[He scoots back from where he'd been cooking, making some space in front of him, and gestures to that vacant area.]

Come on. I can help with that. Just don't tell Ahab, he'll give me a hard time for not getting one myself.

[And by "hard time" he means that he'll get a look of vague disappointment and frustration rather than what most people would construe as a scolding.]

Fair is fair, considering you helped me out.