Dan'l frowned sorrowfully: "It was just their talk about Mr. Brander and
Faith, sir. Lies, as I told you. They shut up when I spoke to them."
"What talk of Brander and my wife?" Noll asked slowly.
Dan'l shook his head. "You can guess it for yourself, sir. The men have
nothing better to do than chatter and gossip like old women. They've had
no work for three days. We need another whale to shut their mouths."
"What talk?" Noll repeated.
Dan'l smiled. "I think too well of Faith and of Brander to say it for
you," he insisted.
Noll fell silent, his brows lowering for a space; then he waved his
great hand harshly. "Bosh," he said. "Foolishness."
Dan'l nodded. "Of course. Nevertheless, I...." He fell silent; and Noll
looked at him acutely.
"You--what?" he asked.
"I don't blame Mr. Brander, you understand," said Dan'l. "But--it's in
my mind that--being with the crew as much as he is--he should put a stop
to it."
Noll's eyes ranged the deck. Brander was amidships now; and Mauger was
still with him. Mauger was scraping at the rail, cleaning away some
traces of soot from the last trying out, under Brander's eye. They were
talking together; and Noll frowned and looked at Dan'l and asked:
"You think Mr. Brander is too much with the crew?"
Dan'l shook his head. "No, not too much. It's as well for an officer to
be on good terms with the men. Leastwise, some think so. I was never one
to do it. But--no, not too much. Nevertheless, he's much with them."
Noll thought for a while, his brows lowering; and he said harshly, at
the end: "That matter of Faith is trash. Their clacking tongues should
be dragged out...."
Dan'l nodded. "Aye; but that would not stop them. You know the men,
sir." And he added: "Still it seems Brander should be able to hush
them." And after a moment more: "You mark, he's all but deserted us in
the cabin. He sticks much with the men of late."
Noll's face contracted. He touched Dan'l's arm. "I've seen that he is
much with Mauger," he agreed. "And Mauger...." His muscles twitched; and
he said under his breath: "Mauger's whetting his knife for me, Dan'l.
I'm watchful of that man."
"He has a slinking eye," said Dan'l. "But I make no doubt he's harmless
enough, sir. I'd not fear him...."
Noll said stoutly: "I'm not a hand to fear any man, Dan'l.
Nevertheless, that twitching eye of his frets me...." He shuddered and
gripped Dan'l's arm the tighter. "I should not have kicked the man,
Dan'l. I've been a hard man; too hard.... An evil man, in my day. I
doubt the Lord has raised up Mauger to destroy me."
Dan'l laughed. "Pshaw, sir.... Even the Lord would have small use for a
thing like Mauger." He waited for a moment thoughtfully. "Any case," he
said. "If you were minded, you could drop him ashore at Port Russell and
be rid of him."
Noll moved abruptly. "Eh," he said. "I had not thought of that." He
seemed to shrink from the thought.... "But it may be he is meant to be
about me.... I'd not go against the Lord, Dan'l...."
Dan'l looked sidewise at the captain; and there was something like
contempt in his eyes. He said slowly: "If it was me, I'd set the man
quietly ashore...."
He turned away, left Noll to think of the matter....
* * * * *
Dan'l wondered, all that day, whether Noll would act; but toward
nightfall they raised a spout, and killed as dark came upon them. That
held them, for cutting in and trying out, three days where they lay; and
they killed once more before they made the Bay of Islands. They were
touching at Port Russell for water and fresh vegetables; they put in
there....
When the anchor went down, Noll sent for Brander to come down to him in
the cabin. They had anchored at nightfall, and would not go ashore till
morning. Noll sent for Brander; and when Brander came, Noll looked at
him furtively....
Brander saw the captain had been drinking; Noll's hands shook, and his
fingers and his tongue were unsteady. The muscles of his face twitched;
and there was a Bible open in his lap and a bottle beside him. Brander
held his eyes steady, masked what he felt. Noll beckoned with a crooked
finger.
"Come 'ere," he said huskily.
Brander faced him. They were in the after cabin; and Noll sat still.
"We're staying here a day," he said.