(We open back in port. Four of the five Boys sit in the back of a large cart. Slip sits up front with what looks like Bobby Jordan in a shirt and breeches with a fine leather vest.)

Bobby: You say you're interested in recruiting pirates? Isn't that dangerous work?

Slip: *Shrugs* It might be, but we need to do this.

Bobby: Would you be able to use a lame carriage-driver?

Slip: Yeah, we would. We need all the help we can get.

Bobby: I was in an accident a few years ago, and I don't move well, but I'll do what I can. I don't like all the things I see the gentry doing...or the taxes they impose on colonists. I can barely stay in business.

Slip: Then yer exactly what we're lookin' for.

Bobby: Good. I'll give my resignation as soon as I drop you guys off. (Grins) I don't know much about boats, but I'm very good with horses and carriages. When you're on land, I can get you to just about anywhere, and do it quietly.

Slip: We'll take it.

Bobby: (Pulls up at Louie's) Here you go. (Nods) You should find some willing recruits here. Louie's a good guy, and a lot of people come here to get his fizzy drinks and ice desserts.

Slip: Thanks, Bobby, we really depreciate it.

Bobby: Anytime. These guys are my friends, and you and your brother seem nice enough.

Butch: Everyone out! (They all jump off the back of the cart.)

Sach: Do you need any help, Chief?

Butch: Yeah. How's your back?

Slip: Sore, but I'll live. *Eases himself from the cart.* C'mon, lets go in an" see who we find.

(The boys enter Louie's. Sally and her friends are barmaids. Duke is behind the bar, serving rum to Gabe. Buddy and Junior play cards. There's several other men in the room as well. Louie comes out and smiles when he sees the boys. Sally joins him.)

Louie: Hello, boys! Didn't expect to see you back already.

Sally: How was your haul?

Slip: We ran into some other pirates who wanted our haul, except we didn't have a haul to give.

Louie: They didn't hurt you, did they?

Sach: Just the Chief.

Sally: Are you all right? (Puts her hand gently on Slip's shoulder)

Slip: I'm sore. It was more from old injuries than that goon.

Sally: Oh dear. Is there anything you'd like that might help?

Slip: Not right now.

Sally: All right, then. How about you boys sit down, and I'll take everyone else's orders.

Sach: Just bring us all some of that good New York rum.

Slip: My interest is picked.

Louie: Are you sure that's a good idea, Sachula? The last time you and Whitey had that, we had to hang you both upside-down for an hour until you recovered.

Sach: We're used to it now! Right, Whitey?

Whitey: That's right! Besides, that was kinda fun...

Sally: Well, all right. (She heads off to get the ale. Butch turns to Slip)

Butch: There's lotsa guys we could ask to join us here. Most of these guys are our friends.

Sach: Yeah, and none of them like all the taxes we're stuck with, either.

Slip: Good ta hear. We need all the people we can get.

Butch: How 'bout those two? (Points at Buddy and Junior) Bertram Gorman an' Gil Stratton Jr. We call 'em Buddy and Junior. They're friends of mine. Nice guys. They're both stronger n' they look.

Sach: They're good in a fight, an' they got pretty good brains when they gotta.

Slip: *Looks at Buddy and Junior* They'd haveta be.

Sach: (Yells in their direction) Hey Buddy, Junior! Come on over here!

Junior: *He and Buddy join the others* Hiya Sach, what's up?

Sach: Ever wanted to be a pirate?

Buddy: A pirate? You mean swashbucklin', an' the Jolly Roger, n' all that?

Slip: Yeah. Interested?

Junior: I am.

Buddy: (Shrugs) Why not? We're orphans, an' we ain't doin' anythin' at the moment.

Butch: Are they in then, Chief?

Slip: 'Course they are. We need 'em.

Sach: Anyone else who might wanna join us, Bud?

Buddy: (Points to Gabe) Gabe's pretty tough and has done just about every job there is. I'll bet he knows something about a ship. And Duke's great in a fight and is a good leader...if you can get him away from ol' Louie.

Slip: 'Nother leader, huh?

Sach: If your back hurts again, Chief, he can make sure everythin' runs right while you recover.

Slip: I can except that. We'll ask him too.

Sach: (Grabs Slip's arm) Come on, Chief! Let's go meet 'em! (He pulls Slip up to the bar, next to Gabe) Hi there, Gabey! How's the boat sellin' business?

Gabe: Well, you fellas bought one, so it isn't that bad.

Slip: You interested in bein' a pirate?

Gabe: Excuse me?

Duke: (Raises his eyebrows) A pirate?

Sach: Yeah! We're gonna be pirates and find out who's raiding all of those ships, includin' the one that brought the Chief n' Chuckie here.

Duke: Well, that sounds interestin'. I for one wouldn't mind knowin' who's drivin' off our business. Sailors tend to be some of our best customers.

Sach: What about you, Gabey? You're really good in a fight, and you probably know more about ships than the rest of us.

Gabe: It's interesting. Sales haven't been so good lately. *nods* Sure, I'll go with you guys.

(That's when the doors fling open. We see DuVal talking to Louie, along with several men.)

DuVal: Hello, shopkeeper. I heard a Gabriel Moreno frequently patronizes this tavern. I'd like to have a word with him.

Louie: (Points to Gabe) Have anything you want with him. He's right over there, sir.

DuVal: Thank you. (He goes to Gabe...stopping to chuckle Sally on the chin) Hm. Very pretty. (What he doesn't see as he moves on is Sally's glare and her rubbing at her chin)

Duke: (Narrows his eyes) What are you doin' here? I thought you were too good for the likes of us.

DuVal: (Ignores Duke) Hello, Master Moreno. I'd like to have a word with you about that ship you sold me.

Gabe: Uh... anything you have to say can be said in front of these guys.

*Slip folds his arms, glaring at DuVal.*

DuVal: That ship is a piece of trash. It barely floats. (Glares at Slip) And I'll take care of you and your brother momentarily.

Sach: You ain't gonna do nuthin'.

DuVal: (Turns his glare to Sach) You stay out of this.

Gabe: I only test them for floating, not how well they float.

DuVal: The moment I took it out, it hit a shoal and sank like a stone! I ruined one of my best suits, too!

Gabe: Then you shouldn't have hit the shoal.

DuVal: The ship wouldn't have broken apart if it was in good shape in the first place!

Slip: Why don'tcha leave 'im alone?

DuVal: (He slaps Slip) Quiet, servant boy. You'll get your turn. You've been nothing but trouble from the moment I took you and your brother in.

Sach: (Grabs DuVal's wrist) I wouldn't do that. It isn't very nice.

DuVal: You get your hands off of me, you moron!

Slip: *Growls* Ya bastard!

DuVal: (Turns to Gabe) I want my money back. Now. Or I'll have you arrested.

Gabe: *Gulps* I, uh, sorta don't have the money right now...

DuVal: Then I'm going to send for the nearest guardsman and have you arrested for selling faulty merchandise.

Sach: That ain't fair!

Slip: Why don't ya quit tryin' ta cause trouble?

DuVal: You're one to talk. I took care of you and your brother for years. I could have turned you both over to a poorhouse after your parents died. So what do you do the moment you arrive in the New World? Run away from me.

Slip: We'da been better off at the poorhouse.

Duke: Look. You guys are blockin' customers. Why don't you take all of this drama in the back room, where it won't disrupt everybody's drinkin'?

DuVal: (Nods to his men) Bring him, the small dark-haired boy, and this one with us. We need to have a chat with all of them where there are fewer ears listening.

Slip: The hell you are!

Sach: Oh no, you ain't! (He sticks his fingers in DuVal's eyes, then yells) Routine 12, boys!

(There's a mad scramble as the entire room jumps on DuVal and his men! Sach hits DuVal so hard, he flies out the door and into his carriage.)

Butch: Hey! (One of the men lands against the harpsichord; Butch hits him against the bar) Watch it! This thing is like my child!

Duke: (Grabs a guy who goes over the bar) Sorry, bar's closed. (Hits him over the head with a bottle of rum; his eyes cross, and he falls on the ground, unconscious)

*Slip runs out after DuVal.*

(DuVal is just coming to against his carriage when Slip runs out. Sach and Chuck follow him.)

DuVal: (Narrows his eyes as Slip grabs him by the collar) Don't think you can keep avoiding the law. By legal right, you and your brother belong to me.

Slip: There ain't no law here that gives ya that right.

DuVal: But the laws in England do.

Sach: But we ain't in England. We're in the colonies.

Slip: Like I said, there ain't no laws here.

DuVal: You haven't heard the last of this, boy. I will hunt you and your brother down. You're my legal wards. (Turns his eyes up to Gabe) And you're still under arrest.

Gabe: You and what army?

DuVal: Me and the Governor's Guardsmen.

Slip: Get outta here.

DuVal: Fine. (He reaches out and smacks his hand across Slip's back before Sach can stop him.)

*Slip yelps, letting DuVal go, and staggers to the wall of the building, gasping.*

Gabe: *Eyes widen* What did you do?

Sach: (Growling) Hit the welts on his back. (Growls louder) That he put there.

(DuVal jumps into his carriage before anyone can respond. It takes off into the waning late afternoon sunlight.)

Sach: (Yells down the street) Coward! Come back here and fight like a man!

Gabe: *Yells* Yeah, we weren't done with you!

Sach: (Goes to Slip) Are you ok? Did he hurt you bad?

Slip: *Groans* Friggin' jerk...

Gabe: If they're that bad still, maybe you could have someone look at them.

*Slip just grunts.*

Sach: Yeah, they're bad. Maybe we should take you to see a doctor.

Gabe: At the very least, a doctor could get you some good bandages so every time you take a hit, you won't go spiraling off in agonizing pain.

Slip: I ain't had good exponentials with doctors.

Sach: Maybe we could get nicer bandages and at least wrap you up better. We know a guy named Bernie who's a doctor.

Gabe; Yeah, he's real good, too.

Slip: If it'll make you two happy.

Sach: (He turns to Gabe) Why don't we tell Duke to get the other guys down to the ship? You n' me know Bernie well. We'll take Slip to him.

Gabe: *nods* Sure.

(Cut to the small building near the wharf. We see Bernard Punsley in a tan shirt, breeches, and a leather apron as he prepares a medicine. Sach and Gabe lead Slip into the room.)

Sach: Hi, Bernie. We have a new patient for you.

*Slip makes a face.*

Bernard: I see he's thrilled to meet me. What seems to be your problem, sir?

*Slip just sighs, deciding it better to get this over with. He removes his shirt to show Bernard his back, which is indeed covered with nasty looking welts.*

Gabe: *Eyes widen* You weren't kidding.

Bernard: (Sucks breath in) Who did that to you? Those don't look like a fall in a briar patch.

Slip: *Over his shoulder* Let’s just say it's someone I really hate.

Bernard: I have an ointment that might do a better job. I can give you several jars. I'll wrap you up, too. Sach, watch me, so you can help him do it when I'm not around.

Sach: (Nods) Right, Bernie. (Pats Slip on the shoulder) Don't worry, Chief. We'll make sure you aren't sore anymore.

Slip: *Nods* Thanks.

(We fade out on Sach and Slip as Bernard gently rubs ointment on Slip's back and Gabe looks on.)