Father Goose Page #3

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would need to keep warm, wouldn't he?

- Two bottles.

- All of them, Frank.

- Three.

- All of them, Frank.

- Five.

- All of them, Frank.

Got a pencil?

Number four is ten yards west

of the shack under a mango.

All right.

Five is 30 paces from

there, due north,

in a stunted palm.

Just a second. Slow down.

Number six is...

Perry?

- Who are you?

- I... I asked you first.

- Where's Perry?

- Who's Perry?

Perry. The man who lives here.

I buried him.

He was dead.

I found him here.

A Japanese plane must

have attacked the house.

- How did you get here?

- I...

Duck.

They've passed by before.

I think they are landing on

the other side of the island.

What makes you think that?

Well, I saw them.

If you want to look,

there's a place over there.

Why would I do a

silly thing like that?

Let's get out of here.

Do you have a boat?

No, I walked.

Come on.

Come on, we're leaving now.

Look out. Come on, look out.

Just, er... just...

What? What are all those?

As you can see,

they're young ladies.

Now listen, Miss

whatever your name is.

- Oh, Freneau, Catherine Freneau.

- Charmed. Now suppose you tell me...

- What is your name?

- Eckland.

- How do you do?

- How do you do? Now...

I don't what this is all about but...

Please, Miss...

I don't believe it. Miss? Mi...

Ssshh!

Where is your boat?

I can't see it.

Lady, it's right where we're standing.

If you spit, you'd sink it.

Oh dear.

Oh well,

I suppose we'll just have to manage.

Come on, girls, into the boat.

Wait, wait, wait. Hold it.

Everybody settle down.

- You don't think they'll all fit in that?

- All right, Mr Eckland.

Which ones do you suggest

we leave behind?

You decide. I'll

leave it to you.

It's suicide.

Would you stand a better

chance without me?

Naturally.

Very well.

Well, I suggest you

leave immediately.

Well, that's very decent of you.

You're a very good sport. Thank you.

Now, the rest of

you, snap it up.

Jenny, you're the smallest.

Sit in the back.

You'll be out of the way.

Do you mind, lady? This is

my boat, such as it is.

If anyone's going to sink her, it'll be me.

I'll seat them.

You sit in the back.

That's right.

Give it to me. Let go.

- Mr Eckland.

- There's no room for baggage. Come on.

My glasses.

- I don't want to go.

- That's tough. Come here.

Please, take your hand off that.

All right, now...

- My scent.

- Huh?

Scent. It's called Anticipation.

Two pounds ten the ounce.

You don't say.

All right, sit there, that's right.

Take your hands off that.

What is that thing?

A cricket bat.

- Isn't it a smasher?

- Yeah, a smasher.

I only hope you all can swim.

Take your hand off that!

Now you two. Get in the bottom of the boat.

Get in the bottom...

- They don't understand English.

- Sure they do.

See?

Please!

All right.

- Now, I guess that's about all.

- Don't forget Gretchen.

- What?

- Don't forget Gretchen.

Oh, that's her friend.

I'll help her in, dear.

Would you mind?

Now, then, Mr Eckland, I

suggest you leave immediately.

Oh, lady? Lady? Do you mind?

Just get in the boat.

- Well, you said it would...

- I don't care what I said.

If by some miracle we do make it, I'd be

stuck with them. Now get in the boat.

All right.

That's better.

No, no, no, not that!

We'd have had a use for that.

Come on.

Come on!

- It's all right, now, don't be afraid.

- Quiet, quiet.

Mr Eckland, please keep the boat quiet.

The girls are extremely frightened.

Will you shut up, lady?

Now, here, get off of my paddle.

I'm terribly sorry, but you put it

there in the first place, you know.

Now, that's all right, children.

Don't be scared.

There we go.

Mr Eckland, must you?

What are you, some kind

of religious fanatic?

I couldn't care less what

you do to yourself, but...

must you do it in front

of the children?

- No.

- Well, then.

Well, then, tell 'em

to turn around.

That is not exactly what I

had in mind, Mr Eckland.

- Now, lady...

- The name is Freneau,

Catherine Freneau.

I don't know what

you had in mind.

I don't even know who you are or

what you were doing on that island.

Well, if you must know, an

American plane left us there.

- We were on our way from...

- I wanna go home.

Oh, Anne, it's

rude to interrupt.

We were on our way from New

Britain to Port Moresby

when the pilot was ordered to

pick up eight survivors of an

Australian bomber that had

crashed in the water.

Hey, you, take that bat or

whatever it is out of the water.

It's acting like a rudder.

Harriet, really.

- The name's Harri.

- All right, Harri.

He said he'd try and pick us up later

but that was five hours ago and he...

- Quiet.

- You don't have to be so rude.

Quiet, I think I hear something.

- Duck!

- What?

Put your heads down, do as I tell

you, keep your faces covered.

Hey, keep your face down!

- Are they Japanese?

- I don't know. Do you want me to ask?

Hold on! We've gotta

ride out the wake.

- We're sinking!

- Don't just sit there, damn it! Bail!

Mr Eckland, your

language, really!

Just bail! Do as I say!

Come on, you can move

faster than that!

Come on, all of you!

Use your hands, anything!

Come on, keep bailing. Faster!

Bail! Why aren't you?

Come on, now! Get to work!

Go on!

That's better.

- Hold on to the boat, Harri!

- Stay in the boat!

Well, really...

Come on, girls.

Right, come on.

Come on, Anne.

Kings Point? Get Houghton.

Is that you, Mother Goose?

Walter, I can't tell you

how delighted I am.

Oh, you've Mother Goosed

me for the last time.

- What are you talking about?

- Don't play stupid with me.

You'd sell out your father

if you know who he was.

Walter? Whatever's wrong...

Walter?

- Frank, get them off of here.

- Get who off?

You know who.

Get 'em off.

No one could have

known we were there.

- The radio was destroyed.

- Will you please stay out of this?

- I'm only trying to...

- I'm capable of handling this myself.

- I'm hungry!

- So am I!

Walter, what's...

Walter, who's...

Walter!

Thank you. Now, suppose

you tell me who's there.

Well...

I am Miss Catherine Freneau.

Who is this, please?

Commander Frank Houghton

of His Majesty's Navy.

Who are you, Miss Freneau, and

what are you doing there?

- I'd like to hear that myself.

- I am the daughter of Charles Freneau,

the French Consul at Rabaul.

- I heard children's voices.

- Yes.

I am in charge of seven students

from the consulate school.

Four English, two

French, one Australian,

all of them daughters of

diplomatic personnel.

When the bombing started, it was

decided to evacuate them to Australia.

Unfortunately, the plane our group

was on put us down at Bundi.

And now Mr Eckland has been

kind enough to bring us here.

- What about Malcolm Perry?

- Well, I'm sorry, Commander.

The house had apparently been attacked

from the air and when we found him...

Oh, I'm sorry.

Commander, how soon do

you think you'll be able to...

arrange for our transportation?

I'd like to hear

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