Mr. Green. Well, I must be off. [Goes in for stick.
Mr. Joyce. Just bring me out my coat, Green.
[They all prepare to go. Mrs. Ruttledgehas gone to open gate and children come in, one in a perambulator.All gather round them admiringly.
Mr. Joyce. Have you a kiss for godfather to-day?
Mrs. Ruttledge. The poor darlings! I hope they will never know what has happened.
Colonel Lawley. Thank goodness, they have no nonsense in their heads. We know where we are with them.
Curtain.
ACT II
Scene: By the roadside. A wall of unmortared stone in the background. Tinkers' encampment. Men, women, and children standing round. Paul Ruttledgestanding by a fire.
Paul Ruttledge. What do you mean by "tinning" the soldering iron?
Charlie Ward. If the face of it is not well tinned it won't lift the solder. Show me here.
[Takes soldering iron from Paul Ruttledge'shand.
Paul Ruttledge. [Sitting down and drawing a tin can to him.] Now, let me see how you mend this hole. It seems easy. I'm sure I will be able to learn it as well as any of you.
[Two tinkers come and stand over him.
Charlie Ward. [Pointing to one of them.] This, sir, is Tommy the Song. He's the best singer we have, but the divil a much good he is only that. He's a great warrant to snare hares.
Tommy the Song. Is the gentleman going to join us?