“Never! That’s only prejudice, old chap. Well, anyway, oysters was one thing—were one thing, I should say. English is beastly confusing at times, eh? And then we found that Baker knew my part of the country, down Maryland way, you know. He comes from Delaware.”
“So would I,” laughed Bert.
“Delaware,” replied Dud, smiling, “is small but select. Where’s your home, Winslow?”
“Pennsylvania; Shrevesport. Know it?”
Dud shook his head. “Some of my folks lived in Pennsylvania once, a good many years ago.”
“It’s a good state. They were foolish to leave it,” yawned Bert. “Hope they didn’t have to?”
“Why, in a way I believe they did. You see one of them was an officer in the American Army, and when Howe occupied Philadelphia they thought it might not be healthy.”
“Oh,” said Bert. Hugh smiled.
“Still,” continued Bert, “they needn’t have gone to Delaware, eh?”
“I don’t think they did just then. A couple of them were with Washington at Valley Forge. I think the women went to New Jersey until Philadelphia was evacuated again. I don’t know just what happened then. We’ve been living in Delaware only since my grandfather’s time. He moved there from Philadelphia to improve his state.”