KE. No, sailor, nothing out of me! And if you want to know, you
can ask the Admiral himself! (_She crosses, L._)

PEW. Hey? Old girl fly? Then I reckon I must have a mate, if it was the
parish bull.

SCENE II

_To these, KIT, a little drunk_

KIT (_looking in over half-door_). Mrs. Drake! Mother! Where are you?
Come and welcome the prodigal!

MRS. DRAKE (_coming forward to meet him as he enters; PEW remains
concealed by the settle, smoking, drinking, and listening_). Lord bless
us and save us, if it ain't my boy! Give us a kiss.

KIT. That I will, and twenty if you like, old girl. (_Kisses her._)

MRS. DRAKE. O Kit, Kit, you've been at those other houses, where the
stuff they give you, my dear, it is poison for a dog.

KIT. Round with friends, mother: only round with friends.

Mrs. Drake. Well, anyway, you'll take a glass just to settle it from me.
(_She brings the bottle and fills for him._) There, that's pure; that'll
do you no harm. But O, Kit, Kit, I thought you were done with all this
Jack-a-shoring.

KIT. What cheer, mother? I'm only a sheet in the wind; and who's the
worse for it but me?

MRS. DRAKE. Ah, and that dear young lady; and her waiting and keeping
single these two years for the love of you!

KIT. She, mother? she's heart of oak, she's true as steel, and good as
gold; and she has my ring on her finger, too. But where's the use? The
Admiral won't look at me.

MRS. DRAKE. Why not? You're as good a man as him any day.

KIT. Am I? He says I'm a devil, and swears that none of his flesh and
blood--that's what he said, mother!--should lie at my mercy. That's what
cuts me. If it wasn't for the good stuff I've been taking aboard, and
the jolly companions I've been seeing it out with, I'd just go and make
a hole in the water, and be done with it, I would, by George!

MRS. DRAKE. That's like you men. Ah, we know you, we that keeps a
public-house--we know you, good and bad: you go off on a frolic and
forget; and you never think of the women that sit crying at home.

KIT. Crying? Arethusa cry? Why, dame, she's the bravest-hearted girl in
all broad England! Here, fill the glass! I'll win her yet. I drink to
her; here's to her bright eyes, and here's to the blessed feet she
walks upon!

PEW (_looking round the corner of the settle_). Spoke like a gallant
seaman, every inch. Shipmate, I'm a man as has suffered, and I'd like to
shake your fist, and drink a can of flip with you.

KIT (_coming