"And who was it that died with my brave son?" asked Ione, whose hands were pressed together deep into her breast, and whose face was ashen, though tearless. "It was Callias," answered the young man. "Farewell, honoured mother of Eucrates. I must go and seek Phidon to tell him." But Phidon rose to his full height, and there was a smile of triumph on his face and a new life in his bearing. "Phidon has heard the news," he said, "and he thanks the gods for this crowning mercy. For though in his inmost heart he would fain have seen the face of his grandson once more, there was something dearer to him than the face of Callias--it was the honour of Callias." Then, turning to Ione, he said: "Now we can think of them together, and share our pride in them, Ione." For one fleeting moment Ione saw a vision of her young, fair son falling before the foe, but her voice never faltered as she said: "Yes, we can share our pride in them." That was the true Spartan tribute to the heroes of Leuctra. * * * * * You see, the Spartans would not admit of despair in their lives; they believed that while there was yet strength in the body, there must needs be hope in the heart that the victory would be won. And so it was the duty of a true Spartan to fight and conquer and live, or to die, striving to conquer to the very last, with no thought of any possibility of failure. What do you think about this grand old Spartan code of honour? Do you not think that we ourselves, each in our own way, young and old, man and woman, boy and girl, may find something helpful in it to bring to the service of our country? [Illustration [Illustration] BIG STEAMERS BY RUDYARD KIPLING _Painting and Drawings by_ NORMAN WILKINSON, R.I. "OH, where are you going to, all you Big Steamers, With England's own coal, up and down the salt seas?" "We are going to fetch you your bread and your butter, Your beef, pork, and mutton, eggs, apples, and cheese." "And where will you fetch it from, all you Big Steamers, And where shall I write you when you are away?" "We fetch it from Melbourne, Quebec, and Vancouver, Address us at Hobart, Hong-kong, and Bombay." [Illustration] "But if anything happened to all you Big Steamers, And suppose you were wrecked up and down the salt sea?" "Why, you'd have no coffee or bacon for breakfast, And you'd have no muffins or toast for your tea." "Then I'll pray for fine weather for all you Big Steamers, For little blue billows and breezes so soft." "Oh, billows and breezes don't bother Big Steamers, For we're iron below and steel-rigging aloft." "Then I'll build a new lighthouse for all you Big Steamers, With plenty wise pilots to pilot you through." "Oh, the Channel's as bright as a ball-room already, And pilots are thicker than pilchards at Looe."