When the script below executes the command, it does so on another host by ssh'ing (or rsh'ing) to that box. I need to capture the return code of the script. I have tried using pipes but I always get a successful $? because the ssh/rsh is always successful. Let me show you:

---- test.sh ---
#!/bin/sh
echo "Hello world"
exit 1   <--  Note that we are forcibly exiting non-zero

---- runme.pl ----
#!/usr/bin/perl

local $SIG{CHLD} = sub { wait; }

# Shell to the "hosta" and run the script.  
# Since it will fail, return the word FAIL
my $cmd = "ssh hosta -n \"/tmp/test.sh || echo FAIL\";

my ($read, $write, $pid) = spawnMe($cmd);

close ( $write );  # Not doing any writes
while ( <$read> ) {
   my $buf = 'X' x 512;
   if ( my $nread = sysread( $read, $buf, 512 ) ) {
      my @l = split /\r?\n/, $buffer . $buf;
      if ($buf !~ /\n$/s ) {
          $buffer = pop @l;
      } else {
          $buffer = '';
      }

      map { print "$_\n"; } @l;
    }
}

my $kid = waitpid($pid, WNOHANG);
unless ($kid == $pid) {
   close ($read);
   $return_code = $?;
} else {
   print "Reaped status: $?"
   $return_code = $?;
}
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# I always get an exit status of "0" because the ssh was successful. How do I get the "FAIL" ? Help.