diff --git a/startup.4th b/startup.4th
index e2d8d4a..dee0402 100644
--- a/startup.4th
+++ b/startup.4th
@@ -190,22 +190,42 @@ DEFER THROW-UNWIND ( k*x n -- i*x <noreturn> )
 
 : DABS ( d -- +d ) DUP 0< IF DNEGATE THEN ;
 
+80 CONSTANT PNO-BUFFER-BYTES
+CREATE PNO-BUFFER PNO-BUFFER-BYTES ALLOT
+PNO-BUFFER PNO-BUFFER-BYTES + CONSTANT PNO-BUFFER-END
+CREATE PNO-POINTER PNO-BUFFER-END ,
+
+: <# ( -- ) PNO-BUFFER-END PNO-POINTER ! ;
+: HOLD ( char -- ) PNO-POINTER 1 OVER -! @ C! ;
+: #> ( xd -- c-addr u ) 2DROP PNO-BUFFER-END PNO-POINTER @ TUCK - ;
+
+' PNO-BUFFER (HIDE)
+' PNO-BUFFER-END (HIDE)
+' PNO-POINTER (HIDE)
+
+: SIGN ( n -- ) 0< IF [CHAR] - HOLD THEN ;
+
+: #B ( ud1 u -- ud2 )
+   UM/MOD ROT DUP 10 >= IF
+      10 - [CHAR] A +
+   ELSE
+      [CHAR] 0 +
+   THEN HOLD ;
+
+: # ( ud1 -- ud2 ) 10 #B ;
+
+: #SB ( ud u -- )
+   >R BEGIN R@ #B 2DUP D0= UNTIL RDROP ;
+
+: #S ( ud -- ) 10 #SB ;
+
 \ Display the unsigned number at the top of the stack
-: U. ( u -- "<digits>" )
-   \ Start with the highest place-value on the left
-   1000000000
-   \ Skip place-values that would be larger than the input
-   BEGIN 2DUP U< OVER 1 U> AND WHILE 10 U/ REPEAT
-   \ Emit the remaining digits down to the units' place
-   BEGIN
-      TUCK U/MOD [CHAR] 0 + EMIT SWAP
-      DUP 1 U<= IF 2DROP EXIT THEN
-      10 U/
-   AGAIN ;
+: DU. ( ud -- "<digits>" ) <# #S #> TYPE ;
+: U. ( u -- "<digits>" ) 0 DU. ;
 
 \ Display the signed number at the top of the stack
-: . ( n -- "<minus?><digits>" )
-   DUP 0< IF [CHAR] - EMIT NEGATE THEN U. ;
+: D. ( d -- "<minus?><digits>" ) DUP -ROT DABS <# #S ROT SIGN #> TYPE ;
+: . ( n -- "<minus?><digits>" ) S>D D. ;
 
 \ Display the content of the data stack
 : .DS ( -- "<text>" )