300 
MOBY DICK; OR 
“He sleeps in his boots, don’t he? He hasn’t got any hammock; 
but I’ve seen him lay of nights in a coil of rigging.” 
“Ho doubt, and it’s because of his cursed tail; he coils it down, 
do ye see, in the eye of the rigging.” 
“What’s the old man have so much to do with him for ?” 
“Striking up a swop or a bargain, I suppose.” 
“Bargain ? — about what ?” 
“Why, do ye see, the old man is hard bent after that White Whale, 
and the devil there is trying to come round him, and get him to swop 
away his silver watch, or his soul, or something of that sort, and then 
he’ll surrender Moby Dick.” 
“Pooh! Stubb, you are skylarking; how can Fedallah do that?” 
“I don’t know, Flask, but the devil is a curious chap, and a wicked 
one, I tell ye. Why, they say as how he went a sauntering into the 
old flagship once, switching his tail about devilish easy and gentle- 
manlike, and inquiring if the old governor was at home. Well, he 
was at home, and asked the devil what he wanted. The devil, switch- 
ing his hoofs, up and says, ‘I want John.’ ‘What for?’ says the old 
governor. ‘What business is that of yours?’ says the devil, getting 
mad, — ‘I want to use him.’ ‘Take him,’ says the governor — and by 
the Lord, Flask, if the devil didn’t give John the Asiatic cholera 
before he got through with him, I’ll eat this whale in one mouthful. 
But look sharp — ain’t you all ready there? Well, then, pull ahead, 
and let’s get the whale alongside.” 
“I think I remember some such story as you were telling,” said 
Flask, when at last the two boats were slowly advancing with their 
burden towards the ship ; “but I can’t remember where.” 
“Three Spaniards ! Adventures of those three bloody-minded 
soldadoes ? Did ye read it there, Flask ? I guess ye did.” 
“Ho; never saw such a book; heard of it, though. But now, tell 
me, Stubb, do you suppose that that devil you was speaking of just 
now, was the same you say is now on board the FequodV ’ 
•“Am I the same man that helped kill this whale? Doesn’t the 
devil live for ever; who ever heard that the devil was dead? Did 
you ever see any parson wearing mourning for the devil? And if 
the devil has a latch-key to get into the admiral’s cabin, don’t you 
