So Anthea kneeled down by him and said-- 'What's the matter ?' 'I'm expelled from school,' said the boy between his sobs.
This was serious.

People are not expelled for light offences.
'Do you mind telling us what you'd done ?' 'I--I tore up a sheet of paper and threw it about in the playground,' said the child, in the tone of one confessing an unutterable baseness.
'You won't talk to me any more now you know that,' he added without looking up.
'Was that all ?' asked Anthea.
'It's about enough,' said the child; 'and I'm expelled for the whole day!' 'I don't quite understand,' said Anthea, gently.

The boy lifted his face, rolled over, and sat up.
'Why, whoever on earth are you ?' he said.
'We're strangers from a far country,' said Anthea.

'In our country it's not a crime to leave a bit of paper about.' 'It is here,' said the child.

'If grown-ups do it they're fined.