Morris nodded ironically.

“And Sugarman says he would do it, I suppose,” he broke in.  “No, Abe, Sugarman ain’t built that way.  It costs me five hundred dollars for that loan, Abe.”

“I know it did, Mawruss,” Abe said, “and Feder says that Sugarman told him he charges you five hundred dollars, and so he don’t want to be a hog, Mawruss, and, therefore, he closes with Rashkin for a hundred and fifty.”

Morris’ jaw dropped and he stared at Abe.

“Furthermore, Mawruss,” Abe went on, “Rashkin comes in to see Feder the other day and tells Feder he would be glad to make a quick turn.  And he tells Feder that house stands him in eight thousand dollars cash and he would be glad to sell it for forty-four five, all cash above the new first mortgage of thirty-three thousand.”

Morris nodded.

“But, Abe,” he croaked, “how could he do that?  Reckoning all the mortgages and everything, and what I invested and paid out for building material over and above the building loan, that house stands me in just eleven thousand two hundred and fifty dollars cash.  If I would come out even on that house I got to sell it for forty-five seven-fifty, and I reckoned on forty-seven thousand as a fair price for the house.”

“Sure, you did,” Abe said cheerfully.

“And how that feller, Rashkin, could claim that his house stands him in eight thousand dollars cash is more as I could understand, Abe,” Morris said.  “Because while I know it I spent for commissions and for Ferdy Rothschild a couple thousand more as Rashkin, Abe, our building material cost the same, Abe.”

“Sure it did—­on the bills, Mawruss,” Abe replied; “but Gussarow says that of course he don’t know nothing about the other material men, but when he sends the bill to you he also sends the same bill to Rashkin, and when you send him a check for your bill, Ferdy Rothschild gets five per cent.  Also Rashkin sends Gussarow a check for his bill with five per cent. discount, and Ferdy Rothschild schmiers Rashkin a twenty-dollar note, and that’s the way it goes.”

Morris sat down in the nearest chair and blinked helplessly at Abe.

“What do you think for a couple of crooks like that, Abe?” he croaked.

“What do I think, Mawruss?” Abe repeated.  “I think that one of ’em is a brother-in-law, Mawruss, and the other is a real estater, Mawruss, and that’s a bad combination.”

“But I could make ’em arrested, Abe?” Morris declared, “and, by jimminy, I will do it, too.”

Abe shrugged.

“You couldn’t do that, Mawruss,” he said, “because in the first place, Mawruss, your Minnie wouldn’t stand for it; and in the second place, them two fellers would fix up a fine story between ’em and the judge would let ’em go.  And then, Mawruss, they would turn around and go to work and sue you for false arresting; and the first thing you know, Mawruss, it would stand you in a couple of thousand dollars more.”