They would be angry, perhaps, but that would not hurt him, and, in any case, he was going to school next week.

No one at school would mind whether he had been to the Fair or no.
He felt aloof and apart, as though no one could touch him.

He would not have minded simply going into them all and saying: "I'm off to the Fair." The obvious drawback to that would have been that he would have been shut up in his room, and then they might make him give his word...
He would not break any promises.
When Wednesday came it was a lovely day.

Out in the field just behind the Coles' house they were burning a huge bonfire of dead leaves.

At first only a heavy column of grey smoke rose, then flames broke through; little, thin golden flames like paper; then a sudden fierce red tongue shot out and went licking up into the air until it faded like tumbling water against the sunlight.