tle army that constituted the British Expeditionary Force。
Blacker days came in late September； when the news arrived of the disaster to the Aboukir and her sister ships； and a month later of the destruction of the Good Hope and the Monmouth in the South Pacific sea fight。 On that dreadful morning on his way downtown he purchased a paper。 After the first glance he crushed the paper together till he reached his office； where he sat with the paper spread out before him on his desk； staring at the headlines； unable to see； unable to think； able only to suffer。 In the midst of his misery Professor Schaefer passed through the office on his way to consult with Mr。 Wakeham and threw him a smile of cheery triumph。 It was a way Schaefer had these days。 The very sight of him was enough to stir Larry to a kind of frenzied madness。 This morning the German's smile was the filling up of his cup of misery。 He stuffed the paper into his desk； took up his pen and began to make figures on his pad； gnawing his lips the while。
An hour later Hugo Raeder came in with a message for him。 Raeder after one look at his face took Larry away with him； sick with rage and fear； in his car； and for an hour and a half drove through the Park at a rate that defied the traffic regulations； talking the while in quiet； hopeful tones of the prospects of the Allies； of the marvellous recovery of the French and British armies on the Marne and of the splendid Russian victories。 He touched lightly upon the recent naval disaster； which was entirely due to the longer range of the enemy's guns and to a few extraordinarily lucky shots。 The clear； crisp air； the swift motion； the bright sun； above all the deep； kindly sympathy of this strong； clear…thinking man beside him； brought back to Larry his courage if not his cheer。 As they were nearly back to the office again； he ventured his first observation； for throughout the drive he had confined his speech to monosyllabic answers to Raeder's stream of talk。
〃In spite of it all； I believe the navy is all right；〃 he said； with savage emphasis。
〃My dear chap；〃 exclaimed Raeder； 〃did you ever doubt it？ Did you read the account of the fight？〃
〃No；〃 said Larry； 〃only the headlines。〃
〃Then you did not see that the British ships were distinctly outclassed in guns both as to range and as to weight。 Nothing can prevent disaster in such a case。 It was a bit of British stupidity to send those old cruisers on such an expedition。 The British navy is all right。 If not； then God help America。〃
〃Say； old chap；〃 said Larry as they stepped out of the car； 〃you have done me a mighty good turn this morning； and I will not forget it。〃
〃Oh； that is all right；〃 said Raeder。 〃We have got to stand together in this thing； you know。〃
〃Stand together？〃 said Larry。
〃Yes； stand together。 Don't you forget it。 We are with you in this。 Deep down in the heart America is utterly sound； she knows that the cause of the Allies is the cause of justice and humanity。 America has no use for either brutal tyranny or slimy treachery。 The real American heart is with you now； and her fighting army will yet be at your side。〃
These sentiments were so unusual in his environment that Larry gazed at him in amazement。
〃That is God's truth；〃 said Raeder。 〃Take a vote of the college men to…day； of the big business men； of the big newspaper men these control the thinking and the acting of Americaand you will find； ninety per cent。 of these pro…Ally。 Just be patient and give the rest of us time。 Americans will not stand for the bully；〃 added Raeder； putting his hand on Larry's shoulder。 〃You hear me； my boy。 Now I am going in to see the boss。 He thinks the same way； too； but he does not say much out loud。〃
New hope and courage came into Larry's heart as he listened to the pronouncement of this clear…headed； virile young American。 Oh； if America would only say out loud what Raeder had been saying； how it would tone up the spirit of the Allies！ A moral vindication of their cause from America would be worth many an army corps。
The morning brought him another and unexpected breeze of cheer in the person of Dean Wakeham straight from Alberta and the Lakeside Farm。 A little before lunch he walked in upon Larry； who was driving himself to his work that he might forget。 It was a veritable breath from home for Larry； for Dean was one who carried not only news but atmosphere as well。 He was a great； warm…hearted boy； packed with human energies of body； heart and soul。
〃Wait till I say good…morning to father；〃 he said after he had shaken hands warmly with Larry。 〃I will be back then in a minute or two。〃
But in a few minutes Mr。 Wakeham appeared and called Larry to him。 〃Come in； boy； and hear the news；〃 he said。
Larry went in and found Dean in the full tide of a torrential outpouring of passionate and enthusiastic； at times incoherent； tales of the Canadians； of their spirit； of their sacrifice and devotion in their hour of tragedy。
〃Go on； Dean；〃 said Raeder； who was listening with face and eyes aglow。
〃Go on？ I cannot stop。 Never have I come up against anything like what is going on over there in Canada。 Not in one spot； either； but everywhere； not in one home； but in every home； not in one class； but in every class。 In Calgary during the recruiting I saw a mob of men in from the ranches； from the C。 P。 R。 shops； from the mines； from the offices； fighting mad to get their names down。 My God！ I had to go away or I would have had mine in too。 The women； too； are all the same。 No man is getting under his wife's skirts。 You know old Mrs。 Ross； Larry； an old Scotch woman up there with four sons。 Well； her eldest son could not wait for the Canadian contingent； but went off with Jack Romayne and joined the Black Watch。 He was in that Le Cateau fight。 Oh； why don't these stupid British tell the people something about that great fighting retreat from Mons to the Marne？ Well； at Le Cateau poor Hec Ross in a glorious charge got his。 His Colonel wrote the old lady about it。 I never saw such a letter； there never was one like it。 I motored Mrs。 Gwynne； your mother； Larry； over to see her。 Say； men； to see those two women and to hear them！ There were no tears； but a kind of exaltation。 Your mother； Larry； is as bad； as good； I mean； as any of them now。 I heard that old Scotch woman say to your mother in that Scotch voice of hers； 'Misthress Gwynne； I dinna grudge my boy。 I wouldna hae him back。' Her youngest son is off with the Canadians。 As she said good…bye to us I heard her say to your mother； 'I hae gi'en twa sons； Misthress Gwynne； an' if they're wanted； there's twa mair。' My God！ I found myself blubbering like a child。 It sounds all mad and furious； but believe me； there is not much noise； no hurrahing。 They know they are up against a deadly serious business； and that is getting clearer every minute。 Did you see that the Government had offered one hundred and fifty thousand men now； and more if wanted？ And all classes are the same。 That little Welch preacher at Wolf WillowRhye； his name is； isn't it？ By George； you should hear him flaming in the pulpit。 He's the limit。 There won't be a man in that parish will dare hold back。 He will just have to go to war or quit the church。 And it is the same all over。 The churches are a mighty force in Canada； you know； even a political force。 I have been going to church every Sunday； Father； this last year。 Believe me； God is some real Person to those people； and I want to tell you He has become real to me too。〃 As Dean said this he glanced half defiantly at his father as if expecting a challenge。
But his father only cleared his throat and said； 〃All right； my boy。 We won't do anything but gladly agree with you there。 And God may come to be more real to us all before we are through with this thing。 Go on。〃
〃Let's see； what was I talking about？〃
〃Churches。〃
〃Yes； in Calgary； on my way down this time； the Archdeacon preached a sermon that simply sent thrills down my spine。 In Winnipeg I went with the Murrays to church and heard a clergyman； McPherson； preach。 The soldiers were there。 Great Caesar！ No wonder Winnipeg is sending out thousands of her best men。 He was like an ancient Hebrew prophet； Peter the Hermit and Billy Sunday all rolled into one。 Yet there was no noisy drum pounding and no silly flag flapping。 Say； let me tell you something。 I said there was a battalion of soldiers in church that day。 The congregation were going to take Holy Communion。 You know the Scotch way。 They all sit in their pews and you know they are fearfully strict about their Communion； have rules and regulations and so on about it。 Well； that old boy McPherson just leaned over his pulpit and told the boys what the thing stood for； that it was just like swearing in； and he told them that he would just throw the rules aside and man to man would ask them to join up with God。 Say； that old chap got my goat。 The boys just naturally stayed to Communion and I stayed too。 I was not fit； I know； but I do not think it did me any harm。〃 At this point the boy's voice broke up and there was silence for some moments in the office。 Larry had his face covered with his hands to hide the tears that were streaming down。 Dean's father was openly wiping his eyes； Raeder looking stern and straight in front of him。
〃Father；〃 said Dean suddenly； 〃I want to give you warning right now。 If it ever comes that Canada is in need of men； I am not going to hold back。 I could not do it and stay in the country。 I am an American； heart； body and soul； but I would count myself meaner than a polecat if I declined to line up with that bunch of Canadians。〃
〃Think well； my boy；〃 said his father。 〃Think well。 I have only one son； but I will never stand between you and your duty or your honour。 Now we go to lunch。 Where shall we go？〃
〃With me； at the University Club； all of you；〃 said Raeder。
〃No； with me；〃 said Mr。 Wakeham。 〃I will put up the fatted calf； for this my son is home again。 Eh； my boy？〃
During the lunch hour try as they would they could not get away from the war。 Dean was so completely obsessed with the subject that he could not divert his mind to any