PS 
 
 3529 
 
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 C45 
 
 1914a 
 
 MAIN 
 
 UC-NRLF 
 
 INI I 
 
 C 3 D3fl I Ifl 
 
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 Children Of The Sea 1 
 A Play In One Act 
 
 by 
 Eugene G.O Seill. 
 
 Characters. 
 
 "Cooky" ) 
 
 Davis ) 
 
 "Sootty" ) 
 
 Driscoll ) 
 
 Oleson ) 
 
 "Yank" ) 
 
 Smitty ) 
 
 Ivan ) 
 
 A llorxegiar 
 
 The Captain of the bt earner. 
 
 The First Officer. 
 
 Seamen of a British 
 Steamer. 
 
 The action takes place in the forecastle of ABritish tramp steamer 
 on a foggy night ,rcid*ay in the voyage from New York to Cardiff. 
 
Scene :The seamen s forecastle on a British tramp steamer, an irregular- 
 shared corrpTtirent the sides of which almost meet at the far end to form a 
 triangle. sleeping bunks about six feet long, ranged two deep with a pp^ce of 
 two and a half or three feet separating the upper from the lower, ore >-n"!t 
 against the sid.ee. On the riht above the bunks three or four port holes can 
 be seen. In front of the bunks rough wooden benches. Over the bunks tn the 
 left a lighted lamp in a bracket. In tne left foreground a doorway. On the 
 llggr gfar it a pail with a tin flipper. Oilekins are hanging fron hooks near 
 the doorway. The far side of the forecastle is r.o narrow it contains only 
 one series of bunks. In tnder the lower bunks a glimpse can be nad of sea- 
 chests, suit cases, sea boots, etc. jammed in indiscriminately. The whole rere- 
 castle is not more than twenty feet Tide, narrowing tc about six, twenty-five 
 feet deep .and eight feet hija. 
 
 The aea outside must le unusually calm, for the oilskins hung against tiie 
 side sway but little, and the swash of tne waves around the >cw is so indis 
 tinct that the footsteps of the lookout pacing up and down on the forecastle- 
 nead above can be plainly heard. At regular irterv&ls of a minute or EO t v ie 
 blast of tne steamers yfciatle drowns all other sounds. 
 
 Five men are Hitting flfl lliu I UMhes talking. They are dressed in dirty 
 patcned saits of dungaree *?.$ flannel shirts, and all ere in their stocking 
 feet.Four of the men are pulling on pipes and the air in the forecastle is 
 hazy -vith rancid tobacco smoke. Sitting on +he top bunk in the left fore 
 ground a blond-heired ITorregian with vacant blue eyes is softly playing ocme 
 folk son^: on a battered accordion. Ee stops frora tiiue .ta.tlr.e to listen to 
 tne conversation. In the lo^er bunk at the far end a dark-haired, middle-aged 
 man ia laming apparently asleep. One uf hie arms is stretched 1 La-ply over 
 the side of his bunk. His face is very pale tind drops of clammy perspiration 
 glisten on his fcrenead. 
 
 It is nearing the end of the dog-watch., about quarter to ei^iit in the 
 evening. 
 
 Cooky -(A weazened .old runt of a man.ile is telling story. The others 
 are listening with amused, incredulous faces) "Maikin love to rie,ehe was I It s 
 Gawd s truth! A bloonir. 1 nigger! r reased all over with cccoanut oil, she was. 
 iewd blimey,! couldn t stan>1 T er. ^he stink cf f er would fair drive ycu loorey 
 "Bloody old cow 1 , 1 saye;and with that I fetched er a whack on the ear that 
 knocked er silly and --"(He is interrupted by a roar of laughter f^crc the 
 others) 
 
 Davis -( A middle-a^ed man with brown ,itir and mustache) "You re a liar. 
 Cocky." 
 
 Scotty -(4 dark young fellow) "$o->ol Ye jrere neverr in Eeur Guinea in 
 your life,I m tninkin 1 " 
 
 Oleson -(A Swede rith an enormous blond mustache - with ponderous sar- 
 cr.em)"Yu3t tink of it! You way p"n? vruss a cannibal, Cooky^" 
 
 Drisccll -(A red^heuded giant with the battered features of a prize 
 fighter) "How cud ye doubt it,01escn? A quane art av the naygurs she musta been, 
 surely. "ho else .vud think herself aqual to fall in 1 in love wid a besuthiful, 
 iivil-may-oare rake av a man like Cocky?" 
 
 851 
 
Cooky -(protests indignantly) "Gawd strike me dead if it ain t true, 
 every bloomin 1 word of it- Appened ten year ago oome Christmas. " 
 
 Sootty -"T Was a Christmas dinner she had her eyes on." 
 Davis -"tie d a tin a tough old bird." 
 
 Drisooll -"T is lucky for both, ye escaped; for the quane ay the Cannibal 
 Isles wnd a died av the belly-ache the day afther Christ mas, dlvil a doubt ay 
 ut."(The laughter at this witticism is long and loud.) 
 
 Cooky -f sullenly) "Blarsted fat eads! "(The sick man in the lower bunk 
 on the far side groans and moves restlessly. There is a hushed silence. All 
 turn and stare at him) 
 
 Drisooll -"Ss8hhhl"(in a hoarse whisper) "We d beet not be talkin so 
 loud and him tryin to have a bit av sleep." (He tiptoes softly to the side 
 of the bunk) "Yank! You d be wantin a dhrink of wather, maybe? "(Yank does 
 not reply. Driscoll bends over him) "It s asleep he is, sure enougfr.His brecth 
 is ohokin in his throat like wather gurglin in a pipe. "(He comes back 
 quietly and sits down. All are silent .avoiding each other eyes) 
 
 Cooky -"Pore devil! It s over the side for im.Cawd elp im." 
 
 Drisooll -"Stop your croakin ;he s not dead yet and, praise God. he ll fc 
 have rasny a long day yet before him." 
 
 Sootty -( shaking his head doubtfully) "He s bad.roon.he s verry bad." 
 
 Davis -"He s luoky he s alive. Many a man s light ud a gone out after 
 a fall like that." 
 
 Oleson -"You saw him fall?" 
 
 Davis -"Right next to him. He and me was go in down in lie .2 hold to do 
 sone chippin .He puts his leg over careless-like and misses the ladder and 
 plumps straight down to the bottom. I was afraid to look over for a minute 
 and then I heard him groan and scuttled down after him. He was hurt inside 
 for the blood was drippin 1 from the side of his mouth. He never let a word 
 out of him." 
 
 Cooky -"An 1 you blokes remember when we f auled f im in* ere - ell. e 
 says,0 ell - like that, and no thin else." 
 
 Oleaon -"Did the flap t% in kr.ow vhere he is hurt?" 
 
 Cooky -"?hat silly ol 1 josser. Wot the ell ronld e know?" 
 
 Sootty -"He fiddles in Ma mouth wi a bit of sl 
 
 Driscoll -(angrily) "The divll s own life *t ie.to be out on the lonely 
 sea and have notiiin betune you and a ^rave in *lie ooean tot e spindle-shanked 
 <jrey-*hiskerei auld fool the lilse a* Mm. T was enough to iLake a saint swear 
 to aee him vri1& hi 3 --oil watcu in >.is nand, tryin T to look as wise as an owl 
 on a tree, and all the time he not Iriiowin Thet^er t waa chclery or the barbers 
 itch was tae matther wit Yank." 
 
ocotty -(sardonically) "He gave h.izr a dose of salts, na dookt?" 
 
 Drisooll -"Divil a thing he gave iiiB ?t all| cut looket in the book lie 
 iiad wid him, and shook his head, and Talked out widout aayin 1 a rvord.the eeoond 
 mate afther him no wiser than he, God s curse on the two av thim." 
 
 Ccoky -fafter a pause) "Blimey .it s a queer world. There s Yank talkin 1 
 anA langhin 1 an 1 tellin 1 stories this time last night, -and now ere e is 
 with is insides all busted up. Pore beggar, e was a good shipmate - lend me 
 four bob in Uoo York. e did." 
 
 Drisooll -(warmly) "A good shipmate he was and is - none bettfcer.Ye said 
 no more than the truth.Cooky.Five years and u*ore ut ie since first I shipped 
 ^id him.and we ve stuck together iver since, through good luck and bad. Fights 
 we ve had, God help us, but t wae only when we d a bit of Shrink taken, and we 
 always ahor": hands the next mornin 1 .fwiiativer was his^as mine, ar-o i ; ; -v T 3 
 the time I d a been on the beach, or worse, but for him. And now -"(His voice 
 trembles as he fights to control his emotion) "Divil take me if I m not etartin 
 to blubber like an auld ^oman.and he not dead at all but goin 1 to live many 
 a long year yet, maybe." 
 
 Davis -"He seems better now. The sleep 11 do him good." 
 Oleson -"If he wade eat something-" 
 
 Drisooll -"Wud ye have him be eatin 1 in hie oondiehun?Sure it s hard 
 enough for the rest av us wid nothin 1 wrong wid our inaides to be stocaohin* 
 the skoff on this rusty lime- Juicer." 
 
 Sootty -(indignantly) "It s a starvation ahip." 
 
 Davis -"rienty o 1 work and no food jit s easy to see why the owners are 
 rich." 
 
 Oleson -"Hash, hash; stew, stew; marmalade - py damnJ"(He spite disgustedly) 
 Cocky -"Bloody svrillJ ?it only for swine is wot I say." 
 
 Driaooll -"And the dishwather they disguise ae teal And that ball m av 
 putty they call bread - my belly feels like I d B^allMyed a dozen rivets at 
 the thought av utJ And sea-biscuit that ud break the teeth av a lion if he 
 had tlie misfortune to take a bite at onel" (Unconsciously they have all raised 
 their voicee.forgettiiie; the siok mex in the* sailors delight at finding 
 something to grumble about.) 
 
 (The Norwegian sitting on the upper bunk OTI the left stpos playing his 
 accordion and says slowly) "And ro-ten po-tay-toes."(Ee starts in playing 
 again. The pick man groans.) 
 
 Drisooll -(holding up his hand) "Shut your mouths all av you. T is a hell 
 av a tiling for us to te oomplainin about our guts and & nan sick an* maybe 
 dyin 1 listenin tc us. "(Shaking his fist at the Norwegian) "God stiffen you, 
 ye square-head soutJ Put down that organ av yours or I ll break your ugly 
 face for you. Is that banshee eokreeohin 1 fit mueio for a eick man? "(The 
 Norwegian puts his accordion on the bunk and lays back and closes his eyes* 
 
Driaooll goes over and stands beside Yank. The steamer s whistle sounds par 
 ticularly loud in the silence.) 
 
 Davis -"Damn this fog! "(Reaches under a bunk and yanks out a pair of 
 eea-boots which he ptills on) "My lookout next .too. Lhist be nearly eigut bells, 
 boys."(7i/ith the exception of Oleson all put on souwestere.oilskins, sea-boots, 
 etc. in preparation for the watch on deck.Oleaon crawle into a lower bunk 
 on the right) 
 
 itl 
 
 Sootty -"My wheel." 
 
 Cocky -"Me end Drisooll 11 be sniftin boxes daan in number four.blarst 
 
 Oleson -f-^ith a disgusted grunt) "I got take the wheel two to four -yust 
 my luok."(He turns his baok to the light and is soon asleep) 
 
 Sootty -If this weather keeps up, I m tellin ye, we ll not be gettin 1 
 into Carrdiff for a week or more." 
 
 Davis -(in a whisper) "Let s hope poor Yank ll last long enough sc s he 
 can be burried on dry land and not be thrown overboard like a saok full of 
 rotten spuds " 
 
 Drisooll -"Don t be talkir that wa^.I say.T ie betther he e gettin 1 
 every minute .lie 11 live ?et to see your grave and mine. "(A pause. The Horweg- 
 ian has fallen apiaep and is snoring) "Listen to that pig, will ye! Hie gruntin 
 puts me in mind ev sornethin 1 and t is not a pleasant thought.? was Just suoh 
 a night as tUis the auld "Dover" wint down. Just about this time it was, too, 
 end re all aittin round in the fo castle, Yank teside me, and tne whistle 
 bloTvir and shriekin ,and a fog you couldn t see your hand before you in. 
 There was juat suoh anotuer lezy scut anorin in one ttv the bunks, and I WES 
 tellin 1 borne outrageous lie, and Yank laughin at me; but the rest av tnim 
 thinkin it s bible truth. All av a suddint we heard a greut slither ir crash 
 
 and the ship heeled over till we was all in a heap on wan side. What came 
 afther I diertmimber exactly, except t was a hard shift to get the boats over 
 before the auld tea-kettle sank. Yank was in the same boat wid me, am? six 
 morthal days vre drifted widout a drop ay wather or a bit to chew on. T 1 was 
 Yank that held me down whin I tried to Jump over the side,roarin mad wit 
 the thirst. Picked up vre were on the* same day. vid only four av UP alive and 
 only Yanl: i/. iiiii senses." 
 
 Cociy -"Bliney.but you re * cneerful blighter, Driaooll! - tellin us 
 ubant saipTreoke in thie ere blarsted fog. "(Yank grojins and stirs uneasily, 
 opening his eyea. Drisccll hurries to ais side.) 
 
 Drisooll -"Are ye feelin any hettaer.Yank?" 
 iank -(shaking hi head - in a ^eak voice) T Uo" 
 
 Drisooll -"Sure, you must be. You look ae sthrong as en ox. "(appealing 
 to the others) "Am I tellin 1 nim a lie?" 
 
 Davis -"Tiie sleep s one you good." 
 
 Cooky -"You ll be avin your pint of >eer in Cardiff this day week." 
 
Sootty -"And fisn and chips.mon." 
 
 Yank -(peevisnly) MT Vhat re yuh all liein far? D yuh think I m scared to- 
 (He hesitates as if frightened by the word he is about to say.) 
 
 Driscoll -"Don t be thinkin tuch things. "( The ship s bell is neard 
 heavily tolling eight times. From the forecastle head the voice of lae lock- 
 out rises in a long wail -"Aaalls welll." m he men look uncertainly at Yank 
 c.3 if undecided .vietaer to say ^ro^ tye to Lim or net.", 
 
 Yank -(in an a^ony of fear) "Don t leave &e,Drisc I m dyin ,1 tell yuh. 
 I won t stay here alcne with everyone snorin .1 11 go out on fleck." (He makes 
 a feeble attempt to rise but sinks back with a sharp groan.riis breath cotes 
 in vheezy gasps) "Don t leave me.Driso J "(His fk.ee grows white and iiis head 
 falls back with a jerk) 
 
 Driecoll -"Don t be worryin .Yank, I 11 not move a step out av l:ere|and 
 let that divil av a bosun curse his black ^iead off. You speak a word to the 
 bosun, Cocky. Tell him Yank is bad tuk and I ll be atavin with oiir. a niile 
 yit." 
 
 Cocky -"Hight-o"(Cocky t Davis f cnd occtty go out quietly) 
 
 Cocky -(from the alleyway V Gawd Llimey.the fog s thick HS soup." 
 
 Driscoll -"Are ye satisfied nc-.7,Yank? :ie f s fainted, God help him:"(:i6 
 ^etz a tin dipper of water fron: the bucket and throws it in Yank s face. Yank 
 shudders and opens his eyes.) 
 
 Yank -(slowly)"! thought I was going -then.Wha did yuh wanta wake cce r.p 
 fur?" 
 
 Drisooll -(with forced gaiety) "Is it wishful for heavec ye are?" 
 Yank -(gloomily) "Hell, I guess." 
 
 Drisooll -(involuntarily crosses himself ) "For the love av the saints, don 1 
 be talkie 1 like that! You d give a man the creeps. It s ohippin rust on the 
 decks you ll be in a day or two rid the beet av us. "(Yank does not answer 
 but closes his eyes again wearily. The eeaman who has been on lookout * . ._, 
 a young Englishmen with a light mustach^ aaj takes off hio dripping oilskins 
 and hangs them near the door. While he is doing this the man whoee wheel has 
 been relieved comes! in. He is a dark, burly fellow with a large stupid face. 
 He hangs his things beside the others. Both sit on the benches and pull off 
 their sea-boots. The Englishman steps softly over to Drisooll. The other crawls 
 into a lower bunk. ) 
 
 The Englishman -"How s Yank?" 
 
 Drisooll -"Betther; ask him yourself ;he s aweke." 
 
 Yank -"I m all right .Smitty. n 
 
 Smitty -"Glad to hear it, Yank. "(He lights his pipe and climbs to an upper 
 bunk) 
 
$The dark, stupid- faced seaman in the lower bunk twists hia head in 
 the direction of the sick man) "You feel gude,Jank?" 
 
 Yank -(wearily) "Yes, Ivan." 
 
 Ivan -"Dots gude."(He rolls over on his side and falls asleep immediately 
 The Englishman soon knocks out his pipe and turns hie face away from the light 
 
 Yank -(after a pause broken only by snores - with a bitter laugh) "Good 
 bye to all of you I" 
 
 Driscoll -(renewing his attempt at cheerfulness) "Is ut a nice thing, I 
 ask you, to be desirin to leave an auld shipmate the way you are?Sure,for my 
 sake, you ought to give up thinkin such things. 1 Pwhat wud I be wldout you 
 but an auld roosther wid his head chopped off." 
 
 Yank -(dully) "Yuh can t cheer me up.Driso.I feel too rotten. I ain t got 
 a laugh in me." 
 
 Drisooll -"Is ut painin you again?" 
 
 Yank -"It hurts like hell - here. "(He points to the lower part of his 
 chest on the left side) "I guess my old pump is busted." 
 
 Drisooll -"Ye ve caught cold where you was hur ted, maybe. A bit of rheuma 
 tics or somethin 1 .T 1 is the divil s own pain I know. None better ;for ye re 
 member I was laid up for a week wid ut in Yokahama time we was there wid the 
 "Llalay Princess . a starvation ship if there tTer was wntwan." 
 
 Yank -"Worst ship we wae ever on together." 
 
 Driscoll -"I ve been on a worse wan once; but I must have told you av 
 ut,and I ll not be plaguin a sick mar wid auld stories he s heard before." 
 
 Yank -"Yuh needn t :vorry; I ll stop yuh if it s an old one.Oo ahead." 
 
 Drisooll -"Since you re wishin It;- T was a Yankee bark out av Bridge- 
 water, Uovy Scotia, wid lumber for the River Plate. The captain and the mate 
 were "Blue-noses", and you know wad that means, for, if I misthake not, we ve 
 had dealins togither wid the same breed av swine. Worrk it was day and night, 
 both watches on deck for no raison at all, and the captain and mate oursin 
 iviry mother s son av us for a crew av lazy scuts. Blac^c re^e was in the 
 heart av iviry wan in the f o castle and if we d had the chance - but divil 
 a wan did they give us for whiniver a man went aloft ?rid a marlin spike they 
 was cute enough to keep sheltered at the break av the poop.The food was the 
 worst av all. T was not fit for dogs, no, nor worse than dogs. Ye know the sayin 1 : 
 Hot fit for a sailor let alone a dog ^ e stood it as long ae we could Tidout 
 sayin anythin .knowin it was little usei but wan day they opened a box av 
 sea-biscuit that stunk to hiven and was crawlin wid worms, and we tuk it aft 
 to protist. IPwhat s this - mutiny? saye the mate and pulls a big revolver 
 out av iiis pocket. Divil a bit av mutiny 1 , says I, end plaze don t be pointin 
 that pisthol at me for it might go off. We want to protist against this swill 
 we re supposed to eat. We work harrd and we d like somethin 1 daoint to put 
 strength in us. The mate took a long look at me and says: Those biscuits are 
 all right and you ll eat them, you dogs, or go hungry. While he s epeakin 1 the 
 two pigs we have on board as mascots, and gettin fat for the gaptain s table 
 
oome gruntin 1 up to see whativer the great smell is. "These biscuits are only 
 fit for swine and ye know ut I said. and looked the mate straight in the eye, 
 for I was hot wid anger and forgetful av his $un ; and wid that I tuk a fist 
 ful av the biscuits and threw thim to the pigs.And.it s God s truth I m 
 tellin you, the pigs turned up their noses contimptuous and walked away wid- 
 out takin 1 a bite. Evin the pigs oan t stomach thim I says to the mate and 
 he turns away widout a word." 
 
 Yank -( smiling) "Did they give yuh fresh ones?" 
 
 Drisooll -"Divil a wan. We had to go hungry like the mate told us to for 
 the betther part GV a week." 
 
 Yank -"Wha d yuh do then?" 
 
 Drisooll -"The rest av the sthory is best not told but I ll tell it to 
 you. Wan dark rainy night off 2io the mate and the man at the -Thee! were alone 
 on the poop - and the mate slipped and fell over the side.He was missing at 
 the end av the watch." 
 
 Yank -(sarcastically) "Huh, slipped and fell over the rail, too, I suppose? 
 The man at the wheel oughta made up a better lie than that. Did he say he 
 seen him fall over?" 
 
 Drisooll -"Ho." 
 
 Yank -"Or heard the splash?" 
 
 Drisooll -"He saw nothin 1 *nd heard no thin ; but the mate must have slip 
 ped because he was nowhere to be found." 
 
 Yank -"The guy at the wheel had his nerve with him.Who was he?" 
 
 Drisooll -"I was;and if I ve nivir told ye before t was because nek it i 
 past and gone these fifteen years, and best forgotten." 
 
 Yank -(after a pause) "ue got what was coming to him - the mate, I mean." 
 
 Driscoll -"He was a dirty dog; I have no regrets for him. The captain wint 
 
 round Til a ^/isthol strapped atcnt hie waist in Dltdn sight cfther that but 
 the food was much betther. "(The Captain and First Mate cf the steamer enter 
 tiie forecastle Jr. time to catch his remark about the food. The Captain is en 
 old man with grey mustache and whiskers. The Mate is clean-ilicren end mlddle- 
 aged.3oth are dressed jr simple uniforms.) 
 
 The Captain -(pleasantly) "Grumbling about the food again, Driscoll?" 
 
 Driscoll -(starting to his feet - oon "used) "Eo ,eorr;t was a different 
 ship entire:- I -*as speakin av." 
 
 The Captain -(taking out hj s wetoh.^oes to Yank and feels his pulse; 
 "And aow IE the sick man?" 
 
 Yank -f feebly) "All right, sir." 
 
 The Captain -"Ana the pain in the cliest?" 
 
n 
 
Yank - n lt etill hurts, sir, worse than ever." 
 
 The Captain -(taking a thermometer from hia pocket and putting it in 
 Yank 1 B mouth) "Be sure and keep tnis in under your tonguw.not over it" 
 
 The Mate -(after a panee) "Isn t this your watch on deck.Driscoll?" 
 Drieooll -"Yes.sorr ,but Tank raa fearin to "be alone and -" 
 The Captain -"That s all right, Driscoll" 
 Driscoll -"Thank ye.sorr." 
 
 The Captain -(Stares at his watch for a moment or BO; then takes the 
 thermometer from Yank s mouth and goes near the lamp to read it .Hie expression 
 grows very grave. lie beckons the mate ard Driecoll to the corner near the door 
 way. Yank watches them furtively* The Captain specks in a low voice to theiSate) 
 "7?ay up.both of them, "(to Driscoll) "Has he been spitting blood egain?" 
 
 Drieooll -"Hot for the hoar just pant ,sorr,but before that --" 
 
 The Captain -"A great deal?" 
 
 Driaooll -"Yes.sorr." 
 
 The Captain -"He hasn t eaten anything?" 
 
 Driacoll -"Eo.sorr." 
 
 The Captain -"Did he drink tnat medecine I sent him?" 
 
 Driscoll -"Yes.sorr, but it didn t stay down." 
 
 The Captain -(shaking nis head) "I m afrnifl - ne & very weak. I can t do 
 anything elae for him. It s too serious for me. If tale had only happened e 
 week later we d be in Cardiff in time to ~" 
 
 Drisooll -"Plaza help him scrreway.sorrJ" 
 
 Tuc Captain -(impatientlyV But ,my good nian,! 1 ^ not a doctor, "(more kindly 
 ue he seee Driscoll 3 depression) "You anfl he have been shipmates a long time?" 
 
 Driscoll -"Five years and mcre.sorr." 
 
 The Captain -"I see. Wall , flon t let him move. Keep him quiet and - we ll 
 hope for the best. I 11 read tae scatter up and send him some medecine .something 
 to quiet the pain, anyway. "( to Yank) "Keep up your course I You 11 be better to 
 morrow, "(^.e breaks down lately before Yank 1 s steady gait) "We 11 pull you 
 through all right and - hm - Coming Rob3cn? -Dammit I "(He goes out followed 
 by the First I.late) 
 
 Driecoll -(trying to conceal his anxiety) "..asn t T tellin 1 you you wasn t 
 half as aiok as you taou>h.t you was. The Captain 11 have you on your feet ex 
 oursin and Bwearii. 1 like a trooper before the week is out." 
 
Yank -"Don t lie.Drisci I heard what he said; and if I didn t I c d tell 
 by the way I feel. There 1 3 t. big wheel buzzin in my head and a bonfire in my 
 iiiBides and a knife bein 1 atuck in my ribs. I know whet s goin to happen. I m 
 0in to ~"(3e hesitates - then resolutely) "I m goin 1 to die.thats what, and 
 the sooner the better." 
 
 Driscoll -Cwildly) "Uo,and be danmed to you, you re not. I 11 not let you." 
 
 Yank -"It ain t no use,Dri8C|I ain t got a chance; out I ain t scared. 
 Gimme a drirk of water, ,ill yuh.Driso? Iy throats burnin up. "f Driscoll brings 
 the dipper full of water and supports his ne*d while he drinks in great gulpe) 
 
 Drieooll -(after a long silence - seeking vainly for some wrrd of nomfort 
 "Are ye feelin 1 more aisy like now*?" 
 
 Yank - Tf Yee - now - when I know, "(a pause) "You mustn t take it so hard, 
 Drinc. I was Just thinkin 1 it ain t so bad as people thick - dyin . I ain t 
 ever taken much stock in what those sky-pilots preaoh.I ain t ever had re- 
 ligioni but I know whatever it is what conies after it oan t be no worse than 
 this. I don t like to leave you.Briso.bnt - that s all. "(Driscoll groans and 
 recks froc2 side to side en the tenchr This sailor life ain t rruch tc cry 
 about leevin* - just one ship after another .hard work, small pay, and bun grub; 
 and when we git into port.juet a drynk endin up in a fight and all yonr 
 money gone, and then ship away againHever meetin no nice people;never gittin 
 outa sailor town, hardly, in any port; travellin 1 all over the worlt. and never 
 beeir any of it; without anyone to care where yuh are or whether vuh re 
 alive or dead. "(with a bitter smile) "There ain t much, in ell that that d 
 make yuh soriy to lose it.Driec." 
 
 Drisooll -(gloomily) "It s tiie hell av a life, the sea. " 
 
 Yank -(musingly) "It must be greet to stay on dry land all your life and 
 have a farm with a nouse of yonr own witu cowe and pigs and chickens, way in 
 middle of the land where ynh d never smell the aea or see a ship. It must be 
 great to have a wife, and kids to pls.y with at night f after supper, when your 
 
 was all done. It must be ^reat to have a home of your own,.Driso." 
 
 -(with e great sigh) "It must .surely; bnt p-tfiats the use V 
 thinkin av ut? SucL things are not for the like av us." 
 
 Yank - "Sea- far in 1 is all right when yr>h re young and don t oare; but we 
 ain t chickens no raore.an d somehow,! dunno.this last year or no it s all seem 
 ed rotten, and I ve iad a hunch I d quit - with ^ou.of course -and we d save 
 out coin and go to Canada or Argentine or jomeplace nnd git a farm, jrat a 
 small one.^ust enoujh to live on. I never told yuh this cause I thought yuh d 
 laugh at me." 
 
 Drieooll -( enthusiastically) "Laufeh at you, is ut?When I m havin the same 
 thoughts aye elf .time and again. It s a grrand idea and we ll be doin it pure 
 if you ll stop your crazy notions about - about - about bein 1 so eick." 
 
 Yank -( se.dly) "Too late;we shouldn t a made this *np and tnen -OoohJ"(A 
 spasa. of pain contracts his pale <xn features. rie presses his hand to nia 
 left Bide and rrithee on the thin mattress of his bM^k.The perepiration stards 
 cut ir be?as on his forehead) 
 
T-9T 
 
Drieooll -( terrified^ "Yank, Yank, pwhat is ut? Tf ( jumping t c hie feet) "I 11 
 ran for the Captain. "(He starts for the doorway) 
 
 Yank -(sitting up in his bunk, frantic vrith fear) "Don t leave m*.,Dri8o, 
 for Get s sake don t leave me alone J ( Dri BOO 11 turns KZ back to himJHe leans 
 over the side of the bunk and spite) "Blood, ugh! " 
 
 Driscoll -"Blood again! I d beet be gettin the Captain." 
 
 Yank -"Ko.no, don t leave me. If yuh do I ll git up and follow yufc.I ain t 
 no coward but I m afraid to stay here alone with all of them asleep and snorin 
 (Drlsooll ,.*." ?-rowir.g ^rhet to do, aits do-v-. teside him. He STOWS calmer and 
 sinks baok on the mattress. ) "The Cap can t do ire no good,yuh Imow it your- 
 self.What a the use of botiierin him 9 The pain ain t so bad row, but I thought 
 I TAB goin then. It was like a. buzs-saw cuttin into ne.The nert tire it 
 cofl:es it s* all over but the sacutin." 
 
 Driscoll -(fiercely) "C-cd blarst ut . " 
 
 York -(vaguely^ "How 1 d all ti:e fog jit in here?" 
 
 Driscrll -"?og?" 
 
 Yc*nk -"Everything looks iristy; nniat be my eyes gittin weak, I c^esS 
 .Vhat was v; talkin of a minute ego? Oh, yes, a farm - it s too late, "(his 
 mind wandering a bit^ "Argentine, di 3 I say? D yuii remember the tin.ee we ve 
 Lad in Buencs Aires? The moving pictures in Perracas? 3om* olass to theru.d yun 
 rPicecberV And tLe time we was ta ,re6or tLebeuch and iiud to go f .c Torijiiy Koore 
 boarding-house to git a^ipped 9 And ae .^cld us rotten oilskiiio tt^^ sea-toots 
 full of .:?"j.,and shipped us on a skysail-yarder round the Horn.and took a 
 rronthe pay for it? And the days we used to spend on the ^r> "benches along 
 the Paseo C*olon Tith the vigilantes lookin herd at us? And the drinks at 
 the Sailor s Opera where the guy played Anericar r?.g-time*?D yuh remember him?" 
 
 Drisooll -"Could I forget him?Didn t he nearly kill me Then I poured a 
 pint of beer into the piany,-vhich sounded iry?" 
 
 Yank -"And La Plata -_phew,that atink of hides J I always liked Argentine 
 - all except that bcoze.cana. rfow clrunk vre used to get on that .remember?" 
 
 Driaooll -"I do.tliet. 
 
 Yank -"Remember the night I went crazy *ith the heat in Singapore? And 
 the time you was pinched by the cops in Port Said? And the time re rvae both 
 locked up in Sydney for fightin 1 ?" 
 
 brisooll -"I do." 
 
 Yank -".Ve ve had some great old times together, me and you." 
 
 !>ri300ll -"Liivil a lie.rre have." 
 
 Yank -"And if we ve had fallina-out -" 
 
 Driscoll -(interrupting him hurriedly) "T 1 was only Then we d too much 
 drink taken." 
 
Yank -(in a choking voice) "It s hard - to ship on this voyage T m 
 on-alone. "(Drisooll reaches out and grasDB his hand. There is a pause during 
 which "both fight to control themselves) 
 
 Yank -"That fight on the dock at Cap* Town?-" (His voice betrays great 
 inward perturbation) 
 
 Drieooll -"Don t be thinkin av that, now. T os past and gone." 
 Yank -"D yuh suppose He ll hold it up against me?" 
 Drisooll -(mystified) "Who 3 that?" 
 
 Yank -"God. They say he sees everything. He must know it was done in fair 
 fight, in self-defense. don t yuh think?" 
 
 Driscoll -"Av course. Ye stabbed him, and be damned to him. fotx the skulk 
 in swine he was. after him tryin 1 to stick you in the back and you not sus- 
 peotin .Let your conscience be aisy.I wieiit I had nothin 1 blacker than that 
 on my sowl; I d not be afraid av the angel Gabriel himself." 
 
 Yank -"I o d see him a minute ago with the blood spurt in 1 out from his 
 neck. "(with a shudder) "Ugh I" 
 
 Drisooll -"The fever, ut is, that makes you see such things. Give no heed 
 to it." 
 
 (uncertainly) 
 Yank -"Yuh don t think He ll hold it up against me?Ood,I mean." 
 
 Drisooll -"If there s Justice in feftfcm Hiven.no. "(Yank seems comforted 
 by this assurance) 
 
 Yank -(after a pause)"We won t reach Cardiff for a week at least. I ll 
 be buried at sea. " 
 
 Driscoll -(putting iiis hands over his ears) "Seshh; I won t lieten to you" 
 
 Yank -(as if he had not heard him) "It s as good a place as any other.only 
 t I always wanted to be buried on dry land; but what 11 I care - then?"(fret- 
 fully)"Why should it be a rotten night like tnis with that damned -sfaistle 
 blowin and people snorin all round. I wisht the stare was out and the moon, 
 too. I o d lie out on deck and look at them, and it u<3 make it easier to go - 
 somehow." 
 
 Drisooll -"For the love av the saints, don t be talkin like that!" 
 
 Yank -"Whatever pay s coming to me yuh o n diwy up with the rest of thfc 
 boys; anfl you take ray watch to remember me by. It ain t worth nothin much but 
 it s all I got." 
 
 Drisooll -"But have ye no relations at all to call your own?" 
 
 Yank -"The old lady died when I was a kid, and the eld man croaked when 
 I was fourteen; the old booze got him. I ve got two brothers but to hell with 
 thecJThey re too respectable to want news of me dead or alive." 
 
 Drisooll -"Mo aunts or uncles or cousins or anythin 1 the like m that?" 
 
Yank -"Ho, not as I know of. One thing I forgot; You know Fanny the barmaid 
 at the Red Stork in Cardiff?" 
 
 Driscoll -"Who doesn t?8he s common property av the whole British merchan 
 marine." 
 
 Yank -"I don t oare; she s "been good to me. She tried to loan me a crown 
 when I was broke there last trip. Buy her the biggest box of candy yuh c n 
 find in Cardiff before yuh divvy up my pay. If she don t like candy -" 
 
 Drisooll -"A gallon of gin, I m thinkin .wud be rrore welcome." 
 
 Yank -"A gallon of gin,thenJ .Vhat s the difference as lon^ as it s some 
 thing she likes ; and tell her it s with my regards." 
 
 Driscoll -"I ll do it the first thing I m ashore - provided you re too 
 sick torn come ashore yourself." 
 
 Yank -fWith a calm smile) "It s no use.Drisc, yuh can t kid me along. I c n 
 feel it creepin over me now.Ky throats like a furnace. "(ae gaeps for air) 
 "Bring a drink, will yuh,Driso?"(Dri8coll gets him a dipper of water) "I vrish 
 this was a pint of beer - OOoohi"(He chokes, his face ix contorted with agony, 
 his hands tearing at his shirt front. The dipper falls from his nerveless 
 fingers) 
 
 Drisooll -"Glory be to God, pwhat is ut.Yank?" 
 
 Yank -(speaking with tremendous difficulty) "S long.DrieoJ "f staring in 
 front of him with eyes starting from their socket?) "Who s that?" 
 
 Dr is oc 11 -"Who?Pffcat?" 
 
 Yank -(faintly) "A pretty lady dressed in black. "(His face twitches and 
 nis body -writhes in a final spasm, then straightens out rigidly. His eyee glaze 
 and a thin crimson stream trickles doT-n his cheek from the corner of his 
 mouth. ) 
 
 Drisooll -(pale with horror) "Yank. Yank pwhat is ut? Say a word to me 
 for the love av hivini He s bleedin 1 I "( putea trembling hand on Yank s chect) 
 "ris heerts rot beatin 1 . "(bends down closely over the body) "He s not breathin 1 
 (straightens up slowly and stares straight before him) He s dead, dead: " 
 (hoarsely) "If I could only rAmAmber a bit av a prayer to say for the rest av 
 his sowl, a bit av a prayer, God help aei "(kneels down beside the bunk his 
 head in hie nands)"Pur Father Who arrt in fcivin, -Pwhat e the rest* - I can t 
 think -" 
 
 Cooky s voioc sounds from the alleyway -"Oh. Driscoll : The bosun says to 
 corr.e aft and give me H and for a minute, " is he is speaking he appears in 
 the doorway, nis sou wester ar^ oilskins glistening with drops of water. te 
 sees Drisooll and stands staring at him with open mouth.) 
 
 Drisooll -"Our Father Wio arrt in Hivin "(There is a moment of dead 
 
 silence broken only by the heavy breathing of the sleeplng seamen.) 
 
 Cocky -(in blank amazement) "Prayin 1 i ^awd blisayJ "fie slorlv taVep n +r 
 Us dripping ecu -wester and stands scratching Wa he ad rerp!e y l e 
 
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