He slams his furnace door
shut. The others do likewise with as much unison as their wearied
bodies will permit. The effect is of one fiery eye after another
being blotted out with a series of accompanying bangs.]
PADDY--[Groaning.] Me back is broke. I'm bate out--bate--[There
is a pause. Then the inexorable whistle sounds again from the dim
regions above the electric light. There is a growl of cursing rage
from all sides.]
YANK--[Shaking his fist upward--contemptuously.] Take it easy
dere, you! Who d'yuh tinks runnin' dis game, me or you? When I git
ready, we move. Not before! When I git ready, get me!
VOICES--[Approvingly.] That's the stuff!
Yank tal him, py golly!
Yank ain't affeerd.
Goot poy, Yank!
Give him hell!
Tell 'im 'e's a bloody swine!
Bloody slave-driver!
YANK--[Contemptuously.] He ain't got no noive. He's yellow, get
me? All de engineers is yellow. Dey got streaks a mile wide. Aw,
to hell wit him! Let's move, youse guys. We had a rest. Come on,
she needs it! Give her pep! It ain't for him. Him and his whistle,
dey don't belong. But we belong, see! We gotter feed de baby! Come
on! [He turns and flings his furnace door open. They all follow
his lead. At this instant the Second and Fourth Engineers enter
from the darkness on the left with Mildred between them.
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