Reap the Wild Wind Page #6

- I saw it. Unpardonable.

Terrible waste of molasses.

STEVE:
I didn't know you

practiced law, Mr. Cutler...

although I've heard of

your other practices.

It is gratifying to know that our services

to ships in distress have not gone unnoticed.

Unnoticed? I'm sure every

ship owner in the world...

would like to repay

you for your efforts.

- Can I take you to the inn?

- Why...

STEVE:
[Throwing voice] You might

go in, but you'll never come out.

You have many talents, Mr. Tolliver.

I hope I can make your visit

to the Keys interesting.

I'm sure you'll do you

best, Mr. Cutler. Good day.

Good day.

- Take good care of him, Philpott.

- Yeah.

CREWMAN:
Take it away.

Give me a little more line.

You happen to know some nice quiet nook

where I can sleep without any molasses?

Nook? I guess we can find

a cranny somewhere for you.

Better leave word who to notify

in case there's any suddenness.

Come on.

WHALER 1:
It's port. WHALER

WHALER 1:
When I say

it's port, it's port.

- You the mate of the whaler Tyfib?

- That's right.

- Still need men?

- Yeah.

They're scarcer than feathers on a frog.

- How long you going for?

- That's up to the whales.

- About three years.

- Shut up.

- I'll sell you a couple of men.

- What's the matter with them?

One's an able seaman.

The other will do any

legal work you might have.

Legal work? You mean,

like boiling blubber?

- When do I get them?

- Tonight. Widgeon will tell you where.

- How much?

- $12 a head.

We'll pay when we pick them

up. Hope they both got arms.

WHALER 2:
Legal work! WHALER 1: Shut up!

Widgeon, you and The Lamb find

out where Tolliver puts up.

Take four horn-fisted galley

growlers and pay him a little visit.

That Charleston lawyer's

the most dangerous man...

they've ever sent down here.

But The Lamb will know how to tame him.

[Ominous instrumental music]

I wish your mama would have sent for you

before I got all your clothes unpacked.

Maum Maria, what are the voodoo

drums beating for tonight?

Long about dusk, I'd seen something.

- Couldn't be in this world, nor the next.

- Fiddlesticks.

It weren't no fiddlesticks. It

was shaped like Miss Drusilla...

and it was traipsing along the

edge of the jungle with a demon.

Only the demon make himself

look like Dan Cutler.

[Voodoo drumbeats]

But that's ridiculous.

Course, Miss Drusilla.

The drums do that.

Drusilla, look me in the eyes.

[Sombre instrumental music]

Loxi, I wish I didn't have

to go back to Havana tomorrow.

Are you meeting Dan

Cutler on the sly? Are you?

Drusilla, honey, he's...

You love Jack, and you

ran away to marry him.

I love Dan.

And I'm gonna marry him, even

if I have to run away, too.

Drusilla, darling...

I'm a pretty poor one

to be giving advice.

But you go on back to Havana and

ask your mother about it first.

[Screams]

[Bananas screeching]

Land of mercy!

I wish you'd inherited a talking

dog instead of this scratching ape.

Mr. Tolliver's not likely

to make me his heir.

Hear them drums? Maybe he gonna

be needing an heir by morning.

- What have you heard?

- All I know is what the darkies say.

I suppose Steve Tolliver

is in more trouble.

Yes, ma'am. But this

here's his last trouble.

What about Steve? What is it you know?

The Lamb is getting him off of

Capt. Phil's old sponge boat...

- and selling him to a whaler.

- A whaler?

Maybe they get Capt. Phil,

too, if they catch him alive.

But that's terrible.

We've got to warn them.

Who you mean, "we"?

I ain't going out into no voodoo night.

Nor none of the other darkies neither.

LOXI:
You scared cats, I'll

go myself. MAUM MARIA: No.

Get me a lantern.

MAUM MARIA:
Your mama

would sell me if she knew.

DRUSILLA:
Cousin Loxi, you can't.

LOXI:
Lend me a shawl, Drusilla.

- Not that one.

- Why?

DRUSILLA:
Here.

DRUSILLA:
I thought you didn't like Steve.

LOXI:
It's Capt. Phil I'm thinking about.

[Voodoo drumbeats continue]

- Jack.

- There she is, Parson.

She is pretty.

[Both exclaiming in delight]

JACK:
Full rigged and with a

masthead light. What's your course?

You always turn up when I need you most.

I've been on a diving job. I

brought along the parson to finish...

I'm sorry, but Jack's gotta go

right down to Capt. Phil's boat.

- Steve's in trouble.

- Steve? Steve Tolliver?

Now, don't get your mule streak up.

Cutler's selling Steve to a whaler.

- What do you care what happens to him?

- You ninny. This is no time to be jealous.

But I brought along...

But there's no time for

parsons now. Will you go or not?

Sure, I'll go.

No, Jack, I don't trust

you. I'm going with you.

I don't care what he did. He doesn't

deserve what Cutler will do to him.

Sorry, Parson. I want a

church wedding, anyway.

[Crickets chirping]

[Widgeon shushing]

WIDGEON:
[Whispering]

Someone's moving out to it now.

THE LAMB:
Feller come now. WIDGEON:

Muffle the rest of them tholes.

Yes, sir, this here old soup

ladle here belongs to me.

I hired it out to a

feller to fish for sponges.

What in tarnation can

a man do with a sponge?

- You can't eat it.

- No, they haven't much flavour.

- What happened to the man?

- Went broke, of course.

[Footsteps]

- What's that?

- Maybe sea gulls.

If they're sea gulls,

they're wearing boots.

STEVE:
Take that side.

Chinkapin, cover the light.

Here, take this.

LOXI:
Capt. Phil. Steve.

STEVE:
That's Loxi.

Capt. Phil, I've been

having conniptions about you.

Loxi, you shouldn't have come down here.

No? Of course, it's

no concern of mine...

but Cutler's got you booked for a

three years' cruise aboard a whaler.

My, this old tub sure needs

a brush of paint, Capt. Phil.

- You mean a shanghai?

- So she says.

Got so a man ain't

safe in his own grave.

What sort of a fool are

you bringing her down here?

I'm under my own orders.

Nobody but an iron-headed sap would

make her witness to a shanghai attempt.

I'll have just about time

to jam that down your throat.

- There's no time for fighting now.

- Look at that dog.

[Barking and growling]

I don't want no killing. Can't

get a dime for no dead men.

Get Loxi out through

the galley skylight.

LOXI:
I can fight. PHIL: Don't argue!

CHINKAPIN:
I'm getting out of here!

STEVE:
Got a gun? JACK: No.

[Chinkapin screams]

PHIL:
Get in there.

You come gentle, or we

got to bust your bones.

Widgeon. Why, you

double-crossing carrion shark.

- That's your mate of the Jubilee?

- Yes. And working with Cutler.

THE LAMB:
You!

[Crashing]

STEVE:
Don't let him get

away! WIDGEON:
Let go of me!

- Get down after them!

- Put up your hooks there, my friends.

You boys just cool your

heels there for a minute.

Ain't nothing down beiow. Few sponges.

THE LAMB:
You don't want that knife!

WIDGEON:
Get off of me!

THE LAMB:
Don't go away. Don't back up.

WIDGEON:
You stinking swab!

THE LAMB:
Let's keep it short.

STEVE:
Devil fire!

JACK:
You crawling crab!

[Jack panting]

[The Lamb screams]

STEVE:
Thanks. JACK: I'm

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