Now then, my young man, Ishmael's thy name, didn't ye say?
Well then, down ye go here, Ishmael, for the three hundredth lay." "Captain Peleg," said I, "I have a friend with me who wants to ship too--shall I bring him down to-morrow ?" "To be sure," said Peleg.

"Fetch him along, and we'll look at him." "What lay does he want ?" groaned Bildad, glancing up from the book in which he had again been burying himself.
"Oh! never thee mind about that, Bildad," said Peleg.

"Has he ever whaled it any ?" turning to me.
"Killed more whales than I can count, Captain Peleg." "Well, bring him along then." And, after signing the papers, off I went; nothing doubting but that I had done a good morning's work, and that the Pequod was the identical ship that Yojo had provided to carry Queequeg and me round the Cape.
But I had not proceeded far, when I began to bethink me that the Captain with whom I was to sail yet remained unseen by me; though, indeed, in many cases, a whale-ship will be completely fitted out, and receive all her crew on board, ere the captain makes himself visible by arriving to take command; for sometimes these voyages are so prolonged, and the shore intervals at home so exceedingly brief, that if the captain have a family, or any absorbing concernment of that sort, he does not trouble himself much about his ship in port, but leaves her to the owners till all is ready for sea.

However, it is always as well to have a look at him before irrevocably committing yourself into his hands.

Turning back I accosted Captain Peleg, inquiring where Captain Ahab was to be found.
"And what dost thou want of Captain Ahab?
It's all right enough; thou art shipped." "Yes, but I should like to see him." "But I don't think thou wilt be able to at present.