He knew these two companions were not the sort of boys his brother would have cared to have him associate with, nor did he particularly like them himself.

But when two senior boys take the trouble to patronise a junior and make fun of his "peculiarities," as they called his scruples, it is hardly surprising that the youngster comes out a good way to meet his patrons.
Wyndham, by the way, was rather more than a youngster.

He was a Limpet, and looked back on the days of fagging as a long-closed chapter of his history.

Had he been a junior like Telson or Pilbury, it would have been less likely either that Game and Silk would take such trouble to cultivate his acquaintance, or that he would submit himself so easily to their patronage.

As it was, he was his own master.