--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They made a shrewd guess that I could…" description: "\"They made a shrewd guess that I could give them some useful information, and they were the first to meet me. Some one said they came to arrest me, and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/826/joshua-slocum-24008_firsts_they-made-a-shrewd-guess-that-i-could-gi_1170703.jpg" --- # They made a shrewd guess that I could give them some… ![“They made a shrewd guess that I could give them some useful information, and they were the first to meet me. Some one said they came to arrest me, and - well, let it go at that.” quote by Joshua Slocum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/826/joshua-slocum-24008_firsts_they-made-a-shrewd-guess-that-i-could-gi_1170703.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/826/joshua-slocum-24008_firsts_they-made-a-shrewd-guess-that-i-could-gi_1170703.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/826/joshua-slocum-24008_firsts_they-made-a-shrewd-guess-that-i-could-gi_1170703.jpg) > “They made a shrewd guess that I could give them some useful information, and they were the first to meet me. Some one said they came to arrest me, and - well, let it go at that.” [Joshua Slocum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-slocum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He assumed the crew expected valuable intel and approached first, but their true intent was unclear, leading to a vague confrontation. **In simple terms:** They guessed he had info and met him, but motives were ambiguous. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about others' motives. Themes adventure trust misunderstanding Mood cautious reflective Type narrative adventurous When to use this quote - first contact with strangers - negotiating with unknown parties - assessing risk - handling unexpected encounters Key Concepts navigation human nature deception Questions to Reflect On - What clues could reveal true intentions? - How do you protect yourself when motives are unclear? A Different Perspective Motives may be hidden, making trust risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Useful information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useful-information/) ## Related quotes > [“Why do we perceive the world as stable and ourselves as local and unique? 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To meet new people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/think-of-all-the-new-people-you-re-going-to-meet-she-said-that-s-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“This," Adrian said grandly, "is Blake Lazar." "It's nice to meet you," she said. Blake smile radiantly. "May I call you Vasilisa?" "You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/this-adrian-said-grandly-is-blake-lazar-it-s-nice-to-meet-you-she/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“I hope we meet again," said Ramman. "I do too," Tel Hesani said, then added underneath his breath, "Although I fear it won't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-shan/i-hope-we-meet-again-said-ramman-i-do-too-tel-hesani-said-then-added/) [Darren Shan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-shan/) > [A couple of years ago, I went to see a production of Wicked in San Francisco with a friend of mine, one that Patty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-spiner/a-couple-of-years-ago-i-went-to-see-a-production-of-wicked-in-san/) [Brent Spiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-spiner/) > [“ We'll meet here, he'd said. If the world ever ends. 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"You must raise yours to meet mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megyn-kelly/megan-i-will-not-lower-my-vocabulary-to-meet-yours-he-said-you-must/) [Megyn Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megyn-kelly/) > [“If I ever meet myself,' said Zaphod, 'I'll hit myself so hard I won't know what's hit me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/if-i-ever-meet-myself-said-zaphod-i-ll-hit-myself-so-hard-i-won-t/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) ## More by Joshua Slocum > [If the Spray discovered no continents on her voyage, it may be that there were no more continents to be discovered. She did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-slocum/if-the-spray-discovered-no-continents-on-her-voyage-it-may-be-that/) [Joshua Slocum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-slocum/) > [But where, after all, would be the poetry of the sea were there no wild waves?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-slocum/but-where-after-all-would-be-the-poetry-of-the-sea-were-there-no-wild/) [Joshua Slocum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-slocum/) > [Remember, Lord, my ship is small and thy sea is so wide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-slocum/remember-lord-my-ship-is-small-and-thy-sea-is-so-wide/) [Joshua Slocum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-slocum/) > [Nothing escapes the vigilance of the New South Wales police; their reputation is known the world over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-slocum/nothing-escapes-the-vigilance-of-the-new-south-wales-police-their/) [Joshua Slocum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-slocum/) > [My ship was also in better condition than when she sailed from Boston on her long voyage. She was still as sound as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-slocum/my-ship-was-also-in-better-condition-than-when-she-sailed-from-boston/) [Joshua Slocum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-slocum/) > [It was the nearest to a casualty on the Spray in her whole course, so far as I know. The young man having come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-slocum/it-was-the-nearest-to-a-casualty-on-the-spray-in-her-whole-course-so/) [Joshua Slocum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-slocum/) > [To young men contemplating a voyage I would say go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-slocum/to-young-men-contemplating-a-voyage-i-would-say-go/) [Joshua Slocum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-slocum/) > [Captain Fisher, the commander, with a party of young ladies from the city and gentlemen belonging to his ship, came one day to pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-slocum/captain-fisher-the-commander-with-a-party-of-young-ladies-from-the/) [Joshua Slocum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-slocum/) > [To know the laws that govern the winds, and to know that you know them, will give you an easy mind on your voyage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-slocum/to-know-the-laws-that-govern-the-winds-and-to-know-that-you-know-them/) [Joshua Slocum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-slocum/) > [To be taken into account were some years of schooling, where I studied with diligence Neptune's laws, and these laws I tried to obey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-slocum/to-be-taken-into-account-were-some-years-of-schooling-where-i-studied/) [Joshua Slocum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-slocum/) > [Anyhow, a philosophical turn of thought now was not amiss, else one's patience would have given out almost at the harbour entrance. The term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-slocum/anyhow-a-philosophical-turn-of-thought-now-was-not-amiss-else-one-s/) [Joshua Slocum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-slocum/) > [...as the day wore on I watched the birds all flying in one direction, and said, Land lies there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-slocum/as-the-day-wore-on-i-watched-the-birds-all-flying-in-one-direction/) [Joshua Slocum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-slocum/) > [As for myself, the wonderful sea charmed me from the first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-slocum/as-for-myself-the-wonderful-sea-charmed-me-from-the-first/) [Joshua Slocum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-slocum/) > [I was born in the breezes, and I had studied the sea as perhaps few men have studied it, neglecting all else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-slocum/i-was-born-in-the-breezes-and-i-had-studied-the-sea-as-perhaps-few/) [Joshua Slocum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-slocum/) > [“I had already found that it was not good to be alone, and so made companionship with what there was around me, sometimes with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-slocum/i-had-already-found-that-it-was-not-good-to-be-alone-and-so-made/) [Joshua Slocum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-slocum/) [Explore all 25 Joshua Slocum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-slocum/) ## More Firsts quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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