"Whiskey, Mr. Tobey. He took it forward and hid it in his bunk...."
Faith said: "Tell the whole of it, Mr. Tichel. What happened?" She looked from Tichel to Brander. Brander was standing stiffly; she thought his face was white. Mauger hung in Tichel's grip.
Old Tichel had given a promise to Roy; Roy had begged him not to tell that the boy had spied. Tichel said now:
"I saw him go forra'd, with something under his coat. Never thought for a minute; then it come to me what it might be. I took after him. Rest of the men were on deck, sleeping.... It's hot, below, you'll mind. I dropped down quietly. Mauger, here, was in his bunk. I routed him out, and rummaged, and there you are, ma'am." He shook the bottle triumphantly.
Faith asked the one-eyed man: "Where did you get it, Mauger?"
"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."