They were gone, and the lights of the towns and villages glittered in silence.
And then he came to the corner at home, which faced the other side of the night.

The ash-tree seemed a friend now.

His mother rose with gladness as he entered.

He put his eight shillings proudly on the table.
"It'll help, mother ?" he asked wistfully.
"There's precious little left," she answered, "after your ticket and dinners and such are taken off." Then he told her the budget of the day.

His life-story, like an Arabian Nights, was told night after night to his mother.