MRS. VERNON. [_Looking into shop_.] Now I say they's lots of folks of education what ain't got as much sense as that dog. TRAVERS _comes down._ KATE. Let us go walking. I can't breathe in here. TRAVERS. With pleasure. MRS. VERNON. Where you goin', Kate? KATE. Only outside the door--[_At door_.] to the corner. MRS. VERNON. [_Doubtingly_.] Well--[_Going centre. Exeunt_, TRAVERS _and_ KATE--_positively._] Well, I don't care who hears me--[_Looks cautiously out_.] I don't like his looks. _Enter_ JOE. JOE. Ma! MRS. VERNON. What? JOE. Ain't you got some soup-meat or sompthin' you kin spare that little ki-yoodle? MRS. VERNON. Well, if his leg's broke, he better not have no meat or stuff that'd feed a fever. If yew kin drink your second cup in the mornin' without milk, I kin spare him some o' that. JOE. All right. MRS. VERNON. [_Scolding_.] An' the milk's hangin' in the cistern. [_Takes cup from back wall_.] Plague take it! Woman's work's never done. [_Exit_. JOE. [_After a moment_.] I s'pose I could a got it. [_Calls_.] Lizbeth! LIZBETH. [_Off_.] Yes. [_Enters_. JOE. [_Scolding_.] Why don't you help your poor ma? She's had to go after the milk. LIZBETH. [_Angrily meeting_ JOE'S _tone_.] Well, I didn't know it. [_Exit after_ MRS. VERNON. JOE. [_Getting alarm-clock. Calls into shop_.] Dave! DAVE. [_Off_.] Yes. JOE. [_At door_.] You don't need him, Jim? JIM. [_Off_.] No. JOE. [_Leaving door_.] See here--[_Enter_ DAVE.] Kin you run one o' these machines? DAVE. I allow I kin. JOE. [_Hands clock to_ DAVE.] Then set her an hour earlier, and have things fired up in the mornin'. We've got to weld that Louisiana tire, I reckon, afore breakfast. DAVE. All right. _Enter_ MRS. VERNON _and_ LIZBETH. MRS. VERNON. Here, Joe--[_Hands cup_.] Git to feedin' it. I'll git attached to it, an' we've got too many dogs now. JOE. [_Caressing her with rough push on the face_.] I know you, ma--you're the motherin'est old hen in Pike--[_Going_.] If he don't drink this I'll drowned him. MRS. VERNON. [_To street door_.] Now, Lizbeth, I don't see nothin' of Kate. She's out there with Travers--you an' Dave kind o' hang round like you was with 'em. LIZBETH. Come, Dave. [_To_ MRS. VERNON.] Jes' not let on? MRS. VERNON. Yes--purtendin'. _Exit_ LIZBETH. DAVE. All right. [_Exit after_ LIZBETH. JOE. [_Entering door_.] Jes' look at him, ma--he's got his eyebrows in it. MRS. VERNON. [_At door; leans on_ JOE'S _shoulder_.] The darlin'--jes' to think, Joe, if one of our children was sufferin'-- JOE. [_With unction_.] You bet. MRS. VERNON. [_Earnestly calls_.] Don't let him splash it on you, Jim--'t'll spot your clothes. JOE. [_Pauses admiringly_.] Jim don't care a durn. MRS. VERNON. There, I'll fix his bed. [_Getting coats from peg, back wall_.] What's a man know, anyhow? [_Exit to shop_. JOE. [_Gets tobacco from shelf_.] She'll fix him all right--ha, ha!