[_Behind the fence._] Gustav! DR. BOXER The boy is coming now, running along. LANGHEINRICH That's right. Rauchhaupt! Here's Gustav! _GUSTAV comes prancing up, highly excited, gesticulating violently. He points in the direction from which he has come._ EDE Is that there a war dance you're tryin' to perform? Looks like the cannibals' goin's on. I believe that brat feeds on human flesh. LANGHEINRICH Hurry now an' run to your father. EDE Go on now! LANGHEINRICH Get along with your horse-radish. _GUSTAV gesticulating, puts his hollow hand to his mouth and toots in imitation of a trumpet. Laughter._ EDE Where's the fire, you little firebrand? LANGHEINRICH Ede, catch hold o' him! EDE All right. [_He tries to creep up to GUSTAV. The latter observes this, gives a loud toot and, still tooting, hurries away, dropping a box of matches as he does so._] Hallo! LANGHEINRICH What's that? EDE Just what I need. LANGHEINRICH What? EDE Safetys! A whole box full. _MRS. SCHULZE comes rushing down the stairs._ MRS. SCHULZE Mr. Langheinrich! LANGHEINRICH Well, what? MRS. SCHULZE Mr. Langheinrich! LANGHEINRICH Here I is! MRS. SCHULZE It's ... it's ... it's ... over at ... LANGHEINRICH Anything about the missis? MRS. SCHULZE No, at Fielitzes'. LANGHEINRICH Is that so? Nothin' about my wife? Well, then,--[_he shakes her_]--just stop to get your breath. Things is as they is. I'm prepared for anythin'--life an' death. I gotta stand it. MRS. SCHULZE The engine! LANGHEINRICH What kind o' talk is that? Anythin' wrong with you? MRS. SCHULZE No; it's burnin'! LANGHEINRICH Go an' blow it out then!--Where is it burnin'! MRS. SCHULZE At the Fielitzes'! LANGHEINRICH Good Lord! That ain't possible! [_He drops the iron file and some nails which he has been holding._ EDE Where's the fire? MRS. SCHULZE At Fielitzes'; the flame is comin' out o' the skylight. DR. BOXER [_Has stepped forward._] Confound it all, but it's smoky! Come here! You can see it well from here. EDE [_Also stares in the direction of the fire. His expression shows that a complete understanding of the situation has come to him, which he expresses by a conscious whistling._] There ain't no words for this; I just gotta whistle. LANGHEINRICH Ede! Run over to Scheibler's! Run! Get the horses for the engine! That smoke's comin' up thick over the gable. [_He rushes into the smithy, throws his apron aside, puts on a fireman's helmet, belt, etc._ MRS. SCHULZE An' nobody at home there, goodness gracious! DR. BOXER That's the lucky part of it, after all. _The roaring of the fire alarm trumpet is heard._ MRS. SCHULZE You hear, Doctor? They're tootin' already! LANGHEINRICH [_Reappears in his fireman's uniform._] You get out o' the way here, old lady. Go an' attend to things upstairs. Nothin' to be done here with a syringe. You go up to my wife. Hold on! We gotta have the key to the engine house. The devil!