"I want you to see a thing...." There was a hint of evil in Dan'l's tone. Faith was there, heard, wondered.... Noll looked at the mate; bestirred himself.... They went on deck together; and Dan'l pointed forward. Brander was there, by the tryworks. Facing him, grouped about him, were four of the crew. Mauger was among them. Brander was talking; and the men were laughing at what he said. One of the men looked aft and saw Dan'l and Noll Wing watching them; and the man's face sobered instantly and he backed away from the group. Brander turned around and saw the captain. Noll called to him: "Come aft, Mr. Brander." Brander came, without haste, yet quickly. Noll and Dan'l waited for him in silence; they kept silent when he faced them. He met Noll Wing's sullen and angry eyes. His own were unashamed and unafraid. "What is it, sir?" he asked at last. Noll lowered his big head like a bull. "What was your talk with the men, there?" he demanded. Brander smiled. "The man Hatch tripped on a coil of line and fell. That minded me of a thing that happened on the _Thomas Morgan_, and I told them of it. A fat greeny caught his foot in the rigging and dove thirty feet overside into the sea.... It was a comical thing, sir. And they laughed at it." "I do not want my mates consorting with the crew," said Noll sulkily; and there was more complaint than accusation in his voice. Brander said: "It does no harm to be friendly with the men. Liking is as good a handle as fear, to hold them with." Old Noll tried to beat down Brander's eyes with his own; but his own were the first to shift. He shrank, the vigor of his anger passed, he was an old man again. "Damn it, if you'd rather be forward, go there and stay," he fretted. "Do you want to go back to the fo'c's'le, man?" Brander said respectfully: "No, sir. I'll do as you say." "For God's sake, do," Noll whined. He turned back to the cabin, brushed Dan'l. "And you, Mr. Tobey. Don't bother me with such matters." Dan'l looked at Brander, eyes glinting. "I thought it important, sir," he said. Noll grunted and went below. Dan'l, with a triumphant grin at Brander, followed him. Faith was in the main cabin; she looked at the two seriously. "What was it, Noll?" she asked. Noll shook his head fretfully; he stumped past her toward his own cabin. "The man Brander, currying favor forward," he said. "I put a bee in his bonnet." Dan'l said: "He meant no harm, sir. I'm sure of it...." Noll whirled on him. "Then why did you run to me?" "So that you might set him right, and put an end to't," said Dan'l. "He's a bit too friendly with the men.... It was time he was told...." "Oh, aye," said Noll wearily. "Come, Faith...." The door of the after cabin shut behind them; and Dan'l, left alone, smiled at his own thoughts and was content. XIV