"And that picnics come here every once in a while."

"Don't expect picnickers to be such crazy loons as to come here in
winter time, do you?"

"I don't know. If they're fools enough to come here ANY time, I wouldn't
be responsible for 'em. There ain't so many moskeeters in winter. But
just LOOK at this hole. Just put on your specs and LOOK at it! Not a
man--but you--not a woman, not a child, not a girl--"

"Ah ha! ah ha! NOW we're gettin' at it! Not a girl! That's what's the
matter with you. You want to be up in the village, where you can go
courtin'. You're too fur from Elsie Peters, that's where the shoe
pinches. I've heard how you used to set out in her dad's backyard, with
your arm round her waist, lookin' at each other, mushy as a couple of
sassers of hasty-puddin'. Bah! I'll take care my next assistant ain't
girl-struck."

"Girl-struck! I'd enough sight ruther be girl-struck than always ravin'
and rippin' against females. And all because some woman way back in
Methusalem's time had sense enough to heave you over. At least, that's
what everybody cal'lates must be the reason. You pretend to be a
woman-hater. All round this part of the Cape you've took pains to get up
that kind of reputation; but--"

"There ain't no pretendin' about it. I've got brains enough to keep
clear of petticoats. And when you get to be as old as I be and know as
much as I do--though that ain't no ways likely, even if you live to be
nine hundred and odd, like Noah in Scripture--you'll feel the same way."