"Exactly!"
"Just a makeshift affair for the stage, I presume?"
"Oh, dear, no! That is not Mr. Stragaus' way of doing business at all. If he has a fire engine on the stage, as he had in his last production, it must be a real engine, with every detail complete and in proper working order. In the same way then, when he orders a police van, he wants it made in every particular just as you would make it for Her Majesty's Government. There must be no difference at all in any one respect, neither the painting, lettering, nor the internal fittings."
"It will cost you a lot of money, Mr. Stragaus," said the builder.
"Dot is no madder at all to me," replied Mr. Stragaus pompously; "I vill 'ave de ding berfect or nod at all. Vot is more, I must 'ave it at once."
"Mr. Stragaus, I may point out to you, Mr. Ebridge," I continued, "is in a very great hurry. There has been a slight pushing forward of dates, and in order to insure a success he is willing to pay you handsomely if you will complete the work in a short space of time."
"How long can you give me, sir?"
"A week exactly. Not a day longer!"
"Impossible. It cannot be done!"
"Den ve must go elsewhere, mine vriend," said Mr. Stragaus. "Dot is all. If you will underdake to do de vork and to 'and me over de van gomplete on next Duesday evening at twelve o'glock, I vill pay you dwice de sum you ask me now."