“Osborne,” Mr. Atkinson exclaimed at last, “you’re the best mechanical man I ever knew. But you were not cut out for high finance. Perhaps I oughtn’t say it, but you should be worth a hundred thousand dollars to-day. And you’re not, are you?”
Mr. Osborne laughed.
“You know I’m not,” he added, a little ruefully.
“Well,” added Mr. Atkinson, with a kind of earnestness, “if you ever expect to get beyond that cap and that oil and grease begin to take a chance.”
“I don’t understand,” answered the engineer.
“I’ll bet Roy does,” added the aeroplane company president, turning to the boy again. Then with a snap in his tone, he added: “What do you think about it, Roy?”
“What do I think?” replied Roy as he brought all his wits to work to understand the situation. “Well, I think this: the Utah company wants some one to come out there as a part of its business. It’s a big company, and it must have plenty of money. It certainly don’t want me to come for less than I’m worth to the company. I think I can go and be worth a good deal. If I am, I’ll expect to be paid handsomely.”
Mr. Atkinson turned to Mr. Osborne.
“Hear that?” he exclaimed. “That’s the way to talk. The boy can turn the trick. Do you still object?”
“Well, I still think it’s a big risk for little pay.”