“Sure, me darlint, he worked for the government.”
“Oh, I’m sure that was a lovely position, for I often see the soldiers go by, and they work for the government, don’t they, Tom?”
This was too much. Tom groaned in spirit, but again Biddy came to the rescue.
“Tom always groans when he thinks of how near you got killed over there, don’t you, Tom?”
The man bowed his head. Biddy was a darling anyway.
“Then do hurry and tell me how I came with you, and who my father is and my mother, for I will know, Tom.”
“And so you shall, my darling Helen, you shall know.”
“One dark night I left the island with another fellow——”
Tom could not go on, and Biddy took up the thread.
“And the bold, bad boy had you in his arms, and our Tom saw him trying to throw you in the water, and when he did it Tom jumped in after——”