II.
When the Mariner struggled home to her east coast port after the engagement, Martin was one of the first to be packed off to the local hospital. Then had followed an operation, and a fortnight's delay before he was sufficiently recovered to be sent to the Royal Naval Hospital at Haslar. It was here that he again saw his mother and father, who came down for the day, called him a brave boy, and inconsiderately wept over him through sheer thankfulness.
Then, at four o'clock on one never-to-be-forgotten afternoon, Joshua Billings suddenly appeared. He was grinning sheepishly, and Pincher noticed at once that he wore the badge of a leading seaman.
''Allo, Josh!' he exclaimed, very much pleased to see him, and shaking his horny hand; ''ow goes it?'
'Orl right, Pinch. 'Ow's yerself?'
'Gittin' along fine, chum. They're sendin' me 'ome on leaf in four days. Wot's th' noos; an' wot's that?' Pincher pointed to the single anchor which adorned the sleeve of his friend's jumper.
Joshua looked solemn. 'I gits rated up ten days ago,' he explained; 'death vacancy. Poor ole Byles got laid out, yer remember. I'd sooner 'e wus still wearin' th' killick, poor bloke!' He spoke huskily.
Pincher nodded. 'Wot are yer doin' 'ere?' he asked.
'The ship's in dock, an' they gave us ten days' leaf,' answered his friend. 'By the way,' he added, 'I suppose you 'eard as 'ow you'd bin rated up.'
'Wot?'
'They've made yer an A.B.'
'S'welp me!' Pincher ejaculated; ''ave they?'
'Yus, they 'ave, Pinch; an' if yer don't watch it we'll see yer a leadin' seaman afore long.'
'Yer didn't come 'ere a purpose ter tell me that, did yer?' Martin queried suspiciously.
''Ow d'yer mean?'
''Ow's Hemmeline an' Mrs Fig—— yer ole woman? I've 'ad a letter from Hemmeline every day 'cept yesterday an' ter-day, an' I thought—— 'Ere!' Pincher suddenly blurted out, a vague hope dawning in his heart, 'why ain't you on leaf at Weymouth?'
'We come round 'ere ter give yer a chuck up, Pincher.'
'We! 'Oo d'yer mean? 'Er an' 'er mother?'
'Yus. They're outside. I come in fu'st to prepare yer like.'
'W'y couldn't yer 'ave said so afore?' Pincher demanded wrathfully. 'Bring 'er in!'
'Orl right, ole son; don't go gittin' rattled abart it. Me an' my missis'll go an' see Dogo Pearson, wot's wounded an' in another ward. I'll tell Hemmeline as 'ow you'd like ter see 'er, an' me an' the missis'll be back afore long.' Joshua winked twice and went away.
Two minutes later Emmeline was sitting by Pincher's bed. Her eyes were full of tears, tears of happiness, and to Pincher she was the most adorable thing in the world.
'Oh Hemmeline!' he sighed huskily, his throat working and his fingers clutching her hand. 'Oh Hemmeline!'
'Well, Bill, what's the matter?' she asked dreamily, turning her head and smiling at him through her long lashes.
''Ow I love you!'
'Silly boy!' she chided softly.
We will draw a veil over what happened next. The ward was a very public place; but the other patients discreetly turned their heads away and pretended not to see.
Mr and Mrs Joshua Billings were away for fully half-an-hour. To Emmeline and Pincher it seemed more like five minutes.