At that moment the subject of Abe's inquiry looked across the street and for the first time noticed Abe and Morris standing on the sidewalk. He stopped short and stared at Abe until his bulging eyes caught the sign above the store. For one brief moment
he hesitated and then he leaped from the curb to the gutter and plunged across the roadway, with Jacob Berkowitz and Frank Walsh in close pursuit. He seized Abe by both hands and shook them up and down.
"Abe Potash!" he cried. "So sure as you live."
"That's right," Abe admitted; "that's my name."
"You don't remember me, Abe?" he went on.
"I remember Mr. Berkowitz here," Abe said, smiling at the smaller man. "I used to sell him goods oncet when he ran the Up-to-Date Store in Seattle. Ain't that so, Mr. Berkowitz?"
The smaller man nodded in an embarrassed fashion, while Frank Walsh grew red and white by turns and looked first at Abe and then at the others in blank amazement.
"But," Abe went on, "you got to excuse me, Mister—Mister——"
"Small," said the larger man, whereat Morris fairly staggered.
"Mister Small," Abe continued. "You got to excuse me. I don't remember your name. Won't you come inside?"