THE WHITE WHALE 
439 
“He waxes brave, but nevertheless obeys ; most careful bravery that !” 
murmured Ahab, as Starbuck disappeared. “What’s that he said — 
Ahab beware of Ahab — there’s something there!” Then unconsciously 
using the musket for a staff, with an iron brow he paced to and fro in 
the little cabin ; but presently the thick plaits of his forehead relaxed, 
and returning the gun to the rack, he went to the deck. 
“Thou art but too good a fellow, Starbuck,” he said lowly to the 
mate; then raising his voice to the crew: “Furl the t’gallant-sails, 
and close-reef the topsails, fore and aft ; back the mainyard ; up Burton, 
and break out in the mainhold.” 
It were perhaps vain to surmise exactly why it was, that as respecting 
Starbuck, Ahab thus acted. It may have been a flash of honesty in 
him ; or mere prudential policy which, under the circumstance, imperi- 
ously forbade the slightest symptom of open disaffection, however tran- 
sient, in the important chief officer of his ship. However it was, his 
orders were executed ; and the Burtons were hoisted. 
CHAPTER CIX 
QUEEQUEG IN' HIS COFFIN 
Upon searching, it was found that the casks last struck into the hold 
were perfectly sound, and that the leak must be further off. So, it 
being calm weather, they broke out deeper and deeper, disturbing the 
slumbers of the huge ground-tier butts ; and from that black midnight 
sending those gigantic moles into the daylight above. So deep did they 
go ; $nd so ancient, and corroded, and weedy the aspect of the lowermost 
puncheons, that you almost looked next for some mouldy corner-stone 
cask containing coins of Captain Xoah with copies of the posted pla- 
cards, vainly warning the infatuated old world from the flood. Tierce 
after tierce, too, of water, and bread, and beef, and shooks of staves, and 
iron bundles of hoops, were hoisted out, till at last the piled decks were 
hard to get about ; and the hollow hull echoed under foot, as if you were 
treading over empty catacombs, and reeled and rolled in the sea like an 
air-freighted demijohn. Top-heavy was the ship as a dinnerless stu- 
dent with all Aristotle in his head. Well was it that the Typhoons did 
not visit them then. 
