Swallows and Amazons Read Free Page A

and war,
    Every stream is a river…
    JOHN ( speaking ). Hoot!
    SUSAN. What is it?
    TITTY. We’re coming!
    ROGER. Is it barbarians?
    JOHN. No. I declare this territory entirely free of barbarians. But look!
    They do so. It is a hidden harbour .
    SUSAN. It’s completely hidden by the rocks!
    TITTY. It’s just right for escaping to. Or making a quick getaway.
    JOHN. It’s the perfect harbour for Swallow !
    SWALLOWS ( singing ).
    Every stream is a river, every tree is a forest,
    Every rock is a mountain range, new and strange,
    Hereby claimed by the Swallows.
    Suddenly the peace is shattered by a very loud bang, which seems to come from the lake .
    JOHN ( speaking ). What on earth…?
    SUSAN. What was that?
    TITTY. It wasn’t on the island.
    ROGER. It sounded like a gun!
    They all rush to the lookout point . JOHN scans the horizon with his telescope .
    JOHN. There’s smoke over there – a big cloud of it. Near the houseboat.
    TITTY. The cannon! It must have been the cannon!
    JOHN. It’s possible.
    ROGER. The pirate!
    SUSAN. But…
    JOHN. Just a minute… ship ahoy!
    TITTY. Oh, yes. I see it.
    SUSAN. There are two boys in her.
    JOHN. Girls.
    TITTY. Girls?
    JOHN. Girls with red caps, and they’re coming right this way.
    TITTY. Can I see? ( Takes the telescope .) She’s sailing close to the wind.
    JOHN. She must have a centreboard. You can do that with a centreboard.
    SUSAN. Can I see? ( Takes the telescope .) They’re dressed exactly alike.
    ROGER. Can I see?
    JOHN. No. Get down, everyone. They could be enemies.
    They all drop down . JOHN peers over a rock .
    I can read the boat’s name – ‘ Am – a – zon ’. Amazon .
    TITTY. What are they doing now?
    SUSAN ( peering over ). They’re really close.
    ROGER. Can I…?
    TITTY. Stay down, Roger.
    JOHN. They’re fixing something to the mast… they’re hoisting a flag… Oh!
    TITTY ( peering over ). What? Oh!
    SUSAN and ROGER ( peering over ). Oh!
    TITTY. It is. It is.
    ROGER. It’s the Jolly Roger.
    TITTY. Pirates!
    JOHN. Stay down.
    ROGER. Are they going to land?
    SUSAN. No. They’re turning back.
    TITTY. They’re hauling down the flag.
    JOHN. They must have hoisted it just for us. To show us.
    SUSAN. To warn us. That’s what it felt like.
    TITTY. Let’s go after them.
    ROGER. Let’s see where they go.
    JOHN. I’m with you there. Come on!
    SUSAN. But we’ve only just got here.
    JOHN. It doesn’t matter.
    SUSAN. But we haven’t had lunch!
    JOHN. Come on, Susan!
    They all rush off .
    Scene Eight
    Swallow sails off after the Amazon.
    Song – ‘Fighting Swallow’
    SWALLOWS.
    Swallow , the fastest ship under the sun,
    Bar none,
    Carry us over the waves to the adventure we crave,
    Gybe-O, Swallow ,
    Swallow , there’s not a moment to lose,
    Time to prove,
    You have the speed to outrun practically anyone,
    Come on, Swallow .
    Load up the cannon, powder the musket,
    Steel up the sinews, sharpen the cutlass,
    We’ll send our enemies to the bottom of the sea.
    JOHN ( speaking ). She’s heading for Houseboat Bay.
    TITTY. They must be part of the Houseboat Man Pirate’s crew. I’m sure it was him who fired the cannon.
    ROGER. Don’t go near the Harpy Island.
    JOHN. She’s not stopping. She’s gone straight past. They certainly know how to steer.
    TITTY. She’s getting away!
    ROGER. Past the Peak of Darien.
    SUSAN. She must be going to the town.
    JOHN. Rio – not the town.
    SUSAN. She must be going to Rio.
    ROGER. Look! Look at the Houseboat Man Pirate!
    The Houseboat Man is shaking his fist at them .
    TITTY. He’s very angry.
    SUSAN. How rude.
    ROGER shakes his fist back .
    Don’t, Roger.
    JOHN. They’ll have lost the wind on the other side of Darien. I think we’ll be able to spot them once we get round there.
    ROGER. There’s Holly Howe. Hello, Mother! Hello, Fat Vicky!
    SUSAN.