It was eight o'clock when he reached home.

Abijah was at the door, looking down the road as he came up.
"Oh! Master Ned, how can you go on so?
Not a bit of sleep have I had this blessed night, and the mistress in strong hystrikes all the evening.

Where have you been ?" Ned gave a grunt at the news of his mother's hysterics--a grunt which clearly expressed "served her right," but he only answered the last part of the question.
"I have been up at Varley, and slept at the schoolhouse.

Bill Swinn and Polly Powlett made me up a bed and got me tea and breakfast.

I am right enough." "But you shouldn't have gone away, Master Ned, in that style, leaving us to wait and worry ourselves out of our senses." "Do you know what she told me, Abijah?
Wasn't it enough to make any fellow mad ?" "Ay, ay," the nurse said.