They had by this time reached the end of the stage, which served as a sort of green-room. Here direst confusion reigned. Burleigh Blood had made the dreadful announcement that the excitement had driven his part entirely out of his mind. A dozen voices proffered in consternation several dozen suggestions at once. "Never mind," Flossy said. "Make up something: nobody will know." "But the cues?" exclaimed Miss Sturtevant in dismay. "Oh, dear! I wish I were at home!" cried Dessie Farnum, almost in tears. "I never could make up any thing," Burleigh said in despair. "I was a fool to take the part anyway!" "You'll have to trust to the prompter," Patty said. "There's no help for it now. You are not in the first scene, and can look it over." "Or hunt up your wits," added Emily Purdy. "Are you ready?" Patty asked. "Ring up." The bell sounded, bringing the orchestra to so sudden a stop, that one out of sight might have supposed an immense extinguisher suddenly clapped over it. "Don't bother," Flossy said consolingly to Burleigh as he stood in the wing, vainly endeavoring to follow the advice of Patty. "If you forget, I'll prompt you. I know the whole of your part and mine too." Had he known that few mortals were more liable to stage-fright than Flossy herself, he might have been less comforted: as it was, he placed implicit confidence in her ability, and this gave him sufficient self-control to fix for a little his attention upon his book. The next moment, in some way, without any exact knowledge of how he got there, he found himself upon the stage, and the other players one by one going away, and leaving him in the full gaze of that sea of faces. He longed to catch them and hold them back, as each slipped into the friendly obscurity of the wings; but he stood stiff and helpless alone upon the stage with Flossy. The scene which ensued was as follows, the italics indicating what was said in a tone inaudible to the audience. FLOSSY (as Waitstill Eastman). "Won't you sit down, Jonathan? _You say I don't mind if I do._" BURLEIGH (as Jonathan Cowboy). "You say I--I don't mind if I do." F. "Why don't you then? _I'm goin' to._" B. "I'm goin' to." F. "_Don't hold your arms so stiff!_ So is Christmas coming. You needn't, though, if you don't want to. (Sits.) I mean to make myself comfortable. _I was waiting for you to sit down._" B. "_For me to sit down?_" F. "_Say that!_" B. "For me to sit down." F. "_Sit down!_" B. "Sit"-- F. "_Goodness! Don't say that!_ Your chair don't seem easy, somehow. Maybe the floor ain't even over there. _I'll move it over there, then._" B. "I'll move it, then." F. "_Move nearer to me._ Don't come any nearer me!" B. "_Which shall I do?_" F. "_Move up!_ You'd better keep your distance! _Move up! Yes, miss._" B. "Yes, miss." F. "_Keep moving nearer._ Now get out, Jack Cowboy! _Now don't_"-- B. "_I know it._ Now don't be cross, Waitstill. It ain't often a feller has a chance to come and see you."