BURKE—[Delighted.] It's no lie, and why shouldn't I be, with me shoveling a million tons of coal in the stokeholes of ships since I was a lad only. [He pats the coil of hawser invitingly.] Let you sit down, now, Miss, and I'll be telling you a bit of myself, and you'll be telling me a bit of yourself, and in an hour we'll be as old friends as if we was born in the same house. [He pulls at her sleeve shyly.] Sit down now, if you plaze.
ANNA—[With a half laugh.] Well—[She sits down.] But we won't talk about me, see? You tell me about yourself and about the wreck.
BURKE—[Flattered.] I'll tell you, surely. But can I be asking you one question. Miss, has my head in a puzzle?
ANNA—[Guardedly.] Well—I dunno—what is it?
BURKE—What is it you do when you're not taking a trip with the Old Man? For I'm thinking a fine girl the like of you ain't living always on this tub.
ANNA—[Uneasily.] No—of course I ain't. [She searches his face suspiciously, afraid there may be some hidden insinuation in his words. Seeing his simple frankness, she goes on confidently.] Well, I'll tell you. I'm a governess, see? I take care of kids for people and learn them things.
BURKE—[Impressed.] A governess, is it? You must be smart, surely.
ANNA—But let's not talk about me. Tell me about the wreck, like you promised me you would.
BURKE—[Importantly.] 'Twas this way, Miss. Two weeks out we ran into the divil's own storm, and she sprang wan hell of a leak up for'ard. The skipper was hoping to make Boston before another blow would finish her, but ten days back we met up with another storm the like of the first, only worse. Four days we was in it with green seas raking over her from bow to stern. That was a terrible time, God help us. [Proudly.] And if 'twasn't for me and my great strength, I'm telling you—and it's God's truth—there'd been mutiny itself in the stokehole. 'Twas me held them to it, with a kick to wan and a clout to another, and they not caring a damn for the engineers any more, but fearing a clout of my right arm more than they'd fear the sea itself. [He glances at her anxiously, eager for her approval.]
ANNA—[Concealing a smile—amused by this boyish boasting of his.] You did some hard work, didn't you?