hale showed pluck, as he called it, and made a square,
fierce fight for his life. A man had a chance then to show his skill and
power over the brute, he said. He held, too, that man's highest object
in life was to know how to kill a whale skilfully; and he heartily
despised the whale "as would submit quietly to the harpoon, and die like
a lubber." He also affected great contempt for the landsman who had
lived like a gentleman, and never killed a whale in his life.

"There's no lunar to-night," said Captain Bottom, pausing at the
quarter-deck rail, and addressing himself to the officer of the watch.
"There's a goin' to be dirt, sir, there is; and them royals and
topgallant-sails is got to cum in. Would'nt surprise me if we had to
double-reef topsails afore mornin'. Tell you what it is, Mr. Higgins,
there's that ar north star with a towel over her face again. Sink me if
there'll be any lunar took to-night." The captain shook his head, gave
his Panama a tip, and walking aft, stood beside the binnacle watching
the compasses for several minutes. Then returning to where the officer
of the watch stood, he resumed:

"Never made a bad landfall in my life, Mr. Higgins. Never shall be said
of Captain Price Bottom that he lost his reckonin'. It's judgment; yes,
Mr. Higgins, it's good judgment and sound sense what makes a good
sailor. A man may cram his skull till it hurts with Bowditch, but if he
hain't sense he'll never be a sailor. Same in killin' whales. If a man
hain't got sense, the whale is sure to get the advantage of him." Again
he paused, as if courting a reply; but Mr. Higgins merely bowed assent
to everything the captain said, every few minutes keeping an eye aloft
at the sails.

"Man what gets his navigation aboard ship knows his business. Got mine
there; yes, sir! Did'nt know a Bowditch from a Bible when I went aboard
ship. Can do my amplitude and variations now without looking at a
nautical almanac. Can, sir, by Jove!"

The ship bounded gallantly over the sea, leaving in her wake a long
silvery train of phosphoric light. Drawing no response from Mr. Higgins,
the captain raised his night-glass and scanned along the heavens to the
west. "We'll get somethin' out o' that quarter, butt end foremost," said
the captain, lowering his glass.

Mr. Higgins was first officer of the ship, a position secured to him,
not because he had worked his way up to it, but through the influence of
a rich father, who was a large owner in