Drew—[Looking at her with stunned astonishment.] Sue! D’you mean—
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.