His face was an exceedingly round but sober one; he was dressed
in a faded blue woollen frock or shirt, and patched trowsers;
and had thus far been dividing his attention between a marlingspike
he held in one hand, and a pill-box held in the other,
occasionally casting a critical glance at the ivory limbs of
the two crippled captains. But, at his superior's introduction
of him to Ahab, he politely bowed, and straightway went on
to do his captain's bidding.
"It was a shocking bad wound," began the whale-surgeon;
"and, taking my advice, Captain Boomer here, stood our old Sammy-"
"Samuel Enderby is the name of my ship," interrupted the
one-armed captain, addressing Ahab; "go on, boy."
"Stood our old Sammy off to the northward, to get out of the blazing
hot weather there on the Line. But it was no use--I did all I could;
sat up with him nights; was very severe with him in the matter of diet-"
"Oh, very severe!" chimed in the patient himself; then suddenly
altering his voice, "Drinking hot rum toddies with me every night,
till he couldn't see to put on the bandages; and sending me
to bed, half seas over, about three o'clock in the morning.
Oh, ye stars! he sat up with me indeed, and was very severe
in my diet.
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