Swiss Family Robinson: A Place For All Of Us

Act 2 Scene 1: Bonding

Emily: No, Grandfather!

Grandfather: Please, go!

Emily: I-

Grandfather: Now!

Emily runs offstage, presumably off the boat.

Captain: Get us out of 'ere!

Pirate: Aye aye, Cap'n!

End of Flashback scene. Emily sits on a rock beside the stream. Franz looks mesmerized.

Emily: Then I ran, and ran, and ran. Finally I stopped in the middle of the woods.

Franz: What about your grandfather?

Emily: I don't know, Franz. I don't know.

Franz: We'll find him. I'm sure we will.

Emily: (Smiling sadly) Thank you, Franz. (Brightening) Aren't you going to catch a fish?

Franz: Oh, yes! (He pulls out his rod, baits it, and puts it into the stream.)

Emily: (More to herself than Franz) I bet you'll catch the biggest fish on the island!

Neither of them talk for a while. Emily watches, while Franz fishes.

Emily: Have you got one yet?

Franz: (Patiently) These things take a long time, Emily.

Emily: (Laughing) Yes, I suppose they do.

Franz: (Feeling a tug) I've got something! (He pulls carefully, and a big fish flops out.)

Emily: Oh, wonderful! Your father will love that one.

Franz: Now we must catch one for Mother.

Emily: All right.

Fritz: (Coming into view. He's in a great mood.) Mother just wanted me to check on you.

Emily: Franz is a darling. He wouldn't do anything dangerous.

Franz pulls out another couple fish while they are talking.

Fritz: (Seriously teasing) No, but you might. (He can't keep a straight face)

Emily: Oh! (Mockingly hurt) Why, how could you suggest such a thing?

Fritz: Some girls just... have minds of their own.

Emily: Very funny. I thought boys had minds too.

Fritz: Some of them. Mostly the girls do though.

Emily: And I suppose you like the girls who have no mind?

Fritz: No, actually, the smart ones are much easier to get along with.

Franz: (Pulling out another fish) I've got him!

Emily: The one for Mother?

Franz: I think this one had better be for Fritz.

Fritz: (Pretending to eat the raw fish) Yes, it does look rather delicious.

Franz: Fritz! Don't!

Emily: Perhaps Fritz wants his fish raw.

Fritz: I suppose I can wait until supper. I'd better get back to the orchard.

Emily: We'll be back soon.

Fritz: Goodbye!

Franz: (Thoughtfully) Fritz didn't used to be so funny.

Emily: Really?

Franz: Before we came here, he used to tease Jacqui and Abi, too. They didn't want him to know, but sometimes he hurt their feelings.

Emily: Sometimes big brothers do that. My brother Steffan was always teasing me at home.

Franz: Fritz doesn't do it as much anymore, though. He hasn't since you got back from the adventure.

Emily: Maybe the island is magic.

Franz: I think you're magic.

Emily: (Laughs quietly.) Maybe.

Franz: Oh! There! (Another fish flops onto the bank)

Emily: And whose fish is that one?

Franz: This one's yours.

Emily: Oh, it's beautiful!

Franz: Now there's only my fish left.

Emily: You're such a gentleman. Catching everyone else's fish first.

Franz: (Smiling mischievously) Mine must be the biggest of all!

Emily: (Just laughs.)