Will.  I’ve hardly got into the act yet.

Peggy.  Well, you’d better get into your love-interest!

Will.  The next scene is to be another dropcurtain.  A restaurant.  I’m using that one down our street.  Read it. (He disappears Left.  The Play-play begins to appear.)

Peggy (reads).  Scene shows a cheap restaurant on Third Avenue.  Piles of shredded wheat and charlotte russe in the windows.  Night scene, snow on ground. (Full light on the Play-play.)

Bill (wanders on Right, stops and gazes into window).  Gee, but that’s great lookin’ shredded wheat!

Jack (enters Left, dejected-looking, and joins Bill).  You hungry, too, kid?

Bill. I could eat the whole hay-stack at one meal. (Moves along to another part of the window.) Holy smoke, if they’d turn me loose in them charlotte-russes!

Jack. I wonder how many charlotte russes a man could eat at one meal.

Bill. Say, I wisht I was a rich man!  I’d go youse a race at ’em! (A silence; turns away.) Gee, I can’t bear to look at ’em any more!

Jack (joins him down stage).  When did you eat last?

Bill. I had sinkers and coffee this mornin’.  What did youse have?

Jack. I had a glass of water in the public library.

Bill. Hully gee!  And when did youse eat last?

Jack. Yesterday morning I had a slice of bread.

Bill (startled).  Gawd a’mighty!  That all?

Jack. True as gospel.

Bill (warming to him).  Why say!  Youse are up agin it!

Jack. I am, for fair.

Bill. What’s the matter?

Jack. Can’t find any work.

Bill. Work?  T’hell with work!  Why don’t yous slam the gates?

Jack. Why don’t I what?

Bill. I mean, why don’t youse panhandle it?

Jack. I don’t understand.

Bill. Gee!  Where was youse raised—­in the hayfields?  I mean, why don’t youse git up a hard luck story?

Jack. Beg?

Bill. Sure!

Jack. I tried it some, but nobody’ll listen to me.

Bill. Why, youse poor helpless orphan!  Somebody ought to take youse in hand and show youse.

Jack (eagerly). Do you suppose you could do it?

Bill. Sure I could—­teach youse in an hour or two!

Jack (hesitatingly). But you don’t make so very much yourself, do you!

Bill. Sure I do—­I got lots o’ the stuff.  Only I got a step-father I have to keep full of booze.  He’ll be out lookin’ for me now, I reckon. (Looks about sharply). Say, youse come back here after a bit.  I’ll go an’ get him spotted, an’ then we’ll frame up a good hard-luck story, an’ we’ll get the price of that there hay-stack.  You get me, old pal?