Squeers was very angry. ‘How do you know that?.’ he asked. Now Mrs Squeer came upstairs, too.
‘Smike has run away, my dear,’ explained Squeers
‘That’s no surprise to me!’ said Mrs squeers, looking at Nicholas with an ugly smile. ‘You helped him!’ ‘I did not,’ replied Nicholas hotly. ‘I’ll beat the life out of when we catch him!
I did not,’ replied Nicholas hotly
‘I’ll beat the life out of him when we catch him! Which way do you think he went?’ Squeers asked his wife. ‘Who knows? You take one coach and go towards York. I’ll borrow another coach and go the other way,’ replied Mrs Squeers.
For the rest of the day, Nicholas waited at the school with the other boys and worried.
In the evening, Squeers came back, but Smike wasn’t with him
Someone will pay for this!’ said Squeers angrily. ‘I’m telling you, Nicholas.’
‘It’s nothing to do with me, sir’ said Nicholas, and he went to bed.
It was clear that Squeers wanted Smike back at the school just because the boy did lots of work there for nothing.
Early next morning, Nicholas heard a coach arriving at the front gate, and Mrs Squeers calling for her husband. Afraid of the worst, Nicholas looked through the window and saw Smike in the coach. His tired face was covered with mud and rain and he looked nearly dead. Mrs Squeers came from the house and took him inside. He put in the cellar and looked the door. He was looking forward to beating him later.
After lunch, Squeers told all the school to come to the classroom. When everyone was there, he brought Smike into the room, pulling him by his coat.
‘Well, Smike explain yourself!’
‘Please, sir, forgive me!’