A silence.
"H--have a pipe ?" inquired Selwyn uneasily.

He had nothing else to offer.
Boots leaned back in his stiff chair, crossed his legs, and filled a pipe.

When he had lighted it he said: "How are things, Phil ?" "All right.

First rate, thank you." Boots removed the pipe from his lips and swore at him; and Selwyn listened with head obstinately lowered and lean hands plucking at his frayed girdle.

And when Boots had ended his observations with an emphatic question, Selwyn shook his head: "No, Boots.