How much of Billy's decision not to return home is a conscious decision?

It seems likely that Billy would turn toward home as soon as he buries the wolf, but he apparently does not. There is up to now no indication that Billy is dissatisfied with his life at home and there seems to be no reason for this decision. In fact, it almost seems that Billy has not made any conscious decision at all but that he is simply wandering as the will takes him. The only clue lies in the words, "He thought to become again the child he never was," seeming to indicate that Billy's difficult life has not been of his choosing.