So they drove round the mews to the Terrace and halted this time in front of the house. When Peter had rung the bell, his friend beckoned him back. “Sonny, 'e weren't worf it. 'E weren't reelly.” Before Peter could answer, the door opened and he heard his mother's voice saying, “Why, it's Peter in a Christmas cab! Oh, how kind of Mr. Grace to bring you back! Were you so loaded down with presents, Peter?” And he entered empty-handed. He would need all his Christmas money to help Uncle Waffles. Kay came running to meet him and halted in bewilderment. “But, Mummy, where are Peter's presents?” Grace's mind was taken up with another subject; from the steps she had caught her father's eye and had seen that it was glazed. As she passed her mistress she sought sympathy, whispering, “Pa's drunk as usual, Mam. Ain't it sick'ning? Fat lot o' good me prayin'!” But Mr. Grace, pottering down the Terrace, felt a Christmas warmth about his heart. It wasn't because he had saved a man from Justice; he was happy because Peter had told him that he was the only friend in the world from whom he could have asked help.---- Grace might call him a drunkard, and to-night he intended to be very drunk; but he must be something better as well, or else Peter wouldn't have talked like that. So, because he was happy, he sang as he pottered down the Terrace. It wasn't exactly a Christmas carol, but it served his purpose. It expressed devil-may-care contempt for public opinion--and that was how he felt. “Darn our narbor'ood, Darn our narbor'ood, Darn the plaice where I'm a-livin' nar, Why, the gentry in our street In the cisterns wash their feet, In the narbor'ood where I'm a-livin' nar.” Mr. Grace very rarely sang, because he was very seldom happy. Cat's Meat quickened his step; he knew what that sound meant. It meant no more work. In the distance the lights of the public-house grew up. CHAPTER XX--THE HIDING OF OCKY WAFFLES Peter's Christmas cab! Why a cab? What had he brought back in it and where had he hidden it? It must be something very grand and splendid to demand a cab. Kay coaxed him to give her just one little hint as to what it was: she went through all her love-tricks without success, rubbing her silky hair against his cheek and kissing his eyes while she clasped his neck. It was useless for him to declare that he had bought no presents; she snuggled against him laughing--she knew her Peter better than that.