Smiling, he made note of this verbal find, as Ellett came up the beach.
“What pleases you, Fred? And what is all this row the men are talking about?”
“One at a time. I was hoping that the woman I shall love will take generously to my pipe.”
“She will be a fool if she don’t. I always advise the women never to marry a man who doesn’t smoke. You see, if they fall out a bit, she can always say, ‘Well, just take a cigar, Fred, and think it over.’ I am sure the proportion of divorces must be smaller among the couples that include a smoker. Good notion, that!”
“It is on the heights of wisdom!”
“Isn’t it? And you haven’t been fishing?”
“Yes; I did fish, but I got no fish. I caught a mild little adventure.”
“Michelle began to tell me—”
“Michelle be hanged! These guides are always dramatic!”
“Well, and what was it happened? Tell me.”