The reproach in her voice made him shrink; it fired him. He caught her, cried: "By God...." He would have swept her into his arms....
Brander said, from the top of the companion: "Mr. Tobey, shall I set a man at the wheel?... There's wind coming...."
Dan'l cursed. "Hell!" He flung loose from Faith, he whirled on Brander.... The two men faced each other tensely, Dan'l crouching with bared teeth, Brander erect.... The starlight showed a little smile on his face. Abruptly, Dan'l straightened....
"Set a man at the wheel—and be damned, Brander!" he said.
And he brushed past the fourth mate without a glance, and went below. Brander called through the darkness to a knot of men on the deck, forward. One came aft....
Faith still stood by the rail; Brander paid her no heed. The man took the wheel.... Brander leaned against the forward end of the deckhouse. After a little, Faith stirred, came to the companion to go below. At its top, she paused.
"Good night, Mr. Brander," she said.
"Good night," he called pleasantly.
She went below. Dan'l, writhing in his bunk below old Tichel, who snored above him, heard her cross the cabin and go into Noll's. And the nails on his fingers bit his palms.