The Prisoner of Shark Island Page #6

Now, any of you boys that are willing

to do that, I promise to save from hanging.

He sound like a nice man.

I don't wanna go near

them yellow fever boys!

The white man said

you don't have to.

And besides, I'd rather be beside

them yellow fever boys...

than to hang till

my eyeballs popped out.

- Comin' out, white boss.

- All right. Now, look.

I'm gonna give all of ya just one minute

to make up your minds.

- That's it. Come on! All of ya!

Hurry up! Hurry up!

And don't forget,

I'll keep my promise to every one of ya.

Come on, all of ya!

Come on, all of ya!

Comin' out, white boss!

All right, you men begin

tearing out those windows, sash and all.

I wanna get some air and sunlight

in this hospital. Come on. Double time now.

Come over here, you fellas.

Get ready to soak these blankets.

Keep 'em wet. I wanna wrap those men up

till I wash some of that fever out.

Hurry up now! Get going.

Come on. You and I are going in.

- You think all this'll do any good, sir?

- "Good." I don't know.

But it'll make 'em

comfortable at least.

Here. You men,

put those blankets over your faces.

We're gonna smash out these windows

and get some air in this hospital.

All right!

Tear 'em out!

How are you, soldier?

Get away, Judas!

What about that wind, sir?

With those windows out,

it looks like a hurricane-

Let it blow! Let it rain!

It's cooling, isn't it?

If it does nothing else, it'll help to blow

these blasted mosquitoes away.

Come on. We'll take 'em in their order.

This one first.

- How are you feeling, Buck?

- I'm feeling pretty good, Marse Sam...

since you done

chased them mosquitoes away.

It sure seems

a long way from Maryland.

Long time...

long ago.

I wonder-

I wonder if Rosabelle

done forgotten me.

Forget you after- after 12 children?

It's impossible.

That Rosabelle sure is

one real woman...

ain't she, Marse Sam?

- Shh! Buck. Shh.

Well, how's it look today?

All right, I guess.

What do you mean?

How long do you think these supplies

are gonna last? Forever?

Where's the medicine coming

from two days from now, out of the air?

- Steady.

- And how long do you think

I'm gonna last? Forever?

You've got to get some sleep.

You've had five days of this.

You're exhausted.

Yeah. Right off yonder, not a mile offshore,

there's a ship full of supplies.

And a half a dozen doctors,

not country doctors brought up

on bellyaches and babies...

but real city doctors!

And the whole United States government

can't make that boat come help us.

- Will you let me put you to bed?

No! I'm sorry.

I'll go to bed because-

because I'm tired.

Get up!

- Get up and come with me.

- What is it, sir?

- Come with me. I need your help.

- Doctor, you're sick.

Of course I'm sick.

I got yellow jack.

I'm the doctor,

but I got yellow jack.

Didn't you know that doctors

could ever get yellow-

Only doctor in the world

who's got a thousand cases-

Only doctor in the world

who's got a thousand cases

and ain't got no medicine!

- Won't you tell me where we're going, sir?

- Here's where we're going.

Get up there!

Open that door. Kick it open.

- You're the gun crew?

- Yes, sir!

Get up!

Man your guns. Hurry up!

Pull down that ladder!

Get the signal lamp.

Hurry up!

Get up!

What's he saying now?

He says it's impossible, sir.

It's too dangerous in this storm.

You tell him again.

Tell him again, I say put in.

Tell him if he doesn't,

I'm gonna fire.

Excuse me, sir,

but that's a government ship!

Tell him again, I say put in.

Get ready to drop one near him.

He says he won't, sir.

All right. Fire!

- What's he doin' now?

- They're puttin' out to sea, sir!

All right! Hit him!

You can't do that, Doctor.

You fool!

I gotta get that medicine.

I gotta get those doctors.

Can't you see I'm sick too?

I got yellow jack like everybody else here,

but I'm a doctor.

I gotta look out for things.

Come on! Give it to him, I tell ya!

- Fire!

- But, Captain, us can't fire at the flag.

Fire that gun, Negro!

Fire!

It hit the mast!

Get ready to hit him again.

Again!

He's turnin'!

He's headin' in!

He's headin in!

He's headin in, Doctor!

He's headin in, Doctor. He's headin in.

How's everything this morning?

Still all right?

Looks like I'm going to live.

Doctor, this is something

I've prepared to send to Washington...

by special messenger today.

Of course, I'm in no position to speak

for our government-yours and mine.

But because I do love the flag I serve

and because I'm jealous of its honor...

I'd-

I'd like to read this letter to you.

It's to the president

of the United States.

"As commandant of the military prison

at Port Jefferson, Florida...

"I can testify that the final checking

of the recent yellow fever epidemic...

"was the direct result of extraordinary

and unselfish courage...

"and bravery and skill on

the part of Dr. Samuel A. Mudd.

"On behalf of the personnel

of the post...

"including officers and enlisted men,

civilians and prisoners...

"I take this means of urging

executive clemency for Dr. Mudd...

as a reward for heroism far above

and beyond the demands of duty. "

I wrote that this morning...

and every man on this island

would be glad to sign it.

- I promise you.

- I'd like to be the first.

With your permission, Major.

With Dr. Mudd's permission.

Thank you, Sergeant.

Come here, darling.

Darling, Daddy's coming home.

And when he comes, he- he may not look

like he did when you last saw him.

But don't say so.

Don't look at him like that, dear,

just because his face...

may be old and sad...

and tired...

and he may be thin,

and his hair-

But don't notice it, dear.

Just-Just kiss him.

Kiss his cheeks and his eyes...

and his arms

and his wrists and-

- Whoa.

- Much obliged, sir.

Thank you, Marse Sam.

Giddyap.

- Rosabelle!

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