“I would rather leave that to you,” he said.  “What do you think the work would be worth to you?”

“Do you expect to continue in this line of work?” asked Mr. Compton.  “When this job is finished you would want to go somewhere else, I suppose?”

Jimmy saw an opening and leaped for it.  “Oh, no!” he replied.  “On the contrary, I wouldn’t mind working into a permanent position, and if you think there might be a possibility of that I would consider a reasonable salary arrangement rather than the usual contract rate for expert service.”

“It is very possible,” said Mr. Compton, “that if you are the right man there would be a permanent place in the organization for you.  With that idea in mind I should say that two hundred and fifty dollars a month might be a mutually fair arrangement to begin with.”

Two hundred and fifty dollars a month!  Jimmy tried to look bored, but not too bored.

“Of course,” he said, “with the idea that it may become a permanent, well-paying position I think I might be inclined to consider it—­in fact, I am very favorably inclined toward it,” he added hastily as he thought he noted a sudden waning of interest in Compton’s expression.  “But be sure yourself that I am the man you want.  For instance, my methods—­you should know something of them first.”

In Jimmy’s pocket was a small book he had purchased at a second-hand bookshop the evening before, upon the cover of which appeared the title “How to Get More Out of Your Factory.”  He had not had sufficient time to study it thoroughly, but had succeeded in memorizing several principal headings on the contents page.

“At first,” he explained, “I won’t seem to be accomplishing much, as I always lay the foundation of my future work by studying my men.  Some men have that within them which spurs them on; while some need artificial initiative—­outside encouragement,” he quoted glibly from “How to Get More Out of Your Factory.”  “Some men extend themselves under stern discipline; some respond only to a gentle rein.  I study men—­the men over me, under me, around me.  I study them and learn how to get from each the most that is in him.  At the same time I shall be looking for leaks and investigating timekeeping methods, wage-paying systems and planning on efficiency producers.  Later I shall start reducing costs by studying machines, handling material economically and producing power at lowest cost; keeping the product moving, making environment count on the balance-sheet and protecting against accident and fire.”  This was as far as Jimmy had memorized, and so he stopped.

“I think,” said Mr. Compton, “that you have the right idea.  Some of your points are not entirely clear to me, as there are many modern methods that I have not, I am sorry to say, investigated sufficiently.”

Jimmy did not think it necessary to explain that they were not clear to him either.

“And now,” said Compton, “if you are satisfied with the salary, when can you start?”