Joe took the company's adjuster and went down to investigate.
A good deal of discussion resulted, in which the cause of the fire figured principally.
Cohen said it was due to the electric wiring, and his partner claimed it was the gas-light.
Finally the adjuster called upon Joe to render his opinion.
"Look here, Joe," says he. "This man claims it was the Arc-light and this fellow that it was the Gas-light. Now what do you think it was?"
"Well," says Joe, "if you want my candid opinion, I think it was neither. I'll bet a dollar that it was the Israelite."
Joe at last got married and, when his son was still quite young, it bothered him somewhat to know just what trade or profession he ought to select for him.
So at last he told his wife to get the boy a box of paints, a toy steam engine, a printing press, and see what the boy would take to most readily.
When Joe got home at night, he asked his wife how the plan had succeeded.