avado_). Then we're a-goin' to mutiny and take the
old hooker home ourselves. Ain't we, boys?

(_As he turns his head to look at the others_, KEENEY'S _fist
shoots out to the side of his jaw._ JOE _goes down in a heap and
lies there._ MRS. KEENEY _gives a shriek and hides her face in
her hands. The men pull out their sheath knives and start a rush,
but stop when they find themselves confronted by the revolvers
of_ KEENEY _and the_ MATE.)

KEENEY (_his eyes and voice snapping_). Hold still! (_The men
stand huddled together in a sullen silence._ KEENEY'S _voice is
full of mockery._) You've found out it ain't safe to mutiny on
this ship, ain't you? And now git for'ard where ye belong, and
(_he gives_ JOE'S _body a contemptuous kick_) drag him with you.
And remember, the first man of ye I see shirkin' I'll shoot dead
as sure as there's a sea under us, and you can tell the rest the
same. Git for'ard now! Quick! (_The men leave in cowed silence,
carrying_ JOE _with them._ KEENEY _turns to the_ MATE _with a
short laugh and puts his revolver back in his pocket._) Best get
up on deck, Mr. Slocum, and see to it they don't try none of
their skulkin' tricks. We'll have to keep an eye peeled from now
on. I know 'em.

MATE. Yes, sir.

(_He goes out, right._ KEENEY _hears his wife's hysterical
weeping and turns around in surprise--then walks slowly to her
side._)

KEENEY (_putting an arm around her shoulder--with gruff
tenderness_). There, there, Annie. Don't be afeard. It's all past
and gone.

MRS. KEENEY (_shrinking away from, him_). Oh, I can't bear it! I
can't bear it any longer!

KEENEY (_gently_). Can't bear what, Annie?

MRS. KEENEY (_hysterically_). All this horrible brutality, and
these brutes of men, and this terrible ship, and this prison cell
of a room, and the ice all around, and the silence.

(_After this outburst she calms down and wipes her eyes with her
handkerchief._)

KEENEY (_after a pause during which he looks down at her with a
puzzled frown_). Remember, I warn't hankerin' to have you come on
this voyage, Annie.

MRS. KEENEY. I wanted to be with you, David, don't you see? I
didn't want to wait back there in the house all alone as I've
been doing these last six years since we were married--waiting,
and watching, and fearing--with nothing to keep my mind
occupied--not able to go back teaching school on account of being
Dave Keeney's wife. I used to dream of sailing on the great,
wide, glorious oc