“It is here,” said the child. “If grown-ups do it they’re fined. When we do it we’re expelled for the whole day.”
“Well, but,” said Robert, “that just means a day’s holiday.”
“You must come from a long way off,” said the little boy. “A holiday’s when you all have play and treats and jolliness, all of you together. On your expelled days no one’ll speak to you. Everyone sees you’re an Expelleder or you’d be in school.”
“Suppose you were ill?”
“Nobody is—hardly. If they are, of course they wear the badge, and everyone is kind to you. I know a boy that stole his sister’s illness badge and wore it when he was expelled for a day. He got expelled for a week for that. It must be awful not to go to school for a week.”
“Do you like school, then?” asked Robert incredulously.
“Of course I do. It’s the loveliest place there is. I chose railways for my special subject this year, there are such splendid models and things, and now I shall be all behind because of that torn-up paper.”
“You choose your own subject?” asked Cyril.
“Yes, of course. Where did you come from? Don’t you know anything?”
“No,” said Jane definitely; “so you’d better tell us.”