"He's gone," said Faith. "An end to that. But the _Sally_ was his
charge; she's my charge now. I mean to see her safe."
"Your charge?" Dan'l echoed. "It's in my mind that when the captain
dies, the mate succeeds."
"You take his place, if I choose," Faith told him.
He met her eyes, tried to look her down. Mauger had slipped away; old
Tichel, and Willis Cox, and Brander were standing by. "You take his
place, if I choose," Faith repeated. And Dan'l looked from her to the
faces of the officers....
There was a weakness in Dan'l's villainy; he could destroy, he could
undermine trust, seduce a boy, kill honor.... But he lacked constructive
ability. He had known for months that this moment must come, this moment
when Noll was gone, and the ship and all the treasures aboard her should
lie ready to his hand. Yet he had made no plan for this crisis; he did
not know what he meant to do. Even now, by open battle he might have
won, carried the day. Old Tichel was certainly for him; perhaps Willis,
too. And Roy.... And many of the men.... A blow, a fight, and the day
might have been his....
But Dan'l was never a hand for strife where guile might do as well; he
was not by nature a man of battle. Also ... Faith was within his reach,
now; Noll was gone; there was no barrier between them; he need not anger
her, so long as there was a chance to win by gentler ways.... Gentler
ways, guileful.... He nodded in abrupt assent.
"All right," he said. "You were Noll's wife; your interest is a fair
one.... I'll work with you, Faith...."
Faith was content with that for the moment. "We'll get the _Sally_
away," she said.