Buccaneer's Girl

BUCCANEER'S GIRL

Is everything to your liking, ma'am?

- It's an unusually cheerful spectacle, Captain Martos.

Well, when we be calm like this,

we might as well enjoy ourselves.

- When I arrive in New Orleans, I shall enjoy myself.

But not until then.

- That pirate Baptiste, he has an obsession with her.

Every strange sail we sight

calls for a fresh bottle of smelling salts.

Why, ma'am, you couldn't be safer

if you were in your own drawing room.

In a calm like this, no pirate could ever get to us.

Not even Baptiste.

Fetch me that feather, Tom.

He's better than what we got.

Aye aye, sir.

Four bells and all's well.

- Pirates! Pirates! - Baptiste!

Mr. Roberts, you guard the ladies.

You men arm yourselves and get on deck!

Well, thank ye, son.

Thank you, son.

- Don't let them forget that China silk, Tom.

Aye.

And did you fetch along the fiddler?

He went to the spice bales.

- What do you intend to do with us, pirate?

- Set you adrift into small boats along with the passengers.

Unless there's any amongst you who'd volunteer.

- Think you any of my men would serve with you?

- Not a lad amongst us hasn't served on a vessel

with Alexander Narbonne.

Tell that to your master,

if your small boat's lucky enough to be picked up.

- At the same time, I'll request the privilege of being present

when Narbonne has you hanged from your own yardarm.

Why bother Narbonne?

I'll invite you myself.

Now, how many of you men would rather transfer registry

than hit the small boats?

Small boats always make me queasy.

I'll take the skull and bones.

So will I.

Wise lads, Captain.

Here be one we missed.

Better drag him out.

Easy with them powder casks.

Aye aye, sir!

- Strip the rigging clean. - Aye aye.

- Looks like we're all through. Scuttle 'er.

Weigh below and make sure she settles fast.

Here's something we found.

Well, a cabin boy, eh?

Well, son, would you like to sign on with Frederic Baptiste?

Speak up, can't you?

Well, lower me jib, a bustle.

Very nice to meet you.

- Is this new gear on all the Narbonne craft?

How did you get aboard?

It was easy.

But if I had known you were going to get your moldy old ship

captured by a gang of cutthroats,

- I'd have stayed in Boston. - Stowaway, eh?

- Put her in the boat with the other women.

Pulled away.

- Then she'll have to go in the longboat with them.

And get going before I change my mind

and make you swim back to New Orleans.

- Come on, you. - Wait a minute!

I've got two dresses in that boat

and I'm not leaving without 'em.

You know, he's making a big mistake

putting one woman in with all those men.

You wouldn't be thinking...

That she'd be safer with us?

Precisely.

Oh, no, you don't.

Ah, it's all for your sake.

Ah, let me down, you big ape!

- Ape! - Oh!

You near scratched my hair off!

Good.

- You just don't know how to handle a lady.

Ahh!

- See what I mean? - If you don't put me down...

Imagine all those poor defenseless men

alone in a small boat with a dangerous female like this.

Here. Take her.

When I get down in the boat, hand her to me.

- You just don't know how to handle the ladies.

- Ouch! - Quiet.

Help me, Kryl, help me.

Keep her quiet.

Ow! You near bit me ear off!

Ow! Take her, Kryl, take her!

You little devil, you.

Ah, you think my hands are bloomin' zebra skin?

- Touch me again and I'll bite your arm off.

- We gotta get her below decks before the other boats get back.

You and your wonderful idea.

We should have dumped her overboard.

Quiet!

Whatever you have up there, bring it down here.

What goes on out there?

Let me down. Let me down.

By the Dog Star, a female!

I've been kidnapped.

And I demand that you... That you do something about it.

- She was stowed away aboard the Gulf Queen, sir.

But somehow, she got herself on our boat, sir.

I'll discuss that with you later.

Meanwhile, leave her here.

- Aye aye, sir, with the greatest of pleasure.

Turn around.

Who are you?

The captain of this vessel.

- But I thought... Then who was the other?

Jared, my mate.

Fortunately, many people make the same mistake.

Then you must be...

- Frederic Baptiste, a bloodthirsty pirate.

The scourge of the Mexican Gulf.

That fiend in human shape.

At your service, mademoiselle...

up to a point.

Somebody's been exaggerating.

Or maybe they haven't.

Look what your men have done to me.

- You'll find ointment in that chest, Miss, uh...

Deborah McCoy.

Debbie, they call me.

Where were you headed, Debbie?

Oh, New Orleans, Rio.

I wasn't sure.

- To visit? - No.

They say that there are good places for a girl

to earn her living.

- And this living, how did you propose to make it?

I'm an entertainer.

I sing a little and I dance a little.

You know, you combine all the elements

of a first-class problem.

Why?

All you have to do is put me ashore somewhere.

Oh, and stretch my neck by doing it?

Oh, I know how to keep a tight mouth.

After all, they say you only attack the ships

of Alexander Narbonne.

I don't even know who he is.

The richest man in New Orleans.

Or used to be.

He'd be a good one to know, wouldn't he?

That depends on one's point of view.

- Why do you give his ships your special attention?

That's my point of view.

Tell me, how long have you been making your own way, Debbie?

Too long.

No one to help you?

Too many.

- I still can't decide what to do about you.

- The sailors were given a chance to sign on with you.

- I believe I have a more practical solution than that.

I knew you'd think of something.

We'll maroon you on a sand spit.

I'm sure you can think of something better than that.

Why, no.

It's a perfect way to handle the situation.

We'll pick a sand spit on the sea lanes to South America.

If you're picked up, you'll get to Rio.

And if not, you'll be on a clean white beach,

protected by palm trees.

You'll soon grow to love it.

Finished, Captain.

We stripped her clean, cargo aboard and stowed.

Not a bad haul for a ship her size.

These must be worth a fortune.

I thought I ordered you set adrift.

Oh, you did.

But somehow the orders got mixed up.

- You better find a cabin for our passenger.

- A cabin? - Anything will do.

She'll only be with us until we sight a suitable sand spit.

- But I thought... - Good night, Debbie.

Sleep as well as you can.

Away with you.

- Another four days and that girl will have them

wearing lace on their drawers.

Yeah, it's a fair shame, sir.

It's always been me pride we had the roughest

and dirtiest crew in the Mexican Gulf.

I can't stand to look at it anymore.

- Good afternoon. - Good afternoon.

Where did you get that dress?

Oh, this?

It's just a little old thing Jared rummaged for me in a chest.

Jared, eh?

So he rummaged it for you in a chest, did he?

Well, take it off.

Oh. Were you taking it to someone?