Stubb, send a fresh hand to the fore-mast head, and see
it manned till morning."--Then advancing towards the doubloon
in the main-mast--"Men, this gold is mine, for I earned it;
but I shall let it abide here till the White Whale is dead;
and then, whosoever of ye first raises him, upon the day he shall
be killed, this gold is that man's; and if on that day I shall again
raise him, then, ten times its sum shall be divided among all of ye!
Away now! the deck is thine, sir!"
And so saying, he placed himself half way within the scuttle,
and slouching his hat, stood there till dawn, except when at
intervals rousing himself to see how the night wore on.
CHAPTER 134
The Chase - Second Day
At day-break, the three mast-heads were punctually manned afresh.
"D'ye see him?" cried Ahab after allowing a little space
for the light to spread.
"See nothing, sir."
"Turn up all hands and make sail! he travels faster than I thought for;--
the top-gallant sails!--aye, they should have been kept on her all night.
But no matter--'tis but resting for the rush."
Here be it said, that this pertinacious pursuit of one particular whale,
continued through day into night, and through night into day,
is a thing by no means unprecedented in the South sea fishery.
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