It was Hanford’s first trip across, and he arrived on British soil without so much as a knowledge of English coins, with nothing in the way of baggage except a grip full of blue-prints, and with no destination except the Parliament buildings, where he had been led to believe the Royal Barrata Bridge Commission was eagerly and impatiently awaiting his coming.  But when he called at the Parliament buildings he failed not only to find the Commission, but even to encounter anybody who knew anything about it.  He did manage to locate the office, after some patient effort, but learned that it was nothing more than a forwarding address, and that no member of the Commission had been there for several weeks.  He was informed that the Commission had convened once, and therefore was not entirely an imaginary body; beyond that he could discover nothing.  On his second visit to the office he was told that Sir Thomas Drummond, the chairman, was inside, having run down from his shooting-lodge in Scotland for the day.  But Sir Thomas’s clerk, with whom Hanford had become acquainted at the time of his first call, informed him that Mr. Jackson Wylie, the Second, from America, was closeted with his lordship, and in consequence his lordship could not be disturbed.  Later, when Hanford got more thoroughly in touch with the general situation, he began to realize that introductions, influence, social prestige would in all probability go farther toward landing the Barrata Bridge than mere engineering, ability or close figuring—­facts with which the younger Wylie was already familiar, and against which he had provided.  It also became plain to Hanford as time went on that the contract would of necessity go to America, for none of the European shops were in position to complete it on time.

Owing to government needs, this huge, eleven-span structure had to be on the ground within ninety days from the date of the signing of the contract, and erected within eight months thereafter.  The Commission’s clerk, a big, red-faced, jovial fellow, informed Hanford that price was not nearly so essential as time of delivery; that although the contract glittered with alluring bonuses and was heavily weighted with forfeits, neither bonuses nor forfeitures could in the slightest manner compensate for a delay in time.  It was due to this very fact, to the peculiar urgency of the occasion, that the Commissioners were inclined to look askance at prospective bidders who might in any way fail to complete the task as specified.

“If all that is true, tell me why Wylie gets the call?” Hanford inquired.

“I understand he has the very highest references,” said the Englishman.

“No doubt.  But you can’t build bridges with letters of introduction, even in Africa.”

“Probably not.  But Sir Thomas is a big man; Mr. Wylie is one of his sort.  They meet on common ground, don’t you see?”

“Well, if I can’t arrange an interview with any member of the Commission, I can at least take you to lunch.  Will you go?”