ANNOUNCER
And so the great search began. All that night and into the next day the Governor, the Colonel, and their soldiers searched high and low for the missing charter. At last they came to the house of Charles Willys, in front of which stood the great oak in which the charter lay safely hidden.
ANDROS
Who lives here?
TREAT
This is the home of Charles Willys!
ANDROS
Indeed! One of the Charter Committee, eh?
TREAT
Yes, sir!
ANDROS
Good! Search this place inside and out, Colonel. Don't leave a thing unturned.
BLIGH
Very good, sir! Search this place, Captain—thoroughly. Tear up the floors, dig up the garden, rip the upholstery off the furniture, but find that charter!
VOICE
Yes, sir. Follow me!
ANDROS
Bring out the master of the house. The rest of you back up against this tree and don't move!
TREAT
Sir, I protest again—
ANDROS
Protest all you like. It will do you no good until you produce that charter.
TREAT
I don't know where it is. You had it, that's all I know. If you lost it, it is not our fault.
ANDROS
Silence!
BLIGH [a little distance]
Here's the master of the house, sir.
ANDROS
Ah, indeed! Are you Master Willys?
WILLYS
I am.
ANDROS
Where is the charter?
WILLYS
Your pardon, sir, but how should I know?
ANDROS
You were a member of the Charter Committee, were you not?
WILLYS
I was!
ANDROS
Then where is it?
WILLYS
I am informed that the charter—
ANDROS
WILLYS
Was placed—
ANDROS
Yes—yes—
WILLYS
In your hands!
ANDROS
Sir! If you don't tell me where that charter is—
WILLYS
What then, sir?
ANDROS
Do you see this oak tree?
WILLYS
I'm not blind, sir.
ANDROS
I'll have you strung up—strung up in it, sir; I'll have you strung up in it!
WILLYS
I should hate to have such a fine tree perverted to such a purpose, sir!
ANDROS
Ah! You would! Colonel Bligh! Colonel!
BLIGH [distance]
Yes, Governor!
ANDROS
Send me half a dozen soldiers and a stout rope!
BLIGH
ANDROS
Ah! Now perhaps we'll get something from you. Will you tell me or will you be hanged by your thumbs from that stout limb up there until you are ready to tell me where the charter is?
TREAT
Governor Andros, I fear you have forgotten yourself in your rage. Master Willys is entitled to a trial before any such punishment can be meted out to him.
ANDROS
Silence, or I'll have you strung up with him! Gad, sir, I'll fill this oak tree with stiff-necked rebellious Connecticut men, but I'll have that charter!
BLIGH
Here are your men, sir!
ANDROS
Good! One of you climb that oak tree. Here, you, Sergeant.
VOICE
Yes, sir!
ANDROS
Give him a hand there. [sound of starting to climb the tree] Have the men found anything in the house, Colonel?
BLIGH
Not a thing, sir!
WADSWORTH
Look here, sir.
ANDROS
Ah, Captain Wadsworth. Have you something to say?
WADSWORTH
ANDROS
Speak out.
WADSWORTH
Tell those men to stay out of that tree and I'll tell you.
ANDROS
All right, Sergeant, come down. I thought we'd get something out of them if we scared them. Well, Captain?
WADSWORTH
Sir, you have lost the charter; that is clear.
ANDROS
Where is it?
WADSWORTH
Just a minute. You have lost it. You also have given us your receipt for it; therefore you should have it.
ANDROS
And I intend to have it.
WADSWORTH
You can't. I can assure you of that, but here is what I propose. The committee is willing to turn over the receipt to you if you will stop this foolish and destructive search for something you can't find.
ANDROS
Never! Sergeant, go up that tree again. We'll string these fellows up.
WADSWORTH
Ah, very well, then. But, sir, you'll look very foolish when you report to the Privy Council that you did not get the charter, and we produce your signed receipt!
ANDROS
TREAT
Yes, indeed, Governor. How will you explain that to the King?
ANDROS
What? Why! Ah—very well then, give me the receipt and I'll leave. After all, your charter will do you no good. It's revoked.
TREAT
Exactly! That's a very sensible view to take, Governor Andros. I congratulate you.
WADSWORTH
Here is the receipt, sir.
ANDROS
Humph!
WADSWORTH
You're very welcome, sir.
ANDROS
Colonel Bligh, draw up your guard and prepare to return to Boston. [orders and confusion]
TREAT [over the noise]
My congratulations, Captain Wadsworth. A good bargain.
WADSWORTH
Indeed it was. Another foot up the tree, and the Sergeant would have had the charter.
BLIGH