oal of whales, which
had led them some four or five miles from the ship; and while they were
yet in swift chase to windward, the white hump and head of Moby Dick had
suddenly loomed up out of the water, not very far to leeward; whereupon,
the fourth rigged boat--a reserved one--had been instantly lowered in
chase. After a keen sail before the wind, this fourth boat--the swiftest
keeled of all--seemed to have succeeded in fastening--at least, as
well as the man at the mast-head could tell anything about it. In the
distance he saw the diminished dotted boat; and then a swift gleam
of bubbling white water; and after that nothing more; whence it was
concluded that the stricken whale must have indefinitely run away with
his pursuers, as often happens. There was some apprehension, but no
positive alarm, as yet. The recall signals were placed in the rigging;
darkness came on; and forced to pick up her three far to windward
boats--ere going in quest of the fourth one in the precisely opposite
direction--the ship had not only been necessitated to leave that boat to
its fate till near midnight, but, for the time, to increase her distance
from it. But the rest of her crew being at last safe aboard, she crowded
all sail--stunsail on stunsail--after the missing boat; kindling a fire
in her try-pots for a beacon; and every other man aloft on the look-out.
But though when she had thus sailed a sufficient distance to gain the
presumed place of the absent ones when last seen; though she then
paused to lower her spare boats to pull all around her; and not finding
anything, had again dashed on; again paused, and lowered her boats; and
though she had thus continued doing till daylight; yet not the least
glimpse of the missing keel had been seen.

The story told, the stranger Captain immediately went on to reveal his
object in boarding the Pequod. He desired that ship to unite with his
own in the search; by sailing over the sea some four or five miles
apart, on parallel lines, and so sweeping a double horizon, as it were.

"I will wager something now," whispered Stubb to Flask, "that some one
in that missing boat wore off that Captain's best coat; mayhap, his
watch--he's so cursed anxious to get it back. Who ever heard of two
pious whale-ships cruising after one missing whale-boat in the height of
the whaling season? See, Flask, only see how pale he looks--pale in the
very buttons of his eyes--look--it wasn't the coat--it must have been
th