Drew—Then you’ve no hope—? No more have I. Something’s got to be done to keep him home in spite of himself. Even leaving your Ma out of it, he’s not in any fit state to take a ship to sea; and I was thinking if we could fix it some way so that fellow Horne could take her out on this voyage—
Sue—But, Danny, Pa’d never give in to that.
Drew—I wasn’t thinking he would. It’d have to be done on the sly. We—you’d have to give the word—and keep him in the house somehow—and then when he did come out it’d be too late. The schooner’d be gone.
Sue—[Disturbed, but showing that this plan has caught her mind.] But—would it be fair?—he’d never forgive—
Drew—When he’s back in his right mind again, he would. [Earnestly.] I’m not fond of lying and tricks myself, Sue, but this is a case where you can’t pick and choose. You can’t let him sail, and wreck his ship and himself in the bargain, likely. Then, there’s your Ma——
Sue—No, no, we can’t let him. [With a glance at Horne and Cates.] But I don’t trust those men.
Drew—No more do I; but it would be better to chance them than—[Suddenly interrupting himself—with a shrug of his shoulders.] But there’s no good talking of that. I was forgetting. None of them can navigate. They couldn’t take her out.
Sue—But didn’t I hear him say—if they had an officer on board—like you—
Drew—Yes, but where’ll you find one at a second’s notice?
Sue—[Meaningly.] And you told me, didn’t you, that you’d just got your master’s papers. Then you’re a captain by rights.