There was something in his tone and manner as he said the words which made Wyndham uneasy. He had made up his mind at all costs he would break with Silk; yet now he could not help remembering he was at the fellow’s mercy.
So, instead of going on, he stood where he was, and said, rather less defiantly, “Can’t you say what you’ve got to say here?”
“Oh, of course. I can easily tell the whole school of your—”
“Oh, hush, please!” cried the boy in alarm; “you promised you wouldn’t tell any one. I’ll come to your study.”
Silk, with a triumphant sneer, turned and led the way, followed by his chafing victim, who devoutly wished he had never thought of coming to see Riddell at all.
When they were in the study, Silk turned and said, “All I want to say is, that, I don’t choose for you to be going such a lot to Riddell. I don’t like him, and you’d better keep away.”
“Why?” faltered Wyndham. “It doesn’t do you any harm.”
“How do I know you don’t blab all my secrets to him, eh?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t do it for anything. I promised you and Gilks.”
“Bah! what’s the use of that? You go and tell him everything you do yourself, and of course he knows it means us as well as you.”