That was not my idea.

I said that if they got half of it between them they might consider themselves lucky.

Rogers said-- 'Who would have had ANY if it hadn't been for me?
I flung out the first hint--but for that it would all have gone to the shoemaker.' Thompson said that he was thinking of the thing himself at the very moment that Rogers had originally spoken.
I retorted that the idea would have occurred to me plenty soon enough, and without anybody's help.

I was slow about thinking, maybe, but I was sure.
This matter warmed up into a quarrel; then into a fight; and each man got pretty badly battered.

As soon as I had got myself mended up after a fashion, I ascended to the hurricane deck in a pretty sour humor.