CHAPTER121Midnight.—TheForecastleBu

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';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."