BEN seizes the tube and flings GUS away. He follows GUS and slaps him hard, back-handed, across the chest.
BEN. Stop it! You maniac!
GUS. But you heard!
BEN (savagely). That's enough! I'm warning you!
Silence.
BEN hangs the tube. He goes to his bed and lies down. He picks up his paper and reads. Silence.
The box goes up.
They turn quickly, their eyes meet. BEN turns to his paper.
Slowly GUS goes back to his bed, and sits.
Silence.
The hatch falls back into place.
They turn quickly, their eyes meet. BEN turns back to his paper.
Silence.
BEN throws his paper down.
BEN. KAW!
He picks up the paper and looks at it. Listen to this!
Pause.
What about that, eh?
Pause.
Kaw!
Pause.
Have you ever heard such a thing? GUS (dully). Go on!
BEN. It' true.
GUS. Get away.
BEN. It's down here in black and white. GUS (very low). Is that a fact?
BEN. Can you imagine it.
GUS. It's unbelievable.
BEN. It'ss enough to make you want to puke, isn's it? GUS. (almost inaudible). Indredible.
BEN shakes his head. He puts the paper down and rises. He fixes the revolver in his holster. GUS stands up. He goes towards the door on the left.
BEN. Where are you going?
GUS. I’m going to have a glass of water.
He exits. BEN brushes dust off his clothes and shoes. The whistle in the speaking-tube blows. He goes to it, takes the whistle out and puts the tube to his ear. He listens. He puts it to his mouth.
BEN. Yes.