Was this another group of mates come to join in the fun?

The big second mate came in from the wing.

Presently the carpenter and the mate came back together, the former with a hammer in his hand.

I had a few weeks, I hoped, before father's new mate would be coming.

If your mates hear and come forth, you will suddenly cease to be.

A steward's mate came in and loaded the table with food.

Somewhere not quite so close, its mate was coming.

Occasionally the second mate would come up and relieve me at early coffee time.

The mate with one of the crew came ashore in the boat for help and a doctor.

Eventually her mate comes back to her, usually by the next year, when the father is likely to have died.