"You must excuse me, captain," she said, "but really the time is very short, and I have a great deal to say to you, and if you have finished joking with that colored man, I wish you would talk with me." "You will laugh, too," said the captain, "when you hear what he said to me." And in a few words he told her what Maka had proposed.
Instead of laughing, Mrs.Cliff stood staring at him in silent amazement.
"I see I have shocked you," said the captain, "but you must remember that that is only a poor heathen's ignorant vagary.

Please say nothing about it, especially to Miss Markham." "Say nothing about it!" exclaimed Mrs.Cliff.

"I wish I had a thousand tongues to talk of it.

Captain, do you really believe that Cheddy man is a priest, or what goes for one in his own country?
If he is, he ought to marry you and Edna." The captain frowned, with an air of angry impatience.

"I could excuse that poor negro, madam," he said, "when he made such a proposition to me, but I must say I did not expect anything of the kind from you.