Original subtitles

I'll wager you and Jasper haven't two pennies to rub together.

Eddie, it's not as bad as all that.

Oh, look at this cupboard.

Oh, it's as bare as the church pew on a Monday.

My poor child, probably starving.

Here, dear.

Of course, far be it from either one of you to bend to ask for help.

Jasper's working very hard.

Inventing things.

People don't want to live here.

For your information, he is seeing an investor even as we speak.

There happens to be a position available over at the Hillsdale Bank. And, well,

you know, I have some influence over Mr. Ambrose, the manager there.

Eddie, Hillsdale is over an hour away.

It's a steady job.

Steady wage.

Yes, but it's so confining. I can't imagine Jasper as a bank teller.

Yes, well, pretty imagine yourselves living on charity, because that'll be

fate. Mark my words, if Jasper fails to sell this, what is it he's invented now?

An infallible fishing rod.

Right. Ready? Yes. Place and, uh, remember to release.

Dumb.

Release! Uh!

Whoa! Whoa!

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

Whoa! Whoa!

Mr. Duncan, you see, you forgot to release.

Jasper Dale, how long have you been working here now?

Two weeks, Mr. Allen. Long enough then to tend to your tasks without prompting.

Well, I was counting change.

I got to thinking. If you will notice, the shapes of each denomination of coin

are different.

I am well aware of what money looks like. It seems to me that one could

construct a simple device with slots adjusted for each size of coin, and the

tellers, they could cash out, you know, a fraction of the time. It was an

automatic bill counting machine.

Before that, it was a new vault locking system. I'm sure I could perfect the

locking mechanism. Hedy King persuaded me to hire another bank teller. Mr.

that is what I want, a bank teller, not Thomas Alva Edison.

If you spent as much time attending to customers as you do dreaming about

counting machines and what have you, no one would ever need to stand waiting in

line. Am I making myself clear? Yes, sir.

Yes, sir. Perfect.

May I help you?

Made it.

So I see.

Hotel's bustling this time of year. Couldn't get away.

Only thing kept me going was imagining the wonderful delicacies you'd have

me here.

That's nice.

Well?

Well, what?

I'm ready to stop imagining and start tasting.

Where's the grub?

There is no more grub.

What do you mean?

Well, I ate it.

Every last bite.

Either you were more than a wee bit hungry or I was more than a wee bit

I'm hoping it's a first.

Actually, I barely even had an appetite.

But when you're stranded in the countryside for more than an hour's

nothing around you but cold chicken and cucumber sandwiches, there's little else

to do but eat them.

An hour?

Can't be.

Cold chicken and cucumber sandwiches, you say?

And fresh berries and homemade ginger snaps.

Sounds positively delightful.

It was.

The next time we plan a picnic together, Gus, I hope that you will arrive in

time to see the food adorning your plate rather than my figure.

If there is a next time.

Aw, Felicity.

Gotta follow some leeway.

You know how busy the White Sands is in the summer?

Yes. And I'm sure Mr. Tremaine is very glad to have such a devoted employee as

you, Gus.

But unfortunately, summer is not my busy season.

And I do not intend to spend my time off from school twiddling my thumb.

Oh, I wouldn't mind a bit of thumb twiddling myself.

Better than waiting tables all day and rushing home to tend the lighthouse that

night.

You can go swimming and read books and take a hike in the woods. But, Gus, I

want to do those things with you.

And if I were a gentry lad instead of a working lad, I'd accommodate your every

whim.

I know.

We can still go for a walk by the lily pond. I'll pack you some cocktails.

I can't go now.

Why not?

Because I need to get home and go straight to bed to digest all this food

ate.

I don't feel very well.

Jasper, is that you?

There you are.

I was beginning to worry.

Mr. Ambrose had me recheck the day's deposits.

I tried explaining to him the calculating system that I had devised,

quite resistant to innovation.

You oughtn't let him keep you so late.

I don't want to complain.

Oh, Jas.

but you're too nice.

No, there's no such thing as being too nice.

Come on.

I've just taken bread out of the oven and it'll only take minutes to heat up

your dinner.

Why don't you go up to the workshop? That always picks you up.

I think I'll go upstairs.

Lie down for a bit.

Jasper, you haven't been out to your workshop in over a week. Oh, has it been

that long?

Mm -hmm.

Ah, what's the point?

I said I wanted three yards of dotted percale.

Isn't that percale?

Dotted.

Did you get the quilting needle?

Oh, yes, ma 'am.

That's a darning needle.

There's a difference? Oh, yes, there is.

This would put a hole big enough to drag a cat through.

Elvira Lawson!

What is it, Happy?

Elvira, would it be asking too much for a body to actually receive the good

she's requested?

Lionel, Mrs. Jackson needs a five -pound bag of flour. Could you get that back

room, please?

Right away.

Elvira, why on earth is Lionel Lester working here? He's so behind on his

and it was the only way he could pay it off. I needed the help, Hetty, but he's

costing me more than it's worth.

I'm not surprised the man wouldn't know.

Pique from pig's feet.

Anyway, I always work summers at the cannery.

Surely I'd be better off there.

Didn't you hear? Mr. Dunn's not opening the cannery this year.

He's not.

Talk is, he wants to convert it into a distillery.

Distillery? Yes.

In Albany?

His attorney is here today looking over the property.

Pull these for me, Elvira.

I'll pick them up on the way back.

See a man about the cannery. Look there.

Have you no idea what a distillery will do to the fair name of Avonlea?

Fair name or no, Mr. Dunn is now saddled with this monstrosity.

And as a businessman, he fully expects to make a profit on his investments.

Mr. McCorkadale always made a profit on the cannery when he ran it.

And Mr.

Dunn will make a good deal more selling whiskey.

Yes, well, Avonlea isn't interested in the peddling of alcohol, thank you.

Mr. Dunn isn't interested in what Avonlea wants.

If Mr. Dunn finds himself saddled with this monstrosity, as you put it, then

doesn't he sell the place?

Believe me, Miss King, we have tried.

No one wants it.

So unless you're willing to buy the cannery and go into the lobster

the fair town of Avonlea will become the new home of the Dunn Distillery.

Okay.

You packed us a picnic.

Well, Pierre packed it, but I begged him to, so the credit's mine.

I got Felix to take my shift so we could go out to the country.

Oh, I can imagine what you must be paying him.

I'll get my bonnet.

Anyone home?

Shoot, shoot.

Felicity, dear.

Run inside and summon your parents.

Well, they've taken Cecily and Daniel to Carmody to see the traveling show.

Never mind.

Come to think of it, you could be as much help or more.

Felicity and I were just... Come along, Felicity, but hurry up.

Olivia and Jasper are waiting.

We just packed a picnic.

Good girl.

Paint the stars. I'm famished.

Oh, come on now. Don't dally. This is important.

What is?

I've bought the cannery.

I can see Mr. McCorkadale didn't believe in upkeeping and repairs.

Oh, my.

What have I undertaken?

Well, this here is where the locks were caught.

One, two,

three, four.

It's the better glue.

This here's the main cotton table.

You can't expect people to eat food that's been prepared here.

This table's filthy.

Maybe the heat from the canning might kill off some of the germs.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Lift the table just a bit, you know, and run the water down constantly so it

fits in.

Well, it might work, but we have to carry the lobsters over from the cattle.

And we'd probably kill ourselves crossing the white floor. Well, maybe,

know, you wouldn't even have to carry them.

I'm all right, I'm all right.

What's this for?

Oh, that's what they call bluebeard.

Why ever do they call it bluebeard?

Well, more than one good wife has given herself a nasty gosh trying to snag a

crustacean.

Are you trying to say something?

Oh, no, just it seems to me with a few modifications that the cannery could be

made to be quite efficient, even economical.

How? Oh, you run a line. Yeah, a production line.

It's based on the same principle that Mr. Henry Ford uses in the automobile

plant. Well, lobsters are somewhat different than automobiles, aren't they,

Jack? Yeah, for sure, for sure, for sure.

But one thing, they're not all black.

The principles of efficient production are the same. Now, there,

the lobsters, here. Now, they are carried in here, and then they are

onto the sorting table. And then a belt, you see, a conveyor belt takes

them...

To the kettles.

Right. Now, once they're cooked, another belt takes them off to

the cutting tables, right? And then, once the

meat is taken, a last belt takes the meat off to the

canning room.

Good bear belts.

Efficient production.

You sound like Dunham.

You think it could work?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Oh, but the cost, Jasper, of putting in all these contraptions. I think the

initial expense could be compensated for by savings in time and labor.

It might work.

It will work, and we could run it.

Who could?

Jasper and I.

Let me... Hetty.

Jasper is the only person who could put this together and make it work.

And I could run the business end of things by rounding up customers.

I hardly think it's... It can't be that different from selling ad space at the

newspaper. And Mr. Tyler says I just do a crackerjack job at that. And if I can

sell ad space, which is nothing, it's just space, well, selling lobster should

be a snap.

Olivia, will you let me get a word in edgewise, please?

Thank you.

For one thing, Jasper already has a job at the bank.

Oh, yes, but Jasper is an inventor, not a banker.

He'll never be happy working there.

We can't be happy all the time.

No, but we shouldn't be unhappy all the time.

Besides, Hetty, we'd be making a living, a good living running the cannery, if

it worked.

Oh, Jasper will make it work.

Unless you're planning to quit writing and spend day and night managing the

place. I have a

wonderful wife.

Miss Cain.

I got your table.

Oh, thank you, Gus. I'm here to see Mr. Tremaine about a rather urgent matter.

He's in the dining room.

As a matter of fact, Gus Pike, I'm here to ask him to adjust

your work schedule.

Oh, well, not so much ask him really as tell him.

Has Felicity been complaining to you? Because I don't want no special favors.

Oh, no, no, no.

I'm the one asking the favor of you.

Me?

Yes. Yes, you see, I've decided to let Jasper and

Olivia run the cannery.

Jasper and Olivia?

So I need you to take a job there.

Oh, part -time, of course, to keep an eye on things.

Well, you're the only one with any experience in fish business.

Well, what are you going to be doing?

Me?

Writing my latest novel.

Taking care of Montgomery and, to be honest, trying to stay out of Jasper

and Olivia's way.

They're bound and determined to make a go of this, and heaven forbid I should

stand in their way.

Are you asking me to be a spy?

Yes, well, I would ask it, but you'd only refuse, wouldn't you? So I'll

for you just being there to lend a hand.

Will you, Gus?

You know I can't refuse you any favor, Miss King.

hiring for.

Better question is, how long they gonna last with Jasper Dale running things?

Yeah, well, anything's better than working at Lawson's store.

Them women's a terror, let me tell you.

All I know is I better get paid for the time I put in. Hey, just like Lester,

only concerned about what's in it for him, not about doing a good job.

Did you hear something, Ferguson?

I believe I heard a gnat buzzing around here.

If he gets too close, I'll swat him.

Hold my hat.

Boys, boys, look there.

So pull the lever and we'll see how she is.

Are you sure?

But we'll never find out if we don't.

Need a lobster.

Good. Good.

Good. Up.

Up. Up. Up.

Up.

Up. Up. Up. Up. Up. Up. Up. Up.

And the whole concept is one of continuous and efficient practice.

It

works.

Of course.

I'd like to buy from you, Mrs. Dale, but the truth is, I've been buying from

Mayfield Cannery for about the same price, and they guarantee delivery.

Oh, yes, but I guarantee the finest canned lobster available.

I'm sure you'll do your best, but... But what?

But face it, Jasper Dale knows as much about canning lobster as chickens know

about ballroom dancing.

Mr. Gates, because of the new procedures that my husband has introduced into the

cannery,

We can give you all the lobster you want for two cents a can below what the

Mayfield Cannery is offering. Two cents below?

Yes, and furthermore, if for any reason whatsoever we can't completely fill your

order, we'll give you the first five cases free of charge.

Bless my stars.

Is that a deal, then?

Indeed. Well, is everything ready?

All set to go running pretty easy, please.

I guess we start kind of lobster tomorrow.

Yeah.

Well, we'll see you then.

Yeah.

Jasper, are you sure that having a cup of tea this late at night won't keep you

awake? I couldn't sleep anyway.

Yeah, it's exciting, isn't it?

You're worried.

No, no, no, no, no, no.

A little.

Jasper.

I'm a little worried, too.

Oh, right.

But I know we can do this.

Mr. Ferguson.

Mr. Ferguson.

What can I do for you, Mr. Dale?

Can I show you how to operate the chain?

Oh, no, no, no. It's simple enough, Mr. Dale.

It seems like a lot of trouble to go to.

Keeping them separate and all. You see, I never meant for you to, you know, keep

them separate.

Oh. Well, that's a relief.

I thought you said to separate them.

Well, you know what I have on the... Hey! There we go. Come on. Yeah.

Yeah.

What I meant was... Oh, don't you worry about me, Mr. Dale. I've handled doctors

since I was out of short pants. See?

Yeah.

The big ones in here. The little ones in there.

That really takes the cake.

Rats, if you haven't got the sense, go and keep chowing. Oh, I don't suppose

you'd have the courage to say that outside.

You need to step outside to the pasture, don't you?

Pick him too easy. Spread the jam in the machine.

Now, you tell that. I never did no such thing.

Get him out.

Have a look at it.

The labels on inside out.

I knew it wasn't right.

Did you feed the labels in right side up or upside down?

Right side up.

Upside down. They need to be upside down.

Right.

Only the first day, Jasper.

And I despair of the second.

The machines worked for the people.

Either they don't understand, or they don't listen, or they're just too busy

fighting. Well, the equipment's new. They need time.

Oh, we don't have time, Olivia. Today we canned only a third of what I had

anticipated.

but without getting two cents less a can that I had calculated. You're blaming

me, then.

I didn't say that. I didn't say that.

I had to offer it for less, Jasper. It was the only way I could sell the

lobster. All my calculations are based on the original price.

No one would pay.

Did you have to go and offer cases at no charge if we didn't deliver it?

Never occurred to me that we wouldn't deliver. You yourself said it would save

time and money.

Well... At two cents less a can, we are

running at a loss.

And if this continues, we shall have to close up shop.

You know, we...

Gus has three jobs.

What am I supposed to do all summer?

Talk to myself in the looking glass? Oh, well, if Gus is busy, why don't you go

to the shore with Sally Potts?

Sally's on vacation with her cousin.

Well, Sarah, then.

Mother, Sarah's visiting Nanny Louise in Montreal.

Oh, yeah, that's right. Well, Jane Spry isn't going anywhere.

Who would want to go to the shore with Jane Spry?

She won't even dip her little toe in the water for fear she'll drown.

Mother, I'm the one that's drowning in my own boredom. Oh, dear. Well, there's

no need for that.

I've got the perfect thing for you to do.

Really? What?

Harder.

Harder.

That's it.

What are you doing home so early?

Eddie, I'm so angry I could just scream.

What have I done with my notebook?

Oh, it's on the table here.

Oh, yeah.

Montgomery and I have been working on his letters.

Montgomery is only a year old, Eddie.

Well, it's never too soon to learn, is it, my boy?

What are you doing?

Oh, there's been a ship run aground at North Rustico, and Mr. Tyler says the

chronicle is shorthanded, and he insists that I'm the only person to possibly

cover the story.

This from a man who promised I could have time off to get the cannery going.

I'll take you to the better part of the morning, just going and coming.

Well, Jasper will just have to make do without me.

Oh, by the way, Hetty, we need more baskets for the lobsters.

Well, you'll just have to make do with what you've got.

What? I've told you, Olivia, I can't put another penny into this.

I've already spent far more than I intended.

All right. Now, I am not made of money, you know. Yes, you're right. There.

Well, goodbye.

Good night.

How much danger were you actually in, Captain Horn?

Nearly wound up in little tiny pieces on the rocks north of the point.

That was a close call, I can tell you.

Uh, oh, there were no casualties then?

No.

It'll take at least two weeks to repair that sheared steering gear. My catch

will be ruined.

And what is your catch?

Lobster.

Lobster? I was going to can them myself from the mainland.

But if you have to wait two weeks, it'll... It'll spoil.

Don't I know it.

You should get that lobster off that ship today.

Don't I know it.

Mr. Horn, perhaps I could help arrange for their removal.

Not you said you were a porter.

Oh, I am.

But as it happens, my husband and I also run a cannery in Avonlea.

For a fair price, we'd be prepared to take those lobster off your hands.

Well, I think market price is fair.

I think...

In a day or two, those lobster will be worthless, even as bait.

Yeah, don't I know it.

It's half what we're paying for lobster now.

Half? Well, good.

I figure it could be the difference between making a profit and just going

up. Hedy must be pleased with this bunch.

No, I haven't told Hedy. I just... I just can't ask her for another penny,

Jasper. Where are you going to get the money to buy lobster from?

I know I was rash and impulsive, but it was just too good to pack up.

I figured we'd find the money someplace.

I am well aware of your husband's predilection for inventing, Mrs. Dale,

sure he has made many improvements at the cannery.

I hate to cast aspersions on his abilities, but the bank would need some

security in case of default.

We're not going to default.

No one goes into business expecting to fail.

But I assure you, it happens more often than you'd wish to know.

Perhaps Miss King would care to put up the cannery as collateral.

No, I'm afraid that would be impossible.

I see.

Well, is there anything you own you could use to secure the loan?

Yes.

That's right, Mr. Perkins. Now, you've got it.

That's the right clever machine you got once you got the hang of it. Thank you,

thank you.

Certainly beats crossing a slippery floor with a kettle of lobster on my

Well, that's the whole point.

Oh, no, what in heaven's name?

Mulligan. You. Ah, you're a barmy. Hi, Uncle Leo. I'll have killed your father

before you were born. Mr. Lester. Back off. Back off. Someone won't get hurt.

That's the whole idea. Never touch me again.

Shoot my hat.

You won't hear the last of this, Lester. Oh, yeah?

Says you and your old granny.

Leave off.

We're behind as it is. We don't need your scrapping to slow us down any

Mr. Dale, take charge here.

Please, sir.

Yes, sir, gentlemen.

That'll be quite enough. I think lunch will be in order.

Lunch! Please, just shake hands.

Wake up!

Lunch!

The Lesters and the Rackhams have been feuding ever since Lionel Lester's

grandfather sold a blind horse.

to Amos Rackham's great -uncle Thomas.

You never should have put them two together.

That's quite apparently now.

Then separate them.

I have made that suggestion, but neither of them will budge. If it was me, I'd

give them a good whack.

No, I... Then give them a good tongue -lashing.

Oh, no, it wouldn't be proper to raise my voice.

Then fire them.

They need the work that would be un...

Can't you ever do nothing that ain't polite?

Begging your pardon, but they aren't going to have any work, and you aren't

going to have any counter if you can't get things to work better around here.

A person can be too nice, you know.

What do you plan to do? Kill him with kindness?

Kill him with kindness.

After a great deal of observation on my part, I realize the

terrible mistake that I have made in putting you two together.

And clearly, you are the most... You two are the

most experienced men that I've employed.

I know I am. And me.

And I have a problem on the front end of the line. And not everyone has been

able to adapt as quickly to the new moment.

machinery, as you men have.

Some find it a bit bothersome.

For some, it ain't so forward -thinking as I.

Oh, and me, eh?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. These are my thoughts, precisely.

And I need someone to take over the cutting table. Well, I'm

not leaving this here cooking gizmo.

Why should I be the one to go?

Gentlemen, imagine my dilemma.

The production line is slowing, and my two most dedicated workers are here

leaving the cutting table wanting.

And I am at a loss as to decide how to separate you. I mean, who to do the

cutting and who to run the... I mean, it would take the wisdom of

Solomon to decide this.

Well, you've got no further to look, Mr. Dale. I'm your man for the cutting

table. Arthur.

You? I should be the one.

Ain't that just like a Lester?

Gentlemen, let us solve this in the time -honored tradition. Pistol, blow coin,

heads.

Arthur does the cutting and Lionel does the pressure cookers. Tales vice versa.

the pressure on the crooked there, Ferguson. You don't want to overheat the

meat.

Jasper, you did it. You got them working together.

Yeah. Now, finally, but it's taking too much time. The day is almost out and the

workers are going to have to go through the night or the lobsters will spoil.

I don't know if the crew are...

They're tired, and we're tired, and I don't know if we'll get this done.

Miss King.

What are supplies?

I've come calling on your sister and brother -in -law.

Oh, well, they're still at the cavalry.

Processing the horn shipment, no doubt. That's why I'm here.

In filling out the loan application, Mr. Dale failed to initial the item.

What?

Loan application what?

Horn shipment.

Ship that ran aground at North Rustico was carrying lobster. Your sister and

brother -in -law borrowed money to buy them all.

How could they borrow money if they have no collateral?

Had they?

Miss King, you put me in an awkward position.

It is not my place to... To reveal a customer's financial dealings. No, no,

quite, quite.

That would be most... Unethical.

I'm glad you understand.

Why, it'd be as wrong as if, say, I were to remind you,

Mr. Ambrose, that the King family has dealt with your bank for over 25 years,

and that as Sarah Stanley's legal guardian, I do have

financial say over her considerable estate.

If they...

failed to pay back the loan, your sister and brother -in -law will lose their

house.

Their home.

If we keep up at this pace, we are going to ruin the meat.

It doesn't spoil.

He's right.

We had another crew. It might be a different story, but at this late

couldn't find one, and we couldn't afford one.

Jasper, let's... I need a word with you.

I'm sorry, Hattie. We don't have time to socialize right now. Oh, I should tell

you not.

Risking your home to borrow money for this?

Please, not now.

And as for you, Jasper, you... It's been a long day and a long night away.

And we would be most appreciative if you, as a family and a...

with, uh, Lindsay.

Me work here?

I don't think we could manage without you.

Well, then, of course, I will.

Let me ask those bothersome practitioners.

Olivia, if you would, uh, just show her how you work.

Oh, certainly.

Where are you going?

Reinforcements.

Um... Take this little claw apart and, um... Yeah, yeah, let me do it.

Janet, Felicity, Felix, Cecily, get your things together and get a move on.

We've got a night's work ahead of us.

I know it's not a great deal to ask.

Now, don't say another word, Jasper. We're only too happy to help.

Avonlea wouldn't be half as interesting a place without you around.

Helping out?

Uncle Jasper asked for it.

You sure you want to be rolling your sleeves up in a place like this?

Hard work, you know.

Have you ever tried beating the dust out of a woolen rug?

That's hard work.

Besides, I think this may be the most we see because of this summer.

Jasper! Jasper!

Send another load over here. We've run out.

That's all we've got. That's all we've got!

Oh, for pity's sake.

Don't tell me we're out of cans.

No, no. He means we're out of lobster.

We're finished.

Finished? Yeah, we did it!

We canned them all! We let one of us taste them!

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Tell you the truth, I didn't think you could do it. But that's quite a nice

profit you made.

Oh, please.

Thank you, Jasper.

May I suggest an investment?

Well, actually, we already have one in mind. We want to

buy the cannery.

For me, buy the cannery.

Practically lost your own home.

But we didn't.

No, you didn't.

But only because the King family rallied round to bail you out of your

predicament.

You can rest assured that I have no intention of spending the rest of my

canning lobsters alongside the likes of Lionel Lester.

Why do you have to be such a... Olivia, Olivia, wait, wait, Olivia.

Maybe your sister has a...

Point. Goodness knows I wouldn't want to go into a venture without her advice

and approval.

You wouldn't? Well, that's good.

Absolutely not.

We made a fair mess of it before we came along.

Jasper. No, it's absolutely true.

Well, I wouldn't go as far as that, Jasper.

And you were right. You were right. It was the King family that bailed us out.

Please, I won't deny we helped.

Oh, remember, it was you who designed that production line and got those

operating it properly.

They've got the hang of it now.

And to be fair, it was thanks to Olivia's nose for opportunity that you

able to buy those lobsters so cheaply. Why, you both proved yourself in a time

of crisis.

As the operation's running smoothly, you've managed to turn a handsome

It's quite clear to me, Jasper, that you and Olivia simply have to buy the

gallery, and that's that. Am I right?

Mr.

Dale.

Oh, Mr.

Admiral. When you have some free time, I wonder if you could stop by and tell me

again about the suggestions you had to improve performance and efficiency at

bank. Oh, that'd be a pleasure.

Mr. Ambrose, that would be a pleasure.