And Warren came to him also, as frank and good-hearted as could be.
"I suppose that you feel as if you wanted to punch my head," he said; "but I had to do my duty, old fellow, even if it were an unpleasant one."
And to him Ralph had answered—
"I should have thought precious little of you if you had not done it. Of course, you could not have done anything different from what you did."
Charlton said nothing—only he looked at Ralph wistfully, and it seemed as if there was something of relief in his eyes. Charlton was a puzzle to Ralph. He could not understand the boy anyhow.
Nor was Warren the only one who came and spoke to Ralph and expressed abhorrence for the attempt to brand him as a thief, and satisfaction that he was cleared from the accusation.
But that same day, in a quiet corner of the playground, Horace Elgert came across Dobson, and, seizing him by the collar, he shook him savagely.
"You great blundering donkey," he said. "How did you come to do it? You have made a pretty mess of things."
"Well," growled Dobson, shaking himself free, "it is no good to kick up a row about it. No harm is done, only he has managed to get clear."