Then, a short, little old body like me,
should never undertake to wade out into deep waters with tall,
heron-built captains; the water chucks you under the chin pretty quick,
and there's a great cry for life-boats. And here's the heron's leg!
long and slim, sure enough! Now, for most folks one pair of legs
lasts a lifetime, and that must be because they use them mercifully,
as a tender-hearted old lady uses her roly-poly old coach-horses.
But Ahab; oh he's a hard driver. Look, driven one leg to death,
and spavined the other for life, and now wears out bone legs by the cord.
Halloa, there, you Smut! bear a hand there with those screws,
and let's finish it before the resurrection fellow comes
a-calling with his horn for all legs, true or false, as brewery
men go round collecting old beer barrels, to fill 'em up again.
What a leg this is! It looks like a real live leg, filed down
to nothing but the core; he'll be standing on this to-morrow;
he'll be taking altitudes on it. Halloa! I almost forgot the little
oval slate, smoothed ivory, where he figures up the latitude.
So, so; chisel, file, and sand-paper, now!
CHAPTER 109
Ahab and Starbuck in the Cabin
According to usage they were pumping the ship next morning;
and lo! no inconsiderable oil came up with the water;
the casks below must have sprung a bad leak.
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