shell back

In Gods name, how dare you talk of bringing that empty shell back into the living world?

It's the same old shell-back, sir, only he's turned oysterman, bein' too stiff in the joints for much deep-sea work.

She sniffed as she moved slowly along towards the school, with the second lunch carried carefully on her broad shell-back.

Mr. Vandyne is a ship-owner, an' has plenty of work for an old shell-back like me.

"For an old shell-back like me the only place is the fo'castle," he said in reply to all their arguments.