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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 pretended to be playing the same game； but they weren't。 For
Captain Jack and Snoopy went back to their old specialty； and
before the Cornwalls knew where they were at； they ran in three
goalsone…two…three； just like that！ Oh！ you ought to have seen
that rink； Mamma； and you ought to have heard the yelling！ I wish
you had been there！ And then； just at that last goal didn't that
horrid Jumbo make a terrible and cruel swing at Snoopy's ankle；
just as he passed。 Knocked him clean off his feet so that poor
Snoopy lay on the ice quite still！ He was really nearly killed。
They had to carry him off！〃
〃Well； I wouldn't say that exactly；〃 said Hugh。 〃The fact of the
matter is； Snoopy is a clever little beggar and I happened to catch
his wink as Maitland was bending over him。 I was helping him off
the ice； you know； and I heard him whisper； 'Don't worry； Captain；
I'm all right。 Get me another pair of skates。 It will take a
little time。'〃
〃Do you