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MOBY DICK; OR 
meads and glades so eternally vernal, that the grass shot up by the 
spring, untrodden, unwilted, remains at midsummer. 
At last we gained such an offing, that the two pilots were needed no 
longer. The stout sail boat that had accompanied us began ranging 
alongside. 
It was curious and not unpleasing, how Peleg and Bildad were 
affected at this juncture, especially Captain Bildad. For loath to 
depart, yet ; very loath to leave, for good, a ship bound on so long and 
perilous a voyage — beyond both stormy Capes; a ship in which some 
thousands of his hard earned dollars were invested; a ship, in which 
an old shipmate sailed as captain; a man, almost as old as he, once 
more starting to encounter all the terrors of the pitiless jaw; loath to 
say good-bye to a thing so every way brimful of every interest to him, — 
poor old Bildad lingered long ; paced the deck with anxious strides ; ran 
down into the cabin to speak another farewell word there; again came 
on deck, and looked to windward ; looked towards the wide and endless 
waters, only bounded by the far-off unseen Eastern Continents ; looked 
towards the land; looked aloft; looked right and left; looked every- 
where and nowhere; and at last, mechanically coiling a rope upon its 
pin, convulsively grasped stout Peleg by the hand, and holding -up a 
lantern, for a moment stood gazing heroically in his face, as much 
as to say, “Nevertheless, friend Peleg, I can stand it; yes, I can.” 
As for Peleg himself, he took it more like a philosopher; but for 
all his philosophy, there was a tear twinkling in his eye, when the 
lantern came too near. And he, too, did not a little run from cabin 
to deck — now a word below, and now a word with Starbuck, the chief 
mate. 
But, at last, he turned to his comrade, with a final sort of look about 
him, — “Captain Bildad — come, old shipmate, we must go. Back 
the mainyard there! Boat ahoy! Stand by to come close alongside, 
now! Careful, careful! come, Bildad, boy — say your last. Luck to 
ye, Starbuck — luck to ye, Mr. Stubb — luck to ye, Mr. Flask — good-bye, 
and good luck to ye all — and this day three years I’ll have a hot supper 
smoking for ye in old Nantucket. Hurrah and away !” 
“God bless ye, and have ye in His holy keeping, men,” murmured 
old Bildad, almost incoherently. “I hope ye’ll have fine weather now, 
so that Captain Ahab may soon be moving among ye — a pleasant sun 
