Blacksmith Grimes, who liked to display his strength, was alone at the pump. The rest of the crew sat around in the launches, with their eyes fixed upon the signal line. Captain Troll held it in his hand as if he were waiting for a fish to bite. He knew where we had been, but since he didn’t ask what had happened to us we did not bother to tell him. About an hour later, he jumped to his feet and shouted, acting exactly like a man who has been fishing all day without luck and then suddenly hooks into a monster. Caleb had signaled for the chain and grapple. The crew cheered as the grapple descended. In silence they waited for the signal to haul in. When it came they began to count their share of the ambergris and make plans for the future. Grimes said he would leave the sea, and good riddance, get a soft rocking chair, and sit on the porch and watch the ships leave Nantucket harbor. Blanton had a farm in mind where he could raise ducks. Greene did not like ducks, but he did like Toggenburg goats.
