plays [63]
think you know too much.
PEW. I ax your pardon; but as a man with a 'ed for argyment -
and that's your best p'int o' sailing, Commander; intelleck is
your best p'int - as a man with a 'ed for argyment, how do I make
it out?
KIT. Aha, you're a sly dog, you're a deep dog, Pew; but you
can't get the weather of Kit French. How do I make it out? I'll
tell you. I make it out like this: Your name's Pew, ain't it?
Very well. And you know Admiral Guinea, and that's his name, eh?
Very well. Then you're Pew; and the Admiral's the Admiral; and
you know the Admiral; and by George, that's all. Hey? Drink
about, boys, drink about!
PEW. Lord love you, if I'd a-had a 'ed like yours! Why the
Admiral was my first cap'n. I was that man's bo'sun, I was,
aboard the ARETHUSA; and we was like two brothers. Did you never
hear of Guinea-land and the black ivory business? (SINGS) -
'A quick run to the south we had, and when we made the Bight
We kept the offing all day long and crossed the bar at night.
Six hundred niggers in the hold and seventy we did stow,
And when we'd clapped the hatches on, 'twas time for us to go.'
Lay forward, lads!
KIT AND PEW (IN CHORUS) -
'Time for us to go,' etc.
KIT. I say, Pew, I like you; you're a damned ugly dog; but I
like you. But look ye here, Pew: fair does it, you know, or we
part company this minute. If you and the Ad - the Admirable were
like brothers on the Guinea coast, why aren't you like brothers
here?
PEW. Ah, I see you coming. What a 'ed! what a 'ed! Since Pew
is a friend of the family, says you, why didn't he sail in and
bear a hand, says you, when you was knocking the Admiral's ship
about his ears in argyment?
KIT. Well, Pew, now you put a name to it, why not?
PEW. Ah, why not? There I recko'nise you. [Well, see here:
argyment's my weakness, in a manner of speaking; I wouldn't
a-borne down and spiled sport, not for gold untold, no, not for
rum, I wouldn't! And besides, Commander, I put it to you, as
between man and man, would it have been seaman-like to let on and
show myself to a old shipmate, when he was yard-arm to yard-arm
with a craft not half his metal, and getting blown out of water
every broadside? Would it have been 'ansome? I put it to you,
as between man and man.
KIT. Pew, I may have gifts; but I never thought of that. Why,
no: not seaman-like. Pew, you've a heart; that's what I like
you for.
PEW. Ah, that I have: you'll see. I wanted - now you follow me
- I wanted to keep square with Admiral Guinea.] Why? says you.
Well, put it that I know a fine young fellow when I sees him; and
put it that I wish him well; and put it, for the sake of
argyment, that the father of that lovely female's in my power.
Aha? Pew's Power! Why, in my 'ands he's like this pocket
'andke'cher. Now, brave boy, do you see?
KIT. No, Pew, my head's gone; I don't see.
PEW. Why, cheer up, Commander! You want to marry this lovely
female?
KIT. Ay, that I do; but I'm not fit for her, Pew; I'm a drunken
dog, and I'm not fit for her.
PEW. Now, Cap'n, you'll allow a old seaman to be judge: one as
sailed with 'Awke and blessed Benb- with 'Awke and noble Anson.
You've been open and above-board with me, and I'll do the same by
you: it being the case that you're hard hit about a lovely
woman, which many a time and oft it has happened to old Pew; and
him with a feeling 'art that bleeds for you, Commander; why look
here: I'm that girl's godfather; promised and vowed for her, I
did; and I like you; and you're the man for her; and, by the
living Jacob, you shall splice!
KIT. David Pew, do you mean what you say?
PEW. Do I mean what I say? Does David Pew? Ask Admiral 'Awke!
Ask old Admiral Byng in his coffin, where I laid him with these
lands! Pew does, is what those naval commanders would reply.
Mean it? I reckon so.
KIT. Then, shake hands. You're an honest man, Pew - old Pew! -
and I'll make your fortune. But there's something else, if I
could keep the
PEW. I ax your pardon; but as a man with a 'ed for argyment -
and that's your best p'int o' sailing, Commander; intelleck is
your best p'int - as a man with a 'ed for argyment, how do I make
it out?
KIT. Aha, you're a sly dog, you're a deep dog, Pew; but you
can't get the weather of Kit French. How do I make it out? I'll
tell you. I make it out like this: Your name's Pew, ain't it?
Very well. And you know Admiral Guinea, and that's his name, eh?
Very well. Then you're Pew; and the Admiral's the Admiral; and
you know the Admiral; and by George, that's all. Hey? Drink
about, boys, drink about!
PEW. Lord love you, if I'd a-had a 'ed like yours! Why the
Admiral was my first cap'n. I was that man's bo'sun, I was,
aboard the ARETHUSA; and we was like two brothers. Did you never
hear of Guinea-land and the black ivory business? (SINGS) -
'A quick run to the south we had, and when we made the Bight
We kept the offing all day long and crossed the bar at night.
Six hundred niggers in the hold and seventy we did stow,
And when we'd clapped the hatches on, 'twas time for us to go.'
Lay forward, lads!
KIT AND PEW (IN CHORUS) -
'Time for us to go,' etc.
KIT. I say, Pew, I like you; you're a damned ugly dog; but I
like you. But look ye here, Pew: fair does it, you know, or we
part company this minute. If you and the Ad - the Admirable were
like brothers on the Guinea coast, why aren't you like brothers
here?
PEW. Ah, I see you coming. What a 'ed! what a 'ed! Since Pew
is a friend of the family, says you, why didn't he sail in and
bear a hand, says you, when you was knocking the Admiral's ship
about his ears in argyment?
KIT. Well, Pew, now you put a name to it, why not?
PEW. Ah, why not? There I recko'nise you. [Well, see here:
argyment's my weakness, in a manner of speaking; I wouldn't
a-borne down and spiled sport, not for gold untold, no, not for
rum, I wouldn't! And besides, Commander, I put it to you, as
between man and man, would it have been seaman-like to let on and
show myself to a old shipmate, when he was yard-arm to yard-arm
with a craft not half his metal, and getting blown out of water
every broadside? Would it have been 'ansome? I put it to you,
as between man and man.
KIT. Pew, I may have gifts; but I never thought of that. Why,
no: not seaman-like. Pew, you've a heart; that's what I like
you for.
PEW. Ah, that I have: you'll see. I wanted - now you follow me
- I wanted to keep square with Admiral Guinea.] Why? says you.
Well, put it that I know a fine young fellow when I sees him; and
put it that I wish him well; and put it, for the sake of
argyment, that the father of that lovely female's in my power.
Aha? Pew's Power! Why, in my 'ands he's like this pocket
'andke'cher. Now, brave boy, do you see?
KIT. No, Pew, my head's gone; I don't see.
PEW. Why, cheer up, Commander! You want to marry this lovely
female?
KIT. Ay, that I do; but I'm not fit for her, Pew; I'm a drunken
dog, and I'm not fit for her.
PEW. Now, Cap'n, you'll allow a old seaman to be judge: one as
sailed with 'Awke and blessed Benb- with 'Awke and noble Anson.
You've been open and above-board with me, and I'll do the same by
you: it being the case that you're hard hit about a lovely
woman, which many a time and oft it has happened to old Pew; and
him with a feeling 'art that bleeds for you, Commander; why look
here: I'm that girl's godfather; promised and vowed for her, I
did; and I like you; and you're the man for her; and, by the
living Jacob, you shall splice!
KIT. David Pew, do you mean what you say?
PEW. Do I mean what I say? Does David Pew? Ask Admiral 'Awke!
Ask old Admiral Byng in his coffin, where I laid him with these
lands! Pew does, is what those naval commanders would reply.
Mean it? I reckon so.
KIT. Then, shake hands. You're an honest man, Pew - old Pew! -
and I'll make your fortune. But there's something else, if I
could keep the