'So you are come, Aunt. You have not honoured me before. Will you have some whisky?'
'Thank you, Elijah, thank you. I am dry with rowing. But how come you to be asleep at this time of day? Were you out after ducks last night?'
'No, I was not out. I lay abed. I went to bed early.'
'Elijah, where is my son?'
He started, and looked at her suspiciously.
'How am I to know?'
'I cannot find him anywhere,' said the mother. 'I fear the boy has levanted. I may have been a little rough with him, but it was for his good. You cannot clean a deck with whiting, you must take holystone to the boards, and it is so with children. If you are not hard, you get off no edges, if you want to polish them, you must be gritty yourself. I doubt the boy is off.'
'What makes you think so?'
'I have not seen him. Nobody at Mersea has seen him. Have you?'
'Not since last night.'