Experienced spielers know that, if they keep rhubarbing away in an unrelenting monotone, their audience will soon become hypnotised by the sound of the words and lose grasp of their meaning.

So, deprived of one leg, and the strange ship of course being altogether unsupplied with the kindly invention, Ahab now found himself abjectly reduced to a clumsy landsman again; hopelessly eyeing the uncertain changeful height he could hardly hope to attain.

During the course of their restless, feverish careers they solicit insurance, collect for instalment houses, work advertising schemes, and finally land square on the hummer.

The man was in an unselfish mood that day, so decided to give a £20 note to the next charity he came across.