But she behaved splendidly, and never even shook her head at him.
After this, as hardly need be told, his one desire was to get out of the house with his shilling before they discovered their mistake, and it was well that they were unsuspicious people, for he was making strange hissing sounds in his throat, the result of trying hard to keep his sniggers under control.
There were many ways in which Tommy could have disposed of his shilling.
He might have been a good boy and returned it next day to Papa.

He might have given Reddy half of it for not telling.

It could have carried him over the winter.

He might have stalked with it into the shop where the greasy puddings were and come rolling out hours afterwards.

Some of these schemes did cross his little mind, but he decided to spend the whole shilling on a present to his mother, and it was to be something useful.