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about them. Take the dockyards. If somebody was in a position to watch ships coming and going from the dockyards, they could radio U-boats … that could be just offshore, for all we know.”
    “Nothing bad is going to happen,” my mother said firmly, in a tone that left no doubt that this conversation was over. “Now, can I get anybody anything else to eat?”
    “Are there any more carrots?” my father asked.
    “I think there are a few more in the pot on the stove.”
    “I’ll go and—”
    “No, stay here,” my mother said as she got to her feet and went to the kitchen.
    “She’s right,” my father said. “There’s nothing to worry about. Well … I still worry about your mother when I’m not here. ”
    “We’ll help take care of her,” Jack said.
    “I know you will. You two seem so grown up. I was gone less than two years and you two have grown from boys to men.”
    “I know I have,” Jack said and then pointed at me. “But him?”
    “Well, a young man, at least. I’m just grateful you’re both around to keep an eye on things. You know I count on you two boys—”
    “Hey, what happened to ‘young men’?” Jack said.
    “Right, I meant you two young men —I count on you to watch out for your mother when I can’t be here.”
    I caught Jack’s eye—it sounded as though we’d been given a new mission!

CHAPTER SIX
    “ GOOD PRACTICE, MATES !” Trevor said as he shook hands with Jack and then slapped me on the back.
    I tried not to wince in pain. “Thanks. You too.”
    We walked away from the change room, leaving our new teammates behind. I looked over at Jack. His face was covered in mud but a smile peeked through.
    “How are you feeling?” I asked.
    “A little sore, but I’m not sure how much of that is from the fight and how much is from the practice. Rugby is one rough game.”
    “Yeah. I was wondering if they invited us to join the team just so they could keep on hitting us.”
    Jack laughed. “That thought crossed my mind, too.”
    “Do you understand much of the rules?”
    “The basic ones. Louise was explaining them to me at lunch.”
    “That’s only fair because, if you think about it, she’s the reason we’re on the team,” I joked.
    “I think you’re right. And she’s really … different.”
    “She is English.”
    “It’s not just that. She’s been to a lot of different places and done some interesting things,” Jack said.
    “Probably not nearly as interesting as the things you’ve done,” I said. “Not that you can tell her about any of it.”
    “I think I know that,” Jack snapped. “But she’s travelled so much. She’s been all through Europe, you know, before the war.”
    “Yeah, but has she been to Whitby, or Bowmanville, or—”
    “I don’t think she’s even heard of those places. She was telling me about Rome and how beautiful Paris is in the spring and—”
    “Sounds like she’s bragging,” I said, cutting him off.
    “No, not bragging … she’s not like that.”
    “I haven’t really talked to her. Maybe you should invite her to dinner.”
    Jack laughed. “Yeah, right.”
    “Why not? It’s a guarantee that Mom will like her.”
    He gave me a questioning look.
    “Assuming she’s not a Nazi spy, she’s already way ahead of your last girlfriend.”
    I regretted those words—again—even before Jack punched me in the arm.
    “It’s nice of you boys to walk me down to the train,” our father said.
    “We thought we could then go and meet Mom at work and walk her home.”
    Dad didn’t say anything, but he gave a little smile to let us know he approved of what we were doing.
    The walk from our house toward the town was downhill. Stretched out in front of us were the town of Hamilton and the harbour beyond that. It was a beautiful scene, pastelcoloured buildings against the emerald green of the water. It was so different from Ajax or Whitby, or anywhere I’d ever lived or been or even seen in pictures. It was sort of like