How do the men in the hired up river boat behave ?

The hired men made fun of a young man who was a novice at punting....... the apologized profusely when they realized the young man was not someone they actually knew. They believed him to be a friend.

"They explained to him that they had thought he was some one they knew. They said they hoped he would not deem them capable of so insulting any one except a personal friend of their own."