By this time Stubb was over the side, and getting into his boat, hailed the Guernsey-man to this effect⁠—that having a long towline in his boat, he would do what he could to help them, by pulling out the lighter whale of the two from the ship’s side. While the Frenchman’s boats, then, were engaged in towing the ship one way, Stubb benevolently towed away at his whale the other way, ostentatiously slacking out a most unusually long towline.