The same disrespect to their elders, the same cock-sureness, and the same careless indifference concerning the effect which their actions might have upon other people--these were natural and nothing but years and the hard knocks of experience could bring about a change.

Elkanah Chase, country swell and pampered heir to the cranberry grower's few thousands, and Malcolm Dunn, idol of his set at the Metropolitan Club, were not so very different, except in externals.

The similarity confirmed his opinion that New York was merely South Denboro many thousand times magnified.
He knew how young Chase had behaved after an interview not unlike that just described.

In Elkanah's case several broken windows and property destroyed on a revel the night before the Fourth had caused the trouble.
In Malcolm's it was an automobile.

Both had listened to reason and had knuckled under rather than face possible lawsuits and certain publicity.
Chase, however, had sulkily refused to speak to him for a month, and regained affability merely because he wished to borrow money.