“He says, Abe, that he thinks he’s got the very place for us,” Morris said.

“He thinks he got it, Mawruss,” Abe exclaimed.  “Well, we can’t rip out our store here on the strength of a think, Mawruss.  When will he know if he’s got it?”

“To-morrow morning,” Morris replied, and went upstairs to the workroom, where the humming of many machines testified to the last rush of the season’s work.  Abe joined him there a few minutes later.

“Believe me, Mawruss,” he said, “I’ll be glad when this here order for the Fashion Store is out.”

“It takes a week yet, Goldman tells me,” Morris replied, “and I guess we might have to work nights if they don’t make it a hurry-up.”

“Well, we’re pretty late with that Fashion Store delivery as it is, Mawruss,” Abe replied.  “It wouldn’t hurt none if we did work nights, Mawruss.  We ought to get that order out by the day after to-morrow yet.”

“You speak to ’em, Abe,” Morris retorted, indicating the working force by a wave of his hand.

“What have I got to do with it?” Abe asked.  “You’re the inside man, Mawruss.”

“To my sorrow, Abe,” said Morris, “and if you was the inside man you would know it that if I told ’em they was working on a rush order they’d strike for more money already.”

“And yet, Mawruss, you ain’t in favor of giving out our work by contractors,” Abe cried as he walked away.

The next morning Sam Slotkin was waiting in the show-room before Abe or Morris arrived.  When they entered he advanced to meet them with a confident smile.

“I got it the very thing what you want, Mr. Perlmutter,” he said.  “A fine loft on Nineteenth Street.”

“A loft!” Abe exclaimed.

“A fine loft,” Slotkin corrected.

“How big a loft?” Morris asked.

“Well, it is maybe twicet as big as this here,” Slotkin replied.  “You could get into it all your machines and have a cutting-room and show-room and office besides.”

“That sounds pretty good, Abe,” Morris commented.  “Don’t you think so, Abe?”

Abe pulled off his coat with such force that he ripped the sleeve-lining.

“What are you doing,” he demanded, “making jokes with me?”

“And it’s only twenty dollars more a month as you’re paying here,” Slotkin concluded.

“Twenty dollars a month won’t make us or break us, Abe,” Morris said.

“It won’t, hey?” Abe roared.  “Well, that don’t make no difference, Mawruss.  You said you wanted it two lofts, and we got to have it two lofts.  How do you think we’re going to sell goods and keep our books, Mawruss, if we have all them machines kicking up a racket on the same floor?”

“Well, Abe, might we could send our work out by contractors, maybe,” Morris answered with all the vivacity of a man suggesting a new and brilliant idea.

Abe stared at his partner for a minute.

“What’s the matter with you, Morris, anyway?” he asked at length.  “First you say it we must have two lofts and keep our work in our own shop, and now you turn right around again.”