At the last words Jackson capitulated. "See here, you and the Missus come out to dinner to-morrow night and we'll talk things over."
Skinner hesitated.
"I've thought this all out," said Jackson. "The Starr-Bacon folks have been figuring on that bunch of machinery that I'm going to get in. Here's what they say. Can you meet those figures?"
Skinner looked over the memorandum Jackson handed him and made a quick calculation. "Yes," said he, "we can meet them."
"The order is yours."
"I won't take it," said Skinner, "unless you throw in that trout dinner."
That night Skinner wired McLaughlin and Perkins, Inc., that he'd caught the bear and was bringing the hide home with him—the hide being the fattest order that that concern had had for many a day.
Then he jotted down in his little book:—
| Dress-Suit Account | |
| Debit | Credit |
Landed one curmudgeon! | |