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ever
blossomed upon the tree of a poor fellow's wildest hopes。
Enter JOSEPHINE； she rushes to RALPH'S arms
JOS。 Darling！ （SIR JOSEPH horrified。）
RALPH。 She is the figurehead of my ship of lifethe bright
beacon that
guides me into my port of happinessthat the rarest； the purest
gem that
ever sparkled on a poor but worthy fellow's trusting brow！
ALL。 Very pretty； very pretty！
SIR JOSEPH。 Insolent sailor； you shall repent this outrage。
Seize him！
（Two Marines seize him and handcuff him。）
JOS。 Oh； Sir Joseph； spare him； for I love him tenderly。
SIR JOSEPH。 Pray； don't。 I will teach this presumptuous mariner
to
discipline his affections。 Have you such a thing as a dungeon on
board？
ALL。 We have！
DICK。 They have！
SIR JOSEPH。 Then load him with chains and take him there at
once！
OCTETTE
RALPH。 Farewell； my own；
Light of my life； farewell！
For crime unknown
I go to a dungeon cell。
JOS。 I will atone。
In the meantime farewell！
And all alone
Rejoice in your dungeon cell！
SIR JOSEPH。 A bone； a bone
I'll pick with this sailor fell；
Let him be shown at once
At once to his dungeon cell。
BOATSWAIN； DICK DEADEYE； and COUSIN HEBE
He'll hear no tone
Of the maiden he loves so well！
No telephone
Communicates with his cell！
BUT。 （mysteriously）。 But when is known
The secret I have to tell；
Wide will be thrown
The door of his dungeon cell。
ALL。 For crime unknown
He goes to a dungeon cell！
＇RALPH is led off in
custody。
SIR JOSEPH。 My pain and my distress
Again it is not easy to express。
My amazement； my surprise；
Again you may discover from my eyes。
ALL。 How terrible the aspect of his eyes！
BUT。 Hold！ Ere upon your loss
You lay much stress；
A long…concealed crime
I would confess。
SONGBUTTERCUP
A many years ago；
When I was young and charming；
As some of you may know；
I practised baby…farming。
ALL。 Now this is most alarming！
When she was young and charming；
She practised baby…farming；
A many years ago。
BUT。 Two tender babes I nursed：
One was of low condition；
The other； upper crust；
A regular patrician。
ALL （explaining to each other）。
Now； this is the position：
One was of low condition；
The other a patrician；
A many years ago。
BUT。 Oh； bitter is my cup！
However could I do it？
I mixed those children up；
And not a creature knew it！
ALL。 However could you do it？
Some day； no doubt； you'll rue it；
Although no creature knew it；
So many years ago。
BUT。 In time each little waif
Forsook his foster…mother；
The well born babe was Ralph
Your captain was the other！！！
ALL。 They left their foster…mother；
The one was Ralph； our brother；
Our captain was the other；
A many years ago。
SIR JOSEPH。 Then I am to understand that Captain Corcoran and
Ralph
were exchanged in childhood's happy hourthat Ralph is really
the
Captain； and the Captain is Ralph？
BUT。 That is the idea I intended to convey； officially！
SIR JOSEPH。 And very well you have conveyed it。
BUT。 Aye！ aye！ yer 'onour。
SIR JOSEPH。 Dear me！ Let them appear before me； at once！
＇RALPH。 enters as CAPTAIN； CAPTAIN as a common sailor。 JOSEPHINE
rushes
to his arms
JOS。 My fathera common sailor！
CAPT。 It is hard； is it not； my dear？
SIR JOSEPH。 This is a very singular occurrence； I congratulate
you
both。 （To RALPH。） Desire that remarkably fine seaman to step
forward。
RALPH。 Corcoran。 Three paces to the frontmarch！
CAPT。 If what？
RALPH。 If what？ I don't think I understand you。
CAPT。 If you please。
SIR JOSEPH。 The gentleman is quite right。 If you please。
RALPH。 Oh！ If you please。 （CAPTAIN steps forward。）
SIR JOSEPH （to CAPTAIN）。You are an extremely fine fellow。
CAPT。 Yes； your honour。
SIR JOSEPH。 So it seems that you were Ralph； and Ralph was you。
CAPT。 SO it seems； your honour。
SIR JOSEPH。 Well； I need not tell you that after this change in
your
condition； a marriage with your daughter will be out of the
question。
CAPT。 Don't say that； your honourlove levels all ranks。
SIR JOSEPH。 It does to a considerable extent； but it does not
level
them as much as that。 （Handing JOSEPHINE to RALPH。） Here take
her；
sir； and mind you treat her kindly。
RALPH and JOS。 Oh bliss； oh rapture！
CAPT。 and BUT。 Oh rapture； oh bliss！
SIR JOSEPH。 Sad my lot and sorry；
What shall I do？ I cannot live alone！
HEBE。 Fear nothingwhile I live I'll not desert you。
I'll soothe and comfort your declining days。
SIR JOSEPH。 No； don't do that。
HEBE。 Yes； but indeed I'd rather
SIR JOSEPH （resigned）。 To…morrow morn our vows shall all be
plighted；
Three loving pairs on the same day united！
QUARTETTE
JOSEPHINE； HEBE； RALPH； and DEADEYE
Oh joy； oh rapture unforeseen；
The clouded sky is now serene；
The god of daythe orb of love；
Has hung his ensign high above；
The sky is all ablaze。
With wooing words and loving song；
We'll chase the lagging hours along；
And if ｛ he finds ｝ the maiden coy；
I find
We'll murmur forth decorous joy；
In dreamy roundelay。