or to
sail a boat in a storm? Don't you ever read about adventures?

FREDDY. Yes, I read about them.

OCEANA. And don't you ever feel that you must experience them? That you
must face some kind of danger... do something that you can look back
on with pride? Why, see... six years ago there came to our island three
war-canoes full of savages... cannibals they were. If father and I
hadn't been there, they'd have wiped our people out. And do you think
I'd give up the memory of that struggle?

FREDDY. What happened?

OCEANA. Fortunately they came in the daytime, so we soon drove them back
to their boats. See... I'll show you. [She goes to trunk.] Here's one of
them.

[She lifts up a human skull.]

FREDDY. Good Lord!

OCEANA. Notice that crack. That was done with a spear... by my prince,
the one who made me this robe, you know. He cleaned the skull out for
me.

FREDDY. Rather a ghastly sort of souvenir.

OCEANA. Oh, I don't mind that. Father and I found it useful... a sort of
memento mori.

FREDDY. [Looking into trunk.] And what are those things?

OCEANA. They are some of my arrows. And these are what we used for
bowls... turtle-shells, you see.

FREDDY. [Pointing.] But those?

OCEANA. Oh, my single-sticks. [Lifts them.] That's the game Henry and I
were talking about. You ought to get him to teach it to you.

FREDDY. What's it like?

OCEANA. I'll show you. [She takes from the trunk two leather helmets and
gloves.] Here you are! It's an old English game... didn't you ever read
"Robin Hood"?

FREDDY. Oh, it's that? Why, they used to crack each other's heads!

OCEANA. The object was to draw first blood. But we used to wear these
helmets. You see how we've dented them up? And these old cudgels... how
they remind me of father!

FREDDY. Humph! They're heavy.

OCEANA. You take the stick this way; it's a kind of fencing. [She gives
him a stick and illustrates the play.] No, so!

MRS. MASTERSON. [Enters.] What's this? Is this the way you get ready to
leave?

OCEANA. [Imploring.] Oh, Aunt Sophronia, I beg your pardon! I got so
interested...

MRS. MASTERSON. Is there no limit to your indiscretion?

DR. MASTERSON. [Enters hurriedly.] Sophronia, I beg of you...

MRS. MASTERSON. I will hear no more of this! I have spoken, once for
all...

DR. MASTERSON. But, my dear...

MRS. MASTERSON. No more!

DR. MASTERSON. But, Sophronia, the people don't understand why....

MRS. MASTERSON. It was outrageous!