the field hospital, wasn't us, Dick?"

"I reckon we had a bit too much o' that there hospital," responded the
Corporal, drawing forward a chair for his friend. "'Twas there we did
have so much talk about my sweetheart. Ha, ha, ye didn't know as I'd
a-got a sweetheart, did ye, old lady?" he inquired of his mother.
"Billy 'ull tell 'ee about that," and he winked surreptitiously at his
friend.

Mrs. Baverstock was evidently in a flutter. What between this sudden
arrival of six feet of khaki-clad humanity and the innuendoes which
had been recently thrown out, touching a subject on which she felt
strongly (the possibility of Dick's marrying again), she actually set
the pastry on the table in the place of the beef, and helped the two
soldiers to a cake each instead of a piece of bread.

"Why, you be wool-gathering, that you be. You've a-got everything in a
reg'lar caddie!" cried her son, as she paused to clack her tongue
remorsefully over her mistakes. "Business first and pleasure
arterwards. Up wi' the beef! Now then, Billy, fall to! A bit better
tasted nor bully, bain't it?"

Billy groaned appreciatively, with his mouth full, and silence ensued,
during which Mrs. Baverstock cut up Tilly Ann's dinner, and presented
her with a spoon.

Tilly Ann's eyes had been fixed unwinkingly upon the new comer since
his arrival, and she had now apparently classified him, for, after
successfully piloting one or two spoonfuls of beef and potato to her
little red mouth, she paused, drummed on the table with the handle of
her spoon, and remarked conclusively:

"Another daddy!"

"Dear, to be sure! Hark to the child," said granny, while the two men
laughed uproariously.

"The little maid's sharp, I can tell 'ee," announced Dick; "she do
know the difference between soldier and civilian a'ready. Never see'd
no soldier but I afore, and now, when another do come, says she to
herself, 'This must be another daddy.' Ho! ho!"

"She've a-got more sense nor many a wolder maid," returned Private
Caines gloomily; "she do know what's what--I d' 'low she wouldn't ha'
gone a-takin' up wi' a (qualified) civilian when you weren't to the
fore. She be a bonny little maid, too," he added reflectively, eyeing
the chubby pink and white face. "Yes, you've a-got good taste, as you
did tell I out yonder."

"Come, don't 'ee spoil the tale," cried the Corporal, laughing; "begin
at the right end. My mother here do want to hear about my sweetheart."

"I don'