“Where is Mose this morning, Charley?”

“Fired.”

Penny could not hide her amazement. The old colored man had been employed ten years at the Star plant. Although not strictly efficient, Mose’s habits were good, and Mr. Parker had taken an affectionate interest in him.

“It’s a shame, if you ask me,” the janitor added.

“What happened, Charley? Who discharged him?”

“That guy Schirr.”

“Harley Schirr? But he has no authority.”

“An editor can fire and hire. I think he was just tryin’ out his stuff on poor old Mose.”

“During my father’s absence, Mr. DeWitt is in full charge here,” Penny said emphatically.

“DeWitt was in charge. But they hauled him off to the hospital last night with a bad pain in his tummy. Seems he had an appendicitis attack. The doctor rushed him off and didn’t even wait until morning to operate.”

The news stunned Penny. She murmured that she hoped Mr. DeWitt was doing well.

“Reckon he is,” agreed the janitor. “We all chipped in and sent him some flowers—roses. Mose gave fifty cents, too.”

Penny’s mind came back to the problem of the colored man.

“So Mr. Schirr discharged him,” she commented. “I wonder why?”

The janitor pressed a button and the cage moved slowly upward.

“Mose was due on at midnight,” he explained. “He didn’t get here until after two o’clock.”

“Didn’t he have a reason for being so late?”

The cage stopped with a jerk. “Sure, Mose had a pip this time! Something about being detained by a ghost! Schirr didn’t go for it at all. Swelled up like a poisoned pup and fired Mose on the spot.”

“I’m sorry,” Penny replied. “Dad liked Mose a lot.”

“Any news from your father?”

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