I was a stupid nursery-maid, on breakers always steering, And I did not catch the word aright, through being hard of hearing; Mistaking my instructions, which within my brain did gyrate, I took and bound this promising boy apprentice to a _pirate_. A sad mistake it was to make and doom him to a vile lot. I bound him to a pirate--you--instead of to a pilot. I soon found out, beyond all doubt, the scope of this disaster, But I hadn’t the face to return to my place, and break it to my master. A nursery-maid is never afraid of what you people _call_ work, So I made up my mind to go as a kind of piratical maid of all work; And that is how you find me now a member of your shy lot, Which you wouldn’t have found, had he been bound apprentice to a pilot. (_Kneeling at his feet._) Oh, pardon! Frederic, pardon! _Fred._ Rise, sweet one; I have long pardoned you. _Ruth_ (_rises_). The two words were so much alike. _Fred._ They were. They still are, though years have rolled over their heads. (_RUTH goes up with SAMUEL._) But this afternoon my obligation ceases. Individually I love you all with affection unspeakable, but collectively, I look upon you with a disgust that amounts to absolute detestation. Oh! pity me, my beloved friend, for such is my sense of duty, that once out of my indentures I shall feel myself bound to devote myself heart and soul to your extermination! _All._ Poor lad! poor lad! (_All weep._) _King._ Well, Frederic, if you conscientiously feel that it is your duty to destroy us, we cannot blame you for acting on that conviction. Always act in accordance with the dictates of your conscience, my boy, and chance the consequences. _Sam._ Besides, we can offer you but little temptation to remain with us. We don’t seem to make piracy pay. I’m sure I don’t know why, but we don’t. _Fred._ _I_ know why, but, alas! I mustn’t tell you; it wouldn’t be right. _King._ Why not, my boy? It’s only half-past eleven, and you are one of us until the clock strikes twelve. _Sam._ True, and until then you are bound to protect our interests. _All._ Hear, hear! _Fred._ Well, then, it is my duty, as a pirate, to tell you that you are too tender-hearted. For instance, you make a point of never attacking a weaker party than yourselves, and when you attack a stronger party, you invariably get thrashed. _King._ There is some truth in that. _Fred._ Then, again, you make a point of never molesting an orphan! _Sam._ Of course: we are orphans ourselves, and know what it is. _Fred._ Yes, but it has got about, and what is the consequence? Every one we capture says he’s an orphan. The last three ships we took proved to be manned entirely by orphans, and so we had to let them go. One would think that Great Britain’s mercantile navy was recruited solely from her orphan asylums--which we know is not the case. _Sam._ But, hang it all, you wouldn’t have us absolutely merciless?