my $exit1 = system "program1";
    if ($exit1 == -1) {
        die "Failed to call 'program1': $!\n";
    }
    $exit1 >>= 8;   # Get the real-exit value. The bits we
                   # are shifting off are any possible signals.

##</code><code>##

    my $exit2 = system "program2", $exit1;
    if ($exit2 == -1) {
        die "Failed to call 'program2': $!\n";
    }