"I know why," Slatter swore. "Every man forrad knows the why of that...." "Well, then you'll not blame Noll," said Dan'l. "I'm thinking he'd fair kiss the man that had a hand in ending Brander, if it was not done too open. But there's none aboard would dare it...." "By God, let me get him forrad, right, and I'll...." "Quiet," said Dan'l. "Here's the man himself...." Here was his tool; Dan'l waited only the occasion. There was a way to make that. A whaler's crew are for the most part scum; harmless enough when they're held in hand.... Harmless enough so long as they're kept in fear. But alcohol drives fear out of a man. And there was whiskey and rum in the captain's storeroom, aft.... It was one of the duties of Roy, as ship's boy, to fetch up stores from this room at command; he was accustomed to fill Noll Wing's bottles now and then. Dan'l saw he might use Roy; and he did so without scruple. "I've need for liquor, Roy," he told the lad. "But I'd not ask Noll.... He's jealous of the stuff, as you know. So when next you're down, fill a jug.... Fetch it up to me." He said it so casually that Roy agreed without question. The boy was pleased to serve Dan'l.... Dan'l held him, he had captured Roy, heart and soul. Roy gave him the jug full of liquor next morning, Slatter had it by nightfall, and that without Dan'l's appearing in the matter. Slatter came aft to take the wheel, and Dan'l saw to it the jug was in his sight and at hand.... Slatter carried it forward with him.... He passed Dan'l in the waist; and Dan'l looked at the jug and laughed and said: "Man, that looks like liquor." Slatter grinned uneasily. "Oil for the fo'c's'le lamp," he said. Dan'l wagged his head. "See that that's so," he said. "If any ructions start in the fo'c's'le, I'll send Brander forward to quiet you. You'll not be wanting Brander to lay hand on you again." Slatter's eyes shifted hungrily; he went on his way with quick feet, and Dan'l watched him go, and his eyes set hard. That was at dusk. Toward ten that night, when Brander was in his hammock under the boathouse, one of the men howled, forward, and there was the sound of scuffling in the fo'c's'le. Dan'l was aft, waiting.... He called to Brander: "Go forward and put a stop to that yammering, Mr. Brander." Brander slid out of his hammock, assented quietly, and started forward along the deck. Dan'l watched his dark figure in the night until it was lost in the waist of the _Sally_.... He waited a moment.... Brander must be at the fo'c's'le scuttle by now.... Came cries, blows, a tumultuous outbreak. The _Sally_ rang with the storm of battle. Then, abruptly, quiet.... At that sudden-falling quiet, Dan'l turned pale in spite of himself; he licked his lips. The thing was done.... He ran forward, virtuously ready to take a hand. XXII