'I reckon she's a woman, anyhow,' I replied. 'And no Nicholson that ever was born, or any other living man for the matter of that, is big enough to play fast and loose with the women of my island while I'm about! So don't you make any mistake about that, my friend.'
'You seem to think a precious deal more of the sex on your patch than we do down our way,' says he.
'Perhaps so! And what if I do?'
'Nothing, of course, but I don't know that it's a good idea to side with the niggers against white men. That's all,' he continued, looking a trifle foolish, as he saw the way I was staring at him.
'Don't you? Well, when you've had sufficient experience, perhaps you'll think differently. No, sirree, I tell you that the man who says a word against a woman, black or white, in my hearing has to go down, and I don't care who he is.'
'Of course, you've a right to your own opinions,' he answered.
'I have, and what's more, I think I'm big enough to back them!'
The supercargo, all this time, had sat as quiet as a mouse. Now he put his spoke into the conversation.
'I suppose there's a yarn at the back of all this palaver.'