cia quietly. Then after a few moments she burst
forth: "Oh, don't you remember your hockey team? Oh! oh! oh! I used to
sit and just hold my heart from jumping. It nearly used to choke me when
you would tear down the ice with the puck."

"That was long ago, Pat dear. I guess I was--ah--very young then, eh?"

"Yes, I know," nodded the girl. "I feel the same way--I was just a kid
then."

"Ah, yes," said Captain Jack, with never a smile. "You were just--let's
see--twelve, was it?"

"Yes, twelve. And I felt just a kid."

"And now?" Captain Jack's voice was quite grave.

"Now? Well, I am not exactly a kid. At least, not the same kind of kid.
And, as you say, a lot of things are different. I think I know how you
feel. I was like that, too--after--after--Herbert--" The girl paused,
with her lips quivering. "It was all different--so different. Everything
we used to do, I didn't feel like doing. And I suppose that's the way
with you, Captain Jack, with Andy--and then your Mother, too." She
leaned close to him and put her hand timidly on his arm.

Captain Jack, sitting up very straight and looking very grave, felt the
thrill of the timid touch run through his very heart. A rush of warm,
tender emotion such as he had not allowed himself for many months
suddenly surprised him, filling his eyes and choking his throat. Since
his return from the war he had without knowledge been yearning for just
such an understanding touch as this child with her womanly instinct
had given him. He withdrew one hand from the wheel and took the warm
clinging fingers tight in his and waited in silence till he was sure of
himself. He drove some blocks before he was quite master of his voice.
Then, releasing the fingers, he turned his face toward the girl.

"You are a real pal, aren't you, Patsy old girl?" he said with a very
bright smile at her.

"I want to be! Oh, I would love to be!" she said, with a swift intake of
breath. "And after a while you will be just as you were before you went
away."

"Hardly, I fear, Patsy."

"Well, not the same, but different from what you are now. No, I don't
mean that a bit, Captain Jack. But perhaps you know--I do want to see
you on the ice again. Oh, it would be wonderful! Of course, the old team
wouldn't be there--Herbert and Phil and Andy. Why! You are the only
one left! And Rupert." She added the name doubtfully. "It WOULD be
different! oh, so different! Oh! I don't wonder you don't care, Captain
Jack. I