Mat cheered, and his grandfather cheered; hearty and strong sounded the old man's voice—if an old man he could be called who had none of the weakness or infirmity of age. And Lieutenant Harry Maude nodded and smiled, and shouted out as he passed a kindly greeting to the good old couple whom he had known from his childhood. "He's not changed—not a bit changed!" cried Michael, as the carriage rolled away down the dusty hill. "A trifle older, may be, and a trifle browner, and he hadn't them fine whiskers afore; but there's just the same smile, the same merry look, as when I lifted him, over the five-bar-gate when he was a little chap no higher than my knee." "How happy the vicar and all the ladies will be," said Martha, wiping her eyes with her apron, for the pleasure of seeing the young master come back had made them fill with joyful tears. "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.