VOICE--Ssshh! Here's where he gits down to cases on the Wobblies. [_Reads:_] "They plot with fire in one hand and dynamite in the other. They stop not before murder to gain their ends, nor at the outraging of defenceless womanhood. They would tear down society, put the lowest scum in the seats of the mighty, turn Almighty God's revealed plan for the world topsy-turvy, and make of our sweet and lovely civilization a shambles, a desolation where man, God's masterpiece, would soon degenerate back to the ape!" VOICE--[_To YANK._] Hey, you guy. There's your ape stuff again. YANK--[_With a growl of fury._] I got him. So dey blow up tings, do dey? Dey turn tings round, do dey? Hey, lend me dat paper, will yuh? VOICE--Sure. Give it to him. On'y keep it to yourself, see. We don't wanter listen to no more of that slop. VOICE--Here you are. Hide it under your mattress. YANK--[_Reaching out._] Tanks. I can't read much but I kin manage. [_He sits, the paper in the hand at his side, in the attitude of Rodin's "The Thinker." A pause. Several snores from down the corridor. Suddenly YANK jumps to his feet with a furious groan as if some appalling thought had crashed on him--bewilderedly._] Sure--her old man--president of de Steel Trust--makes half de steel in de world--steel--where I tought I belonged--drivin' trou--movin'--in dat--to make HER--and cage me in for her to spit on! Christ [_He shakes the bars of his cell door till the whole tier trembles. Irritated, protesting exclamations from those awakened or trying to get to sleep._] He made dis--dis cage! Steel! IT don't belong, dat's what! Cages, cells, locks, bolts, bars--dat's what it means!--holdin' me down wit him at de top! But I'll drive trou! Fire, dat melts it! I'll be fire--under de heap--fire dat never goes out--hot as hell--breakin' out in de night--[_While he has been saying this last he has shaken his cell door to a clanging accompaniment. As he comes to the "breakin' out" he seizes one bar with both hands and, putting his two feet up against the others so that his position is parallel to the floor like a monkey's, he gives a great wrench backwards. The bar bends like a licorice stick under his tremendous strength. Just at this moment the PRISON GUARD rushes in, dragging a hose behind him._] GUARD--[_Angrily._] I'll loin youse bums to wake me up! [_Sees YANK._] Hello, it's you, huh? Got the D.T.s, hey? Well, I'll cure 'em. I'll drown your snakes for yuh! [_Noticing the bar._] Hell, look at dat bar bended! On'y a bug is strong enough for dat! YANK--[_Glaring at him._] Or a hairy ape, yuh big yellow bum! Look out! Here I come! [_He grabs another bar._] GUARD--[_Scared now--yelling off left._] Toin de hoose on, Ben!--full pressure! And call de others--and a strait jacket! [_The curtain is falling. As it hides YANK from view, there is a splattering smash as the stream of water hits the steel of YANK's cell._] [_Curtain_] SCENE VII