HEZEKIAH. (_Rushing up to shake hands with Hood._) How de dew, Gineral? (_Hood refuses to shake. Hez. astonished._) Don’t blame ye a Hannah Cook! Never felt so mean about anything afore in my life. You must think I’m putty darn small pertaters, to let myself get roped in by a pair er runts like them. (_Looks in Hood’s face a moment._) HOOD. Well, sir, what have you to say for spying? HEZEKIAH. Now you get out! Why I know you (_grabs Hood’s hand_) jest as well as I do Abe Linkon. (_Hood tries to disengage his hand._) Why, you are that old covey that I met down there in the woods, that wanted ter know where the old man lived. (_Lets go his hand._) Don’t blame ye for wantin’ ter give me the shake. Say? Got any terbacker in yer trowsis? HOOD. No, sir! HEZEKIAH. (_Confidentially._) Say, I never felt so disgraceful about anything afore in my life. ’Tween you and I, let me have a chance ter distribit their meat in a fair scratch, and I’ll give ye forty dollars. HOOD. (_To Brightly._) Who is this fellow? BRIGHTLY. His name is Goferum. HOOD. Goferum! What a name! HEZEKIAH. (_Dashing to L., and throwing off coat._) Jess you say. I want you to understand that forty dollars is scarcer than fools are in this country. (_Coat off, turns._) HOOD. (_To Brightly._) Seize the fool! (_Barney throws off coat, &c._) HEZEKIAH. You bet! (_As he dashes for Brightly, he meets a pistol, and knocks it one side as it goes off. Clinches Brightly, throws him, and proceeds to punch his ribs, and struggle around._) HOOD. (_Meantime._) Guards, ho! (_Barney dashes about for a fight._) BARNEY. (_To Hood._) Don’t you say guard-house to me, you grayback thafe er the wurruld! HOOD. Guards, ho! Guards, ho! BARNEY. Come out er that! Come out, you thafe er the wurruld. Come out, and I bat your dam head off you. Come out. (_Dashes forward, kicks table over, clinches Hood, throws him, and proceeds to punch his ribs, as guards rush in R., and overpower them._) SCENE 3. _Landscape and wood front._ Enter Sally with pail, L., female attire. SALLY. (_Looking about._) Now didn’t I wool that sargeant. I’ll bet he hain’t got brains enough for a mule. It takes seven hundred er them fellers to know as much as a Yankee. When he was stealin’ the chickens at that deserted house, I told him it warn’t fair to steal my chickens, when I was givin’ his men coffee. Gorry, won’t they sleep some! Now Hez. he has learned ter steal chickens since he come down here. You jest wait and see me break him er that when I get him back to Pordunk! Now I should like to see a man of mine stealin’ chickens, or runnin’ after other wimen! Now wouldn’t there be the handsomest fuss Pordunk ever looked at! (_Looking about._) I guess them fellers are snorin’ by this time. (_Exit R., cautiously._) SCENE 4. _Room covering whole stage._ Door at R. centre. Large box, R. U. E. Hezekiah and Barney disc. rear centre, chained to a ring in the floor.