{"id":"01KG8AP76HKRBNM7460GVSZY3M","cid":"bafkreiar57kvumkf2tjqrowseciacytltgufgfwrrkk6igav6v2r2nz2wi","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":4437,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:49:30.765Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 63","source_file":"01KG89J198KE6FY8WPVJQQRCZ6","start_line":4347,"text":"Captain Peleg at all backward. As for Bildad, he carried about with him\r\na long list of the articles needed, and at every fresh arrival, down\r\nwent his mark opposite that article upon the paper. Every once in a\r\nwhile Peleg came hobbling out of his whalebone den, roaring at the men\r\ndown the hatchways, roaring up to the riggers at the mast-head, and\r\nthen concluded by roaring back into his wigwam.\r\n\r\nDuring these days of preparation, Queequeg and I often visited the\r\ncraft, and as often I asked about Captain Ahab, and how he was, and\r\nwhen he was going to come on board his ship. To these questions they\r\nwould answer, that he was getting better and better, and was expected\r\naboard every day; meantime, the two captains, Peleg and Bildad, could\r\nattend to everything necessary to fit the vessel for the voyage. If I\r\nhad been downright honest with myself, I would have seen very plainly\r\nin my heart that I did but half fancy being committed this way to so\r\nlong a voyage, without once laying my eyes on the man who was to be the\r\nabsolute dictator of it, so soon as the ship sailed out upon the open\r\nsea. But when a man suspects any wrong, it sometimes happens that if he\r\nbe already involved in the matter, he insensibly strives to cover up\r\nhis suspicions even from himself. And much this way it was with me. I\r\nsaid nothing, and tried to think nothing.\r\n\r\nAt last it was given out that some time next day the ship would\r\ncertainly sail. So next morning, Queequeg and I took a very early\r\nstart.\r\n\r\n\r\nCHAPTER 21. Going Aboard.\r\n\r\nIt was nearly six o’clock, but only grey imperfect misty dawn, when we\r\ndrew nigh the wharf.\r\n\r\n“There are some sailors running ahead there, if I see right,” said I to\r\nQueequeg, “it can’t be shadows; she’s off by sunrise, I guess; come\r\non!”\r\n\r\n“Avast!” cried a voice, whose owner at the same time coming close\r\nbehind us, laid a hand upon both our shoulders, and then insinuating\r\nhimself between us, stood stooping forward a little, in the uncertain\r\ntwilight, strangely peering from Queequeg to me. It was Elijah.\r\n\r\n“Going aboard?”\r\n\r\n“Hands off, will you,” said I.\r\n\r\n“Lookee here,” said Queequeg, shaking himself, “go ’way!”\r\n\r\n“Ain’t going aboard, then?”\r\n\r\n“Yes, we are,” said I, “but what business is that of yours? Do you\r\nknow, Mr. Elijah, that I consider you a little impertinent?”\r\n\r\n“No, no, no; I wasn’t aware of that,” said Elijah, slowly and\r\nwonderingly looking from me to Queequeg, with the most unaccountable\r\nglances.\r\n\r\n“Elijah,” said I, “you will oblige my friend and me by withdrawing. We\r\nare going to the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and would prefer not to be\r\ndetained.”\r\n\r\n“Ye be, be ye? Coming back afore breakfast?”\r\n\r\n“He’s cracked, Queequeg,” said I, “come on.”\r\n\r\n“Holloa!” cried stationary Elijah, hailing us when we had removed a few\r\npaces.\r\n\r\n“Never mind him,” said I, “Queequeg, come on.”\r\n\r\nBut he stole up to us again, and suddenly clapping his hand on my\r\nshoulder, said—“Did ye see anything looking like men going towards that\r\nship a while ago?”\r\n\r\nStruck by this plain matter-of-fact question, I answered, saying, “Yes,\r\nI thought I did see four or five men; but it was too dim to be sure.”\r\n\r\n“Very dim, very dim,” said Elijah. “Morning to ye.”\r\n\r\nOnce more we quitted him; but once more he came softly after us; and\r\ntouching my shoulder again, said, “See if you can find ’em now, will\r\nye?\r\n\r\n“Find who?”\r\n\r\n“Morning to ye! morning to ye!” he rejoined, again moving off. “Oh! I\r\nwas going to warn ye against—but never mind, never mind—it’s all one,\r\nall in the family too;—sharp frost this morning, ain’t it? Good-bye to\r\nye. Shan’t see ye again very soon, I guess; unless it’s before the\r\nGrand Jury.” And with these cracked words he finally departed, leaving\r\nme, for the moment, in no small wonderment at his frantic impudence.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 63"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AK7FP6P1V67V3ATJHHZ83","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J198KE6FY8WPVJQQRCZ6","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AP76FJ9SK78BG4XSVJPQM","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AP7TST1X234D6GBTGNH6F","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:49:35.441Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:49:42.164Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}