I’m hungry! Aw, c’m’on ’n’ do whut Bud says! Miss Meredith won’t let us, I bet. Fraidy cat! Shootin’ on it, Clem, quit steppin’ on my feet, you crazy! Le’s play! Keep yer feet in yer pocket! BUD Le’s play “Little Brown Jug.” BOYS AND GIRLS I’m hungry! Well, who keers if you air? _Be_ hungry! So’re we. Who’s gonna cook the meat? Who’s got the meat? Whur is the meat anyhow? It’s bacon, ain’t it? Shore, it’s bacon. (_Singing._) “Sow belly bacon ’n’ bean soup!” Le’s play “Happy is the Miller Boy.” I’ll be it. BUD Aw, le’s play “Ole Joe Clark.” C’m’on! Irey! Git _her_! Git Hildie fer a pardner. Well, you’re it, then. Irey’s it! Everbody got a pardner? BOYS AND GIRLS Wait a minute! Go ahead. You start it, Bud. “Ole Joe Clark”— (_They begin to play, singing the song as they “do si do,” promenade, etc._) “Ole Joe Clark’s dead an’ gone, I hope he’s doin’ well. He made me wear the ball and chain Till my ankles swelled. “Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark, Rock, rock, I’m gone, Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark, Good-by, Lucy Lawn. “I wouldn’t marry a yellow gal, Tell you the reason why— Cross-eyed tears run down her back When she starts to cry. “Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark” (_etc._) BUD (_alone—loudly_) “I wouldn’t marry a yellow gal, Tell you the reason why— Her neck’s so long an’ stringy, I’m ’fraid she’d never die.” BOYS AND GIRLS (_joining in the chorus_) “Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark” (_etc._) (MISS MEREDITH _enters at left. She is sharp and prim. Some of the boys shout to her, while the chorus goes on_:) C’m’on, Miss Meredith, ’n’ play. MISS MEREDITH No, I won’t play. A BOY It’s fun. MISS MEREDITH It’s time to eat. Hurry and finish. BUD (_alone—loudly_) “I wouldn’t marry a yellow gal, Tell you the reason why— She’d blow her nose in yellow corn-bread An’ call it punkin’ pie!” BOYS AND GIRLS “Rock, rock, ole Joe Clark—” MISS MEREDITH (_sharply_) Quit it! Quit it! (_The chorus stops._) That’s no way to act! Those verses are not very nice, Bud Bickel. BUD Aw, whut’s the matter with ’em? MISS MEREDITH Never mind, you’re not to sing them. They’re bad taste. BUD Ha! Bad taste? Verses don’t _taste_, Miss Meredith. They ain’t no taste to ’em, ma’am. ’N’ if they is, they all taste alike! MISS MEREDITH Not another word out of you, Bud Bickel! It’s time to be cooking the breakfast, anyway. You can play afterwards. BUD Aw, let us play one more! BOYS AND GIRLS One more ’fore we go— He didn’t mean nuthin’. It’s still early. Betty and Lloyd ain’t here yit. Betty and Lloyd ain’t come. It’s time t’ eat, anytime. Gosh, she tole him— Please, Miss Meredith—? MISS MEREDITH Oh, very well. You may play “Drop the Handkerchief.” A BOY Aw, that ain’t a play-party game. MISS MEREDITH This is not a play-party. BUD