What did he mean by “What are you now?” It sounded as if he meant “You are not a fine fellow now.” Rather a personal remark.
“What’s it got to do with him what I am now?” reflected Dick, digging his hands into his pockets, and resuming his promenade. “And what does he mean by fellows leading me astray? Like to catch any one trying it on, that’s all. Like to catch him, for the matter of that, for his howling cheek!”
Dick sat down on one of the stone benches, and pulled out the letter for another perusal.
“‘Let the Sociables alone.’ Oh, ah! most likely he’s been blackballed himself, and don’t like any one to—. Humph! wonder if they are a shady lot or not? What does he mean by saying they’ll teach me to be a cad? Who’ll teach me to be a cad? Not a muff like Braider.”
At that moment a door opened at the end of the corridor, and a voice shouted—
“Richardson!”
It was Braider’s voice, and Dick knew it.
He crumpled the letter up in his hand, and the colour came and went from his cheeks.
“Richardson! where are you?” called Braider again, for it was dusk, and our hero’s seat was screened from view.
Dick coloured again, and bit his lips; and finally got up from the bench, and strolled off in an opposite direction.