"The girls," said Mr. Miller, "have struck! They won't go on!"
Mr. Goble, with the despairing gesture of one who realizes the impotence of words, dashed off for his favourite walk up stage. Wally took out his watch.
"Six seconds and a bit," he said approvingly, as the manager returned. "A very good performance. I should like to time you over the course in running-kit."
The interval for reflection, brief as it had been, had apparently enabled Mr. Goble to come to a decision.
"Go," he said to the stage-director, "and tell 'em that fool of a D'Arcy girl can play. We've got to get that curtain up."
"Yes, Mr. Goble."
The stage-director galloped off.
"Get back to your place," said the manager to Mr. Saltzburg, "and play the overture again."
"Again!"
"Perhaps they didn't hear it the first two times," said Wally.