_King._ When I sally forth to seek my prey I help myself in a royal way: I sink a few more ships, it’s true, Than a well-bred monarch ought to do; But many a king on a first-class throne, If he wants to call his crown his own, Must manage somehow to get through More dirty work than ever _I_ do, Though I am a pirate king. _All._ You are! Hurrah for our pirate king! _King._ And it is, it is a glorious thing To be a pirate king! _All._ It is! Hurrah for our pirate king! [_After song, the KING, SAMUEL, and all the _Pirates_, excepting FREDERIC and RUTH, go off; FREDERIC comes, followed by RUTH._ _Ruth._ Oh, take me with you! I cannot live if I am left behind. _Fred._ Ruth, I will be quite candid with you: you are very dear to me, as you know, but I must be circumspect. You see, you are considerably older than I. A lad of twenty-one usually looks for a wife of seventeen. _Ruth._ A wife of seventeen! You will find me a wife of a thousand! _Fred._ No, but I shall find you a wife of forty-seven, and that is quite enough. Ruth, tell me candidly, and without reserve--compared with other women, how are _you_? _Ruth._ I will answer you truthfully, master; I have a slight cold, but otherwise I am quite well. _Fred._ I am sorry for your cold, but I was referring rather to your personal appearance. Compared with other women--are you beautiful? _Ruth_ (_bashfully_). I have been told so, dear master. _Fred._ Ah, but lately? _Ruth._ Oh no, years and years ago. _Fred._ What do you think of yourself? _Ruth._ It is a delicate question to answer, but I think I am a fine woman. _Fred._ That is your candid opinion? _Ruth._ Yes, I should be deceiving you if I told you otherwise. _Fred._ Thank you, Ruth; I believe you, for I am sure you would not practise on my inexperience. I wish to do the right thing, and if--I say if--you are really a fine woman, your age shall be no obstacle to our union. (_Shakes hands with her. Chorus of _Girls_ heard in the distance, “Climbing over rocky mountain” etc. See entrance of _Girls_._) Hark! Surely I hear voices! Who has ventured to approach our all but inaccessible lair? Can it be Custom House? No, it does not sound like Custom House. _Ruth_ (_aside_). Confusion! it is the voices of young girls! If he should see them I am lost. _Fred._ (_climbing rocky arch and looking off_). By all that’s marvellous, a bevy of beautiful maidens! _Ruth_ (_aside_). Lost! lost! lost! _Fred._ How lovely! how surpassingly lovely is the plainest of them! What grace! what delicacy! what refinement! And Ruth--Ruth told me she was beautiful! RECITATIVE. _Fred._ Oh, false one, you have deceived me. _Ruth._ I have deceived you? _Fred._ Yes, deceived me. (_Denouncing her._) DUET.--FREDERIC AND RUTH.