What are you doing with that suit case? JONATHAN I'm going away. JOHN Who gave you permission? JONATHAN Nobody.... I've been thinking since a little while ago and at first I thought I'd run away again; but that wouldn't be quite fair--so I came to tell you. JOHN Take that suit case back into the house. JONATHAN No, sir! I'm going and nobody can keep me here unless they tie me. JOHN Well, I'll tell you one thing--if you leave this house without my permission I'll cut you off without a penny and you'll never be allowed to come back again. JONATHAN Yes, sir. I know that; but I'm going and I came to tell you good-bye. JOHN Very well. You've made your choice--and I never want to see you again as long as you live. Good-bye, Jonathan. Good-bye, Nathaniel. LETITIA John, don't say things you'll regret. Jonathan doesn't mean what he's saying. JONATHAN Yes'm, I do mean what I say. JOHN Good night. [_He goes out._ LETITIA Boys, you are so hot-headed--so much alike.... NATHANIEL You dear, you have always been content to compromise while we two must go our own ways or not at all. You go to John. Help him as you can. He's not a bad man--he's just a structure of reinforced concrete. You love John and he in his way loves you. Go to John and comfort his outraged authority. LETITIA I'm sorry things have turned out this way. (_She kisses them_) Good night, my dears. Wait until morning if you can, my darling Nathaniel. [_She goes out._ NATHANIEL Now you've done it! JONATHAN I couldn't help it. NATHANIEL What are you going to do? JONATHAN I don't know.... They say there's plenty of work on farms. NATHANIEL You can't write if you work on a farm. JONATHAN I can earn some more money and save. Other boys have worked their way through school and college. I can do that. NATHANIEL Of course--that is a way out of it. Yes... of course.... [_Nathaniel opens the back doors and sees the thinnest crescent moon hanging in the sky._ The new moon.... They say if you make a wish on the new moon it will come true. JONATHAN You have to see it over your right shoulder. NATHANIEL You saw it over your right shoulder. JONATHAN I don't believe that, do you? NATHANIEL Well, suppose it were true, what would you wish? JONATHAN You mean for right away? NATHANIEL Yes. JONATHAN [_carefully looking over his right shoulder._ I'd wish to be with you. NATHANIEL More than anything? JONATHAN Yes, sir. NATHANIEL More than being a writer or a theatre director or an actor? JONATHAN Oh, yes, I'm too young to start right away. I have to have an education first. NATHANIEL Suppose that wish couldn't be, then what would you wish? JONATHAN That you'd write me long letters and let me write you long letters. [_Takes up his suit case._ I'd better be going now. NATHANIEL Aren't you going to tell John and Aunt Letitia good-bye? JONATHAN No, sir. I don't think I'd better. Uncle John doesn't care and Aunt Letitia will understand.