If I had sky-sail poles, I'd sway
them up now."
"Sir!--in God's name!--sir?"
"Well."
"The anchors are working, sir. Shall I get them inboard?"
"Strike nothing, and stir nothing but lash everything. The wind rises,
but it has not got up to my table-lands yet. Quick, and see to it.--
By masts and keels! he takes me for the hunchbacked skipper of some
coasting smack. Send down my main-top-sail yard! Ho, gluepots!
Loftiest trucks were made for wildest winds, and this brain-truck
of mine now sails amid the cloud-scud. Shall I strike that?
Oh, none but cowards send down their brain-trucks in tempest time.
What a hooroosh aloft there! I would e'en take it for sublime,
did I not know that the colic is a noisy malady. Oh, take medicine,
take medicine!"
CHAPTER 121
Midnight - The Forecastle Bulwarks
Stubb and Flask mounted on them, and passing additional lashings
over the anchors there hanging.
No, Stubb; you may pound that knot there as much as you please,
but you will never pound into me what you were just now saying.
And how long ago is it since you said the very contrary?
Didn't you once say that whatever ship Ahab sails in,
that ship should pay something extra on its insurance policy,
just as though it were loaded with powder barrels aft and boxes
of lucifers forward? Stop, now; didn't you say so?"
"Well, suppose I did? What then! I've part changed my flesh
since that time, why not my mind? Besides, supposing we
are loaded with powder barrels aft and lucifers forward;
how the devil could the lucifers get afire in this drenching
spray here? Why, my little man, you have pretty red hair,
but you couldn't get afire now.
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