Narrator: Mysterious things are going on at a plantation on the island La Sabatina. Devious figures sneak through the night near Fort Rasselsword. It’s the gloomy captain Foul and his pirates. Close to a farmhouse, between 3 palm trees, they start digging, fearing that they might get caught.
Foul: Get going, hurry up.
Culverin: Not necessary, captain, we made it. Here’s the chest. Ha ha ha ha, it’s really buried here. The fat monk didn’t lie.
Foul: Unbelievable! Get it up, hurry. There is light in the house! He has noticed us.
Culverin: Cone on people, help me lift the chest out.
Foul: The governor will be confused. He hid his treasure here instead of in the palace. Serves him right that it gets stolen.
Culverin: Yes, ha ha, he must know, that there are pirates everywhere, and that they won’t let him have the treasure.
Foul: He even stole it himself. He almost literally bled it out of the townspeople. That crook.
Culverin: We would never do anything like that.
Foul: No, we are honest pirates. Let’s go, grab a hold. Culverin can’t carry the chest on his own. The governor’s treasure is too heavy to be carried by one man. And now, let’s get out of here, back to the pirate island.
Culverin: The chest is really heavy, there’s a lot of gold in it.
Foul: Help me!
Henry: You there! What are you doing?
Pirates: Culverin! Culverin! Defend yourself!
Foul: We’ll get away with it. Fire, people! Fire!
Culverin: Run people, get to safety!
Foul: And the treasure too. We won’t let them take it away, it belongs to us! Ha ha ha!
Narrator: Late in the evening the next day, things are really jolly in Bessie’s Bottomless Barrel. It’s the best tavern on the pirate island. Captain Roger and his men are there, he is attending the rum and a huge roasted leg of lamb. He is enjoying it, and only briefly looks up as an old man on two crutches comes to the table.
Peter: Good evening, captain Roger.
Roger: Peter, old friend, where are you going?
Peter: I’m really hungry captain.
Roger: And? It’s not my fault is it? You have to earn your money like an honest pirate, and not just lounge around in taverns.
Pirate: Right, captain. Why isn’t he a pirate like the rest of us? It would be better for him that way.
Rummy: He really would be better off.
Popsy: Old bum!
Peter: Captain, it’s not easy being a pirate with just one leg.
Roger: You’re right about that, sorry, Peter.
Peter: I know that you didn’t mean it like that. I would advise you not to do so. So, here is my deal.
Roger: Leave me alone; can’t you see that I’m eating?
Will: Let him talk, captain. Maybe Peter really has got something for us.
Popsy: Let him talk. Scumbag! Bum!
Roger: Alright old boy, if you have some information for me I’ll let you fill your gullet while I’m paying.
Peter: And what about drinks?
Will: Ohoho, listen to him.
Roger: He also wants rum. Alright, you’ll get as much rum as you can drink. And now, get talking.
Peter: Arr, I have to sit down first. You really don’t stand all that comfortably on just one leg.
Popsy: Tell! Rum for the drunkard!
Will: Here you have something to drink, now talk.
Peter: Listen up, captain Foul made a great catch yesterday. He stole a treasure from governor Broadside, a chest filled with gold.
Roger: What?
Peter: Hmmhmm, pure gold.
Pirate: Listen to that, the governor’s treasure.
Will: Is that true?
Peter: It’s true, captain. The governor hid the treasure on Henry Boscov’s plantation. Ha ha ha, he probably thought it was safer there than in the palace. The chest was so heavy that Culverin couldn’t carry it on his own.
Will: Where do you know this from?
Peter: Ha ha ha ha, Will, you know that I have very, very good ears. One of the slaves from the plantation told me. He watched everything and then sounded the alarm.
Will: And then he ran away?
Peter: Exactly, bosun. There was such a chaos, and no one was keeping an eye on him. He could disappear.
Narrator: The news hit captain Roger right in the heart. Gold! There is no room in his mind for any other thoughts than the thought of the governor’s gold, which is now in the hands of the evil captain Foul, and not in his own.
Roger: Foul won’t get much joy from the treasure. Listen up friends, we’ll take the treasure away from captain Foul.
Narrator: Someone else is thinking of the stolen gold, and only of that. The governor is rushing through the rooms of Fort Rasselsword while burning with anger, he is furious.
Broadside: It, it’s outrageous, scandalous. Henry Boscov will pay for this; I’ll have him hanged, shot, quartered and fed do the sharks. I, I, I….
Prudence: (Out of breath) Stand still for once, and tell me, why did you hide the treasure on his plantation? Why not here in Fort Rasselsword?
Broadside: Hrm, Prudence, here in the palace I must constantly expect inspectors. They would take the treasure away from me.
Prudence: Because it belongs to the crown.
Broadside: That’s nonsense; it belongs to me, and no one else. With what effort did I squeeze it out of the population? And now this? The treasure is gone! I could cry from anger. I will annihilate those thieves, mercilessly.
Prudence: What are you going to do?
Broadside: I’ll get the treasure back, no matter the cost! Guards!
Soldier: Your honour?
Broadside: Lt. De Martinet must come.
Soldier: Very well, your honour.
Broadside: De Martinet will bring the treasure back. And if he doesn’t succeed, the he’ll have to wait for his promotion until he turns blue. First he will bring the plantation owner to the gallows, tomorrow at dawn.
Camilla: But uncle, you can’t do that.
Broadside: Quiet Camilla, this is none of your business.
Camilla: Henry Boscov will reveal everything when he is brought to the gallows.
Broadside: What are you saying?
Camilla: Uncle, he will tell everyone that you would let the treasure disappear instead of sending it to Europe as it’s your duty to do.
Broadside: Don’t teach me about my duties.
Camilla: It wasn’t my intension, uncle.
Prudence: It doesn’t hurt when she does, my dear. It was stupid of you to hide the treasure outside of the palace.
Broadside: Prudence, watch your tone! I’m the governor!
Prudence: Then behave like one! Come with me, child, we’ll play a round of Whist. This time you’ll be dealing the cards, understood?
Narrator: Governor Broadside is speechless. Everyone else bows down to his will, but not his sister Prudence. He can’t put her in her place.
Captain Roger is rushing directly from the tavern to his ship, the Dark Shark, and is setting sails there. He is always in a rush when he smells gold. In addition to this he believes to know where captain Foul has hidden the Barracuda and the treasure.
Roger: A chest full of gold, ha ha ha, we’ll get it.
Will: And then, captain? Will you split the treasure up among the crew, or will you give it to the population of Port Royal?
Roger: The population? Tell me, are you nuts?
Will: Why not? After all, the governor squeezed it out of them.
Roger: Nonsense, Will! I’ll get it and keep it. But I will hide it for a while, just until things have calmed down a little.
Will: Yes, but it would be a great deed, and the people of Port Royal are in a poor situation. If each of them just got one gold coin, it would help them a lot.
Roger: Stop that nonsense, Will. Do you know where I’m going to hide the treasure?
Will: I have no idea, captain.
Roger: Exactly where it used to be, where Foul stole it, on Henry Boscov’s plantation. Foul and the governor will search for it everywhere, except there.
Will: Then you’ll have to carry the gold chest right through the middle of Port Royal.
Roger: And? I know plenty of secret passages; they go right past the governor’s guards. Ha ha ha, that’s the joke about it, no one is expecting that.
(Shots are heard in the background)
Will: Rummy, what on earth are you doing?
Roger: Are you insane? You almost hit me!
Rummy: Sorry, captain. I was aiming for the cactus on the beach over there. I hate cactuses, because of their spines.
Roger: It doesn’t matter to me if you hate them or not. You didn’t hit them. You shot the hat of my head.
Will: And Spinoza is missing some hairs on the back of his neck. All is well Spinoza, calm down; Rummy didn’t want to hit you.
Roger: No, he didn’t. If he had been aiming for the monkey he would have hit the cactuses. You’re a lousy shot, Rummy.
Rummy: I’m sorry captain. But I can’t aim at Spinoza, I would never do that.
Roger: If you weren’t such a good sailor I would have thrown you over board long ago. Now, stop shooting!
Rummy: But I have to practice, to become a better shot.
Roger: Very well, Rummy, just don’t shoot now. Back to work, understood?
Rummy: Ay Ay, captain. (Rummy is singing something to himself)
Will: He can’t shoot and he can’t sing, but otherwise he is a really nice guy.
Roger: As I said, he is first and foremost an excellent sailor.
Narrator: After his cruises, captain Foul always returns to a special hideout where he feels safe, and believes that only he knows. But he is wrong, captain Roger has for a long time known where he has to follow Foul to. He is sailing along the coast of the pirate island until night falls, he lets the sails down, and lowers the anchor. The pirate ship is only about 100 meters away from the rocky coast of the island.
Roger: Quiet, people, quiet. Don’t make so much noise. You can be heard for miles across the water.
Will: Where is the hideout, captain? There is no bay here where Foul could hide the Barracuda.
Roger: Let the boat into the water. Do you have the rope and the pulley?
Rummy: Ay Ay, captain. There, I have tied the end of the rope around the mast. Let the boat into the water, men.
Will: Is it far?
Roger: Don’t be so impatient Will, you’ll see. Rummy, you stay on board here, it could be that we don’t have a lot of time when we get back.
Rummy: I understand captain, when Foul’s people are chasing you we’ll shoot at them.
Roger: No, anything but that! You would hit us. No, no. you will make sure that the sails go up immediately, so we can get a way in a hurry.
Rummy: Alright captain, I understand.
Roger: Let’s go. Come Will, grab those oars.
Will: Not so fast, I have to roll up the rope. Alright captain, where is it?
Roger: The hideout, behind the rocks over there. About a mile from here there is a narrow canal; it’s just wide enough that the Barracuda can fit through. The canal is a few hundred meters long, and it leads to a bay. It starts just here behind the rock.
Will: Ah, so we are going over the mountain?
Roger: Ha ha, clever boy, you guessed it. So! There we are. Take the rope. We have to tie it to the top of the cliff. Two of you are coming with Will and I, the rest of you bring the boat back to the ship.
Narrator: Captain Roger, bosun Will and two guys from the crew are carrying the rope up the mountain, and tie it high up on the rocks. It forms a bridge between the rocks and the Dark Shark, and then they hurry on. A little later the bay is in front of them. Carefully they are sneaking closer to the Barracuda, which is anchored right beneath them.
Roger: Will, can you see the torches over there?
Will: Yes captain, and I can also see that Foul has the treasure.
Roger: You see, the fool is burying the chest between the rocks. Now they are putting the chest into the hole and are covering it with dirt.
Will: Captain Foul believes that he is safe.
Roger: Yes, he and his men are going back to the Barracuda. Only one man stays as a guard.
Will: Do we start right away?
Roger: Of course, why waste time. Come! We’ll knock out the guard. But silently, that pirate scoundrel must not alarm the others.
Will: I’ll take over.
Roger: Good luck boy. (You can hear how Will takes the guard out.) He did it.
Narrator: Captain Roger, Will and the two other men dig up the treasure, and carry it up the mountain to the place where they have tied the rope to the rocks.
Roger: It’s still quiet over by Foul in the bay, ha ha, the lousy sea robber hasn’t noticed a thing.
Will: Captain, do we send the chest over first?
Roger: No, I go first, then the chest. Tie it shut so it won’t open on the way over there and the treasure can’t fall into the sea.
Will: You first captain? Don’t you trust us?
Roger: I don’t trust anybody. Do you think I would send the treasure over just to see how the Dark Shark sails away without me? No way! Is the pulley ready?
Will: It lies over the rope, captain. You just have to hold on to it, and then the journey to the Dark Shark can start.
Roger: Well done, Will. Well, see you later.
Will: Keep a tight grip on the pulley captain, or you might end up in the ocean on the way.
Roger: Ha ha, no worry, you won’t get rid of me that easily. I’ll hook myself in, why would I else have this iron hook instead of my hand.
Narrator: Captain Roger hooks his hook in and lifts his legs, and off goes the wild ride. He glides into the depth above the water down to the Dark Shark, where the pirates reach out and catch him.
Will: Good, the captain is over. Have you tied up the chest?
Pirate: Roger that Will.
Will: Let’s go, we’ll tie it to the pulley. Grab a hold, good, off it goes.
Narrator: The treasure chest also rolls down the tope to the pirate ship, after that follows Will and the two other guys. They are barely on board before helmsman Rummy sets sails and cuts the rope. The Dark Shark sails out to sea with its valuable booty on board.
Roger: Friends, we made it! The gold is ours. The trick with the rope was great Will.
Rummy: Captain, could I get to see the treasure?
Roger: Absolutely Rummy, do you think I wouldn’t give it a look? No way. Will, open the treasure chest.
Will: I don’t know what I would rather do, captain.
Roger: Get to it.
Will: Take a look at it
Roger: Gold! Lots of gold!
Pirates: Gold. We are rich.
Roger: My friends, we have to celebrate this. We’ll show captain Foul how happy we are.
Will: Captain, what are you going to do?
Roger: Fire the cannons! Fire them! Captain Foul’s ears must ring, come on, fire the cannons!
Rummy: You heard it folks, fire the cannons, let’s make some noise!
Will: We shouldn’t do that, it would be a mistake. You can hear the noise from the cannons as far away as La Sabatina.
Roger: Nonsense, we are too far away. Fire at the rocks, captain Foul must fall over from the shock. Come on! Fire them! Fire at will!
Rummy: Fire at will!
Narrator: The Dark shark is heading for the island La Sabatina. It is though sailing in a great arch so it won’t arrive before the fall of night the next day, that way the pirates have time to celebrate. Captain has given them a keg of rum, and now they are waiting for the food.
Will: Run Jimbo! Run! The cook is right behind you!
Flashfork: Damn kid, when I get my hands on you, I’ll beat you to a pulp.
Will: Flashfork, don’t leave the kitchen; otherwise the monkey will take what Jimbo left behind.
Flashfork: You damn pack of thieves, would you be quiet? You too bosun, or I’ll hit you over the head with the rolling pin. Silence! Or the kitchen will be closed!
Will: Calm down Flashfork, calm down. No need to get angry.
Flashfork: Ignorant fools, primitive buffoons! Laughing because the cabin boy steals from the kitchen. For hours I have been preparing an exotic goodie for you, but you don’t know how to value that.
Will: Oh come on, we know that.
Flashfork: You too bosun, you’re just as much of a barbarian as the others. I’ll go back into the galley, don’t even one of you dare to show up there.
Popsy: Exotic grub! Dog roast! Ahahaha!
Will: Be quiet Popsy, or you’ll end up in the frying pan.
Popsy: Be quiet bosun! You, uh uh uh!
Lookout: Ship ahoy! Ship ahoy!
Roger: What? What is going on?
Rummy: The lookout has spotted a ship. How? He can’t have, it’s pitch black.
Will: But there’s lightning, do you see it? There is a thunderstorm on north northeast.
(Thunder)
Lookout: There is a ship to the northeast. It is following us!
Roger: Put out all the lights! Come on, put out the lights, the fire as well! Put out the lights so they can’t see us!
Rummy: Put out the lights! Quickly, put the out!
Narrator: It’s as if the good mood has been swept away by the wind. Everyone on the ship knows what this is about, the treasure is in danger. The can only get it to safety if they can succeed at escaping in the darkness.
Will: Do you think it’s the Barracuda?
Roger: Could be. Captain Foul doesn’t like it when people take things from him. Go Will, up into the crow’s nest. Maybe you can recognise who it is.
Will: Ay ay, captain.
Roger: At least they can see us as well as we can see them. The thunderstorm is over there by them.
Rummy: Yes, but every time the lightning flashes our sails light up.
Roger: Exactly, therefore take them down. Take down the sails.
Pirates: Go, go. Up the rigging.
Roger: When we have taken down the sail they won’t be able to see us.
Rummy: But we won’t be doing any speed anymore, captain.
Roger: And? There are 5 hours to dawn, by that time they will have lost sight of us.
Will: Captain, it’s the Cannonball that’s on our heels.
Roger: Damn, the Cannonball, that means serious business. It is far superior to us, Rummy.
Rummy: Understood captain.
Roger: As soon as the thunderstorm is over we will set sails. We must use the darkness to set off.
Rummy: Ay ay, sir. I understand. As soon as we have the chance we’ll sail away.
Roger: Exactly, when the sun rises we have to be gone, no matter how, is that clear?
Rummy: Absolutely, captain.
Roger: We can’t win a straight fight with the Cannonball? She would shoot us to pieces and send us to the bottom of the ocean.
Narrator: Things have gone quiet on the Dark Shark. The men only speak to each other in whispers. They know that their voices can be heard far over the water. Lightning keeps flashing on the horizon. The thunderstorm won’t end, mercilessly the hours pass.
Roger: Will? Are you there?
Will: Yes it’s me.
Roger: What are you doing here on the bridge?
Will: I’m thinking. We shouldn’t keep the treasure; we should give it back to the population of Port Royal.
Roger: That enough, I don’t want to hear more about that nonsense.
Will: But captain, we…
Roger: Silence! Or our friendship will be a thing of the past, do you understand that?
Will: Yes captain, calm down, just speak quietly. If you roar like a lion they will hear us.
Roger: I won’t speak with you at all. I’ll take a nap for a couple of hours.
Will: Hmph, stubborn old man.
Jimbo: You should have suggested giving the treasure to the children of Port Royal. You know, he likes children.
Will: Jimbo? I should have thought of that earlier, now it’s too late.
Jimbo: You mean that the captain is angry, and won’t change his mind.
Will: Yes exactly. But I have an idea. Spinoza, would you be quiet? Come to me. Come, yes, that’s good. You have to be quiet Spinoza, or the cannons will fire, and that would end badly for us, very badly.
Jimbo: Tell me Will, what’s your idea?
Will: do you want to come along?
Jimbo: Definitely, if your idea is good of course.
Will: Hey, have you ever experienced that my ideas weren’t any good? Alright. With a trick we’ll do it.
Jimbo: What will we do, Will? Tell me already?
Will: We will make sure that the treasure lands in the best hands, come.
Narrator: Bosun Will and the cabin boy are sneaking across the ship on the tips of their toes so no one will take notice of them. Through the darkness they feel their way to the railing a little later, climb over it, and climb on the outside of the ship to a hatch.
Jimbo: Is the hatch open?
Will: No, it’s barred. But that’s not a problem. With the knife blade I can reach the bar, and…
Jimbo: It’s open.
Will: And the hatch is open, get in. But watch out, don’t fall into the water, no one will get you out.
Jimbo: Watch out yourself, bosun.
Will: And me too.
Jimbo: It’s so heavy.
Will: Doesn’t matter, there is the treasure chest. Let’s get to work.
Jimbo: Oh man, if the captain catches us he will have us keelhauled.
Will: He just must not catch us then, a now be quiet, not a single word. I have to work, we have to turn it on its side. But be careful, very careful.
Popsy: Busted, Buuuuuusted!
Will: Popsy, for god’s sake, be quiet.
Popsy: Pirate.
Will: Be quiet, or ill wring your neck.
Popsy: Help!
Will: Good, Popsy, very good. You’re a good girl, now be quiet.
Narrator: Bosun Will works on the treasure chest, he climbs back on deck a few times to get the parts that he needs though. Eventually the job is done, and he returns to the bridge of the Dark Shark along with the cabin boy. The sun rises and captain Roger returns to deck. Just after that an alarm cry sounds across the ship.
Pirate: Alarm!
Rummy: Alarm! The Cannonball is coming closer! Alarm!
Will: Look, the wind is picking up, captain. The sails are filling on the Cannonball.
Roger: Yes, yes, I can see that, Will. There, the water is moving. The wind will be with us in a moment. Hoist the sails folks. Now it matters, let’s show them that we’re the better sailors. Hoist the sails!
Rummy: Set sails! Get to work people!
Roger: Go on, men, we’ll lose the Cannonball. We’re better than them! Ha ha ha har. Come on folks, hoist the sails. We take every gust of wind we can. The break is over. No we’re going to work.
Rummy: Finally, the Dark Shark is picking up speed.
Will: And the distance to the Cannonball is getting bigger.
Rummy: We have to be faster than her.
Narrator: At first captain Roger succeeds at building a lead, and it seems like he might be able to get away from the Cannonball. But then the governor’s ship picks up the better wind. Now the pirates must do their very best to keep the distance from shrinking. Captain Roger is still hopeful, but he knows that the tides can turn.
Roger: Ach, it is my fault that the Cannonball is on our heels.
Will: Really? Why that, captain?
Roger: You know exactly why, I shouldn’t have fired the cannons. That way I caught the Cannonball’s attention. It wasn’t at Port Royal, it was close to us.
Will: Well, might have been like that. You couldn’t have known that.
Jimbo: Will?
Will: Yes, Jimbo?
Jimbo: I have prepared everything. See? The monkey is sitting on the box over there.
Will: Well done Jimbo. Let’s try this.
Jimbo: Do you think the captain will notice us?
Will: He only has eyes for the Cannonball. Be won’t be noticing us. Have you placed the fuses?
Jimbo: Yes, everything is ready.
Will: Well, let’s see if Spinoza reacts to the whistle. I have tried it a few times, but it hasn’t worked so far. (Will whistles)
Jimbo: Will, look, Spinoza is taking the candle.
Will: And now? Come on Spinoza, show me that you’re a clever boy.
Jimbo: The wind blew out the candle.
Will: No matter, light it again. Give me the candle Spinoza. Give it to me already. Yes, that’s good.
Jimbo: The wind is dying, we’re lucky, and then it won’t blow the candle out.
Will: The candle is lit. Let’s try again. (Will whistles.)
Jimbo: Yes Spinoza, go on, he has the candle.
Will: Excellent Spinoza, and now the string.
Jimbo: Orh, not again.
Will: He will make it, Jimbo. He hast to make it, or our plan will be worthless.
(A cannon shot can be heard)
Jimbo: They are shooting at us.
Will: They can’t be that close.
Jimbo: Will, what is going on?
Will: Damn it. The Cannonball is rushing towards us with full sails, and we are stuck in a wind hole. Look, we have no wind in our sails.
Jimbo: But why is captain Roger not returning fire?
Will: That would be the end of all of us. (Another cannonball hits the ship.) Captain, what should we do?
Roger: We will raise the white flag. Come on, up with it.
Will: But captain we aren’t cowards, we want to fight.
Roger: Only fools would keep fighting now. The white flag! I’m still the captain of this ship, you have to obey. Or do you want to start a mutiny? Alright, up with it, we are going to surrender.
Will: Ay ay, captain. The white flag, I’ll hoist it up.
Narrator: The defeat comes to everyone as a surprise. But now the pirates realise, that it wouldn’t make any sense to start a fight with the Cannonball. The governor’s ship is way out of their league. After just two hits the damage is great. The dark Shark wouldn’t survive any further hits. Disappointed the pirates surrender to the governor’s soldiers, and Lt. De Martinet gloats.
De Martinet: A wise decision captain Roger. All cannons were already aimed at this ship. Only two minutes more, and we would have sent you to the bottom of the ocean.
Roger: That would have been fatal for you, lieutenant.
De Martinet: How so? Really? Ha ha ha, you are speaking nonsense captain.
Roger: Along with the ship the governor’s gold would have disappeared never to be seen again.
De Martinet: T-t-the gold? Yes, of course I thought of that. That’s why I only fired twice. That’s true, he he. Where is it?
Roger: You honour will only be told that if we are allowed to go free.
De Martinet: Go free? Ha ha ha ha, consider yourself lucky that I haven’t let you hang already. But that joy I will let the governor have. Soldiers, search the ship!
Roger: Damn it, I should have thrown the gold over board. Now it’s lost.
Narrator: The lieutenant has the pirates imprisoned below deck. Then he gives the order to make emergency repairs on the Dark Shark, and bring it to Port Royal. He himself sails ahead with the Cannonball, to deliver the great news to the governor. A few hours later he enters Fort Rasselsword filled with pride.
Soldier: The governor is waiting for you in the salon, lieutenant.
De Martinet: Is he alone?
Soldier: No, his sister and his niece are with him. Lt. De Martinet!
Broadside: Come in lieutenant. Are there any news?
De Martinet: Bon appetite your honour, lady Prudence, dear Camilla.
Broadside: I didn’t ask you about my appetite.
De Martinet: Oh, yes sir.
Broadside: Do you have taken the treasure away from captain foul, do you have it?
De Martinet: I have a great success to report, your honoured honour. The Cannonball has not just captured the Dark Shark…
Camilla: No!
Broadside: Hmmhmm.
De Martinet: But also captured a lot of people. Captain Roger and his pirates are in our hands, sir!
Broadside: Why didn’t you hang the pirates right away?
De Martinet: Your honour, I wanted to let you have the extraordinary joy of punishing these men for their crimes, your honourable, most honoured honour.
Broadside: A wise decision, lieutenant.
De Martinet: Yes sir.
Broadside: Now to the treasure, where is the treasure? Do you have it? Talk already.
De Martinet: Yes your honour. I found the treasure chest that had been taken from Henry Boscov’s plantation on the Dark Shark.
Broadside: What? Captain Roger stole it? I was suspecting captain Foul, what a mistake.
Camilla: Uncle, it would also be a mistake to punish captain Roger and his men. Maybe the captain just wanted to return the treasure. Bosun Will is…
Narrator: Desperately Camilla tries to save the pirate for whom she has so much sympathy. It almost breaks her heart that bosun Will has to die. But her uncle is merciless.
Broadside: I don’t want to hear any more. The destiny of those men has been sealed. Nothing, absolutely nothing can save them from their rightful end any more. Would you like some of the roast, Lt. De Martine?
De Martinet: Oh, very much your honour.
Broadside: I mean, a resourceful man like you deserves a little treat.
De Martinet: thank you, your honour.
Broadside: Bring another plate for Lt. De Martinet, the most resourceful officer that I have.
De Martinet: Now that you are talking about it, may I remind you that, eh, you know?
Broadside: The promotion? Yes yes yes yes, I’m thinking of it lieutenant, you don’t have to think about it. I will personally make sure that they will hear about your resourcefulness in the highest places.
Narrator: On the evening of this day there is a lot of excitement in Port Royal. With the speed of the wind the rumour has circulated that the Dark Shark has been captured. Thousands are standing on the harbour as the pirate ship finally lowers its anchor. The pirates first see the crowds as they are brought up on deck. Even though none of them are shackled they realise that there is no escape.
Roger: This doesn’t look good, Will.
Will: Soldiers Everywhere.
Roger: They have built the gallows over there.
Will: We won’t hang, captain.
Roger: Looks like it to me, Will. Still, cheer up. When the time is up, at least they won’t hear us whine.
Rummy: I have a sore throat already, captain. Will they at least give us some rum as a final wish?
Will: You will have plenty more rum in your life, Rummy. Trust me.
Roger: You mean well Will, but it’s no use. It’s too late.
Will: The governor and his followers are coming.
Roger: Yes, and your beloved Camilla has also come along. She wants so see when they stretch your neck.
Will: That definitely not why she’s here. She will help us if she can.
Roger: She can’t.
Will: Helmsman?
Rummy: Yes Will?
Will: Can you see the cigar the governor is smoking? I’ll tell Spinoza to get it for you, if you want me to. The governor just has to get a little closer.
Rummy: I would like that, most definitely. I don’t want to miss that last bit of fun.
Roger: What’s going on?
Will: Look! Lt. De Martinet is having the treasure chest carried off the ship.
Roger: My gold. I can’t stand to watch it.
Rummy: 4 soldiers are needed to carry the chest. 4 men, so much gold is in it.
Will: There is De Martinet.
De Martinet: Governor Broadside, your brave soldiers have not just captured the dark Shark, they also succeeded at securing a valuable treasure. Here it is.
Roger: Damn it, my gold! My gold! I can’t take it. Hang me, hang me from the highest treetop, but please don’t torture me with the gold. It’s breaking my heart.
De Martinet: Soldiers, get the gold of the ship.
Broadside: Yes bring the gold. Bring the gold to me. It is mine.
Roger: His gold? That cutthroat claims that it’s his gold!
Popsy: Broadside swindler! Thief! Crook! Cutthroat!
Will: Polly, stop it. (Will whistles.) Go Spinoza, get the governor’s cigar.
Popsy: Fatso!
Broadside: Stop the monkey!
Rummy: Great, Will, he has the cigar, now tell him that he should bring it to me. Yes, yes Spinoza, over here with the cigar. Hey Will! What are you doing! You said that I would get it!
De Martinet: Get away from the treasure chest!
Roger: What is the monkey doing at the treasure chest?
Will: Captain Roger, take a look at this.
Roger: The treasure chest blew up.
Narrator: Will’s plan works, the bottom of the chest is blown away, and the gold is falls onto the street. The gold pieces roll out to all sides, and the people are jumping at it, they only see the gold and care for nothing else.
Will: Take the gold people! Pick it up! It belongs to you! The governor stole it from you, now take it back. Pick it up!
Roger: W-what are you talking about?
Will: Come on captain, tell them that you are giving them the gold, they will help us. Come on.
Roger: What does it matter?
Will: Captain I’m begging you, it’s our last chance. It’s the only way we can save our necks.
Roger: Damn it Will, you’re right.
Will: Come on captain.
Roger: Take the gold people; I brought it here for you! Take it, take it all! Take what the governor has stolen! It’s a gift for you from captain Roger!
People: Grab it! Grab the gold!
Will: Captain, what are we waiting for?
Roger: What are you saying Will?
Will: Give us the order to fight back, captain. If we don’t do it now, we will really end up in the noose.
Roger: Shiver my timbers, you are right. Friends, throw the governor’s soldiers over board! We are heading out to sea!
Will: Yes, throw them over board, Lt. De Martinet first.
De Martinet: You wouldn’t dare.
Will: You bet we will. Overboard with you!
De Martinet: No, I can’t swim. Argh!
Roger: Yes yes yes yes, go on friends, throw them into the water! Rummy, the men should hoist the sails.
Rummy: Ay ay, captain. Hoist the sails!
Narrator: The pirates around captain Roger are fighting like lions. The soldiers are thrown overboard in high arches into the water, none of them are climbing back on board, the citizens of Port Royal, who won’t miss a single gold piece and won’t back off from the soldiers, will make sure of that. Furiously governor Broadside watches how the Dark Shark sails out to sea and disappears in the darkness.
Pirate: Cheers Rummy!
Roger: Cheers Rummy! Now you have the rum you wanted.
Popsy: And a big fat cigar!
Roger: and a big fat cigar.
Rummy: I’m all around satisfied, captain. We saved our necks and embarrassed the governor beyond belief. Ho ho ho ho.
Pirate: Bosun Will did it!
Roger: Yes I have to admit that Will saved us. Although I should give him a whooping.
Will: Me? A whooping? But why that captain?
Roger: You sly rascal placed explosives on the treasure chest, right?
Will: Eh…eh…yes I did that, I’ll admit that.
Roger: And you taught the monkey how to light a fuse.
Will: I’ll also admit that.
Rummy: Ho ho ho, great that Spinoza just happened to use the governor’s cigar for it. Ha ha ha ha ha.
Pirate: Bosum Will saved our necks!
Roger: After that the chest blew up, and all the gold fell out.
Will: Exactly captain, it created such a chaos, that we were able to flee. Even the soldiers were stuffing gold into their pockets.
Roger: Yes, but what would have happened if we hadn’t been captured by De Martinet?
Will: I don’t understand, captain.
Roger: You know exactly what I mean. You would have blown up the chest while we secretly were carrying it through the town under the cover of darkness.
Will: But captain, why would I do that?
Roger: To give the population of Port Royal the gold!
Will: Captain…captain, how can you think that of me? I would never do something like that. I was always just thinking of our necks.
Popsy: He lies! He swindles! Bad guy! Pirate!
Will: You are calling me a pirate, Popsy? That’s a badge of honour for me.
Rummy: And for all of us!
Will: People, I’ll be paying for the next barrel of rum!
The End!
Pirates (2)
The Governor's Treasure
Capt'n Roger - Wolfgan Völz
Bosun Willy - Sascha Draeger
Helmsman Rumpott - Harald Eggers
Governor Broadside - Rudolf Weber-Lange
Lieutenant de Martinez - Michael Harck
Camilla - Kerstin Draeger
Auntie Rebecca - Marianne Kehlau
Capt'n Baddog - Jürgen Thormann
Polly the Parrot - Beate Hasenau
1st Mate Dumbo and Speedy, the monkey - Manfred Erler
Narrator - Rainer Schmitt
Author: H. G. Francis
Director: Heikedine Körting
Music: EUROPA Recording Studio
Editing: Hedda Kehrhahn
Sound: Roland Michel
A EUROPA Recording Studio production
Case Art: Dr. Beurmann