Chapter 130 125．two madmen

Although the final doom of the Pequod is not far off, we have not yet described all the important implements of the whaling ship. The odometer and rope are the most important things left, although we haven't referenced them before. As the name suggests, we can also see what these two things are used for, speed measurement and range measurement. However, for many experienced whalers, they do not need to use this instrument to measure their voyages at all, and they have their own various simple and easy methods of measuring voyages. They believed in themselves more subjectively than the prism-shaped odd-looking odometer.

The odometer was then laid aside, as is the case with the Pequod now. They hung it under the railing of the rear bulwark, and let the wind and the sun, the waves and the rain, let it eat away. By chance, Captain Ahab saw this thing, and he could not help but think of the quadrant he broke and the compass needle that was destroyed by lightning, so he became interested in this range measuring instrument. Captain Ahab called for two sailors to take a measurement with the odometer. Two sailors approached, a blond Tahitian and a white-haired Long Islander. Ahab led them to the stern of the boat, and stood on the leeward side, almost mingling with the waves.

"Which one of you get the reel, I'm going to start throwing." said Captain Ahab. The Long Islander held the wire frame high and waited for Captain Ahab. Captain Ahab stepped forward, drew the line thirty or forty turns from the spool he held up, and wound it in his hand for the next step to throw overboard. The Long Islander had been watching Captain Ahab intently, when he spoke: "Mr. Captain, look at this thing. It's been exposed to the wind and the sun for a long time. I don't believe it can do anything." "Why doesn't it work? Old man, I think you have also been exposed to the wind and sun for a long time, but you haven't been damaged. Aren't you still working now?"

Captain Ahab disliked being spoiled for fun. "But how can that coil compare with me? Mr. Captain, I am a living person. Maybe I shouldn't argue with Mr. Captain. You are my boss, and the boss never borrows it." The old man in Changdao was somewhat dissatisfied, but he dared not speak out. "Haha, you are knowledgeable and flattering, where are you from?" "Long Island, sir, is full of rocks." "No wonder, you are so good at raising arguments, which is similar to the stones in your place." The white-haired sailor fell silent. "Decided to lift the wireframe up, higher, that's it."

Captain Ahab dropped the odometer overboard, and the bobbin began to spin in an instant. The odometer was bouncing with the waves in the sea, and the drag force made the old man holding the wire frame dangle, which was very difficult. "Take it." cried Captain Ahab. Before he could finish speaking, the rope caught on a carved ornament on the stern of the boat, and then broke. The odometer broke free and went with the waves. "Retribution, retribution, first the compass needle, then the rangefinder, all because I smashed the quadrant." "But it doesn't bother me. I want to use a odometer. Listen, quickly ask the carpenter to make another odometer, then connect it to the wire, and test again. If you hear it, you must act quickly."

The carpenter quickly had the new odometer ready. So the two sailors started a new odometry work. "Although he himself seems to be fine, but I don't think this guy is right. He must be under some kind of magic, or..." "Okay, hurry up and work, why think so much?" The two sailors were talking while throwing the rope. Pip was talking dumbly to people on the deck. No one spoke to him seriously. "Hey, Pip, come and help." The old man of Long Island called him. Pip, who was on deck, was called, and he came over. "Who do you call Pip? Me? You're mistaken. I'm not. Pip's not on this boat anymore. He's jumped out of Stubb's boat. No one knows what he's doing now." where is it?"

said Pip solemnly. "Help pull the rope up quickly." A sailor said Pip. "Do you want to pick him up? It's going to take a lot of effort. Besides, we don't pull cowards, just get rid of him." said Pip, with a sense of seeing through everything. The rangefinder was floating on the sea surface, and Pip saw it, and yelled: "His arm's out, cut him off with the axe, and don't let that coward come up. Captain Ahab, Pip's back again." "Go away, you madman, and go back to your foredeck." The Long Island sailor cursed at Pip. "Little fools always get scolded by big fools, it always seems to be the case."

Captain Ahab came over hearing the shouting, and he was very displeased at the old man of Long Island scolding Pip. "Don't reprimand him, he's a saint." Captain Ahab checks the sailor's disrespect to Beep. "Hey, where did you say Pip was?" Captain Ahab asked Pip. "Just beyond the sea, sir." "But who are you?" "I'm the ship's drummer, sir, but I know Pip. He's only five feet high and weighs a hundred pounds, and he's a natural coward, and I see that right away." Beep said with pride. "Poor child, it's not your fault, it's all God's debt, God, why are you so numb? You made this child and abandoned him, let me make it up for you .”

Captain Ahab looked at Pip and sighed. "Well, poor Pip, as long as I'm here, my cabin will be your home. Well, come with me, and go to my cabin." Captain Ahab held out his hand to Rabbi. "This is your hand, Captain." Pip took Captain Ahab's hand and stroked it. "How strong it is, if poor Pip had touched it sooner, he wouldn't have jumped out and lost it, and he'd have a hand to hold on to, and he wouldn't have been timid. " "Sir, will you have the old blacksmith nail these two hands together? A white hand and a black hand."

Pip asked naively and somewhat devilishly. "Don't be afraid anymore, Pip, with my hand holding you from now on, there is nothing to be afraid of." Captain Ahab led Pip back to his cabin. "These two lunatics are going away together at last." whispered the old man from Long Island. "A bold madman and a cowardly madman."