“Cap’n Symes he casts an eye aloft. ‘Mr. Symes,’ says he, ‘it’s a bloawin’ right smart peart, and I don’t see fitten for to lower.’
“I went for’ard. The lookaout he hailed again. ‘On deck, sir,’ says he, ‘thar she blaows, an’ spouts, an’ breaches.’
“I went aft. ‘Cap’n Symes,’ says I, ‘thar she bloaws, an’ spouts, an’ breaches. Shall I lower?’
“Cap’n Symes he took a look at the clouds that was a-scuddin’ acrosst. ‘Mr. Symes,’ says he, ‘it’s a-bloawin’ right smart peart, an’ I don’t see fitten for to lower.’
“I went for’ard. The lookaout he hailed again. ‘On deck, sir,’ says he, ‘thar she blaows, an’ spouts, an’ breaches, an’ it’s a right smart sperm, too.’
“I went aft. ‘Cap’n Symes,’ says I, ‘thar she bloaws, an’ spouts, an’ breaches, an’ its a right smart sperm-whale, too. Shall I lower?’
“Cap’n Symes, he gin a last look at the weather. ‘Mr. Symes,’ says he, ‘it’s a-bloawin’ right smart peart, and I don’t see fitten for to lower, still—if you’re so gol-darned sot on lowerin’, you can lower and be hanged to you.’
“I went for’ard and sings aout for volunteers, an’ the boys jest tumbled over each other into the boat. We got the whale, and as I was a-swarmin’ over the side, thar stood Cap’n Symes with tears in his eyes.
“‘Mr. Symes,’ says he, ‘forty years,’ says he, ‘I’ve sailed the seas,’ says he, ‘man an’ boy, man an’ boy, an’ in all that time I never see no mate to compare with you,’ says he. ‘Mr. Symes,’ says he, ‘you’re the Jim Dandyest mate as ever I sailed shipmates with,’ says he. ‘Mr. Symes,’ says he, ‘daown in my cabin in the starboard locker aft,’ says he, ‘you’ll find some prime Havana seegars, and the best o’ Lawrence’s aould Medford New England rum,’ says he. ‘That best o’ Lawrence’s aould Medford New England rum,’ says he, ‘an’ them prime Havana seegars,’ says he, ‘is yourn for the rest of the v’y’ge.’
“‘Cap’n Symes,’ says I, ‘you can take them prime Havana seegars an’ that best o’ Lawrence’s aould Medford New England rum,’ says I, ‘an’ stick ’em overboard as fur as I’m consarned. All I asks is common sea-vility; an’ that o’ the gol-darndest commonest kind!’”