But see, yonder comes the medical officer, and in a very short time the ship is free.
Then up swarm friends and relations, and meetings and greetings are very joyful indeed. There is a rattling fire of questions and answers all over the ship, and many a jolly laugh rings shoreward over the sea.
Creggan is on the quarter-deck. He expects no one, but suddenly he is hailed.
"Creggan, old man! How you have grown!"
"Why, is it you, Willie Nugent? And you've grown too, a little paler though."
"Oh, I wish I was as brown as you, Creggan, but I'm being dragged up for a political career, you know. And I do hate it. I wish I'd been a sailor."
"And how is your father?"
"Jolly."
"And Matty?"
"Your wee sweetheart is beautiful, and we are all well. My father has a better and larger bungalow now in Skye, and we often go out to see the hermit. He looks no older. Fact, I think he is getting young again."