The Mystery Ship: A Story of the 'Q' Ships During the Great War
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CHAPTER XXXV
WHAT THEY FOUGHT FOR
"CONFOUND it!" ejaculated Cumberleigh, ruefully contemplating a smallamount of silver in his palm. "Bang goes another Bradbury. At thisrate I'll be on the rocks before many days are over."
"Cheer up, Mr. Cumberleigh," exclaimed Pyecroft, with a markedemphasis on the "Mister." "You're only just beginning to feel yourfeet."
"You'll feel them in half a tick if you don't shut up," remarked theex-R.A.F. captain grimly. "Now, then, Meredith, how's that patchsetting? Or do we intend to stop here the night?"
It was the month of August 1919. The four demobbed chums--Meredith,Wakefield, Cumberleigh, and Pyecroft--were again tasting of the mixedblessings of civil life, carrying out a long-promised vow that theywould celebrate their release from active service by going on amotor-cycling tour through Glorious Devon and the Delectable Duchy ofCornwall.
Barely three days had elapsed since Meredith and Wakefield foundthemselves "on the beach," with an accumulation of gear that they hadacquired during their service afloat--kit that for the most partwould be practically useless in the future.
Meredith had dug out his old 1913 motor cycle, thanking his luckystars that he had not disposed of it when he first joined theMotor-Boat Reserve. Wakefield, too, was fortunate in that respect,although he quickly learnt the cost of accessories in the motor linecompared with the price of far superior and more readily accessiblearticles of pre-war days.
Pyecroft had been hard hit. On the strength of his as yet unpaidgratuity he had just purchased a second-hand motor cycle, paying 20pounds more than it had originally cost five years ago; and he wasstill waiting hopefully for an advice from his R.A.F. bankersinforming him that his gratuity had been paid. Moreover, he had hopesthat he would be placed upon the "Unemployed List," with the rank ofcaptain. With the advantage of a hundred and twenty days' experienceof civil life he was the mentor and financial adviser of the party.
It was a change with a vengeance. Accustomed to living well at a costof half a crown per diem for "messing," the demobbed ones were simplyastounded at the prices demanded for meals at hotels, while the costof petrol staggered them, especially when they had seen the volatilespirit wasted like water while on service.
"That's holding, I think," remarked Meredith, surveying thereinflated back tyre. "Don't know so much about it, though," he addeddoubtfully.
"Risk it," suggested Wakefield. "We're only two miles fromShaftesbury. You can get another tube there. This one looks as if itwere on its last legs."
"That's the game," agreed Pyecroft. "Let's push on. We're expectingletters at the Post Office, and they'll be closed before we get thereif we don't get a move on."
Without further delays the four climbed the long ascent out of Semleyand dismounted at the old-world town of Shaftesbury, that has thereputation of being one of the loftiest boroughs in England, beingnearly 800 feet above the sea.
"I'll call at the Post Office," suggested Cumberleigh, when the partyhad secured rooms at the hotel. "Don't worry about that tyreto-night, Meredith. I'll be back in half a tick."
"Tea won't be ready for half an hour," announced Wakefield, after thetwo had shed their overalls and had removed the dust of the road fromtheir hands and faces. "Let's go for a stroll. I'll leave word withthe boots for Cumberleigh to pick us up. By Jove! I feel like a fishout of water."
"So did I," admitted Pyecroft. "Missed my batman as much as anything,dear old soul!"
"I bought some tobacco this morning," said Meredith. "First lot otherthan Navy I've bought for months. And a shilling an ounce, too!"
"I begin to wonder whether we have won the War," declared Wakefield."While we've been fighting the Huns the people who stayed at homehave become top-dog. They seem to have plenty of money to chuckabout, and don't seem to mind if a Bradbury is worth only nineshillings. Because we licked Fritz is no reason why the price ofeverything should go up after the War. Mind you, I'm not complainingof the prices of things during the War. We had to grin and bear it.But now, why?"
"Reaction, I suppose," suggested Meredith. "Same's us, only certainsections of the community go about it a different way--strike, andall that sort of thing."
"And meanwhile our sea-borne trade is being collared by the Yanks andJaps," remarked Wakefield. "It's all very fine talking about thesuperiority of British manufactured articles, but when, owing tolabour troubles, they can't be got, or, if they can, they areprohibitive in price, where are you? Germany, our former seriousrival, is down and out, and instead of bucking to and capturing theirmarkets we play the fool and pay out unemployment doles. Hello'!here's Cumberleigh."
"Almost a wash-out," announced Cumberleigh. "Only one letter betweenthe four of us, and that's for Pyecroft. Marked Air Ministry, too.Pyecroft, if that's your captaincy, it's fizz all round at dinnerto-night."
The ex-lieutenant took the proffered envelope eagerly, and tore theseal with feverish haste.
"Bilkers!" he ejaculated savagely. "Listen to this: 'With referenceto Air Ministry orders, your pay should have been issued at B ratesinstead of at the old Technical rates. It is therefore necessary torecover the pay which has been over-issued to you, and upon yourgratuity being issuable the balance, _i.e._ 47 pounds 11_s._, will bededucted from your gratuity.' What do you think of that?"
"That," replied Cumberleigh, "is Economy, spelt with a big E.Retrenchment must begin somewhere, so they start on you, just toremind you that the War is over and you're a back number, old son.But, cheer up, you might have been under the daisies."
"True," admitted Pyecroft. "Yes, we've seen life, and it's no usegrousing; but what did we fight for?"
"This," said Meredith, giving a comprehensive sweep of his arm acrossthe wide valley three hundred feet below. "I don't want to pile it onand spout and all that sort of thing, but just look. Those cottagesmight have been in ruins like the homesteads of France and Belgium.But they're not. Our country has been spared from the foot of thevictorious Hun. That's the main thing. Other considerations aresimply side-issues, 'if England to herself be true.'"
THE END
PRINTED BY PURNELL AND SONSPAULTON (SOMERSET) AND LONDON
[Transcriber's Notes:
This book contains a number of misprints. The following misprints have been corrected:
[Karl von Pruessen stood stiffly] -> [Karl von Preussen stood stiffly] [in geniune concern] -> [in genuine concern] [Cumberleigh----for that was the name] -> [Cumberleigh--for that was the name] [Cumbereigh shrugged] -> [Cumberleigh shrugged] [four bluejackets proceeding "on leaf."] -> [four bluejackets proceeding "on leave."] [so much as winkin'. hopin'] -> [so much as winkin'. Hopin'] [imparting descipline with] -> [imparting discipline with] [you aan be reckless] -> [you can be reckless] [Some of the follows] -> [Some of the fellows] [unless its potting] -> [unless it's potting]
A few cases of punctuation errors were corrected, but are not mentioned here.
]