They'd insisted that he did. 'You're still upset about losing your ma,' Sissy told him. 'Stop wi' us for a couple o' days until you feel better. We'll feed you and you can sleep here nice and safe and run errands to pay us back. How does that sound?' It sounded good to him, for he was very weary and overcome with emotion. He was comfortable with this band of women. Six of them stayed at the house, and others came and went. Some of them he shrank from for they were coarse, with evil manners and voices, and dirty in their habits. But the others, Milly, Peg and Sissy, did attempt to keep clean, pumping brackish water into the kitchen sink and washing their hands and faces. Sometimes they stripped off their outer garments and then he made an excuse to go out. He saw them smile as if they knew why, but they didn't say anything to embarrass him. On the fourth morning, which was bright and sunny but windy, he decided to leave. He folded up the blanket and put it over his shoulder. 'I'm going,' he said.
