The material on this page is available to AustLit subscribers. If you are a subscriber or are from a subscribing organisation, please log in to gain full access. To explore options for subscribing to this unique teaching, research, and publishing resource for Australian culture and storytelling, please contact us or find out more.
The narrator, Mitchell and The Oracle, are travelling back steerage from Western Australia. One of their fellow travellers, an elderly digger called Tom, is returning home because his wife has died. When they reach Sydney Tom's children are waiting on the wharf for him and Mitchell demonstrates true kindness.