76 MOBY DICK; OR 
of attending to the castors, and scolding her little black hoy mean- 
time. 
“Woodhouse !” cried I, “which way to it ? Run for God’s sake, and 
fetch something to pry open the door — the axe ! — the axe ! — he’s had a 
stroke ; depend upon it !” — and so saying I was unmethodically rushing 
upstairs again empty-handed, when Mrs. Hussey interposed the 
mustard-pot and vinegar-cruet, and the entire castor of her countenance. 
“What’s the matter with you, young man ?” 
“Get the axe! For God’s sake, run for the doctor, some one, while 
I pry it open !” 
“Look here,” said the landlady, quickly putting down the vinegar- 
cruet, so as to have one hand free; “look here: are you talking about 
prying open any of my doors ?” — and with that she seized my arm. 
“What’s the matter with you? What’s the matter with you, ship- 
mate ?’ 
In as calm, hut rapid a manner as possible, I gave her to under- 
stand the whole case. Unconsciously clapping the vinegar-cruet to 
one side of her nose, she ruminated for an instant ; then exclaimed — 
“Ho! I haven’t seen it since I put it there.” Running to a little 
closet under the landing of the stairs, she glanced in, and returning, 
told me that Queequeg’s harpoon was missing. “He’s killed himself,” 
she cried. “It’s unfort’nate Stiggs done over again — there goes an- 
other counterpane 1 — God pity his poor mother ! — it will be the ruin 
of my house. Has the poor lad a sister ? Where’s that girl ? : — there, 
Betty, go to Snarles the Painter, and tell him to paint me a sign, 
with — ‘no suicides permitted here, and no smoking in the parlour’ ; — 
might as well kill both birds at once. Kill ? The Lord be merciful to 
his ghost! What’s that noise there? You, young man, avast there!” 
And running up after me, she caught me as I was again trying to 
force open the door. 
“I don’t allow it; I won’t have my premises spoiled. Go for the 
locksmith, there’s one about a mile from here. But avast!” putting 
her hand in her side-pocket, “here’s a key that’ll fit, I guess ; let’s see.” 
And with that, she turned it in the lock ; but, alas ! Queequeg’s sup- 
plemental holt remained unwithdrawn within. 
“Have to hurst it open,” said I, and was running down the entry a 
little, for a good start, when the landlady caught at me, again vowing 
