“More ’n I hoped,” says Mark. “That’ll t-take care of the pay-roll for quite a spell.”
“This last shipment completed your contract,” says Mr. Rushmore. “Do you want to make a new contract with me on the same terms?”
“I m-may,” says Mark, “but not to-day.”
“Why not to-day?”
“Because,” says Mark, “Silas Doolittle never knew what it cost him to manufacture, and he was always l-losin’ money. It don’t take much work to guess he was sellin’ for too little. We’re workin’ out the costs of everything, to get it exact, and until we know we hain’t makin’ a contract.”
“By Jove!” says the man. “Whose idea was that?”
“Mine,” says Mark.
“Who is running that mill?”
“Us four boys.”
“No man to boss you?”