Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter II
”
“Oh,you’llgetyourcars,”murmuredtheother.
“I’llbethemeansofbringingbusinessyourway,”Dykewenton;“I’vedonesowellwithmyhopsthattherearealotofothersgoingintothebusinessnextseason.Suppose,”hecontinued,struckwithanidea,“supposewewentintosomesortofpool,asortofshippers’organisation,couldyougiveusspecialrates,cheaperrates—sayacentandahalf?”
Theotherlookedup.
“Acentandahalf!SayFOURcentsandahalfandmaybeI’lltalkbusinesswithyou.”
“Fourcentsandahalf,”returnedDyke,“Idon’tseeit.Why,theregularrateisonlytwocents.”
“No,itisn’t,”answeredtheclerk,lookinghimgravelyintheeye,“it’sfivecents.”
“Well,there’swhereyouarewrong,m’son,”Dykeretorted,genially.“Youlookitup.You’llfindthefreightonhopsfromBonnevilleto’Friscoistwocentsapoundforcarloadlots.Youtoldmethatyourselflastfall.”
“Thatwaslastfall,”observedtheclerk.Therewasasilence.Dykeshotaglanceofsuspicionattheother.Then,reassured,heremarked:
“Youlookitup.You’llseeI’mright.”
S.Behrmancameforwardandshookhandspolitelywiththeex-engineer.
“AnythingIcandoforyou,Mr.Dyke?”
Dykeexplained.Whenhehaddonespeaking,theclerkturnedtoS.Behrmanandobserved,respectfully:
“Ourregularrateonhopsisfivecents.”
“Yes,”answeredS.Behrman,pausingtoreflect;“yes,Mr.Dyke,that’sright—fivecents.”
TheclerkbroughtforwardafolderofyellowpaperandhandedittoDyke.
