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," asserted 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."