Queequeg is keeping a religious fast with his god Yojo all day. Ishmael respects this and waits until evening. He thinks Christians and pagans are all a little crazy about religion in their own ways.
When Ishmael knocks on their room door, no one answers. The door is locked from inside. Queequeg's harpoon leans in the hall, so Ishmael thinks his friend is inside but maybe sick or dying.
He runs downstairs for help. The chamber-maid and Mrs. Hussey panic. Mrs. Hussey remembers young Stiggs, the whaler who died with a harpoon in his side. When she cannot find Queequeg's harpoon, she cries suicide again and refuses to let Ishmael break her door.
Ishmael runs at the door and smashes it open. Inside Queequeg sits calmly on the floor with Yojo balanced on his head. He has not moved or spoken for many hours. Ishmael tells Mrs. Hussey to go away and watches over him.
Queequeg will not eat or talk even after Ishmael goes to supper downstairs. Ishmael sleeps beside him in the cold room and throws his heavy coat over him.
At sunrise Queequeg stirs, touches foreheads with Ishmael, and says his fast is over. Ishmael then lectures him about religion and health. He says long fasts are bad and hell is like a stomach ache from a bad meal. Queequeg tells a story about eating fifty enemies after a battle. Ishmael stops him, horrified.
Queequeg barely listens to the sermon and seems to pity Ishmael for missing the real faith. They eat a huge breakfast of chowder so Mrs. Hussey cannot cheat them on the fast, then walk to the Pequod picking their teeth with fish bones.
