How did George try to escape work? What did the other friends think of him? Elucidate (Chp 9)

George seems to be missing when there is work to do or find a hobby like playing the banjo which his friends believe is a deliberate act of escaping work. When he returns they make him tow the boat,  

We made George work, now we had got him. He did not want to work, of course; that goes without saying. He had had a hard time in the City, so he explained. Harris, who is callous in his nature, and not prone to pity...