The wood was silent for several minutes while he reflected gloomily on his destiny, wondering whether he would end up an outcast from society, or even a criminal, thrown in jail or transported to Australia in chains, or hanged.
At last he decided that Edward was not coming after him. He stood up and pulled on his wet trousers and shirt. Then he heard someone crying.
Cautiously, he peeped out--and saw Tonio's shock of carrot-colored hair. His friend was walking slowly along the path, naked, wet, carrying his clothes and sobbing.
"What happened?" Hugh asked. "Where's Peter?"
Tonio suddenly became fierce. "I'll never tell, never!" he said. "They'll kill me."
"All right, don't tell me," Hugh said. As always, Tonio was terrified of Micky: whatever had happened, Tonio would keep quiet about it. "You'd better get dressed," Hugh said practically.
Tonio looked blankly at the bundle of sodden garments in his arms. He seemed too shocked to sort them out. Hugh took them from him. He had boots and trousers and one sock, but no shirt. Hugh helped him put on what he had, then they walked toward the school.
Tonio stopped crying, though he still looked badly shaken. Hugh hoped those bullies hadn't done something really nasty to Peter. But he had to think of saving his own skin now. "If we can get into the dormitory, we can put on fresh clothes and our spare boots," he said, planning ahead. "Then as soon as the detention is lifted we can walk into town and buy new clothes on credit at Baxted's."
Tonio nodded. "All right," he said dully.
As they wound their way through the trees, Hugh wondered again why Tonio was so disturbed. After all, bullying was nothing new at Windfield. What had happened at the pool after Hugh had escaped? But Tonio said nothing more about it all the way back.
The school was a collection of six buildings that had once been the hub of a large farm, and their dormitory was in the old dairy near the chapel. To get there they had to go over a wall and cross the fives court. They climbed the wall and peeped over. The courtyard was deserted, as Hugh had expected, but all the same he hesitated. The thought of the Striper whipping his behind made him cringe. But there was no alternative. He had to get back into school and put on dry clothes.
"All clear," he whispered. "Off we go!"
