The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin Page #3

At last were nearing

San Francisco Bay

Their culinary art won over

the captains heart

As the menu grew

more elegant each day

As soon as we drop anchor

in San Francisco Bay,

every blasted member of the crew

is going to be over the side

and headed for the gold fields.

Hasn't been a ship left port in months.

Oh.

Do you have any idea

what time we'll get there?

We should get within spitting distance

during the graveyard watch.

We should get in tomorrow morning?

Tomorrow afternoon more likely.

[Swain] I'm not picking me way

through no floating graveyard

- and early morning soup.

- Oh.

Now, now, now, sonny.

[Swain] A few hours isn't going

to make all that difference.

Why don't you go and start

getting your donnies together?

I'll see you get to shore

in the first boat tomorrow.

- You're very kind, sir.

- Thank you, sir.

[Slurping]

[Jack and Griffin] Oh, Susanna

Oh, dont you cry for me

For Im off to California...

- Well, well. Griffin.

- Uh, by all means, sir.

[Laughs] And my

little friend Jack, huh?

What a beautiful day for singing.

Watch this.

- [Guffaws]

- Very good.

Oh, I'll bet you can

hardly wait to reach port.

Just barely. Are you going up

to the gold fields?

The gold fields?

Oh, I may, eventually.

But there are things in the world

more important than gold, son.

This is a new land, and it needs laws

and courts and justice.

Laws, courts, justice. Those are the

things I'm concerned with most of all.

Oh, yes. Laws, courts and justice.

Oh, yes, sir.

I really like that Judge Higgins.

Don't you?

Well, I don't know, Master Jack.

Sometimes I think

he tries almost too hard to be friendly.

What's wrong with being friendly?

You told me...

- Wait a minute.

- [Muffled banging, mumbling]

[Groaning]

- Mr. Bartlett, what happened?

- Who did this to you?

- Who did this to you?

- They followed me.

They are on this ship.

The thread of life spins out.

- Did you see who hit you?

- A coward's blow from behind.

When I came to, I was blindfolded.

I could hear the man

ransacking my room.

[Bartlett] I suppose you do know

what he was seeking.

[Sighs]

- But he found it not.

- Found what not?

Hidden there lies ample bait

to lure the most treacherous of hounds.

A map given to me by a dying man

whom I had befriended

in a boarding house in Salem.

A map... to the mother lode.

Oh. Yes, well, um...

We will report this to the captain

immediately.

Oh, no, it would do no good

for I know not mine enemies.

And I do not greatly trust

that Captain Swain.

Oh.

Well, sir, I'm afraid that

under the circumstances,

there is nothing we can do for you.

Stick with me, you two.

If you'll a willing ear incline,

what's mine is yours

and what is yours is mine.

- You want us to be partners?

- [Bartlett] Aye, lad.

These are the crucial hours

as our journey nears its end.

For mine enemies,

the time is ripe to strike swiftly.

Seize the prize if they can find it

and be gone. What say you, friends?

[Stammering] Oh, uh...

I'm afraid that, uh...

we cannot remain with you here.

We have our duties

in the captain's cabin.

Oh, well. No matter.

I will remain locked in here.

You can look in on me occasionally.

- Bring me my remaining meals.

- Oh, by all means, sir.

And if another living soul

should dare to cross that threshold,

t'would be foolishness indeed.

I'm sorry.

Griffin! We'll be partners

in the mother lode!

- Shh.

- Master Jack!

Please?

Very well.

Mother lode indeed.

Don't forget my remaining meals.

[Jack] Griffin. Griffin. Hey, Griffin.

- Hmm?

- You can see 'em, Griffin.

Lights across the water. Somebody said

they're on boats in San Francisco Bay.

- Where do you think you're going?

- Don't you want to see them?

Oh, yes. All in due time.

You should be preparing for bed.

Oh, no. Just when we're getting here?

After all these months?

- Don't you realize...

- Master Jack,

you're going to have a busy day

tomorrow. You need your rest. Obey.

Oh. I stopped by to tell

Mr. Bartlett. Boy, is he excited.

Just think, Griffin.

If we do find the you-know-what,

and we're partners, we'll be about

the richest people in Boston.

You won't have to be a butler.

You can buy into a business.

Master Jack...

Sit down, Master Jack.

I want to tell you something.

I am proud to be a butler,

as was my father,

as was his father before him.

And, uh, I don't

understand why everybody...

[Swain] Fire! Fire in the hole!

Quick! Up on the deck!

[Swain] Hurry! Hurry!

[Panicked shouting]

It's a fire, a fire, I tell ya!

[Shouting]

Get back, I tell you!

[Man] Bring that over there. That's it.

- Excuse us. Excuse me.

- Excuse me.

Abandon ship!

[Higgins] Abandon ship! Abandon ship!

Come on. Be quick. Don't stand there

like a fool. The whole ship's on fire.

Caution, my friend. Caution.

If you have any small thing of value,

you'd better take it along.

Fire! Fire!

Oh. Thank you.

- Turn around. Turn around.

- What? Oh.

I think it's the pistol. If you'd be

so kind as to hold the pistol...

Fire! Fire! Fire!

[Commotion]

[Swain] Hands up on decks! Hands up!

Get them buckets moving! Come on!

[Man] It's a false alarm!

It's a false alarm.

Just oily rags. The whole engine room

is full of smoke.

A false alarm?

What are you saying, man?

Some bilge rat done it on purpose?

Good heavens. It's a trick.

- Excuse me.

- Get in there. Come on.

[Coughing]

- Mr. Bartlett!

- What happened?

- Higgins, it was.

- Higgins?

- Judge Higgins?

- Yes.

I turned my back for a second

and he hit me.

[Moaning]

You stay here.

Do what you can to help him.

- Captain Swain.

- Captain's on the poop deck.

- Captain Swain?

- You'll have to see me later.

Some bilge rat took off

in my starboard boat.

That's exactly what I was afraid...

Waiting there just for the findin

Shinin bright

Its nearly blindin

California gold

California gold

California gold

California gold

Waitinjust for me

Gotta claim my golden mountain

Gold that flows just like a fountain

Ill just spend my time

a- counting California gold

- Step right in! Show on the inside!

- [Singing continues]

Come on in, everybody. Come on in.

California gold

California gold

- California gold

- Oh. Come along. Come on.

Waitinjust for me

[Griffin] Come on.

We shan't achieve our purpose

by standing there.

I'll bet Judge Higgins won't

waste time getting to the gold fields.

However, do you realize

that if we are to find this gold,

- we shall need a grubstake.

- Oh, yes. Hmm...

Look!

Oh! What prices!

My mind will not believe

what mine eyes have seen.

Nor mine.

A-ha.

I believe I have a thought which

obviously will be of service to mankind

and, I think, gain us the money we need.

[Sighs]

Permit me, dear friend. I think

perhaps I have more experience.

What?

[Laughs] All the world is a stage,

you know.

Oh. Huh.

Romans, countrymen and lovers.

Griffin, what are you doing?

You just gave me a haircut a week ago.

Shh, Master Jack. Not so loud.

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