" sighed Patricia.

"I haven't time, you see," answered Captain Jack gravely.

"Oh, you know what I mean. It is a pity, too, for he is really very
nice. I mean he is so good to me," sighed Patricia again.

"Don't sigh, Patsy, old girl. It really isn't worth it, you know. How is
the supply of choc's keeping up?"

"Now you are thinking me a pig. But tell me about your men. Are they
really in form?"

"Absolutely at the peak."

"And that darling Fatty Findlay. I do hope he will not lose his head and
let a goal in. He is perfectly adorable with that everlasting smile of
his. I do hope Fatty is at the peak, too. Is he, really?" The anxiety in
Patricia's tone was more than painful.

"Dear Patsy, he is right at the pinnacle."

"Captain Jack, if you don't win to-night I shall--well, I shall just
weep my eyes out."

"That settles it, Pat. We shall win. We can't--I can't spare those
lovely eyes, you know," said Captain Jack, smiling at her.

One by one Captain Jack's team were passed in review--the defence,
Macnamara and "Jack" Johnson, so called for his woolly white head;
"Reddy" Hughes, Ross, "Snoopy" Sykes, who with Captain Jack made the
forward line, all were declared to be fit to deliver the last ounce in
their bodies, the last flicker in their souls.

"Do you know, Captain Jack," said Patricia gravely, "there is one change
you ought to make in your forward line."

"Yes! What is that, Pat?" asked Captain Jack, with never a suggestion of
a smile.

"I would change Snoopy for Geordie Ross. You know Geordie is a little
too careful, and he is hardly fast enough for you. Now you and Snoopy on
left wing would be oh! perfectly wonderful."

"Patsy, you are a wizard!" exclaimed Captain Jack. "That very change has
been made and the improvement is unbelievable. We are both left-handers
and we pull off our little specialties far more smoothly than Geordie
and I could. You have exactly hit the bull. You watch for that back
of the goal play to-night. Well, here we are. You have good seats, I
understand."

"Oh, yes. Rupert, you see, as patron of the Eagles was able to get the
very best. But won't you come in and see mother? She is really quite
worked up over it, though of course she couldn't bear to go."

Captain Jack checked the refusal on his lips.

"Yes, I will go in for a few minutes," he said gravely. "No! Your mother
would not--could not come, of course."

There flashed before his mind a picture from pre-war days