Philip put his foot resolutely through the crust of New England reserve, as one breaks the ice of set purpose.
“I guess I’m the one to be thankful,” he returned, “since I’ve been sitting all day with a drunken man. But you’d better not make me talk. I don’t want to be dragged out by the collar and have my ears boxed.”
His reply brought the smile that he hoped it would, and he thought he had never seen a set of prettier, whiter, evener teeth.
“Oh, I don’t reckon the big gentleman would hurt you.”
“Gentleman?” said Philip.
“Yes; don’t you think he earned the name?”
Philip nodded slowly. But he qualified his assent. “He might have done it a little more quietly, don’t you think?”
This time the smile grew into a silvery laugh.
“You mean he made you too conspicuous?”
“No,” said Philip; “I wasn’t thinking of myself.” Then: “You are from the South?”