Next day I went alone to the shipping office to sign the articles, and there I met a great crowd of sailors, who as soon as they found what I was after, began to tip the wink all round, and I overheard a fellow in a great flapping sou\'wester cap say to another old tar in a shaggy monkey-jacket, "Twig his coat, d\'ye see the buttons, that chap ain\'t going to sea in a merchantman, he\'s going to shoot whales. I say, maty—look here—how d\'ye sell them big buttons by the pound?"