sing in your best
and we'll be going ashore.

CHRIS--[Aroused--angrily.] No, py God, she don't do that! [Takes hold
of her arm.]

ANNA--[Who has listened to BURKE in astonishment. She draws away from
him, instinctively repelled by his tone, but not exactly sure if he is
serious or not--a trace of resentment in her voice.] Say, where do you
get that stuff?

BURKE--[Imperiously.] Never mind, now! Let you go get dressed, I'm
saying, [Then turning to CHRIS.] We'll be seeing who'll win in the
end--me or you.

CHRIS--[To ANNA--also in an authoritative tone.] You stay right here,
Anna, you hear! [ANNA stands looking from one to the other of them as
if she thought they had both gone crazy. Then the expression of her
face freezes into the hardened sneer of her experience.]

BURKE--[Violently.] She'll not! She'll do what I say! You've had your
hold on her long enough. It's my turn now.

ANNA--[With a hard laugh.] Your turn? Say, what am I, anyway?

BURKE--'Tis not what you are, 'tis what you're going to be this
day--and that's wedded to me before night comes. Hurry up now with your
dressing.

CHRIS--[Commandingly.] You don't do one tang he say, Anna! [ANNA laughs
mockingly.]

BURKE--She will, so!

CHRIS--Ay tal you she don't! Ay'm her fa'der.

BURKE--She will in spite of you. She's taking my orders from this out,
not yours.

ANNA--[Laughing again.] Orders is good!

BURKE--[Turning to her impatiently.] Hurry up now, and shake a leg.
We've no time to be wasting. [Irritated as she doesn't move.] Do you
hear what I'm telling you?

CHRIS--You stay dere, Anna!

ANNA--[At the end of her patience--blazing out at them passionately.]
You can go to hell, both of you! [There is something in her tone that
makes them forget their quarrel and turn to her in a stunned amazement.
ANNA laughs wildly.] You're just like all the rest of them--you two!
Gawd, you'd think I was a piece of furniture! I'll show you! Sit down
now! [As they hesitate--furiously.] Sit down and let me talk for a
minute. You're all wrong, see? Listen to me! I'm going to tell you
something--and then I'm going to beat it. [To BURKE--with a harsh
laugh.] I'm going to tell you a funny story, so pay attention.
[Pointing to CHRIS.] I've been meaning to turn it loose on him every
time he'd get my goat with his bull about keeping me safe inland. I
wasn't going to tell you, but you've forced me into it. What's the dif?
It's all wrong anyway, and you might as well g