"
"He pays reg'lar," was the rejoinder. "But come, it's getting
dreadful late, you had better be turning flukes--it's a nice bed:
Sal and me slept in that ere bed the night we were spliced.
There's plenty of room for two to kick about in that bed;
it's an almighty big bed that. Why, afore we give it up,
Sal used to put our Sam and little Johnny in the foot of it.
But I got a dreaming and sprawling about one night, and somehow,
Sam got pitched on the floor, and came near breaking his arm.
After that, Sal said it wouldn't do. Come along here,
I'll give ye a glim in a jiffy;" and so saying he lighted
a candle and held it towards me, offering to lead the way.
But I stood irresolute; when looking at a clock in the corner,
he exclaimed "I vum it's Sunday--you won't see that harpooneer to-night;
he's come to anchor somewhere--come along then; do come;
won't ye come?"
I considered the matter a moment, and then up stairs we went,
and I was ushered into a small room, cold as a clam, and furnished,
sure enough, with a prodigious bed, almost big enough indeed
for any four harpooneers to sleep abreast.
"There," said the landlord, placing the candle on a crazy old
sea chest that did double duty as a wash-stand and centre table;
"there, make yourself comfortable now; and good night to ye.
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