He took no revenge, except in words.

What he said was, "Me one coloured gentleman.

You one dam mean white trash ob common sailor.

YAH!" And with unimpaired dignity he descended the ladder and was rowed away over the prismatic waters.

And Alister and I turned round to look for Dennis, and found him sitting in the scuppers, wiping the laughter-tears out of his thick eyelashes.
There was something fateful about that evening, which was perhaps what made the air so heavy.