Mark laughed. "Don't you suppose I know. I've seen that look in woman's
eyes before. In the eyes of the little brown girl, the night I dropped
the fat man overside...."
He sat there, chuckling, when Joel got abruptly to his feet and went on
deck; and when he came up the companion a little later, he was still
chuckling under his breath.
After that first morning, Priss was able to cloak her eyes and hide her
thoughts; and on the surface, life aboard the _Nathan Ross_ seemed to go
on as before. Mark threw himself into the routine of the work, mixing
with the men, going off in the boats when there was a whale to be struck,
doing three men's share of toil. Joel one day remonstrated with him. "It
is not wise," he said. "You were captain here; you are my brother. It is
not wise for you to mix, as an equal, with the men."
Mark only laughed at him. "Your dignity is very precious to you, Joel,"
he mocked. "But as for me--I am not proud. You'd not have me sit aft and
twiddle my thumbs and hold yarn for little Priss.... And I must be doing
something...."
He and Jim Finch were much together. Finch always gave Joel careful
obedience, always handled the ship when he was in charge with smooth
efficiency. His boat was the best manned and the most successful of the
four. But he and Joel were not comradely. Joel instinctively disliked the
big man; and Finch's servility disgusted him. The mate was full of smooth
and flattering words, but his eyes were shallow.
Mark talked with him long, one morning; and then he left Finch and came
to Joel, by the after house, chuckling as though at some enormous jest.
"Will ye look at Finch, there?" he begged.
Joel had been watching the two. He saw Finch now, standing just forward
of the boat house with flushed cheeks and eyes fixed and hands twitching.
The big man was powerfully moved by something.... "What is it that's got
him?" Joel asked.
"I've told him about the pearls," Mark chuckled. "He's wild to be after
them...."
Joel turned on his brother hotly. "You're mad, Mark," he snapped. "That
is no word to be loose in the ship."
"I've but told Finch," Mark protested. "It's mirthful to watch the man
wiggle."
"He'll tell the ship. His tongue wags unceasingly."
Mark lifted his shoulders. "Tell him to be silent. You should keep order
on your ship, Joel."
Joel beckoned, and Finch came toward them. As he came, he fought for self
control; and when he stood before them, his lips were twisting into
something like a smile, and his eyes were shifty and gleaming. Joel said
quietly:
"Mr. Finch, my brother says he has told you his story."
"Yes, sir," said Finch. "An extraordinary adventure, Captain Shore."
"I think it best the men should know nothing about it," Joel told him.
"You will please keep it to yourself."
Finch grinned. "Of course, sir. There's no need they should have any
share in them."
Joel flushed angrily. "We are not going after them. I consider it
dangerous, and unwise."
Over Finch's fat cheeks swept a twitching grimace of dismay. "But I
thought...." He looked at Mark, and Mark was chuckling. "It's so easy,
sir," he protested. "Just go, and get them.... Rich...."