At the hotel, Jack is being waited for by both Manners and Leslie.
Although engaged to Jack, Jessie has arranged to go to dinner with Mr Ashton ("an old man"). Mr Huxpeth (presumably a teacher) plays the school piano. Despite the lure of a healthy income, and the prospect of a house in London, Jessie is incensed, and Jack storms out. Ronnie dodges the chummins, but is startled by a rat, falls onto the line, and is killed. Jack breaks the news to Jessie: "I've got a girl into trouble and I'm going to have to marry her...you could wait, I couldn't, I'm sorry". Bella urges Jessie to stick with Jack, and use her womanly wiles to change him over time. Three young boys (Davie, Tich and Jacker) steal bottles from the Seatons' yard, to claim the ha'penny deposit, to spend on Bella's cinder toffee. Jack is suspicious, realising that Paddy is a member of Sinn Féin.
After being discharged he went into business, using his savings and wits to become a rich man. Bill visits an old colleague, pigeon fancier Sep Walker, hoping to find, and re-open, a coal seam that was closed fifty years earlier, the waterlogged "Sammy" pit. Dolly says that Jack still has some of the money given to him by Sir Horatio in King For A Day. Jack meets Billy in the pub. Jack visits Paddy, returning a medal that Paddy lost in the struggle with Hepburn and Bartram.
Bella is visited by a French onion seller, Pierre.
Two teachers were killed in Flanders: Mr Smithers and Mr Watson.
Bill continues to belittle Billy, hoping to shame him into going back to university.
Jack learns that Lord Calderbeck resents Freddy, because the war claimed the lives of his three sons. Returning from London with Lady Caroline Jack finds Matt worried that communist Regan is trying to bring out the workers at Lewis Bishop shipyard. Soon afterwards Mick keels over with a stroke. Jack "accidentally" paints a yellow streak on the arm of Paddy's coat. Jessie is elected to the Executive. Jack arrives, bearing poached rabbits and pheasant. Sandy throws a brick through the rival shop's window.
Billy tells Tom and Bill that troops are preparing to quell civil unrest. Tom is defiant, even though Jack warns him that the striking miners may attack him if they discover he's crossing the picket lines. They are interrupted by Matt, who takes Jack to see Scrimgour, who is hiding in his bedroom, believing himself to be back in the trenches. Tom is attacked by striking miners, but is rescued before any serious injury is sustained by Jack, armed with a pick handle.
Jack arrives, calling the man a "ghoul" and a "vulture". Thanks to Lady Caroline, Jack discovers that her brother-in-law Roddy and Channing are more than just friends, a fact he uses to stave off prosecution, though ... After clearing the flat, Jack waits for the landlord, and the police (to give Matt time to get away with the reclaimed furniture). Jack tells Manners his son died quickly. Jessie says she's willing to have a child with Jack. Not scheduled.
Sergeant Jack Ford returns to the mining town of Gallowshields, on leave, pending discharge. Arthur reluctantly recites a monologue.
Jack claims that he's got money put by, and is supplementing this with "odd jobs". Jack will be turning it down, to Dolly's disappointment. Tom is staying with his parents while his roof is being fixed. Jack slyly suggests that for another five pound, he and Dolly could emigrate to Australia, to help spare Jessie's disappointment. This episode takes place three weeks after Fish in Woolly Jumpers. (Manners wants to pay no more than £50,000).
They are overheard by Tom, who has followed Jack and Matt from the pub. Tom has a job, even though the pits have been closed because of the strike for seven weeks. Tom Seaton also served in Jacks Regiment, but in a different battalion (the 9th), and didn't go to France.
Jack gets a letter, inviting Jack to a meeting. Jack receives an urgent telegram. It's New Year's Eve. Billy tells Jessie that he's leaving university, fed up with being patronised.
Jack arrives at the Seaton house carrying a sword he's bought for five bob, from Sammy Foster, an alcoholic who's fallen on hard times. Tom, now supporting a wife and son, borrows some money from Jack, who, despite being out of work for two months, doesn't seem to be short of a few bob. When the Boat Comes In is a British television period drama produced by the BBC between 1976 and 1981. Jack is posing as a working-class chap who's made a fortune from making automobile spares. Jack and High Life catch Dixon breaking into the duke's house to destroy a picture of the duke's wife.