Loyalty in misdeed

I was in class 7 and my best friend was one Daniel who was older to me by three years.. A big built fellow dark in complexion with an unkempt hair, he had no interest in studies. His father, an engine driver, was rarely at home. He was not afraid of his mom. He used to steal pencils and other writing instruments from other boys. He swore when challenged.. He was detained in every class by an year. He used to mock at the teachers and send paper aero planes in the class when the teacher turned his back to the class and wrote on the black board. He was a bully and none dared to expose the culprit for fear of blows when asked by the teacher. He was a sort of hero for me and I assumed he had Samson like powers. When I meekly asked him how he got so much strength in such an young age he would tell me that he can take six eggs at one go and that he ate meat daily. He would open my lunch box during the class and gulp the contents without even asking me. That was the price for his friendship, I would console myself. He smoked stealthily. The class teacher reprimanded me a couple of times” Why do you mingle with that good for nothing fellow. You are studying well. Keep away from him. Otherwise you will turn like him. I will report to your father ” I knew the teacher was right but I did not have the guts to antagonize Daniel and my friendship with him stemmed more out of fear and awe for him than genuine camaraderie.
It was a week before Ganesh Chathurthi. There was a big park opposite to the school with many were trees that had small seeds in red colour with a block spot(Gundumani) at one end. It would resemble an eye. I wanted these seeds for the Ganesh Idol made of damp mud that I was planning get from the market. As the tree was tall I sought Daniel’s help in getting the seeds. He willingly agreed and in the morning recess for 10 minutes, we both scaled the compound wall and went to the park. There was none around in the park. Daniel easily clambered up to the top of the tree to pluck the seeds. The branch he was standing on gave way and he fell down. He was writhing in pain and my effort to make him sit failed as he was heavy. He was crying. I looked around and finding no one, I ran to the school, jumped the wall and went to Head Master’s room. With heavy breathing and sobs in between I told him of what had happened and how Daniel was crying in pain. The HM did not ask me anything and immediately sent the PT teacher with an attendant. When we went to the park we found Daniel in the same miserable condition. They lifted him and took him to a nearby clinic. It was a multiple fracture and he was in plaster both in leg and hand. In the evening when I went with my father to see Daniel, he told me that he thought wrongly that I had run away till I brought help. He was absent from the school for nearly a month. The Head master called me to his room late in the afternoon and told me that leaving the school in the midst of classes without permission and scaling the wall were all punishable acts . Still he was letting me off with a simple warning as I came to him promptly to report the incident to get help and medical assistance to my ally in misdeed.
It was to my utmost surprise next morning that HM recounted the incident in the morning assembly for prayers and praised me for boldly coming to him to seek his help even though the two us had left the school premises without permission and for my loyalty to my friend. The Ganesh puja was celebrated with gusto that year with the red and black eyes that I had carefully saved in my pocket before running to the Head Master