Chapter 26, "A Gallon of Strawberries" Summary

Willie sings the "Yellowstain Blues" at the officers' bar on Mogmog Island. He, Keefer, Harding, Paynter, and Jorgenson are there, quite drunk. Another ship has frozen strawberries. They return to the Caine with a gallon. Queeg eats ice cream and strawberries until 2300 hours. At 0300 he calls an officers' meeting in the wardroom. Queeg sits slouched at the head of the table, staring at nothing, with his whole body bobbing rhythmically as he rolls the steel balls. Queeg keeps rolling the balls, saying nothing, until the door opens, and Whittaker, the chief officers' steward, enters with a gallon tin can full of sand he sets on the table. Queeg asks how many helpings of ice cream each officer had. Queeg measures and re-measures and determines that there is a missing quart of strawberries. He...