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 Computer Graphics
Programming in OpenGL
with C++
Second Edition

CGP_C++_CH00-FM_2E_2pp.indd 1 11/13/2020 4:25:31 PM

 LICENSE, DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY, AND LIMITED WARRANTY

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CGP_C++_CH00-FM_2E_2pp.indd 2 11/13/2020 4:25:32 PM

 Computer Graphics
Programming in OpenGL
with C++
Second Edition

V. Scott Gordon, Ph.D.

California State University, Sacramento

John Clevenger, Ph.D.

California State University, Sacramento

Mercury Learning and Information

Dulles, Virginia
Boston, Massachusetts
New Delhi

CGP_C++_CH00-FM_2E_2pp.indd 3 11/13/2020 4:25:32 PM

 Copyright ©2021 by Mercury Learning and Information LLC. All rights reserved.

This publication, portions of it, or any accompanying software may not be reproduced in any way,
stored in a retrieval system of any type, or transmitted by any means, media, electronic display or
mechanical display, including, but not limited to, photocopy, recording, Internet postings, or scan­
ning, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Publisher: David Pallai

Mercury Learning and Information
22841 Quicksilver Drive
Dulles, VA 20166
info@merclearning.com
www.merclearning.com
(800) 232-0223

Computer Graphics Programming in OpenGL with C++, Second Edition.

V. Scott Gordon & John Clevenger.
ISBN: 978-1-68392-672-6

The publisher recognizes and respects all marks used by companies, manufacturers, and
developers as a means to distinguish their products. All brand names and product names mentioned
in this book are trademarks or service marks of their respective companies. Any omission or misuse
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operation or functionality of the product.

CGP_C++_CH00-FM_2E_2pp.indd 4 11/13/2020 4:25:32 PM

 Contents
Preface xi
What’s New in this Edition xiii
Intended Audience xiv
How to Use This Book xv
Acknowledgments xvii
About the Authors xix

Chapter 1 Getting Started 1

1.1 Languages and Libraries 1
1.1.1 C++ 2
1.1.2 OpenGL / GLSL 2
1.1.3 Window Management 3
1.1.4 Extension Library 4
1.1.5 Math Library 4
1.1.6 Texture Management 5
1.1.7 Optional Libraries 5
1.2 Installation and Configuration 5

Chapter 2 The OpenGL Graphics Pipeline 7

2.1 The OpenGL Pipeline 8
2.1.1 C++/OpenGL Application 9
2.1.2 Vertex and Fragment Shaders 12
2.1.3 Tessellation 17
2.1.4 Geometry Shader 18

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 vi ■ C o n ten ts

2.1.5 Rasterization 19
2.1.6 Fragment Shader 20
2.1.7 Pixel Operations 21
2.2 Detecting OpenGL and GLSL Errors 22
2.3 Reading GLSL Source Code from Files 26
2.4 Building Objects from Vertices 27
2.5 Animating a Scene 28
2.6 Organizing the C++ Code Files 31

Chapter 3 Mathematical Foundations 35

3.1 3D Coordinate Systems 36
3.2 Points 36
3.3 Matrices 37
3.4 Transformation Matrices 39
3.4.1 Translation 40
3.4.2 Scaling 41
3.4.3 Rotation 42
3.5 Vectors 43
3.5.1 Uses for Dot Product 45
3.5.2 Uses for Cross Product 46
3.6 Local and World Space 47
3.7 Eye Space and the Synthetic Camera 48
3.8 Projection Matrices 51
3.8.1 The Perspective Projection Matrix 51
3.8.2 The Orthographic Projection Matrix 53
3.9 Look-At Matrix 54
3.10 GLSL Functions for Building Matrix Transforms 56

Chapter 4 Managing 3D Graphics Data 61

4.1 Buffers and Vertex Attributes 62
4.2 Uniform Variables 65
4.3 Interpolation of Vertex Attributes 66
4.4 Model-View and Perspective Matrices 67
4.5 Our First 3D Program – a 3D Cube 68
4.6 Rendering Multiple Copies of an Object 78
4.6.1 Instancing 79
4.7 Rendering Multiple Different Models in a Scene 82
4.8 Matrix Stacks 85

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 C onte nts ■ vii

4.9 Combating “Z-Fighting” Artifacts 92

4.10 Other Options for Primitives 93
4.11 Coding for Performance 95
4.11.1 Minimizing Dynamic Memory Allocation 95
4.11.2 Pre-Computing the Perspective Matrix 97
4.11.3 Back-Face Culling 98

Chapter 5 Texture Mapping 103

5.1 Loading Texture Image Files 104
5.2 Texture Coordinates 106
5.3 Creating a Texture Object 108
5.4 Constructing Texture Coordinates 109
5.5 Loading Texture Coordinates into Buffers 110
5.6 Using the Texture in a Shader: Sampler Variables and
Texture Units 111
5.7 Texture Mapping: Example Program 112
5.8 Mipmapping 114
5.9 Anisotropic Filtering 119
5.10 Wrapping and Tiling 120
5.11 Perspective Distortion 122
5.12 Textures – Additional OpenGL Details 124

Chapter 6 3D Models 129

6.1 Procedural Models – Building a Sphere 129
6.2 OpenGL Indexing – Building a Torus 138
6.2.1 The Torus 138
6.2.2 Indexing in OpenGL 140
6.3 Loading Externally Produced Models 145

Chapter 7 Lighting 159

7.1 Lighting Models 159
7.2 Lights 161
7.3 Materials 164
7.4 ADS Lighting Computations 166
7.5 Implementing ADS Lighting 169
7.5.1 Gouraud Shading 170
7.5.2 Phong Shading 178
7.6 Combining Lighting and Textures 183

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 viii ■ Co n te n ts

Chapter 8 Shadows 189

8.1 The Importance of Shadows 189
8.2 Projective Shadows 190
8.3 Shadow Volumes 191
8.4 Shadow Mapping 192
8.4.1 Shadow Mapping (PASS ONE) – “Draw” Objects from
Light Position 193
8.4.2 Shadow Mapping (Intermediate Step) – Copying the Z-Buffer
to a Texture 194
8.4.3 Shadow Mapping (PASS TWO) – Rendering the Scene with
Shadows 195
8.5 A Shadow Mapping Example 199
8.6 Shadow Mapping Artifacts 205
8.7 Soft Shadows 208
8.7.1 Soft Shadows in the Real World 208
8.7.2 Generating Soft Shadows – Percentage Closer Filtering (PCF) 209
8.7.3 A Soft Shadow/PCF Program 213

Chapter 9 Sky and Backgrounds 219

9.1 Skyboxes 219
9.2 Skydomes 222
9.3 Implementing a Skybox 224
9.3.1 Building a Skybox from Scratch 224
9.3.2 Using OpenGL Cube Maps 227
9.4 Environment Mapping 231

Chapter 10 Enhancing Surface Detail 241

10.1 Bump Mapping 241
10.2 Normal Mapping 243
10.3 Height Mapping 252

Chapter 11 Parametric Surfaces 259

11.1 Quadratic Bézier Curves 259
11.2 Cubic Bézier Curves 261
11.3 Quadratic Bézier Surfaces 264
11.4 Cubic Bézier Surfaces 266

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 C onte nts ■ ix

Chapter 12 Tessellation 271

12.1 Tessellation in OpenGL 271
12.2 Tessellation for Bézier Surfaces 277
12.3 Tessellation for Terrain / Height Maps 284
12.4 Controlling Level of Detail (LOD) 291

Chapter 13 Geometry Shaders 297

13.1 Per-Primitive Processing in OpenGL 297
13.2 Altering Primitives 299
13.3 Deleting Primitives 303
13.4 Adding Primitives 304
13.5 Changing Primitive Types 307

Chapter 14 Other Techniques 311

14.1 Fog 311
14.2 Compositing / Blending / Transparency 314
14.3 User-Defined Clipping Planes 320
14.4 3D Textures 322
14.5 Noise 328
14.6 Noise Application – Marble 333
14.7 Noise Application – Wood 337
14.8 Noise Application – Clouds 342
14.9 Noise Application – Special Effects 347

Chapter 15 Simulating Water 353

15.1 Pool Surface and Floor Geometry Setup 353
15.2 Adding Surface Reflection and Refraction 358
15.3 Adding Surface Waves 369
15.4 Additional Corrections 372
15.5 Animating the Water Movement 376
15.6 Underwater Caustics 378

Chapter 16 Ray Tracing and Compute Shaders 383

16.1 Compute Shaders 385
16.1.1 Compiling and Using Compute Shaders 385
16.1.2 Parallel Computing in Compute Shaders 386
16.1.3 Work Groups 390

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 x ■ C o n te n ts

16.1.4 Work Group Details 391

16.1.5 Work Group Limitations 393
16.2 Ray Casting 394
16.2.1 Defining the 2D Texture Image 394
16.2.2 Building and Displaying the Ray Cast Image 395
16.2.3 Ray-Sphere Intersection 403
16.2.4 Axis-Aligned Ray-Box Intersection 404
16.2.5 Output of Simple Ray Casting Without Lighting 405
16.2.6 Adding ADS Lighting 406
16.2.7 Adding Shadows 408
16.2.8 Non-Axis-Aligned Ray-Box Intersection 410
16.2.9 Determining Texture Coordinates 413
16.2.10 Plane Intersection and Procedural Textures 420
16.3 Ray Tracing 424
16.3.1 Reflection 424
16.3.2 Refraction 428
16.3.3 Combining Reflection, Refraction, and Textures 431
16.3.4 Increasing the Number of Rays 432
16.3.5 Generalizing the Solution 439
16.3.6 Additional Examples 443
16.3.7 Blending Colors for Transparent Objects 448

Chapter 17 Stereoscopy for 3D Glasses and VR Headsets 461

17.1 View and Projection Matrices for Two Eyes 463
17.2 Anaglyph Rendering 465
17.3 Side-by-Side Rendering 468
17.4 Correcting Lens Distortion in Headsets 469
17.5 A Simple Testing Hardware Configuration 477

Appendix A Installation and Setup for PC (Windows) 481

Appendix B Installation and Setup for Macintosh 489
Appendix C Using the Nsight Graphics Debugger 497

Index 503

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 Preface
This book is designed primarily as a textbook for a typical computer science undergradu-
ate course in OpenGL 3D graphics programming. However, we have also endeavored to
create a text that could be used to teach oneself, without an accompanying course. With
both of those aims in mind, we have tried to explain things as clearly and as simply as we
can. All of the programming examples are stripped down and simplified as much as pos-
sible, but they are still complete so that the reader may run them all as presented.

One of the things that we hope is unique about this book is that we have strived to
make it accessible to someone new to 3D graphics programming. While there is by no
means a lack of information available on the topic—quite the contrary—many students
are initially overwhelmed. This text is our attempt to write the book we wish we had had
when we were starting out, with step-by-step explanations of the basics, progressing in
an organized manner up through advanced topics. We considered titling the book “shader
programming made easy”; however, we don’t think that there really is any way of making
shader programming “easy.” We hope that we have come close.

This book teaches OpenGL programming in C++. There are several advantages to
learning graphics programming in C++:
• OpenGL’s native language is C, so a C++ program can make direct OpenGL
function calls.
• OpenGL applications written in C++ typically exhibit very high performance.
• C++ offers modern programming constructs (classes, polymorphism, etc.) not
available in C.
• C++ is a popular language choice for using OpenGL, and a large number of
instructional resources for OpenGL are available in C++.

CGP_C++_CH00-FM_2E_2pp.indd 11 11/13/2020 4:25:32 PM

 xii ■ Pr e fa c e

It is worth mentioning that there do exist other language bindings for OpenGL.
Popular alternatives exist for Java, C#, Python, and many others. This textbook focuses
only on C++.

Another thing that makes this book unique is that it has a “sister” textbook: Computer
Graphics Programming in OpenGL with Java 2/E. The two books are organized in lock-
step, with the same chapter and section numbers and topics, figures, exercises, and theo-
retical descriptions. Wherever possible, the code is organized similarly. Of course, the
use of C++ versus Java leads to considerable programming differences (although all of
the shader code is identical). Still, we believe that we have provided virtually identical
learning paths, even allowing a student to choose either option within a single classroom.

An important point of clarification is that there exist both different versions of

OpenGL (briefly discussed later) and different variants of OpenGL. For example, in
addition to “standard OpenGL” (sometimes called “desktop OpenGL”), there exists a
variant called “OpenGL ES,” which is tailored for development of embedded systems
(hence the “ES”). “Embedded systems” include devices such as mobile phones, game
consoles, automobiles, and industrial control systems. OpenGL ES is mostly a subset of
standard OpenGL, eliminating a large number of operations that are typically not needed
for embedded systems. OpenGL ES also adds some additional functionality, typically
application-specific operations for particular target environments. This book focuses on
standard OpenGL.

Yet another variant of OpenGL is called “WebGL.” Based on OpenGL ES, WebGL is
designed to support the use of OpenGL in web browsers. WebGL allows an application to
use JavaScript1 to invoke OpenGL ES operations, which makes it easy to embed OpenGL
graphics into standard HTML (web) documents. Most modern web browsers support
WebGL, including Apple Safari, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Internet
Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera. Since web programming is outside the scope of this
book, we will not cover any WebGL specifics. Note however that because WebGL is based
on OpenGL ES, which in turn is based on standard OpenGL, much of what is covered in
this book can be transferred directly to learning about these OpenGL variants.

The very topic of 3D graphics lends itself to impressive, even beautiful images.
Indeed, many popular textbooks on the topic are filled with breathtaking scenes, and it
is enticing to leaf through their galleries. While we acknowledge the motivational utility
of such examples, our aim is to teach, not to impress. The images in this book are simply

1 
JavaScript is a scripting language that can be used to embed code in webpages. It has strong
similarities to Java, but also many important differences.

CGP_C++_CH00-FM_2E_2pp.indd 12 11/13/2020 4:25:32 PM

 Pre fa c e ■ xiii

the outputs of the example programs, and since this is an introductory text, the resulting
scenes are unlikely to impress an expert. However, the techniques presented do constitute
the foundational elements for producing today’s stunning 3D effects.

We also haven’t tried to create an OpenGL “reference.” Our coverage of OpenGL

represents only a tiny fraction of its capabilities. Rather, our aim is to use OpenGL as a
vehicle for teaching the fundamentals of modern shader-based 3D graphics programming
and provide the reader with a sufficiently deep understanding for further study.

What’s New in this Edition

We have added three new chapters in this 2nd edition of Computer Graphics Programming
in OpenGL using C++:

• Chapter 15 – Simulating Water

• Chapter 16 – Ray Tracing
• Chapter 17 – Stereoscopy

Ray tracing in particular has become “hot” recently, so we are especially excited that
it is now included in our book. It is also a huge topic, so even though our coverage is just
a basic introduction, Chapter 16 is now the longest chapter in the book. Chapter 16 also
includes an introduction to compute shaders, which were introduced in OpenGL 4.3, and
an introduction to additive and subtractive color blending, which expands on a topic that
was introduced in Section 14.2.

For years, our own students have repeatedly expressed an interest in simulating
water. However, water takes so many forms that writing an introductory section on the
topic is challenging. Ultimately, we decided to present water in a way that would comple-
ment related topics in the book such as terrain, sky, etc., and so in Chapter 15 we focus on
utilizing our noise maps from Chapter 14 to generate water surfaces such as are seen in
lakes and oceans.

The new chapter on stereoscopy is motivated by the increased popularity of virtual

reality. However, it is also applicable to the development of animation for “3D movies”,
and we have tried to provide introductory coverage of both uses equally.

As a result of these additions, this 2nd edition is larger than the previous edition.

CGP_C++_CH00-FM_2E_2pp.indd 13 11/13/2020 4:25:32 PM

 xiv ■ P refa c e

Besides the new material, there are important revisions throughout the book. For
example, we fixed bugs in our Torus class in Chapter 6 and made significant improve-
ments to our noise map functions in Chapter 14. We expanded our Utils.cpp utility class
to handle the loading of compute shaders. We also helped identify a bug in SOIL2 (now
fixed) that affected Macintosh users attempting to load cubemaps.

There are dozens of small changes in every chapter that the reader might not even
notice: fixing typos, cleaning up code inconsistencies, updating the installation instruc-
tions, making slight wording changes, sprucing up figures, updating references, etc.
Completely eliminating typos is virtually impossible in a book that covers an ever-­
changing technology-rich topic, but we really have tried hard.

Intended Audience
This book is targeted at students of computer science. This could mean undergraduates
pursuing a BS degree, but it could also mean anyone who studies computer science. As
such, we are assuming that the reader has at least a solid background in object-oriented
programming, at the level of someone who is, say, a computer science major at the junior
or senior level.

There are also some specific things that we use in this book that we don’t cover,
because we assume the reader already has sufficient background. In particular, these are:

• C++ and its most commonly used libraries, such as the Standard Template
Library;
• familiarity with using an Integrated Development Environment (IDE), such as
Visual Studio;
• basic data structures and algorithms, such as linked lists, stacks, and queues, etc.
• recursion;
• event-driven programming concepts;
• basic matrix algebra and trigonometry; and
• awareness of color models, such as RGB, RGBA, etc.

It is hoped that the potential audience for this new book is further bolstered by the
existence of its “sister” textbook, Computer Graphics Programming in OpenGL with
Java. In particular, we envision a learning environment where students are free to utilize
either C++ or Java in the same classroom, selecting one or the other book. The two texts
cover the material sufficiently in lockstep that we have been able to conduct a graphics
programming course successfully in this manner.

CGP_C++_CH00-FM_2E_2pp.indd 14 11/13/2020 4:25:32 PM

Another Random Scribd Document
with Unrelated Content
“As she has no brother-in-law, that cannot be true. What she said to
me privately was that the house party had grown very much larger
than Mrs. Atchison had originally planned it, and that I am so busy
that so many guests must be a burden.”
Jerry stroked her cheek reflectively.
“I thought Miss Waters wouldn’t last long after I asked her if rusty-nail
water really would remove freckles. My own freckles are exactly
seven in number, and I am not ashamed of them; but Miss Waters
seemed very sensitive on the subject, though I thought her freckles
useful in diverting attention from her drug-store hair.”
“Did you say seven?” inquired Ardmore, gazing eagerly into Jerry’s
face. “I make it only six, and there’s one away over there under your
left eye that seems very lonesome, as though it suffered keenly from
being so far away from its brothers and sisters on the other side of
your nose.”
“Mr. Ardmore”—and Jerry again indicated the person addressed by
pointing with the paper-cutter—“Mr. Ardmore, it is downright
impudent of you to talk to me about my appearance in any terms, but
when you speak of my face as though it were a map in a geography
and of my freckles as though they were county seats, or lakes, or
strange places in China, then I must protest with all my strength. If
you don’t change the subject immediately I shall refuse to pardon
this person who killed the painless dentist, and he shall be hanged
by the neck till he be dead; and you, Mr. Thomas Ardmore, will be
guilty of his murder.”
The discussion of Miss Jerry Dangerfield’s freckles ceased abruptly
on the appearance of Big Paul, the forester.
“A body of South Carolina militia is marching across country from the
south. One of my men heard of it down at Turner Court House last
night, and rode to where the troops were encamped. He learned that
it was a practice march for the militia. There’s several companies of
infantry, so he reports, and a piece of artillery.”
“Bully for old Grissy!” exclaimed Ardmore. “They’re coming this way,
are they, Paul?” And the three bent over the map.
“That is the place, sir. They seem to be planning to get around
Turner’s without stirring up the town. But it would take a good deal to
wake up Turner’s,” laughed the big German.
Jerry placed her finger on the state line.
“If they dare cross that—if they as much as dare!”
“If they dare we shall show them a few things.—Take all the men you
need, Paul, to watch their movements. That will do.”
The forester lingered.
“You remember that we spoke the other day of the log house on
Raccoon Creek, where the Appleweights had driven off our man?”
“Yes, Paul. It is where the state line crosses the heavy woods and
the farthest outpost, so to speak, on my property. When you cross
the little creek, you’re in South Carolina. You said some of these
Appleweight fellows had been cutting off the timber down there, if I
remember rightly.”
“Yes, sir,” replied the forester, twirling his cap awkwardly. “But some
of the people on the estate have said——”
He broke off in an embarrassment so unlike him that Jerry and
Ardmore looked at him curiously.
“Well, Paul, what’s the matter? If the cabin has been burned down
it’s no serious matter.”
“Why, sir; some of the men passing there at night say they see lights
and hear sounds in the cabin, though no one from the estate goes
there. A child died in the house last spring, and—well, you know how
some of these people are!”
“Ghosts!” cried Ardmore. “The property is growing more valuable all
the time! Tell them that whoever captures the ghost and brings it
here shall have a handsome present. So far it’s only a light in an
abandoned house—is that it?”
“Well, they say it’s very strange,” and it was clear that the German
was not wholly satisfied to have his employer laugh off the story.
“Cheer up, Paul. We have bigger business on hand than the chasing
of ghosts just now. When we get through with these other things I’ll
go over there myself and take a look at the spook.”
As Paul hurried away, Jerry seized a pen and wrote this message:
Rutherford Gillingwater,
Adjutant-General, Camp Dangerfield,
Azbell, N. C.:
Move all available troops by shortest route to Kildare at
once and report to me personally at Ardsley. Make no
statements to newspapers. Answer.
Dangerfield,
Governor.
“I guess that will bring him running,” said Ardmore, calling a servant
and ordering the message despatched immediately. “But when he
comes, expecting to report to the governor and finds that he isn’t
here, what do you suppose he will do?”
“Mr. Ardmore,” began Jerry, in the tone of sweet tolerance with which
one arraigns a hopeless child—“Mr. Ardmore, there are times when
you tax my patience severely. You don’t seem to grasp the idea that
we are not making explanations to inferiors in our administration.
Colonel Gillingwater will undoubtedly be a good deal surprised to get
that message, but when the first shock is over he will obey the
orders of his commander-in-chief. And the fact that he is ordered to
report to Ardsley will not be lost on him, for he will see in that a
possible social opportunity, and a chance to wear some of his
uniforms that he has never worn before. He will think that papa is
really here to test the efficiency of the troops, and that as papa is a
guest at Ardsley, which we know he isn’t, there will probably be
some great social functions in this house, with papa’s staff dressed
up and all shiny in gold braid. Since Rutherford Gillingwater had the
typhoid fever during the Spanish War I have not been sure that he is
as much interested in fighting as he is in the purely circus work of
being a soldier. I just now recall that when papa was about to order
out the troops to stop a railroad strike last spring, Rutherford
Gillingwater went to all the trouble of having tonsilitis, and was so ill
that he could hardly leave his room even after the strike had been
settled by arbitration. If he knew that there was likely to be a terrible
battle over here instead of nice long dinners and toasts to ‘The Old
North State,’ ‘Our Governor,’ and ‘The Governor’s Daughter,’ his old
wounds, that he never had, might trouble him so that they’d have to
wrap him up in cotton and carry him home.”
Before luncheon a message was received from Gillingwater, to this
effect:
Governor William Dangerfield.
Ardsley, N. C.:
En route with our entire available force in the field. I am
riding ahead with all speed, and will report at Ardsley at
nine o’clock. Is full military dress de rigueur?
Gillingwater, Adjutant-General.
“Isn’t that just like Rutherford! He’s afraid he won’t be dressy
enough; but if he knew that the South Carolina troops might shoot
holes in his uniform he wouldn’t be due here for a couple of weeks,
instead of at nine o’clock to-night;” and Jerry laughed merrily.
They debated more seriously this telegram from Collins at Raleigh
sent the previous evening:
Can’t maintain this bluff much longer. Even the friendly
newspapers are growing suspicious. State credit
jeopardized by disappearance of Treasurer Foster.
Billings, of Bronx Loan and Trust, here in a great fury over
bond matter. Do you know governor’s whereabouts?
“Things are certainly growing more exciting,” was Ardmore’s
comment. “I suppose even a gifted liar like Collins can’t muzzle the
press for ever.”
“You can’t go on fooling all North Carolina all the time, either,” said
Jerry, “and I suppose when papa gets tired of being scared he will
turn up in Raleigh and tell some plausible story about where he has
been and what has happened. When it comes to being plausible no
one can touch papa.”
“Maybe he’s dead,” suggested Ardmore gloomily.
“That’s a real inspiration on your part, Mr. Ardmore; and it’s very
sweet of you to mention it, but I have no idea that any harm has
come to papa. It’s too much trouble to get elected governor, without
dying in office, and besides, papa is none too friendly with the
lieutenant-governor, and would never think of allowing such a person
to succeed him. But those bonds seem rather serious, and I don’t
like the idea of your Mr. Billings making a fuss at Raleigh.”
“That will be all right,” remarked Ardmore, blotting the last of a
number of telegrams which he had been writing, and pressing a
button. “It’s much more important for us to get Appleweight into a
South Carolina jail; and it’s not going to be so easy to do, now that
Grissy is working on the other side, and angry at me about that
scarlet fever telegram.
“There may be trouble,” said Ardmore to his guests as they sat at
luncheon. “But I should hate to have it said that my guests could not
be taken care of here perfectly. I beg that you will all remain.”
“If there’s to be a row, why don’t you call the police and be done with
it?” asked a sad young member of the company. His motor number
had so often figured in reports of speed law violations that he was
known as Eighteen Eighty. “I thought you came down here for quiet
and not to get into trouble, Ardy.”
“If I miss my steamer nine days from to-day, and meanwhile have to
eat horse meat, just as they did in the siege of Paris, I shall be
greatly provoked, to say the least,” remarked Mrs. Atchison
pleasantly; for her brother’s amazing awakening delighted her, and it
was a cheering experience that he promised, of civil war, battle,
murder, and sudden death.
“I think I shall spend more time in America after this,” remarked
Eighteen Eighty. “I did not know that amusing things ever happened
over here. What did you say the name of this state is?”
“The name of this state,” replied Miss Dangerfield, “is North Carolina,
and I have my opinion of any native American who runs around
Europe all the time, and who can visit a place in this country without
even knowing the name of the state he is in.”
“But there’s really no difference between North and South Carolina,
is there?” persisted Eighteen Eighty.
Jerry put down her fork, and folded her hands beside her plate, while
she addressed the offender.
“Mr. Number Something, the difference between the Old North State
and South Carolina is not merely geographical—it is also intellectual,
ethical, and spiritual. But may I ask you whether you know of which
state you are a citizen?”
A laugh rose as the sad young man flushed and looked inquiringly
about.
“I voted you in my precinct that time I ran for alderman in New York,”
said Ardmore, “but that’s no sign you had a right to vote there. I shot
Ballywinkle through the booth at the same time. I was a reform
candidate and needed votes, but I hoped Bally would get arrested
and be sent to jail. My impression is that you are really a citizen of
Rhode Island, which is where Newport is.”
The debate as to Eighteen Eighty’s legal residence was interrupted
by the arrival of a summons for Ardmore, who hurriedly left the table.
Big Paul awaited him below, mounted and holding a led-horse.
“There’s a line of the South Carolina militia crawling through the
woods toward Raccoon Creek. They insist that it’s a practice
skirmish, and that they’ve come over here because the landscape is
naturally adapted to their purposes.”
“It’s awfully nice of them to like my scenery. You’d better send your
best man out to meet Colonel Gillingwater of the North Carolina
militia, and tell him to march all his troops into the estate by the north
gates, and to be in a hurry. Tell him—tell him Governor Dangerfield is
anxious to have the staff present in full uniform at a grand ball at
Ardsley to-night.”
Ardmore rode off alone toward Raccoon Creek to catch a view of the
enemy. How far would Griswold go? This question he kept debating
with himself. His late friend was a lawyer and a serious one whom he
had not believed capable of seizing the militia of one state and using
it to make a military demonstration against another. Ardmore could
go as far as Griswold; yet he was puzzled to know why Griswold was
in the field at all. Miss Dangerfield’s suggestion that Griswold’s
interest in the daughter of the governor of South Carolina accounted
for his presence on the border seemed plausible at first; and yet the
more he thought about it the less credible it seemed, for he was sure
that Griswold had talked to him about women with the frankness that
had characterized all their intercourse, and Ardmore racked his
brains in his effort to recall the few affairs to which the associate
professor of admiralty had pleaded guilty. Memory brought these
back to him slowly. There was an Old Point Comfort affair, dating
back to Griswold’s student days, and to which he had referred with
no little feeling once or twice; and there was a York Harbour affair,
that came a little later; and there was the girl he had met on a
steamer, about whom Griswold had shown sensitiveness when
Ardmore had made bold to twit him. But Ardmore could not account
for Miss Osborne, unless his friend had been withholding his
confidence while seemingly wholly frank; and the thought that this
must be true widened the breach between them. And when he was
saying to himself that the daughters of governors are not in the habit
of picking up cavaliers and entrusting state affairs to them, and that it
was almost inconceivable that the conscientious Griswold, at the
busiest season at the university, should have taken employment
from the governor of South Carolina, he found that he had struck a
stone wall, and he confessed to himself that the situation was
beyond him.
These reflections carried him far toward Raccoon Creek, and when
he had reached that tortuous stream he dismounted and tied his
horse, the more freely to examine the frontier. The Raccoon is never
more than eighty feet wide, but filled with boulders round which the
water foams in many curves and splashes, running away in the
merriest ripples, so that it is never wholly tranquil. By jumping from
boulder to boulder he crossed the turbulent tide and gained the other
side with a sense of entering the enemy’s country.
“Now,” he muttered, “I am in South Carolina.”
He drew out his map and held it against a tree the better to study it,
reassuring himself that his own property line embraced several
sections of the forest on the south side of the state boundary.
“If Grissy shoots me, it will be on my own land,” he said aloud.
He cautiously followed the stream until, several hundred yards
farther on, and overhanging the creek, he came upon the log cabin
in which big Paul had reported the presence of a ghost. Paul’s story
had not interested him particularly, but now that he was in the
neighbourhood he resolved to visit the cabin and learn if possible
how ghosts amuse themselves by day. He had thrust a revolver into
his pocket before leaving the house, and while he had no idea that
ghosts may be shot, he now made sure that the weapon was in good
order. As he sat on a log slipping the cylinder through his fingers he
heard whistling farther along the creek, followed quickly by the
snapping of twigs under a heavy tread, and a moment later a tall,
slender man broke into view.
The stranger was dressed like a countryman, but he was
unmistakably not of the Ardsley force of workmen, for these wore a
rough sort of uniform. His hands were thrust carelessly into the side
pockets of a gray jeans coat. They were thrust in deep, so that the
coat sagged at the pockets. His trousers were turned up from a pair
of rough shoes, and he wore a gray flannel shirt, the collar of which
was guiltless of a tie. He was smooth shaven, and carried in his
mouth a short pipe, which he paused to relight when about a dozen
yards from Ardmore. Then, as he held the lighted match above the
pipe bowl for an instant to make sure his tobacco was burning,
Ardmore jumped up and covered him with the pistol.
“I beg your pardon,” said the master of Ardsley, “but you’re my
prisoner!”
The stranger shook the flame out of the match-stick carefully and
threw it away before turning toward his captor.
“Young man,” he said with perfect self-possession, “don’t fool with
that gun; it might go off.”
His drawl was characteristic of the region; his tone was one of
amused tolerance. Ardmore was short of stature, and his
knickerbockers, leggings, and Norfolk jacket were not wholly
consonant with the revolver, which, however, he levelled very
steadily at the stranger’s head.
“You are an intruder on my property,” said the master of Ardsley,
“and unless I’m much mistaken you have been playing ghost in that
cabin. I’ve heard about you. Your gang has been cutting off my
timber about long enough, and this game of playing ghost to scare
my men won’t do.”
“Stealing your timber?” And the stranger was clearly surprised. He
held his pipe in his hand with his thumb over the bowl and seemed to
take a more serious interest in his captor.
“And now,” continued Ardmore, “I’m about tired of having this end of
the country run by the Appleweights, and their disreputable gang, so
I’m going to lock you up.”
The stranger turned toward the cabin, one corner of which was
plainly visible, and shrugged his shoulders.
“I have nothing to do with the Appleweights, and I assure you I am
not a timber thief.”
“Then you must be the one who has lifted a few steers out of my
herd. It makes no difference just what branch of the business you
are engaged in, for we’re picking up all the gang and you’ve got to
come along with me.”
The captive showed signs of anger for the first time. His face
flushed, and he took a step toward Ardmore, who immediately threw
up the revolver so that it pointed at the man’s head.
“Stop right there! We’ve got old man Appleweight, so you’ve lost
your leader, and I tell you the jig’s up. We’ll have you all in jail before
another twenty-four hours has passed.”
“I judge from the tone of your remarks that you are Ardmore, the
owner of Ardsley. Am I right?”
“You are quite right. And you are a member of a disreputable gang of
outlaws that has been bringing shame upon the state of North
Carolina. Now, I want you to march straight ahead of me. Step lively
now!” And Ardmore flourished the pistol menacingly. “March!”
The man hesitated, flung up his head defiantly, then moved slowly
forward. The flush in his face had deepened and his eyes flashed
angrily; but Ardmore, his cap on the back of his head, himself
presented a figure so severe, so eloquent of righteous indignation,
that the stranger tamely obeyed him.
“We will cross the creek right here,” he ordered; “it’s a pretty jump
there from that boulder—there, that was bully! Now right along there
over the log—see the trail! Good!”
It was warm and the captive was perspiring freely. He moved along
docilely, and finding that he manifested no inclination to bolt,
Ardmore dropped the revolver to his side, but with his finger on the
trigger. He was very proud of himself; for while to Miss Jerry
Dangerfield undoubtedly belonged the honour of capturing the thief
Appleweight, yet he had single-handed arrested a member of the
famous gang, and he had already resolved upon a convenient
method of disposing of his prisoner. They paused while Ardmore
mounted his horse, silencing the captive, who took the opportunity to
break out protestingly against what he termed an infamous outrage
upon personal liberty.
“You’ve taken me from one state into another without due process of
law,” declared the stranger, thinking to impress Ardmore, as that
young gentleman settled himself in his saddle.
“Go right on now; that’s a good fellow,” replied the master of Ardsley,
lifting the revolver warningly. “Whether it’s North Carolina or South
Dakota—it doesn’t make a particle of difference to me. As I
remarked before, it’s my property, I tell you, and I do what I please
here.”
“I’ll show you whether you do or not,” snorted the prisoner, who was
trudging along doggedly with the nose of Ardmore’s horse
occasionally poking his back.
They soon reached a field where some labourers were at work, and
Ardmore called them to him for instructions.
“Boys, this is one of the timber thieves; put him in that corn-crib until
I come back for him. The nights are warm; the sky is perfectly clear;
and you will kindly see that he does not lack for food.”
Two of the men jumped forward and seized Ardmore’s prisoner, who
now broke forth in a torrent of wrath, struggling vigorously in the
hands of the sturdy fellows who had laid violent hands on him.
“That’s right, boys; that’s right; easy there! Now in he goes.”
A series of corn-cribs fringed the field, and into one of these, from
which half the corn had been removed, the prisoner was thrust
sprawling upon the yellow ears, and when he rose and flung himself
round, the door of the corn-crib slammed in his face. He bellowed
with rage now, seeing that his imprisonment was a serious matter,
and that it seemed likely to be prolonged indefinitely.
“They always told me you were a fool,” he howled, “but I didn’t know
that anything as crazy as you are was loose in the world.”
“Thank you. The head of your gang is much more polite. He’s sitting
on his case of Chateau Bizet in my wine cellar, playing solitaire.”
“Appleweight in your wine cellar!” bawled the captive in
astonishment.
“Certainly. I was afraid to lock him in a room with bath for fear it
might give him hydrophobia; but he’s perfectly content in the wine
cellar.”
“What are you going to do with him?”
“I haven’t decided yet just what to do with him, but the scoundrel
undoubtedly belongs in South Carolina, and I have every intention of
making his own state punish him.”
The prisoner leaned heavily against his prison door, and glared out
upon his jailer with a new, fierce interest.
“I tell you I’ve nothing to do with the Appleweights! I don’t want to
reveal my identity to you, you young beggar; but I demand my legal
rights.”
“My dear sir,” retorted Ardmore, “you have no legal rights, for the writ
of habeas corpus doesn’t go here. You seem rather intelligent for a
barn burner and timber thief. Come now, what is your name?”
The prisoner gazed down upon the imperturbable figure of his captor
through the slats of the corn-crib. Ardmore returned his gaze with his
most bland and child-like air. Many people had been driven to the
point of madness by Ardmore’s apparent dullness. The prisoner
realized that he must launch a thunderbolt if he would disturb a self-
possession so complete—a tranquillity as sweet as the fading
afternoon.
“Mr. Ardmore, I dislike to do it, but your amazing conduct makes it
necessary for me to disclose my identity,” and the man’s manner
showed real embarrassment.
“I knew it; I knew it,” nodded Ardmore, folding his arms across his
chest. “You’re either the King of Siam or the Prince of Petosky. As
either, I salute you!”
“No!” roared the captive, beating impotently against the door of the
cage with his hands. “No! I’m the governor of South Carolina!”
This statement failed, however, to produce the slightest effect on Mr.
Ardmore, who only smiled slightly, a smile less incredulous than
disdainful.
“Oh, pshaw! that’s nothing,” he replied; “I’m the governor of North
Carolina!” and mounting his horse he gravely lifted his hat to the
prisoner and galloped away.
While Mr. Ardmore was securing his prisoner in the corn-crib it may
be interesting to return for a moment to the haunted log cabin on
Raccoon Creek, the interior of which was roughly but comfortably
furnished. Above were two small sleeping-rooms, and beside the
bed in each stood a suit-case and a hand-satchel. In each room
hung, on convenient hooks, a long, black frock-coat, a pair of
trousers of light cloth, and a broad-brim black felt hat. Coat, trousers,
and hat were exactly alike.
In the room below sat a man in his shirt-sleeves, his feet on a cheap
deal table, blowing rings from a cigar. He presented a picture of the
greatest ease and contentment, as he occasionally stroked his short
brown beard, or threw up his arms and clasped his hands about his
head or caught, lazily at the smoke rings. On the table lay an array of
playing cards and poker chips.
“It’s too good to last for ever,” the lone occupant reflected aloud,
stifling a yawn, and he reached out, with careless indifference,
toward a bundle of newspapers tied together with a piece of twine,
and drew one out and spread it across his knees. He yawned again
as though the thought of a world whose affairs were stamped in
printer’s ink bored him immensely; and then the bold headlines that
shouted at him across half a quarter of the sheet caused him to
gasp, and his feet struck the bare floor of the cabin resoundingly. He
now bent over the paper with the greatest eagerness, muttering as
he read, and some of his mutterings were, it must be confessed, not
without profane embellishment.
TWO COWARDLY GOVERNORS MISSING
Scandal Affecting Two State Executives
Is the Appleweight Case Responsible?
Rumours of Fatal Duel on State Line
He read breathlessly the startling story that followed the headlines,
then rose and glanced anxiously at his watch.
“Am I drunk or mad? I must find Osborne and get out of this.”
He leaped to the open door, and gazed into the forest from a little
platform that commanded all sides of the cabin. And there, to his
utter amazement, he saw men in khaki emerging cautiously from the
woods. They were unmistakably soldiers of some sort, for an officer
was giving sharp commands, and the line opened out like a fan
along the creek. The observer of this manœuvre mopped his head
with his handkerchief as he watched the alert movements of the
figures in khaki.
He was so absorbed that he failed to hear stealthy steps at the rear
of the platform, but he was now rudely aroused by two uniformed
youngsters with S. C. N. G. on their caps, who sprang upon him and
bore him with a crash to the puncheon floor.
“You’re our prisoner!” shouted one of them, rising when he found that
the prisoner yielded without resistance.
“What for?” blurted the captive, sitting up and rubbing his elbow.
“For being Bill Appleweight, alias Poteet. Get up, now, and come
with us to headquarters, or my instructions are to break your head.”
“Who the devil are you?” panted the prisoner.
“Well, if it’s anything to you, we’re the South Carolina militia, so you’d
better get up and climb.”
 CHAPTER XVI.
THE FLIGHT OF GILLINGWATER.

“It will be better for me to break the news to Colonel Gillingwater,”

said Jerry, “and you must go out and meet the troops yourself, with
Mr. Cooke and that amusing Mr. Collins. There is no telling what
effect my tidings will have on Rutherford, or what he will decide to
do. He has never before been so near trouble as he is now, and I
may have to give him first aid to the injured when he finds out that
the South Carolina troops are on Raccoon Creek, all ready to march
upon our sacred soil.”
“But suppose your adjutant-general shouldn’t go back to his troops
after he sees you, then what am I to do?”
“If you don’t see him by ten o’clock you will take personal command
and exercise your own discretion as to the best method of landing
Appleweight in a South Carolina jail. After that we must find papa,
and it will be up to him to satisfy the newspapers and his
constituents with some excuse for his strange disappearance.”
Collins had come from Raleigh on the evening train, and he had
solemnly assured Ardmore that the present state of affairs could not
be maintained another twenty-four hours. He had exhausted his
professional resources, and the North Carolina newspapers of all
shades of opinion were clamouring for the truth, and were insisting
that, for the honour and dignity of the state, Governor Dangerfield
should show himself in Raleigh. Even the metropolitan press, which
Collins had filled for several days with blithe stories of the
administration’s vigorous policy in the Appleweight case, had refused
further matter from him.
“We’ve got to find Dangerfield or bust. Now, where is that eminent
statesman, Ardmore? You can’t tell me you don’t know; but if you
don’t, Miss Dangerfield does, and she’s got to tell.”
“She hasn’t the slightest idea, but if the newspapers find out that he’s
really and truly missing, he will have to show up; but first we’ve got to
take Appleweight off that case of Chateau Bizet and lodge him in the
jail at Turner Court House, and let Governor Osborne have the
odium of incarcerating the big chief of the border, to whom he is
under the greatest political obligations.”
“But it’s all over the country now that Osborne hasn’t been seen in
Columbia since he and Dangerfield had that row in New Orleans.
Cranks are turning up everywhere, pretending to be governors of
various states, and old Dangerfield is seen on all the outgoing
steamers. There’s been nothing like it since the kidnapping of
Charley Ross.”
Ardmore drew on his riding-gloves reflectively, and a delighted grin
illuminated his countenance.
“I caught a lunatic down on the Raccoon this afternoon who said he
was the governor of South Carolina, and I locked him up.”
“Well, he may be Osborne,” remarked Collins, with journalistic
suspicion.
“And he may be a Swiss admiral or the king of Mars. I guess I’m a
governor myself, and I know what a governor looks like and acts like
—you can’t fool me. I put this impostor where he’ll have a chance to
study astronomy to-night.”
“Then he isn’t on that case of Chateau Bizet with Appleweight?”
“No; I locked him up in a corn-crib until I get time to study his
credentials. Come along now!”
Ardmore, Collins, and Cooke rode rapidly away through the wide
gates of the estate along the Sapphire road, over which, by his last
bulletin, the adjutant-general of North Carolina was marching his
troops. They had left Cooke’s men with Paul’s foresters to guard the
house and to picket the banks of the Raccoon in the immediate
neighbourhood of the camp of the South Carolinians.
“I guess those fellows can hold ’em till morning,” said Cooke. “We’ve
got to clean up the whole business by to-morrow night. You can’t
have two states at war with each other this way without shaking up
the universe, and if federal troops come down here to straighten
things out it won’t be funny.”
They had ridden about a mile, when Cooke checked his horse with
an exclamation.
“There’s somebody coming like the devil was after him. It must be
Gillingwater.”
They drew rein and waited, the quick patter of hoofs ringing out
sharply in the still night. The moonlight gave them a fair sweep of the
road, and they at once saw a horseman galloping rapidly toward
them.
“Lordy, the man’s on fire!” gasped Ardmore.
“By George, you’re right!” muttered Collins, moving nervously in his
saddle. “It’s a human sunburst.”
“It’s only his gold braid,” explained the practical Cooke.
“He must have on solid gold armour, then,” declared Collins.
Seeing three men drawn across the road, the horseman began to
check his flight.
“Men!” he shouted, as his horse pawed the air with its forefeet, “is
this the road to Ardsley?”
“Right you are,” yelled Cooke, and they were aware of a flash, a
glitter that startled and dazzled the eye, and Colonel Rutherford
Gillingwater thundered on.
Ardmore looked at his watch.
“He’s undoubtedly a man of action, if I ever saw one; and I think we
are to be congratulated on having so gallant a commander for our
troops,” said the master of Ardsley; but the sight of Rutherford
Gillingwater had filled his soul with jealous forebodings. He had
heard that women are prone to fall in worship before warriors in their
battle armour, and he was sure that Jerry Dangerfield was a girl of
infinitely kind heart, who might not, when face to face with the issue,
subject the man she had engaged to marry to any severe test.
They rode on, however, and saw presently the lights of camp-fires,
and a little later were ceremoniously halted at the roadside by an
armed guard.
It had been arranged that Collins, who had once been a second
lieutenant in the Georgia militia, should be presented as an officer of
the regular army, detailed as special aide to Governor Dangerfield
during the encampment, and that in case Gillingwater failed to return
promptly he should take command of the North Carolina forces.
An open field had been seized for the night’s camp, and the tents
already shone white in the moonlight. The three men introduced
themselves to the militia officers, and Collins expressed their regret
that they had missed the adjutant-general.
“Governor Dangerfield wished you to move your force on to Ardsley
should we fail to meet Colonel Gillingwater; and you had better strike
your tents and be in readiness to advance in case he doesn’t
personally return with orders.”
Captain Collins, as he had designated himself, apologized for not
being in uniform.
“I lost my baggage train,” he laughed, “and Governor Dangerfield is
so anxious not to miss this opportunity to settle the Appleweight case
that I hurried out to meet you with these gentlemen.”
“Appleweight!” exclaimed the group of officers in amazement.
“None other than the great Appleweight!” responded Collins. “The
governor has him in his own hands at last, and is going to carry him
across the border and into a South Carolina bastille, as a little
pleasantry on the governor of South Carolina.”
“He’s had a sudden change of heart if he’s captured Appleweight,”
remarked a major incredulously. “His policy has always been to let
old Bill alone.”
“It’s only a ripple of the general reform wave that’s sweeping the
country,” suggested Ardmore cheerfully. “Turn the rascals out; put
the rascals in; keep the people hopeful and the jails full. That’s the
Dangerfield watchword.”
“Well, I guess Dangerfield knows how to drive the hearse if there’s
got to be a funeral,” observed the quartermaster. “The governor’s not
a man to ride inside if he can find another corpse.”
And they all laughed and accepted the situation as promising better
diversion than they had expected from the summer manœuvres.
The militia officers gave the necessary orders for breaking the half-
formed camp, and then turned their attention to the entertainment of
their guests. Ardmore kept track of the time, and promptly at ten
o’clock Collins rose from the log by the roadside where they had
been sitting.
“We must obey the governor’s orders, gentlemen,” said Collins
courteously, “and march at once to Ardsley. I, you understand, am
only a courier, and your guest for the present.”
“If you please,” asked Cooke, when the line had begun to move
forward, “what is that wagon over there?”
He pointed to a mule team hitched to a quartermaster’s wagon that a
negro was driving into position across the rough field. It was piled
high with luggage, a pyramid that rose black against the heavens.
One of the militia officers, evidently greatly annoyed, bawled to the
driver to get back out of the way.
“Pardon me,” said Collins politely, “but is that your personal
baggage, gentlemen?”
“That belongs to Colonel Gillingwater,” remarked the quartermaster.
“The rest of us have a suit-case apiece.”
“Do you mean,” demanded Ardmore, “that the adjutant-general
carries all that luggage for himself?”
“That is exactly it! But,” continued the quartermaster loyally, “you can
never tell what will happen when you take the field this way, and our
chief is not a man to forget any of the details of military life.”
“In Washington we all think very highly of Colonel Gillingwater,”
remarked Collins, with noble condescension, “and in case we should
become involved in war he would undoubtedly be called to high rank
in the regular establishment.”
“It’s too bad,” said Cooke, as the three drew aside and waited for a
battery of light artillery to rumble into place behind the infantry, “it’s
too bad, Collins, that it didn’t occur to you to impersonate the
president of the French Republic or Emperor William. You’ll be my
death before we finish this job.”
“This won’t be so funny when Dangerfield gets hold of us,” grinned
the reporter. “We’d better cheer up all we can now. We’re playing
with the state of North Carolina as though it were a bean-bag. But
what’s that over there?”
The pyramidal baggage wagon had gained the road behind them,
and lingered uncertainly, with the driver asleep and waiting for
orders. The conspirators were about to gallop forward to the head of
the moving column, when Collins pointed across the abandoned
camp-ground to where a horseman, who had evidently made a wide
detour of the advancing column, rode madly toward the baggage
wagon.
“The gentleman’s trying to kill his horse, I should judge,” murmured
Ardmore. “By Jove!”
“It’s Gillingwater!” chorused the trio.
The rider in his haste had overlooked the men in the road. He
dashed through the wide opening in the fence, left by the militiamen,
took the ditch by the roadside at a leap, wakened the sleeping driver
on the wagon with a roar, and himself leaped upon the box and
began turning the horses.
“What do you think he’s doing?” asked Cooke.
“He’s in a hurry to get back to mother’s cooking,” replied Ardmore.
“He’s seen Miss Dangerfield and learned that war is at hand, and
he’s going to get his clothes out of danger. Lordy! listen to him
slashing the mules!”
“But you don’t think——”
The wagon had swung round, and already was in rapid flight. Collins
howled in glee.
“Come on! We can’t miss a show like this!”