“No,” said Dick. “To tell the truth, it didn’t seem to matter.”
“Profession comes first?” Fuller suggested. “Well, that’s right, but I’ve hired professional men, engineering and medical experts, who charged pretty high. Anyhow, here’s my offer—”
Dick was satisfied, as was Fuller. The latter was often generous and would not have taken unfair advantage of Dick’s necessity, but he did not object to engaging a talented young man at something below the market rate.
“While I’m here you’ll come over twice a week to report,” he resumed. “And now if there’s anything you’d like to ask.”
“First of all, I owe you a dollar,” Dick remarked, putting the money on the table. “The pay-clerk wouldn’t take it, because he said it would mix up his accounts. I’m glad to pay you back, but this doesn’t cancel the debt.”
“It wasn’t a big risk. I thought you looked played out.”
“I was played out and hungry. In fact, it took me five minutes to make up my mind whether I’d pay the agent who gave me your address his fee, because it meant going without a meal.”
Fuller nodded. “Did you hesitate again, after you knew you’d got the job?”
“I did. When we were hustled on board the steamer, there was nobody at the gangway for a few moments and I felt I wanted to run away. There didn’t seem to be any reason for this, but I very nearly went.”
“That kind of thing’s not quite unusual,” Fuller answered with a smile. “In my early days, when every dollar was of consequence, I often had a bad time after I’d made a risky deal. Used to think I’d been a fool, and I’d be glad to pay a smart fine if the other party would let me out. Yet if he’d made the proposition, I wouldn’t have clinched with it.”