"Bildad," cried Captain Peleg, "at it again, Bildad, eh? Ye have
been studying those Scriptures, now, for the last thirty years,
to my certain knowledge. How far ye got, Bildad?"
As if long habituated to such profane talk from his old shipmate,
Bildad, without noticing his present irreverence, quietly looked up,
and seeing me, glanced again inquiringly towards Peleg.
"He says he's our man, Bildad," said Peleg, "he wants to ship."
"Dost thee?" said Bildad, in a hollow tone, and turning round to me.
"I dost," said I unconsciously, he was so intense a Quaker.
"What do ye think of him, Bildad?" said Peleg.
"He'll do," said Bildad, eyeing me, and then went on spelling
away at his book in a mumbling tone quite audible.
I thought him the queerest old Quaker I ever saw, especially as Peleg,
his friend and old shipmate, seemed such a blusterer.
But I said nothing, only looking round me sharply.
Peleg now threw open a chest, and drawing forth the ship's articles,
placed pen and ink before him, and seated himself at a little table.
I began to think it was high time to settle with myself
at what terms I would be willing to engage for the voyage.
I was already aware that in the whaling business they
paid no wages; but all hands, including the captain,
received certain shares of the profits called lays, and that
these lays were proportioned to the degree of importance
pertaining to the respective duties of the ship's company.
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