"I suppose we're stupid and behind the
times; but we've been brought up in a hard school. We are beyond the age
when we originate much, perhaps; but we're willing to be shown."
He held up his hand, checking over his fingers as he talked.
"Here's the whole proposition," said he. "You can consider it. Welton
and I will turn over the whole works to you, lock, stock and barrel, for
two years. You know the practical side of the business as well as you
ever will, and you've got a good head on you. At the end of that time,
turn in your balance sheet. We'll see how you come out, and how much it
costs a thousand feet to do these things outside the schoolroom."
"If I took it up, I couldn't make it pay quite as well as by present
methods," Bob warned.
"Of course not. Any reasonable man would expect to spend something by
way of insurance for the future. But the point is, the operations must
pay. Think it over!"
They emerged into the mill clearing. Welton rolled out to greet them,
his honest red face aglow with pleasure over greeting again his old
friend. They pounded each other on the back, and uttered much facetious
and affectionate abuse.
Pages:
893
894
895
896
897
898
899
900
901
902
903
904
905
906
907
908
909
910
911
912
913
914
915
916
917