Rather a mixed affair, I guess. Mill
hands and their girls."

"Oh," breathed Patricia, "I should love to go. Couldn't we?"

"But my dear Patricia," said her mother, "a dance, with all those
people? What nonsense. But I wish Jack would drop in. I should so like
to congratulate him on his great victory."

"Oh, do let us go, just for a few minutes, Mamma" entreated Patricia.
"Hugh, have you tickets?"

The men looked at each other.

"Well," confessed Vic, "I was thinking of dropping in myself. After all,
it is our home team and they are good sports. And Maitland handled them
with wonderful skill."

"Yes, I am going," said Hugh. "I am bound to go as Captain of the
Eagles, and that sort of thing, but I would, anyway. Would you care
to come, Adrien, if Mrs. Templeton will allow you? Of course there are
chaperons. Maitland would see to that."

"I should like awfully to go," said Adrien eagerly. "We might, for a few
minutes, Mother? Of course, Patricia should be in bed, really."

Poor Patricia's face fell.

"It is no place for any of you," said the mother, decidedly. "Just think
of that mixed multitude! And you, Patricia, you should be in bed."

"But oh, Mamma, dear," wailed Patricia, "I can rest all day to-morrow."

At this point a new voice broke in to the discussion and Doctor
Templeton appeared. "Well, what's the excitement," he enquired. "Oh, the
match, of course! Well, what was the result?"

"Oh, Daddy, we won, we won!" cried Patricia, springing at him. "The
most glorious match! Big Jumbo Larson, a perfect monster on the Cornwall
defence, was knocked out! Oh, it was a glorious match! And can't I go
down to see the dance? Adrien and Hugh and Vic are going. Only for a few
minutes," she begged, with her arms around her father's neck. "Say yes,
Daddy!"

"Give me time; let me get my breath, Patricia. Now, do begin
somewhere--say, with the score."

They all gave him the score.

"Hurrah!" cried the old doctor. "No one hurt--seriously, I mean?"

"No," said Patricia, "except perhaps Jumbo Larson," she added hopefully.

"The Lord was merciful to this family when he made you a girl,
Patricia," said her father.

"But, Daddy, it was a wonderful game." Quite breathlessly, she went once
more over the outstanding features of the play.

"Sounds rather bloody, I must say," said her father, doubtfully.

But Hugh said: "It was not really--not quite so bad as Patricia makes
it, sir. Rough at times, of course, but, on