The placid current of his life had never come to "white waters" of wrath.
Wherefore he gazed bewildered about him.

They were laughing--they were laughing unpleasantly at him as he had seen men laugh at a fiery young colt which struggled against the rope.

It was very strange.

They could not mean harm.

Therefore he smiled back at them rather uncertainly.
Morgan slapped at his shoulder by way of good-fellowship and to hearten him, but Dan slipped away under the extended hand with a motion as subtle and swift as the twist of a snake when it flees for its hole.