“My captain, you must have ere this perceived, respected sir” — said the imperturbable godly-looking Bunger, slightly bowing to Ahab — “is apt to be facetious at times; he spins us many clever things of that sort.

But I may as well say — en passant, as the French remark — that I myself — that is to say, Jack Bunger, late of the reverend clergy — am a strict total abstinence man; I never drink — ”

“Water!” cried the captain; “he never drinks it; it’s a sort of fits to him; fresh water throws him into the hydrophobia; but go on — go on with the arm story.”

“Yes, I may as well,” said the surgeon, coolly.

“I was about observing, sir, before Captain Boomer’s