- Father: Don't you sometimes feel that this is the kind of life we were meant to live on this earth? Everything we need, everything, right here, right at our fingertips. You know, if only people could have all this and be satisfied, I don't think there'd be any real problems in the world.
- Mother: And no future generations. We don't have *everything* we need right here at our fingertips.
- Roberta: Funny, isn't it, how you can change your mind about what's important? What it is you really want. Take your parents. All of this time they've been wanting to get to New Guinea. And now when they really have their chance, they find out everything they want is right here.
- Fritz Robinson: You mean they're not going?
- Roberta: [shakes her head no] I can understand how they feel.
- Fritz Robinson: I do too.
- Roberta: Two people, if they have each other, what more could they want?
- Roberta: I don't care what he says. I can't go on day after day.
- Fritz: We have to go on. We've got no other choice.
- Ernst: We're lost, Fritz, and you know it.
- Fritz: We're not lost, and we're not going to be.
- Roberta: Fritz, if you want to go on, go ahead. Ernst and I have decided not to.
- Fritz: You've what?
- Roberta: Well, we can find the river and follow it back to the coast. Anyway, it's two against one.
- Fritz: I wouldn't care if it were ten against one. I'm the one that's got to get us back, and I'm going to.
- Ernst: Well, just because you're older doesn't mean you're always right!
- [Fritz picks up pistol]
- Ernst: What are you doing?
- Fritz: I'll just take charge of the pistol for awhile. I seem to recall it being appropriated once before when someone wanted to go back to the beach.
- Ernst: You give me back my pistol!
- [during the fight between the Robinsons and the pirates, the pirate chief raises a white flag]
- Kuala - Pirate Chief: [calling up to the Robinsons] Kuala make talk! You hear?
- Father: [calling back down] We hear you!
- Kuala - Pirate Chief: [referring to Roberta aka Bertie] You take boy belong Kuala. Give us boy, no more fight. You hear?
- Father: You want the boy? You come and get him. We're ready for you, and you can put away your white flag.
- Roberta: Maybe it would be better to agree.
- Father: Don't worry. He wouldn't bargain with us if he thought he could beat us.
- Kuala - Pirate Chief: Send the boy down the hill! Kuala take boy. Get plenty money. Nobody hurt. You hear?
- [the Robinsons stand their ground; the chief puts the flag away]
- Kuala - Pirate Chief: You make Kuala fight long time, then you die, and Kuala take boy all the same!
- [the fight between the pirates and the Robinsons resumes]
- Father: No one can ever go back and undo what's already done, but - well, I - I want you to know that - well, I'm sorry things didn't work out. Not the way I wanted them to.
- Mother: I know.
- Father: It would have been so much better if we'd just stayed in Bern.
- Mother: I'm not so sure of it, not with Napoleon Bonaparte trying to grab up more and more. Fritz and Ernst might both be in war, maybe even you.
- Father: No. It would have been better to stay and face things rather than just running away.
- Mother: Is it running away to try to find a new life, in a new colony? To try to give our sons a chance to live, a chance to be free? Is that running away?
- Father: I keep thinking about all the men who work in those other offices along the Marktgasse. They go on working at the same old jobs and manage to find opportunities for their families, without running off to the other side of the world.
- Mother: I thought we settled all this before we left home. It was good thing we set out to do. We were right. And all that hasn't changed just because we were shipwrecked.
- Father: You're always right, aren't you? We'll get there, I'm sure of it. I'm sure of it! Sooner or later, there's bound to be a ship.
- Mother: I'll pray for it with every breath I take.
- Father: It's a big land, New Guinea. For hundreds of years, there've been new colonies, a great new world to build. No limit to what a man can do. Just because we're a couple of months late getting there it won't matter. We're not too badly off, are we? We've got each other, we've got the family with us, food to eat.
- Mother: [thunder, rain pours down on them, laughs] And even a tent to keep the rain off if we had sense enough to use it.
- Ernst: Oh, no! My compass is gone! I don't even know where to look!
- Fritz: I guess we'll just have to get along without it.
- Ernst: Get along without it? We don't have a chance. We need that compass!
- Fritz: Well, not necessarily. I think I can get along just about as well without it.
- Ernst: You think? You could be wrong, you know!
- Fritz: All right, I don't think it. I know it! And from now on, Ernst, you're just going to have to trust my judgement.
- Mother: What about our sons? What future is there here for them?
- Father: Now, don't worry about tomorrow. It'll take care of itself.
- Mother: Suppose we should never get away from here. They'd never know what it was like to be married.
- Father: Yes. Yes, that's right. Now you come to mention it, there aren't many girls around here, are there?
- Mother: It's not anything to joke about. Suppose they never have a chance to know what it's like to have a family.
- Mother: Those curtains don't belong in here!
- Father: They were from the captain's quarters. We thought you'd like them.
- Mother: It's so wonderful,
- [bursts into tears]
- Mother: I don't deserve it. I can't believe it.
- [Hugs Father]
- Father: Don't worry about the curtains. If you don't like them, I know a woman who can fix anything.
- Ernst: Ha! Do you all honestly think a tiger is liable to fall for something like this? You're wasting your time!
- [Francis lunges toward Ernst, but is held back by Fritz]
- Fritz: You talk about wasting time, Ernst. How many hours did you spend making that silly hat?
- [Francis laughs]
- Ernst: That's none of your business. You're not my boss.
- Fritz: No? Now look, Ernst. We've got more important things to do than try to amuse Roberta.
- Ernst: The trouble with you is you're jealous!
- Fritz: Jealous! Of what? Why don't grow up?
- [Ernst takes a swing at Fritz]
- Fritz: That's enough, Ernst.
- Fritz: If you had stayed where you were supposed to, Ernst, this wouldn't have happened.
- Ernst: You can't tell me what I'm supposed to do!
- Fritz: I just did.
- Father: That's enough.
- Ernst: I don't care! He thinks he can just give orders and get anyone to slave for him.
- Father: Ernst, I said that's enough! This incident's closed. Now, let's get back to work.
- [to Fritz]
- Father: And I don't to hear another word about it.