Free Yossi's Goal by Ellen Schwartz Page B

behind this, he might fire him. And Papa and Solly and Herman and Josef too. Then what would happen?
    The next moment, one of the garment packers yelled, “He’s not the ringleader, Steiner. I am!”
    â€œNo!” Another man waved his arm in the air. “I am!”
    â€œNo! It was me!”
    â€œI’m the ringleader!”
    â€œI started it!”
    One after another, dozens of men—and women too—hollered out that they were responsible for the walkout. Mr. Steiner turned to look at first one, then another, his face growing redder and redder.
    â€œIt was all of us!” Solly yelled. A great shout went up. As if on signal, hundreds of men and women linked arms with the people on either side of them.
    â€œYou’re going to have to fire us all, Steiner!” yelled Herman, and cries of agreement rang out.
    â€œThen that’s just what I’ll do!” Mr. Steiner bellowed. “There are plenty of others to take your place—”
    â€œI wouldn’t count on it, Steiner,” Josef shouted. “Our comrades walked out oftwo other sweatshops today. No one’s going to put up with these conditions anymore!”
    A look of shock came over Mr. Steiner’s face.
    â€œThat’s right, Mr. Steiner,” Daniel shouted. “No more starvation wages.”
    A cheer.
    â€œNo more dust and damp that make us sick,” yelled another man.
    A shout.
    â€œNo more working from dawn to dusk with hardly a break,” added another.
    A holler. “And we’re not coming back to work for you until you agree,” Miriam shouted.
    Her hand, clasped in Daniel’s, shot into the air, and a roar went up from the workers that was even louder than the factory at full production.
    Mr. Steiner stood there, staring at the crowd. He raised the bullhorn to his lips, then lowered it. His face grew redder. He turned on his heel and stomped inside, followed by his thugs.
    Hundreds of caps flew into the air, and the cheer that rose out of hundreds of throats seemed to shake the very bricks of Steiner’s Garment Works.
    Yossi cheered along with his friends. Then he hurried around to the side entrance and snuck into the scrap room. Max Steiner was sitting up. When Yossi came in, his head whipped around. For a moment there was fear in his eyes. Then he glared.
    Yossi untied the gag.
    â€œYou—you dog!” Max snapped, twisting from side to side.
    â€œHold still! I’m trying to untie you,” Yossi said. He couldn’t blame Max for being angry, but the least he could do was let Yossi free him!
    Max kept still long enough for Yossi to loosen the burlap around his hands, then untied his own feet. He jumped up with a sneer. “Just wait till I tell my papa what you did. He’ll fire you—you and your whole family! And your stupidfriend too. All of you. You’ll never work here again!”
    Yossi smiled. “That’s what you think. All the workers walked out of all the sweat-shops in the neighborhood today. It’s not going to be so easy to replace them.”
    Max’s hand flew to his mouth. “All the workers…? They can’t!”
    Yossi stepped forward, eyes blazing. “Yes, they can—and they did! Your papa is going to have to treat us better from now on—like decent human beings.” He strode to the door. “I’m sorry I tied you up. I had to. But I’m not sorry I helped, no matter what happens to me. Not one bit!”
    The door slammed behind him as he ran down the hall.

Chapter Twelve
    Yossi carried an armful of books down the three flights of stairs and dumped them in a wheelbarrow sitting outside the front door. On his way back upstairs, he passed Daniel coming down carrying a box of dishes, followed by Miriam with an armload of clothing. Yossi made another trip with more books, filling the wheel-barrow to overflowing.
    When he went back upstairs, Miriam was pulling on her tattered