"Never knowed it was there," Mauger swore. "Honest t'the Lord,
ma'am...."
Tichel slapped his face stunningly.... Faith said: "No more of that, Mr.
Tichel. Dan'l, what do you think?"
Dan'l lifted his hand, with a glance at Brander. "Why--nothing!
Somebody's been doing it; him as well as another."
"Willis," Faith asked. "What's your notion?"
"I guess Mauger done it."
"Brander?"
Brander lifted his head and met her eyes. "Other men have found whiskey
in their bunks without knowing how it got there," he said. "I believe
Mauger."
Old Tichel snarled: "I'm saying I saw him take it aft." He dropped
Mauger and took a fierce step toward Brander. "Ye think I'd lie?"
"I think you're mistaken," Brander said evenly. Tichel leaped at him;
Brander gripped the other's arms at the elbow, held him. Faith, said
sharply:
"Enough of that. We'll end this thing, to-night. Mr. Tobey, get
lanterns, lights, search the ship till you find the rest of this stuff."
She took the whiskey bottle, opened it, and poured its contents over
the rail. "Search it out," she said. "Be about it."
Save Dan'l Tobey, the officers stood stock still, as though not
understanding. Dan'l acted as quickly as though he had expected the
order. He sent Silva, the harpooner, to get the fo'm'st hands together
forward and keep them there under his eye. He sent Tichel and Yella' Boy
into the main hold; Willis and Long Jim into the after 'tween decks.
Brander and Eph Hitch were to search the cabin and the captain's
storeroom; and Faith went down with them to give them the keys.... Loum,
Kellick, and Tinch, the cook, were put to rummaging about the after deck
and amidships....
There was no need of lights upon the deck itself; the moon bathed the
_Sally_ in its rays, and one might have read by them without undue
effort. Below, the whale-oil lanterns went to and fro.... Brander and
Hitch made short work of their task; and they came on deck with Faith.
Dan'l sent Brander to rummage through the steerage where the harpooners
slept; and at Faith's suggestion, Hitch and Loum went aloft to the
mastheads to make sure there was no secret cache there.... They were an
hour or more at their search of the _Sally_; and at the end of that time
they were no wiser than they were before. Faith had gone below before
the end; she came on deck as Tichel and Yella' Boy reported nothing
found below. She asked Dan'l:
"Have you found anything?"
"No."
"Where have you looked?"
Dan'l said: "Everywhere aboard her, Faith. The stuff's well hidden,
sure...."
Faith said quietly: "If it's not on the _Sally_, it's near her. Search
the boats, Mr. Tobey."