Hisfathersatsilentlyponderingforsomeminutes。Then，asifmakingasuddenresolve，hesaid:“Jack，Ihavebeenwantingtospeakwithyouaboutsomethingforsomeweeks。IhavecometoaplacewhereitisimperativethatIgetsomerelieffrommyload。
Yousee，Iamcarryingthewholeburdenofmanagementpracticallyalone。Ilookafterthefinancing，themarkets，Ikeepaneyeonproductionandevenuponthefactorymanagement。InnormalconditionsIcouldmanagetogetalong，butinthesecriticaldays，wheneverydepartmentcallsforclose，constantandsanesupervision，IfeelthatImusthaverelief。IfIcouldberelievedofthejobofshopmanagement，Icouldgivemyselftotheotherdepartmentswherethesituationatpresentisextremelycritical。Iwantamanager，Jack。Whynottakethejob？Now，“hecontinued，holdinguphishand，ashissonwasabouttospeak，“listenforamomentortwo。Ihavesaidthesituationisserious。Letmeexplainthat。
Thefinancingofthisbusinessinthepresentcrisisrequiresaman’sfulltimeandenergy。Markets，credits，collections，alldemandtheveryclosestattention。“
Jackglancedathisfather’sface。Forthefirsttimehenoticedhowdeep-cutwerethelinesthatindicatedcare，anxietyandworry。
Asuddenremorseseizedhim。
“Iamawfullysorry，sir，“hesaid，“Ihavenotbeenofmuchhelptoyou。“
Maitlandwavedhishandasifdismissingthesuggestion。“Nowyouknownothingofthefinancialside，butyoudoknowmenandyoucanhandlethem。Youprovedthatinthewar，and，inanotherway，youprovedthatduringthisrecentathleticcontest。IfollowedthatverycloselyandIsaywithouthesitationthatitwasaremarkablyfinebitofworkandthereactionswereofthebest。Jack，I
believethatyouwouldmakeagreatmanagerifyougaveyourselftoit，andthoughtitworthwhile。Now，listentome。“Thereuponthefatherproceededtolaybeforehissontheimmediatelypressingproblemsinthebusiness——thefinancialobligationsalreadyassumed，theheavyaccumulationofstockforwhichtherewerenomarkets，theincreasingcostsinproductionwithnohopeofrelief，butrathereveryexpectationofaddedburdensinthisdirection。
Ashelistenedtohisfather，Jackwasappalledwithwhatheconsideredtheoverwhelminglydisastroussituationinwhichthebusinesswasplaced。Atthesametimehesawhisfatherinanewlight。Thissilent，stern，reservedmanassumedaroleofheroinhiseyes，facingdesperateoddsandsilentlyfightingalonelyanddoubtfulbattle。Thesonwassmittenwithasenseofhisownfutility。Inhimwasbornadesireandaresolvetostandbesidehisfatherinthisconflictandifthebattlewentagainstthem，toshareinthedefeat。
“Dad，“criedhissonimpulsively，“Iamarotter。Ihavebeenofnohelptoyou，butonlyaburden。Ihadnoideathesituationwassoserious。“Remorseandalarmshowedinhistone。
“Don’tmisunderstandme，“saidhisfather。“Thisisnewtoyouandappearsmoreseriousthanitis。Thereisreallynoground，orlittleground，foranxietyoralarm。Letmegiveyoutheotherside。“Thenheproceededtosetforththeresourcesofthebusiness，theextentofhiscredit，hisplanstomeetthepresentsituationandtoprepareforpossibleemergencies。“Wearenotatthewallyet，byanymeans，Jack，“hesaid，hisvoiceringingoutwitharesolutecourage。“ButIamboundtosaythatifanysuddenoruntowardcombinationofcircumstances，astrike，forinstance，shouldarise，disastermightfollow。“
Jack’sheartsankstilllower。Hewaspracticallycertainthatastrikewasimminent。Althoughwithoutanyofficialconfirmationofhissuspicions，hehadkepthiseyesandearsopenedandhewasconvincedthattroublewasunavoidable。Ashisfathercontinuedtosetforthhisplans，hisadmirationforhimgrew。Hebroughttobearupontheproblemswithwhichhewasgrapplingaclearhead，wideknowledgeandsteadycourage。Hewasageneral，planningacampaigninthefaceofseriousodds。HerecalledasayingofhisoldCommander-in-ChiefinFrance:“Warisabusinessandwillbewonbytheapplicationofbusinessprinciplesandbusinessmethods。
GivenabodyoffightingmensuchasIcommand，thethingbecomesaproblemoftransportation，organization，reserve，insurance。Warisabusinessandwillbewonbyfightingmendirectedorgovernedbybusinessprinciples。“Hewasfilledwithregretthathehadnotgivenhimselfmoreduringtheselastmonthstothestudyoftheseprinciples。Theprospectofafightagainstimpendingdisastertouchedhisimaginationandstimulatedhimlikeabuglecall。
“Iseewhatyouwant，father，“hesaid。“YouwanttohavesomegoodN。C。O。’s。TheN。C。O。isthebackboneofthearmy，“hequotedwithagrin。
“N。C。O？“echoedhisfather。Hewasnotsufficientlyversedinmilitaryaffairstocatchthefullmeaningofthearmyrag。
“WhatImeanis，“saidJack，“thatnomatterhowableamilitarycommanderis，hemusthaveefficientsubordinatestocarryon。NoColonelcandohisowncompanyandplatoonwork。“
Hisfathernodded:“You’vegotit，Jack。IwantamanagertowhomIcanentrustapolicywithouteverhavingtothinkofitagain。I
don’twantamanwhogetsontopoftheload，butonewhogetsunderit。“
“Youwantagoodadjutant，father，andasergeant-major。“
“Isupposeso，“saidthefather，“althoughyourmilitarytermsarealittlebeyondme。Afterall，thethingissimpleenough。Onthemanagementside，wewantincreaseinproduction，whichmeansdecreaseinproductioncosts，andthismeansbetterorganizationoftheworkandtheworkers。“
Jacknoddedandafteramoment，said:“MayIadd，sir，onethingmore？“
“Yes，“saidhisfather。
“Teamplay，“saidJack。“Thatismyspecialty，youknow。
Individualisminagamemaybespectacularlyattractive，butitdoesn’tgetthegoal。“
“Teamplay，“saidhisfather。“Co-operation，Isupposeyoumean。
Mydearboy，thisisnotimeforexperimentationinprofit-sharingschemes，ifthatiswhatyouareafter。Anyway，thehistoryofprofiteeringschemesasIhavereaditisnotsuchastowarrantentireconfidenceintheirsoundness。Youcannotchangetheeconomicsystemovernight。“
“Thatistrueenough，Dad，“saidhisson，“andperhapsIamafool。
ButIremember，andyouremember，whateverybodysaid，andespeciallywhattheexpertssaid，aboutthemilitarymethodsandtacticsbeforethewar。Yousayyoucannotchangetheeconomicsystemovernight，andyetthewholemilitarysystemwaschangedpracticallyovernight。Inalmosteveryparticular，therewasacompleterevolution。Cavalry，fortressdefences，highexplosives，theproperplaceformachineguns，fieldtactics，infact，thewholebusinesswasradicallychanged。Andifwehadn’tchanged，theywouldbespeakingGermanintheschoolsofEngland，likeenough，bythistime。“
“Jack，youmayberight，“saidhisfather，withatouchofimpatience，“butIdon’twanttobeworriedjustnow。Itiseasyenoughforyourfriend，Matheson，andotheracademicindustrialdirectors，tosuggestexperimentswithotherpeople’smoney。Ifwecouldonlygetproduction，Iwouldnotmindverymuchwhatwageswehadtopay。ButIconfesswhenindustrialstrifeisaddedtomyotherburdens，itisalmostmorethanIcanbear。“
“Iamawfullysorry，Dad，“repliedhisson。“Ihavenowishtoworryyou，buthowareyougoingtogetproduction？Everybodysaysithasfallenoffterriblyduringandsincethewar。Howareyougoingtobringitup？Notbythepayenvelope，Iventuretosay，andthatiswhyIsuggestedteamplay。AndIamnotthinkingaboutco-operativeschemesofmanagement，either。Somewaymustbefoundtointerestthefellowsintheirjob，intheworkitself，asdistinctfromthefinancialreturns。Unlessthechapsareinterestedinthegame，theywon’tgetthegoals。“
“Myboy，“saidhisfatherwearily，“thatoldinterestinworkisgone。ThatoldprideinworkwhichweusedtofeelwhenIwasatthejobmyself，isgone。Wehaveadifferentkindofworkmannowadays。“
“Dad，don’tbelievethat，“saidJack。“Rememberthesamethingwassaidbeforethewar。Weusedtohearallaboutthatdecadentracestuff。Thewarprovedittobeallrot。Theraceisasfineaseveritwas。Ourhistoryneverproducedfinerfightingmen。“
“Youmayberight，“saidhisfather。“Ifwecouldonlygetridofthesecursedagitators。“
“Thereagain，Dad，ifyouwillexcuseme，Ibelieveyouaremistaken。Ihavebeenworkingwiththesemenforthelastninemonths，IhaveattendedveryregularlythemeetingsoftheirunionsandIhavestudiedthewholesituationwithgreatcare。Theunionisagreatinstitution。Iamforitheartandsoul。Itissoundlyandsolidlydemocratic，andtheagitatorscutverylittlefigure。
Isizeupthewholelotaboutthisway:Fiftypercentofthemenaresteady-goingfellowswithambitiontoclimb；twenty-fivepercentarecontenttogrubalongfortheday’spayandwithnogreatambitionworryingthem。Oftheremainder，tenpercentaresincereandconvincedreformers，moreorlesshalf-bakedintellectuals；tenpercentlovethesoundoftheirownvoices，hateworkandwanttolivebytheirjaw，fivepercentonlyareunscrupulousandselfishagitators。But，Dad，believeme，fire-brandsmaylightfires，butsolidfagotsonlycankeepfiresgoing。Youcannotmakeconflagrationsoutoftorchesalone。“
“ThatisMatheson，Isuppose，“saidhisfather，smilingathim。
“Well，Iownup。IhavegotalotofstufffromMatheson。AllthesameIbelieveIhavefairlysizedupthelaboursituation。“
“Boy，boy，“saidhisfather，“Iamtiredofitall。IbelievewithsometeamplayyouandIcouldmakeitgo。Alone，Iamnotsosure。Willyoutakethejob？“
Therewassilencebetweenthemforafewminutes。ThenJackansweredslowly:“Iamnotsureofmyselfatall，Dad，butIcanseeyoumusthavesomeoneandIamwillingtotrytheplaningmill。“
“Thankyou，boy，“saidhisfather，stretchinghishandquicklyacrossthetable，“Iwillbackyouupandwon’tworryyou。WithinreasonablelimitsIwillgiveyouafreehand。“
“Iknowyouwill，Dad，“saidJack，“andofcourseIhavebeeninthearmylongenoughtoknowthedifferencebetweentheO。C。andthesergeant-major。“
“Now，whataboutTony？“inquiredMaitland，revertingsuddenlytowhatbothfelttobeapainfulandperplexingproblem。“Whatarewetodowithhim？“
“Iwilltakehimon，“saidJack。“IsupposeImust。“
“Hewillbeaheavyhandicaptoyou，boy。Istherenootherway？“
“Iseenootherway，“Jackreplied。“Iwillgivehimatrial。
ShallIbringhimin？“
“Bringhimin。“
InaminuteortwoJackreturnedwithTony。AsMaitland’seyesfelluponhim，hecouldnotpreventastartofshockedsurprise。
“Why，Tony！“heexclaimed。“Whatinalltheworldiswrongwithyou？Youareill。“Trembling，pale，obviouslyunstrung，Tonystoodbeforehim，hisshiftyeyesdartingnowatoneface，thenattheother，hishandsrestless，hiswholeappearancesuggestinganimminentnervouscollapse。“Why，Tony，boy，whatiswrongwithyou？“repeatedMaitland。ThekindlytoneprovedtoomuchforTony’sself-control。Hegulped，choked，andstoodspeechless，hiseyescastdowntothefloor。
“Sitdown，Tony，“saidMaitland。“Givehimachair，Jack。“
ButJacksaid，“Hedoesn’tneedachair。Heisnothereforavisit。Youwantedtosaysomethingtohim，didyounot？“Jack’sdry，matter-of-factandslightlycontemptuoustonehadaninstantandextraordinaryeffectuponthewretchedmanbesidehim。
Instantly，Tonystiffenedup。Hisheadwentback，hecastaswiftglanceatJack’sface，whosesmile，slightlyquizzical，slightlycontemptuous，appearedtobiteintohisvitals。Ahotflameofcolourswepthispaleandpastyface。
“Iwantajob，sir，“hesaid，inatonelowandfierce，lookingstraightatMr。Maitland。
Maitland，takinghiscuefromhisson，repliedinaquietvoice:
“Canyouholdajob？“
“Godknows，“saidTony。
“Hedoes，“repliedMaitland，“butwhataboutyou？“
Tonystoodforafewmomentssayingnothing，dartinguncertainglancesnowandthenatJack，onwhosefacestilllingeredthesmilewhichTonyfoundsodisturbing。
“Ifyouwantwork，“continuedMr。Maitland，“andwanttomakeitgo，Tony，youcangowithJack。Hewillgiveittoyou。“
“Jack！“exclaimedTony。Hisfacewasastudy。Uncertainty，fear，hope，disappointmentwereallthere。
“Yes，Jack，“saidMr。Maitland。“Heismanagerintheseworksnow。“
Tonythrewbackhisheadandlaughed。“IguessIwillhavetowork，then，“hesaid。
“Youjustbetyouwill，Tony，“repliedJack。“Comealong，wewillgo。“
“Where？“
