“What makes you think I’ve given any attention to the matter?”
“I’ll be frank with you. After you called at my house I took steps to find out exactly how much of a man I had to deal with. I know your college record, your war record, and your chemical record.”
“Perhaps you do,” smiled Marvin, “but you don’t know what I was reckoning when I woke up after losing my hand. I was calculating how much alcohol could be extracted from a ton of straw.”
“Well, how much was it?”
“Not enough. It would take the whole corn crop of the United States to duplicate the heating power we are now taking from five billion gallons of gasoline.”
Asher nodded. “I reckon there ain’t two other men in the country that’s worrying. Maybe I’m wrong—there may be others—but you’re the first one I’ve met.”
“My father, sir, thinks that you see a long way ahead.”
“Does he? He has a funny way of showing it.”
“I’d like you to meet him, Mr. Ferry.”
“I don’t want to meet him.”