FELIX:  I can see myself in dog heaven already.  And how about my share of the money?

HARVEY:  The what?

FELIX:  The money.  The dough, the mazuma.

HARVEY:  The money?  Since when do dogs carry money?  Ha, ha!  That’s a good joke.  A very good joke. (Exits at R. 2.)

MAYNARD:  (Re-enters from house.) And now to see if I can’t make friends with the dog.

(FELIX barks furiously at MAYNARD as soon as he comes near.)

MAYNARD:  He is just the animal to keep Viola’s lover away.  I will call her out, and show her the dog. (Calls off to house.) Oh, Viola! (Dog snaps at MAYNARD as latter passes him.)

VIOLA:  (From the doorstep of house.) What do you want, father?

MAYNARD:  I want to show you the new dog I bought. (Dog barks furiously.) See if you can make friends with him.

(VIOLA approaches FELIX, who leans his head affectionately against her and puts his arm around her waist.)

VIOLA:  He seems to like me all right, father.

MAYNARD:  I cannot understand it.

VIOLA:  Perhaps he doesn’t like men.

FELIX:  (Aside.) No; I ain’t that kind of a dog.

VIOLA:  I wonder if the dog is hungry?

MAYNARD:  I’ll go into the house and get him a bone. (Exits into house.)

(FELIX starts rubbing his dog’s head against VIOLA’S hip.  She screams and exits into house.)

(CHARLIE DOOLITTLE enters from Right.)

CHARLIE:  I haven’t seen Viola for half an hour, so I think I’ll serenade her.

(Starts in singing chorus of song, “Only One Girl in This World for Me.”)

(FELIX howls accompaniment.  CHARLIE sees dog, who tries to grab him.)

CHARLIE:  I’ll get a pistol and shoot the beast.

FELIX:  Gee, but he’s got a nasty disposition!

CHARLIE:  I’ll return in two minutes. (Exits at right.)

FELIX:  (Unfastening catch that holds him to dog-house.) And I will be gone in one minute. (Exits at Centre.)

(MR. MAYNARD and VIOLA enter from house.)

MAYNARD:  Viola, I am worried.

VIOLA:  What’s the matter, father?

MAYNARD:  I am afraid that Old Black Joe’s mind is beginning to weaken.  Sometimes he sits for hours babbling about the old plantation as it existed in the days of ’61.

VIOLA:  How strange!

MAYNARD:  Only last week a celebrated doctor assured me that if Old Black Joe could but gaze once more on the old plantation as it looked before the War, his mental powers would come back to him as sharp and clear as ever.

VIOLA:  I have an idea.

CHARLIE:  (Appearing suddenly from Right.) Well, pickle it, because it’s going to be a hard Winter.

(MAYNARD starts to chase CHARLIE, who quickly exits.)

MAYNARD:  (To VIOLA.) What is your idea, daughter?

VIOLA:  I propose that all the girls dress themselves as pickaninnies and indulge in the sports and pastimes of the South before the War, so that Old Black Joe will think he is once more among the scenes of his boyhood days.