CHAPTER 121 Midnight.—The Forecastle Bu

StubbandFlaskmountedonthem,andpassingadditionallashingsovertheanchorstherehanging.

"No,Stubb;youmaypoundthatknotthereasmuchasyouplease,butyouwillneverpoundintomewhatyouwerejustnowsaying.Andhowlongagoisitsinceyousaidtheverycontrary?Didn'tyouoncesaythatwhatevershipAhabsailsin,thatshipshouldpaysomethingextraonitsinsurancepolicy,justasthoughitwereloadedwithpowderbarrelsaftandboxesoflucifersforward?Stop,now;didn'tyousayso?"

"Well,supposeIdid?Whatthen?I'vepartchangedmyfleshsincethattime,whynotmymind?Besides,supposingweareloadedwithpowderbarrelsaftandlucifersforward;howthedevilcouldthelucifersgetafireinthisdrenchingsprayhere?Why,mylittleman,youhaveprettyredhair,butyoucouldn'tgetafirenow.Shakeyourself;you'reAquarius,orthewater-bearer,Flask;mightfillpitchersatyourcoatcollar.Don'tyousee,then,thatfortheseextrariskstheMarineInsurancecompanieshaveextraguarantees?Herearehydrants,Flask.Buthark,again,andI'llansweryetheotherthing.Firsttakeyourlegofffromthecrownoftheanchorhere,though,soIcanpasstherope;nowlisten.What'sthemightydifferencebetweenholdingamast'slightning-rodinthestorm,andstandingclosebyamastthathasn'tgotanylightning-rodatallinastorm?Don'tyousee,youtimber-head,thatnoharmcancometotheholderoftherod,unlessthemastisfirststruck?Whatareyoutalkingabout,then?Notoneshipinahundredcarriesrods,andAhab,—aye,man,andallofus,—wereinnomoredangerthen,inmypooropinion,thanallthecrewsintenthousandshipsnowsailingtheseas.Why,youKing-Post,you,Isupposeyouwouldhaveeverymanintheworldgoaboutwithasmalllightning-rodrunningupthecornerofhishat,likeamilitiaofficer'sskeweredfeather,andtrailingbehindlikehissash.Whydon'tyebesensible,Flask?it'seasytobesensible;whydon'tye,then?anymanwithhalfaneyecanbesensible."

"Idon'tknowthat,Stubb.Yousometimesfinditratherhard."

"Yes,whenafellow'ssoakedthrough,it'shardtobesensible,that'safact.AndIamaboutdrenchedwiththisspray.Nevermind;catchtheturnthere,andpassit.Seemstomewearelashingdowntheseanchorsnowasiftheywerenevergoingtobeusedagain.Tyingthesetwoanchorshere,Flask,seemsliketyingaman'shandsbehindhim.Andwhatbiggeneroushandstheyare,tobesure.Theseareyourironfists,hey?Whataholdtheyhave,too!Iwonder,Flask,whethertheworldisanchoredanywhere;ifsheis,sheswingswithanuncommonlongcable,though.There,hammerthatknotdown,andwe'vedone.So;nexttotouchingland,lightingondeckisthemostsatisfactory.Isay,justwringoutmyjacketskirts,willye?Thankye.Theylaughatlong-togsso,Flask;butseemstome,alongtailedcoatoughtalwaystobeworninallstormsafloat.Thetailstaperingdownthatway,servetocarryoffthewater,d'yesee.Samewithcockedhats;thecocksformgable-endeave-troughs,Flask.Nomoremonkey-jacketsandtarpaulinsforme;Imustmountaswallow-tail,anddrivedownabeaver;so.Halloa!whew!theregoesmytarpaulinoverboard;Lord,Lord,thatthewindsthatcomefromheavenshouldbesounmannerly!Thisisanastynight,lad."