〃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