"They know too much by half; and you can't keep them from talking." "Can't I ?" returned Nares.

"I bet a boarding-master can! They can be all half-seas-over, when they get ashore, blind drunk by dark, and cruising out of the Golden Gate in different deep-sea ships by the next morning.
Can't keep them from talking, can't I?
Well, I can make 'em talk separate, leastways.

If a whole crew came talking, parties would listen; but if it's only one lone old shell-back, it's the usual yarn.

And at least, they needn't talk before six months, or--if we have luck, and there's a whaler handy--three years.

And by that time, Mr.Dodd, it's ancient history." "That's what they call Shanghaiing, isn't it ?" I asked.