SUE--[_A light coming over her face._] Oh, Danny, we could trust you!
He’d trust you! And after he’d calmed down I know he wouldn’t mind so
much. Oh, Danny, it’ll break my heart to have you go, to send you away
just after you’ve come back. But I don’t see any other way. I wouldn’t
ask--if it wasn’t for Ma being, this way--and him--Oh, Danny, can’t you
see your way to do it--for my sake?
DREW--[_Bewilderedly._] Why, Sue, I--I never thought--[_Then as he sees
the look of disappointment which comes over her face at his
hesitancy--resolutely._] Why sure, Sue, I’ll do it--if you want me to.
I’ll do it if it can be done. But we’ve got to hustle. You stand in the
door, Sue. You’ve got to keep him in the house some way if he aims to
come out. And I’ll talk to them. [SUE _goes to the doorway_. DREW _goes
over to_ HORNE _and_ CATES.]
SUE--[_After listening._] He’s still in with Ma. It’s all right.
DREW--[_To_ HORNE, _with forced joviality_.] How would you like me for
skipper on this one voyage?
HORNE--[_Craftily._] Ye got your skipper’s papers all reg’lar?
DREW--Yes, that part of it’s all right and square. Listen here. Miss
Sue’s decided her father isn’t in a fit state to Captain this trip. It’d
mean danger for him and the schooner--and for you.
HORNE--That’s no lie.
CATES--[_To_ HORNE _protestingly_.] But if we git ketched the Old Man’ll
take it out o’ our hides, not his’n.
HORNE--[_Savagely._] Shut up, ye fool! [_To_ DREW, _craftily_.] Cates is
right, jest the same. Ye are as good as his married son and she’s his
daughter. He’d not blame you if things went wrong. He’d take it out on
us.
DREW--[_Impatiently._] I’ll shoulder all that risk, man!
SUE--[_Earnestly._] No harm will come to any of you, I promise you. This
is all my plan, and I’ll tell my father I’m alone to blame.
HORNE--[_In the tone of one clinching a bargain._] Then we’ll chance it.
[_Warningly._] But it’s got to be done smart, sir. Ye’d best look
lively.
DREW--I’ve got to get my dunnage. I’ll be right back and we’ll tumble
aboard. [_He goes to the door._] Hold him, Sue, on some excuse if he’s
coming. Only a second now and it’ll all be safe. [_He goes into the
house. She follows him in._]
CATES--[_With stupid anger._] This is a hell o’ a mess we’re gettin’ in,
if ye axe me.
HORNE--And I tell ye it’s a great stroke o’ luck. It couldn’t o’ come
out better.
CATES--He’ll be aboard to spy on us.
HORNE--Let him! What does he know? He thinks we’re goin’ tradin’, and
there’s no one to tell him diff’rent but me.