ANDREW. (_stands staring at her for a moment--then walks away saying in a hurt tone_): Everybody hereabouts seems to be on edge today. I begin to feel as if I’m not wanted around. (_He stands near the path, left, kicking at the grass with the toe of his shoe. A moment later_ CAPTAIN DICK SCOTT _enters, followed by_ ROBERT _carrying_ MARY. _The_ CAPTAIN _seems scarcely to have changed at all from the jovial, booming person he was three years before. He wears a uniform similar to_ ANDREW’S. _He is puffing and breathless from his climb and mops wildly at his perspiring countenance._ ROBERT _casts a quick glance at_ ANDREW, _noticing the latter’s discomfited look, and then turns his eyes on_ RUTH _who, at their approach, has moved so her back is toward them, her chin resting on her hands as she stares out seaward_). MARY. Mama! Mama! (ROBERT _puts her down and she runs to her mother._ RUTH _turns and grabs her up in her arms with a sudden fierce tenderness, quickly turning away again from the others. During the following scene she keeps_ MARY _in her arms_). SCOTT. (_wheezily_) Phew! I got great news for you, Andy. Let me get my wind first. Phew! God A’mighty, mountin’ this damned hill is worser’n goin’ aloft to the skys’l yard in a blow. I got to lay to a while. (_He sits down on the grass, mopping his face_). ANDREW. I didn’t look for you this soon, Uncle. SCOTT. I didn’t figger it, neither; but I run across a bit o’ news down to the Seamen’s Home made me ’bout ship and set all sail back here to find you. ANDREW. (_eagerly_) What is it, Uncle? SCOTT. Passin’ by the Home I thought I’d drop in an’ let ’em know I’d be lackin’ a mate next trip count o’ your leavin’. Their man in charge o’ the shippin’ asked after you ’special curious. “Do you think he’d consider a berth as Second on a steamer, Captain?” he asks. I was goin’ to say no when I thinks o’ you wantin’ to get back down south to the Plate agen; so I asks him: “What is she and where’s she bound?” “She’s the _El Paso_, a brand new tramp,” he says, “and she’s bound for Buenos Aires.” ANDREW. (_his eyes lighting up--excitedly_) Gosh, that is luck! When does she sail? SCOTT. Tomorrow mornin’. I didn’t know if you’d want to ship away agen so quick an’ I told him so. “Tell him I’ll hold the berth open for him until late this afternoon,” he says. So there you be, an’ you can make your own choice. ANDREW. I’d like to take it. There may not be another ship for Buenos Aires with a vacancy in months. (_His eyes roving from_ ROBERT _to_ RUTH _and back again--uncertainly_) Still--damn it all--tomorrow morning is soon. I wish she wasn’t leaving for a week or so. That’d give me a chance--it seems hard to go right away again when I’ve just got home. And yet it’s a chance in a thousand---- (_Appealing to_ ROBERT) What do you think, Rob? What would you do?