like crazy downtown and we already
sold over three thousand dollars' worth of them 1040's."

Sam sat up suddenly.

"I see my finish," he said, "with you boys selling goods left and right
to a lot of fakers like the New Idea Store."

"New Idea Store nothing!" Max retorted. "We are selling over two
thousand dollars to Falkstatter, Fein & Company--and I guess they're
fakers--what!"

Sam leaned back in his chair.

"Falkstatter, Fein & Company is all right," he admitted.

"And, furthermore," Max continued, "we sold 'em fancy colours like
wistaria, copenhagen, and champagne; and them navy blues and browns
they wouldn't touch."

"No?" Sam said weakly.

"So you see, popper, if you would been downtown we wouldn't got that
order at all," Max continued. "So what's the use worrying yourself?"

"He's right, popper," Babette added. "You're getting too old to be
going downtown every day. The boys could look after the business. It's
time you took a rest."

At this juncture Doctor Eichendorfer entered.

"Hello!" he said. "What are you doing sitting up here? You must get
right back to bed."

"What are you talking nonsense?" Sam cried. "I am feeling pretty good
already."

"You look it," Eichendorfer said. "If you could see the way you are run
down this last week yet you wouldn't talk so fresh."

He seized Sam by the arm as he spoke and lifted him out of the chair.

"You ain't so heavy like you used to be, Mr. Gembitz," he went on as he
helped Sam to his bed. "Another week and you could sit up, but not
before."

Sam groaned as they tucked the covers around him.

"Now you see how weak you are," Eichendorfer cried triumphantly. "Don't
get up again unless I would tell you first."

After leaving some more tablets, Doctor Eichendorfer took his leave;
and half an hour later Sam knew by the tantalizing odours that pervaded
his bedroom that the family dined on stewed chicken with _Kartoffel
Kloesse_. For the remainder of the evening Sam lay with his eyes closed;
and whenever Babette approached his bedside with a tumbler of water and
the box of tablets he snored ostentatiously. Thus he managed to evade
the appetite-dispelling medicine until nearly midnight, when Babette
coughed loudly.

"Popper," she said, "I'm going to bed and I want you to take your
tablets."

"Leave 'em on the chair here," he replied, "and I'll take 'em in a few
minutes."

He watched her place the tablets on the chair; and as soon as her back
was t