The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin Page #2

A ticket for the sailing.

A ticket on the Lady Wilma

to San Francisco.

[Man] Step right in, gentlemen.

Now, this is an unclaimed ticket

that I am going to sell

to the highest bidder.

This is your ticket to fortune,

to the gold fields of California.

What am I offered?

Will some gentleman start this bidding,

say at $500?

- [Man] Five hundred.

- Thank you, sir, $500.

Remember. This is the last ticket

on the beautiful Lady Wilma,

sailing now for San Francisco.

I have five,

I'm looking for 550, anybody?

- [Man 2] I'll make it 550.

- Thank you. $550.

[Auction continues in background]

Stay where you are.

- [Jack] Are you trying to stowaway too?

- Stowaway? Oh, no, lad.

What I needs must shake the

murderous hounds pursuing me.

- Are the police after you?

- Shh!

[Man] Ah. Here, boy.

In with you. Come on. Give me that.

Who will make it 1200? 1200?

- 1200!

- Thank you, sir. 1200.

I have 1200. Who will make it 1250?

Oh, come on, gentlemen.

You can wash that much gold

out of your socks every night

- after you get to California.

- [Laughter]

All right, gentlemen, who will

make it 1250? Going once...

Going twice...

Are you all through, gentlemen?

You're gonna hate yourselves

in the morning.

Going...

...going...

...and gone!

- Yahoo!

[Crowd clamoring]

Oh, yes, sir. Right away.

You got a great wagon there, sir.

Put that in the envelope for you.

There you are.

- Oh, I beg your pardon, sir.

- Oh, pardon me.

- I am sorry.

- I'm sure it was my fault.

I'm so excited. I'm going

to California for the gold rush!

Good for you! Oh, my hat.

Well, I'm sorry I was...

But I... Well...

- Your ticket.

- Oh!

The ticket, it's gone.

But I just bought it.

Somebody stole my ticket.

[Shouting] I've been robbed!

Search everybody!

- You, sir. You were over there.

- Yes, I was.

He is absolutely right. He bought

a ticket. I was there. I saw him.

- You just keep out of this...

- I beg your pardon.

I, sir, am Judge Higgins

of the appellate court,

and I demand that you search

every single man along this...

Wouldn't do any good, though,

would it?

Everybody going aboard

is bound to have a ticket.

- Let us handle it, Your Honor.

- Yes, of course.

Step off the gang plank.

I say, you. Oh, I didn't get your name.

- Brown. Brown, sir.

- Mr. Brown.

Why don't you go over there

with the aid of these two officers

and carefully go through all your

pockets and see if you can't find it.

You were terribly excited.

It's not good to get that excited.

- Yes, sir. Thank you, Your Honor.

- Yes. It's quite all right.

- Ready?

- Yes, sir.

- [Man 1] Your ticket.

- [Man 2] Thank you.

You, sir. Are you

the captain of this ship?

Captain Swain.

If you've any business with me,

say your say

and be quick about it.

I have reason to believe

there is a 12-year-old boy

- stowed away aboard your ship.

- I have reasons to believe there isn't.

He is the grandson

of the late Alonzo Flagg of Boston.

Now, I want no part in no stowaway.

[Swain] Will you give me your word,

as a gentleman,

that you and him'll be ashore

before we sail.

Unquestionably.

All right.

I'll show you how to get below.

Thank you.

If the police aren't after you,

then who is?

I could a tale unfold whose lightest

word would harrow up thy soul.

Freeze thy young blood.

And 'tis better you take heed also,

for 'tis true, lad,

he who runneth with the fox

must beware the hounds.

Or is it dogs?

[Stammering] Yes, well,

I think I'd better be going.

[Door rattles]

[Banging]

Breathe softly and beware.

For it is often said

that jackals run in pairs.

[Jack] Good grief, Griffin.

What are you doing here?

You know him?

You've just knocked out our butler.

Griffin?

Griffin?

- You gave me your word, didn't you?

- I have tried to explain, sir.

You took advantage

of my good disposition.

Well, you'll work your passage

in the bunkers

and you'll rue the day you ever

heard the name of Captain Swain!

I am making a formal request, captain,

that you set us both ashore

at your first port of call.

[Laughs] I'll put you ashore

right enough

but it's what happens

between now and then,

is what you've got to worry about.

Get away from that.

That's not for you.

I appreciate that, sir.

You'll take your scoffings

with the crew,

unless I put you on bread and water.

I think I would prefer that, sir,

if we have a choice.

We'll leave it to the paying

passengers to malign the chow,

if ya don't mind.

If I may make a suggestion, captain.

Rather than waste my talent

in the bunker, sir,

if you would permit me

to prepare and serve your food

in the fully proper manner,

for your own safety, sir,

with the help of Master Jack,

my apprentice.

- You'll do what I say.

- By all means, sir.

Hey.

Have you ever tried

your hand at galley grub?

- Galley grub?

- He knows all there is to know...

...about food.

- Knowing and doing

is two different things, especially

for a landlubber put to sea.

My grandfather, sir,

prepared and served the meals

for Admiral Lord Nelson

at the Battle of Trafalgar.

All right.

One chance, I'll give ya.

And one chance only.

Thank you, sir.

And if you don't serve me

a fair to middling meal,

then it's off to the bunkers for you!

"And while the captain had agreed

to set us ashore at first port of call,

he now refuses to release us

from our duties:

Preparing his meals

and tending his cabin.

Consequently, we shall continue

on to the gold fields,

praying that fortune shall smile upon us

and that you may forgive us

the anxiety we have occasioned.

Master Jack has made friends

with an old judge

who has agreed to post this

when we reach Rio."

Doesn't that beat all?

The two of them bound for California.

Isn't that just like Griffin?

Even if he were assigned to a rock pile,

he'd make himself indispensable.

I can't get over it.

Griffin and Master Jack.

All alone in that wild country out west.

Well, we won't let them be all alone.

You may start packing my things.

- Don't you say you go.

- Why not?

There's nothing I can do here

I can't do in California.

- It's not a right place for a lady.

- Oh...

- Oh, sorry.

- Some of the stories I've heard.

Men outnumber women

100 to one in San Francisco.

Well, there's nothing wrong

with those odds,

especially when a young lady

has to earn her own living.

Oh, Griffin wouldn't approve

of you going to California.

But I think Grandpa

would approve of it heartily.

He wanted me to be free

to try my wings.

To find my own place

in this beautiful and exciting world.

I'll go lay out my things.

- That's about all.

- Oh.

Tell you what, miss.

Just to make it a clean deal,

I'll add $5 for the frame and picture.

Oh, I wouldn't part with Grandfather

for $1,000.

But if you're

going to California, miss...

Oh.

Well, in that case,

I'll leave him in your custody.

I'll take the five.

Griffin and Jack

who spent theirjourney in the galley

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes