It suddenly came to Ted, as it had not until then, that his mother and his sister were there in Chicago and he would not see them for a long time. He never would have admitted how near the point of tears he was, as he wistfully peered out of the window. Many things passed his view, flying swiftly past him; but he saw only Chicago, his home and his dear ones. He began to wish he was home. Mrs. Dean looked up and caught the wistful look on his face. She did not interrupt his thoughts, but sat and watched him. Suddenly he looked up and smiled a little shamefacedly, as he saw her watching him.
“Well, Ted, you will have lots of chances to show how much you are the man of the family. You are getting older, you see, and a man’s work lies before you.”
“Yes, I know,” he answered soberly, “I mean to make my way, so that mother and Helen can come out to this country. Isn’t it fine to know that you belong to it—that you are an American—there never was anything like it.” Then he laughed, a little embarrassed. “Of course, being a Canadian is almost the same,” he added loyally.
“Yes, we feel it is,” said Mrs. Dean, smiling.
The two men came back and Ted heard Colonel Sands say:
“We can’t tell when it will happen. But I think you should know. It is likely to come any minute. When it comes Canada must and will do its share. The Germans are prepared, tremendously prepared. I am off to Australia in a week. If you will undertake what I suggest—I can leave with the assurance that the matter is in safe and cautious hands. For I want to tell you, Mr. Dean, it is a big undertaking. I’ll see you again.”
When the colonel left, John Dean explained to his wife. There was the possibility of war, the big European war that has since come, but which then, only a few months before that fateful August, very few people would have believed possible. There were some men in England who knew it would come—but they were being laughed at—so they had to do their work quietly. Colonel Sands was one of these men. He had been in Canada for many months and now was on his way to Australia. They wanted men in Canada, in Australia, in all the provinces, to prepare, to do what they could. As John Dean spoke, there came to Amy Dean a feeling that if war did come, her husband would be marching off to the front. And, with this feeling of fear, there came also a great pride.
Ted listened, wide-eyed and interested. It stirred his fancy, his thoughts. He was, he felt, an American always, but Canada held a close second place. What if he could help?
Early the next morning the train pulled into Big Gulch. A car was waiting for them. Red Mack came sheepishly forward. He stared open-mouthed at Mrs. Dean.
