"Jake," he said at last, "is there any reason why the Company shouldn't do its own transport work?"
"I don't know of any. You would have to let Mappin get through with his contracts first."
"Of course. What I mean is, could we do it as cheaply as he does and pay regulation wages?"
"It would take some figuring to answer that. Speaking without the book, you ought to do the work at the contractor's prices and have a profit. He must make one; and you can buy plant and tools on as good terms as he can."
"That's obvious. Then, on the whole, it ought to pay the Company?"
"What do you mean by the Company?"
"Well, the shareholders."
"It might pay—them," said Carnally with suggestive emphasis.
Andrew smoked his pipe out before he answered.
"I'll consider it when I've a little more to go on. It strikes me that I'm learning things. And now I think I'll get to sleep; my head's aching."