It was a source of some little protestation of spirit to Miss Jelks that the captain had been brought home by his faithful boatswain. Conduct based on an idea of two years’ absence had to be suddenly and entirely altered. She had had a glimpse of them both on the day of their arrival, but the fact that Mr. Walters was with his superior officer, and that she was with Mr. Filer, prevented her from greeting him. In the wrath of his dismissal Mr. Filer met him more than half-way. “Somebody ’ad to look arter ’im,” said Mr. Walters, referring to the captain, as he sat in Rosa’s kitchen the following evening, “and he always ’ad a liking for me. Besides which I wanted to get ’ome and see you.” “You have got it bad,” said Rosa with a gratified titter. “Look arter you, I ought to ha’ said,” retorted Mr. Walters, glowering at her, “and from wot I hear from Bassett, it’s about time I did.” “Ho!” said Miss Jelks, taking a deep breath. “Ho, really!” “I had it out of ’im this morning,” continued Mr. Walters, eying her sternly; “I waited for ’im as he come out of his ’ouse. He didn’t want to tell me at first, but when he found as ’ow he’d be late for the office if he didn’t, he thought better of it.” Miss Jelks leaned back in her chair with a ladylike sneer upon her expressive features. “I’ll Bassett him,” she said slowly. “And I’ll Filer _him_,” said Mr. Walters, not to be outdone in the coining of verbs. “It’s a pity he don’t say them things to my face,” said Rosa, “I’d soon let him know.” “He’s going to,” said the boatswain readily. “I told ’im we’d meet him on Sunday arternoon by Kegg’s boat-house. Then we’ll see wot you’ve got to say for yourself. Shut that door. D’ye want to freeze me!” “I’ll shut it when you’re gone,” said Rosa calmly. “Make haste, else I shall catch cold. I’ll go with you on Sunday afternoon—just so as you can beg my pardon—and after that I don’t want anything more to do with you. You’d try the temper of a saint, you would.” Mr. Walters looked round the warm and comfortable kitchen, and his face fell. “I ain’t going to judge you till I’ve heard both sides,” he said slowly, and then seeing no signs of relenting in Rosa’s face, passed out into the black night. He walked down to the rendezvous on Sunday afternoon with a well-dressed icicle. Miss Jelks only spoke to him once, and that was when he trod on her dress. A nipping wind stirred the surface of the river, and the place was deserted except for the small figure of Bassett sheltering under the lee of the boat-house. He came to meet them and raising a new bowler hat stood regarding Miss Jelks with an expression in which compassion and judicial severity were pretty evenly combined. “Tell me, afore her, wot you told me the other day,” said Mr. Walters, plunging at once into business. “I would rather not,” said Bassett, adjusting his spectacles and looking from one to the other, “but in pursuance of my promise, I have no alternative.”