E. [Stolidly-to FREMAN] Zet down, Will Freman. [He pulls at
him with a blacksmith's arm.]

FREMAN. [Remaining erect with an effort] I'm not a-goin' to zet
down till I've arisen.

JARLAND. Now then, there 'e is in the chair. What's yore point of
order?

FREMAN. [Darting his eyes here and there, and flinging his hand up
to his gipsy-like head] 'Twas--'twas--Darned ef y' 'aven't putt it
clean out o' my 'ead.

JARLAND. We can't wait for yore points of order. Come out o' that
chair. Sol Potter.

[SOL POTTER rises and is about to vacate the chair.]

FREMAN. I know! There ought to 'a been minutes taken. Yu can't
'ave no meetin' without minutes. When us comes to electin' a
chairman o' the next meetin', 'e won't 'ave no minutes to read.

SOL POTTER. 'Twas only to putt down that I was elected chairman to
elect a meetin' to elect a chairman to preside over a meetin' to pass
a resolution dalin' wi' the curate. That's aisy set down, that is.

FREMAN. [Mollified] We'll 'ave that zet down, then, while we're
electin' the chairman o' the next meetin'.

[A silence. ]

TRUSTAFORD. Well then, seein' this is the praaper old meetin' for
carryin' the resolution about the curate, I purpose Mr. Sol Potter
take the chair.

FREMAN. I purpose Mr. Trustaford. I 'aven't a-got nothin' against
Sol Potter, but seein' that he elected the meetin' that's to elect
'im, it might be said that 'e was electin' of himzelf in a manner of
spakin'. Us don't want that said.

MORSE. [Amid meditative grunts from the dumb-as-fishes] There's
some-at in that. One o' they tu purposals must be putt to the
meetin'.

FREMAN. Second must be putt virst, fur zure.

TRUSTAFORD. I dunno as I wants to zet in that chair. To hiss the
curate, 'tis a ticklish sort of a job after that. Vurst comes afore
second, Will Freeman.

FREMAN. Second is amendment to virst. 'Tes the amendments is putt
virst.

TRUSTAFORD. 'Ow's that, Mr. Godleigh? I'm not particular eggzac'ly
to a dilly zort of a point like that.

SOL POTTER. [Scratching his, head] 'Tes a very nice point, for
zure.

GODLEIGH. 'Tes undoubtedly for the chairman to decide.

[Voice from the dumb-as fishes: "But there ain't no chairman
yet."]

JARLAND. Sol Potter's chairman.

FREMAN. No, 'e ain't.

MORSE. Yes, 'e is--'e's chairman till this second old meetin' gets
on the go.

FREMAN. I deny that. What du yu say, Mr. Trustaford?

TRUSTAFO