"Ay, to have him at home again, and after such dangers," cried Michael.
"Warn't there a shipwreck?" asked Mat.
"A shipwreck—a dreadful one," answered the old labourer. "Didn't ye see the account of it in the 'Times' the vicar lent me, and which went the round of the village till the paper a'most dropped to pieces, 'cause every one wanted a reading. I forgot—my memory's not what it was—ye were on the job at the farm down in Surrey. Master Harry there, he did wonders, brought off a lot of poor souls, I can't mind me how many, but I knows as he got thanks and praises without end. And the Queen—bless her!—sent him some medal—I take it she was proud of him, she was!"
"We are all proud of Master Harry!" cried Martha. "If I was the Queen, I'd make him a duke. I hopes now he's got such a deal of honour he'll not be above thinking of poor folk like me."
"He'll not forget us, not he!" said old Michael, rubbing his chin. "Master Harry won't never forget us. We'll have him at the cottage to-morrow, I'll be bound."
"Nay, nay, old man, we mustn't look for that," said Martha. "Mind ye what a many years he's been from his family, and what lots they'll have to say to each other, and what a many friends will be coming to see the lieutenant. We mustn't expect him to-morrow, nor the day after, for that's when the Squire's daughter is to be married, and Master Harry will be at the wedding, on course."
"He'll be bridesman, I s'pose," observed Michael.
"And more looked at and thought of a deal than the bridegroom himself, save by Miss Lily the bride," said old Martha, as she turned and re-entered her cottage.
Though the good woman had expressed her belief that a visit from Lieutenant Maude was not to be expected for two days longer at least, there can be no doubt that she kept her cottage in as high a state of preparation as if he might at any moment appear. There was not a spot on her pots and pans; not a speck of dust rested on the rows of plates (willow-pattern), that adorned the shelf on the wall, nor on her clean washed floor. Fresh snowdrops were put into the broken-handled crockery-teapot, which served as a jar for flowers. The glass of the case which held the stuffed owl which Harry in his boyhood had so often admired, was rubbed as bright as a mirror.
Martha took into daily wear that green shawl which the young sailor had presented her with before going abroad, and which she had reserved for high days and holidays, as she had deemed it "much too good for a poor old body."