se it was Jack Maitland who was responsible for their
humiliation. It was he who had organised his fellow workmen, put them
through a blood and iron discipline, filled them with his own spirit of
irresistible furious abandon in attack which carried them to victory.

It was an old game with Jack Maitland. When a High School boy he had
developed that spirit of dominating and indomitable leadership that had
made his team the glory of the town. Later by sound and steady grinding
at the game he had developed a style and plan of team play which had
produced a town team in the winter immediately preceding the war that
had won championship honors. Now with his Mill team he was simply
repeating his former achievements.

It had astonished his friends to learn that Captain Jack was playing
hockey again. He had played no game except in a desultory way since the
war. He had resisted the united efforts of the Eagles and their women
friends to take the captaincy of that team. The mere thought of ever
appearing on the ice in hockey uniform gave him a sick feeling at his
heart. Of that noble seven whom he had in pre-war days led so often to
victory four were still "over there," one was wandering round a
darkened room. Of the remaining two, one Rupert Stillwell was too deeply
engrossed in large financial affairs for hockey. Captain Jack himself
was the seventh, and the mere sight of a hockey stick on a school boy's
shoulder gave him a heart stab.

It was his loyal pal Patricia Templeton, who gave him the first impulse
toward the game again. To her pleading he had yielded so far as to
coach, on a Saturday afternoon, her team of High School girls to
victory. But it was the Reverend Murdo Matheson who furnished the spur
to conscience that resulted in the organising of the Maitland Mill team.

"You, John Maitland, more than any of us and more than all of us
together can draw these lads of yours from the pool rooms and worse,"
the Reverend Murdo had said one day in early winter.

"Great Scott, Padre"--the Reverend Murdo had done his bit
overseas--"what are you giving me now?"

"You, more than any or all of us, I am saying," repeated the minister
solemnly. "For God's sake, man, get these lads on the ice or anywhere
out-of-doors for the good of their immortal souls."

"Me! And why me, pray?" Captain Jack had asked. "I'm no uplifter. Why
jump on me?"

"You, because God has bestowed on you the gift to lead men," said the
minister with in