“I’ll be blowed ag’in!” says Mr. Atkins.
“Would you like to listen to a proposition from me, Mr. Atkins?”
“I’d enjoy it. I kind of like to hear you talk.”
“This table is very ingenious. There isn’t a folding-table half as good in the country. That game you invented for the boys is a daisy. Four or five of those other things you whittled out are practical and would appeal to the public. If they were to be made of a regular size, instead of as toys, there should be a great deal of money in them.”
“I’d be willin’ to git some of it out, says Mr. Atkins.
“Which is exactly what we’re going to do. Your son and I have patented a few of these things in your name. You seem to have a most ingenious mind, Mr. Atkins. If you had nothing else to bother you, there is no doubt you could whittle out a number of very useful and salable things.”
“What d’you think of that?” says Mr. Atkins.
“In short, you are a very valuable man to a business such as I have in mind, and I want to make you a proposition.”
“Make her,” says Mr. Atkins.
“I have had one of my best salesmen show this table and game to the trade. This seems somewhat incredible, but in ten days’ time he had taken enough definite orders for them from wholesale houses to keep a fair-sized factory busy. When we really work the trade we can keep busy a mighty large-sized factory.”