I told him that that crook didn't
come over at all Meyer says that's the first he hears about it or he
would have asked for his job back long since already. So he says he
would come in here to see us this afternoon."

"But----" Scheikowitz began again.

"Furthermore," Polatkin continued hastily, "if I would got a nephew in
my place, Scheikowitz, I would a damsight sooner he stays working on the
stock till he knows enough to sell goods on the road as that he learns
to be a cutter. Ain't it?"

Scheikowitz sighed heavily by way of surrender.

"All right, Polatkin," he said; "if you're so dead set on taking this
here feller Gifkin back go ahead. But one thing I must got to tell you:
If you are taking a feller back which you fired once, understand me, he
acts so independent you couldn't do nothing with him at all."

"Leave that to me," Polatkin said, as he started for the cutting room,
and when Scheikowitz followed him he found that Gifkin had already
arrived.

"_Wie gehts_, Mister Scheikowitz?" Gifkin cried, and Philip received the
salutation with a distant nod.

"I hope you don't hold no hard feelings for me," Gifkin began.

"Me hold hard feelings for you?" Scheikowitz exclaimed. "I guess you
forget yourself, Gifkin. A boss don't hold no hard feelings for a feller
which is working in the place, Gifkin; otherwise the feller gets fired
and stays fired, Gifkin."

At this juncture Polatkin in the role of peacemaker created a diversion.

"Joe," he called to young Borrochson, who was passing the cutting-room
door, "come in here a minute."

He turned to Gifkin as Joe entered.

"I guess you seen this young feller before?" he said.

Gifkin looked hard at Joe for a minute.

"I think I seen him before somewheres," he replied.

"Sure you seen him before," Polatkin rejoined. "His name is Borrochson."

"Borrochson!" Gifkin cried, and Joe, whose colour had heightened at the
close scrutiny to which he had been subjected, began to grow pale.

"Sure, Yosel Borrochson, the son of your old neighbour," Polatkin
explained, but Gifkin shook his head slowly.

"That ain't Yosel Borrochson," he declared, and then it was that
Polatkin and Scheikowitz first noticed Joe's embarrassment. Indeed even
as they gazed at him his features worked convulsively once or twice and
he dropped unconscious to the floor.

In the scene of excitement that ensued Gifkin's avowed discovery was
temporarily forgotten, but when Joe was again restored