"I'm sorry to put you fellows about after your being so kind, but I'm not going over there." Yorke was consulted, and took upon himself the responsibility of detaining the refugee for the night.
"All right, thanks," said Corder, and turned in.
Next morning word came from Mr Forder requiring that the truant should answer for his absence.
Corder obeyed, with some misgivings, and explained briefly that he had been bullied and did not want to stand it.
Mr Forder, who had a peculiar faculty for saddling the wrong horse, was not satisfied with this explanation, and chose to suspect some other.
Corder had never been a satisfactory boy.

He had probably been making himself objectionable, and had been glad of an excuse to break rules.
The master did not demand particulars.

He gave the culprit an imposition, and ordered him to obey the rules of his house; and another time, if he had any grievance, to come with it to him instead of taking the law into his own hands.
Whereupon Corder departed in high dudgeon.
It was no use holding out now.

He had better give in, and own himself beaten.

It would be so much easier than resisting any longer.
For an hour of two he was permitted to go in and out unmolested.