Part 24 (1/2)

”My workroom is good enough!” he exploded. ”I told it to Schnitt!”

”Is Schnitt your coat cutter?” asked Johnny, remembering what Constance and Close had said.

Ersten glowered at him.

”He was. Thirty-seven years he worked with me; then he tried to run my business. He is gone. Let him go!”

”He objected to the light in the workroom, didn't he?” went on the cross-examiner, carefully piecing the situation together bit by bit.

”He could see for thirty-seven years, till everybody talks about moving; then he goes crazy,” blurted Ersten.

”Won't you look at this place?” he was urged. ”Let me show it to you to-morrow.”

”I stay where I am,” sullenly declared Ersten, still angry. ”We miss my train.”

Close told the driver to go on. Before Ersten alighted at the terminal, Johnny made one more attempt upon him.

”If a majority of your best customers insisted that they liked the new shop better would you look at the other place?” he asked.

”My customers don't run my business either!” he puffed.

”Good-by,” stated Mr. Kurzerhosen, who had been looking steadily at the opposite side of the street throughout the journey. ”I thank you.”

Close stared at Johnny in silence for a moment after their guests had gone.

”I told you so,” he said. ”You'll have to give him up as a bad job.”

”He's beginning to look like a good job,” a.s.serted Johnny. ”He can be handled like wax, but you have to melt him. Schnitt's the real reason.

Do you know Schnitt?”

”I am happy to say I do not,” laughed Close. ”One like Ersten is enough.”

”Somebody must lead me to him,” declared Johnny. ”I'm going to see Schnitt in the morning. I'd call to-night if I didn't have to be the big works at a Coney Island dinner party.”

”I don't see how Schnitt can help you,” puzzled Close.

”He's the tack in the tire. I can see what happened as well as if I had been there. Ersten knew he ought to move. Lofty tried to buy him and Schnitt tried to force him. Then he got his Dutch up. Schnitt left on account of it. Now Ersten won't do anything.”

”You can't budge him an inch,” prophesied the banker. ”I know him.”

”I'll coax him,” stated Johnny determinedly. ”There's a profit in him, and I have to have it!”

CHAPTER XV

IN WHICH WINNIE CHAPERONS THE ENTIRE PARTY TO CONEY ISLAND

At the last minute, Aunt Pattie Boyden fortunately contracted a toothache--and the Coney Island party was compelled to go unchaperoned.

They tried to be regretful and sympathetic as the six of them climbed into the big touring car, but Ashley Loring found them a solace.