said Gerald.

‘Ay! You go down a bit, past wheer th’ water-man lives — and then Somerset Drive, as they ca’ it, branches off on ‘t right hand side — an’ there’s nowt but three houses in it, no more than three, I believe, — an’ I’m a’most certain as theirs is th’ last — th’ last o’ th’ three — you see — ’

‘Thank you very much,’ said Gerald. ‘Good-night.’

And he started off, leaving the tipsy man there standing rooted.

Gerald went past the dark shops and houses, most of them sleeping now, and twisted round to the little blind road that ended on a field of darkness.