“My boy, my own boy is among them. For God’s sake — I beg, I conjure” — here exclaimed the stranger Captain to Ahab, who thus far had but icily received his petition. “For eight-and-forty hours let me charter your ship — I will gladly pay for it, and roundly pay for it — if there be no other way — for eight-and-forty hours only — only that — you must, oh, you must, and you shall do this thing.”

“His son!” cried Stubb, “oh, it’s his son he’s lost!

I take back the coat and watch — what says Ahab? We must save that boy.”

“He’s drowned with the rest on ’em, last night,” said the old Manx sailor standing behind them; “I heard; all of ye heard their spirits.”