Gregory was greatly surprised. McCoy, he knew, had figured a bed-rock, cash price and the extreme lowness of the quotation offered the Western was
influenced solely by the possibility of a quick sale in straight car lots. And still the man claimed he could beat it.
"Do you mind telling me who is offering you stuff at a lower figure?" he asked.
Mr. Eby hesitated. It was to his interest to stimulate price cutting. The fact that the figure quoted was below cost was nothing to him. A cutthroat war between two rival canneries might result in still lower quotations which would give him a greater profit.
"Certainly not," he answered. "The figure quoted me was from the Golden Rule Cannery."
Gregory felt his face growing hot under the influence of Mr. Eby's exasperating smile.
"That figure is below cost and you know it," he said bluntly.
The manager continued to smile. "Possibly," he affirmed. "From your view-point. Your cost and theirs may be two different things. Your wage scale is much higher than theirs for one thing, and your system, in my mind, does not make in any way for low costs."
Gregory's anger mounted at the man's tone.
"What do you know about my business?" he asked quickly.