"She's all right, mother is," said the lad.
It was settled that the boy should go over to Lewes and enlist in the Hammer-men at the depot there, on Saturday.
The decision made, his mother relaxed somewhat. While she still kept Ernie without money, she allowed him cigarettes.
Father and son sat together and smoked in the evenings, watching the trees swaying against the blue in the Rectory Garden across the road.
Alf reported surreptitiously to his mother that Ern was smoking with dad.
"What's it to do with you if he is?" answered the other tartly.
The catastrophe which had severed the frayed string that joined the mother and her eldest son had reacted unfavourably on her relations with Alf.
The few days before Ern's departure went with accustomed speed.
On the last evening, as he and his father sat together, studying their toes in the twilight, a small fire flickering in the grate, Edward Caspar spoke out of the dark which he had been waiting to cover him.
"Boy-lad, I can't do by you as I should wish," he said tremulously. "But here's a bit of something to show you I mean well."