice。 Oh！ it was lovely！ Perfectly lovely！ And the
next time they did it； Jumbo came at him like a bull。 But that
adorable 〃Jack〃 Johnson just lifted him clear off his feet and
flung him against the side。 It seemed to me that the whole rink
shook！〃
Here Vic broke in： 〃You didn't hear what the old lady said at this
point； I suppose。 I was sitting next to her。 She was really a
whole play by herself。 When Jumbo went smashing against the side；
the old lady gave a grunt。 'Hum； that wull sort ye a doot。' Oh！
she is a peach！〃
〃And the next time they came down；〃 cried Patricia； taking up the
tale again； 〃Jumbo avoided him。 For Macnamara； 'Jack' Johnson and
Captain Jack came roaring down the ice at a terrific pace； and with
never a stop； smashed head on into Jumbo and Macnab and fairly
hurled them in on Hepburnthat is their goal keeper； you knowand
scored。 Oh！ Oh！ Oh！ Such a yell！ Six to three； and ten minutes
to play。〃
〃But Patricia；〃 said Mrs。 Templeton； 〃do moderate your tone。 We
are not in the rink。 And this terrible excitement can't be good
for you。〃
〃Good for me？〃 cried Patricia。 〃What difference does that make？
Ten minutes to play； Mamma！ But that was the end of the roughhouse
game by the Cornwall defence。〃
Then Hugh stepped in： 〃It really did break up that defence。 It
was a wonderful piece of generalship； I must say。 They never
seemed to get together after that。〃
〃Let me talk； Hugh；〃 exclaimed Patricia； 〃I want to tell Mamma what
happened next； for this was really the most terribly exciting part
of the game。 And I think it was awfully clever of Captain Jack。
You know； next time； Mamma； when they came downI mean our men
they pretend