nd if
they quit again, as there was signs of their doin', we stood to drop
about $200,000 in bonuses on shell contracts.

It wasn't a matter of wage scales, either. Honest, some of them ginks
with three z's in their names was runnin' up, with over-time and all,
pay envelops that averaged as much as twelve a day. Why, some of the
women and girls were pullin' down twenty-five a week. And they couldn't
kick on the workin' conditions, either. Here was a brand-new concrete
plant, clean as a new dish-pan, with half the sides swingin' glass
sashes, and flower beds outside.

"And still they threaten another strike," says the general manager. "If
it comes, we might as well scrap this whole plant and transfer the
equipment to Pennsylvania or somewhere else. Unless"--here he grins
sarcastic--"you can find out what ails 'em, Lieutenant. But you are only
the third bright young man the Corrugated has sent out to tell us what's
what, you know."

"Oh, well," says I. "There's luck in odd numbers. Cheer up."

It was after this little chat that I sheds the army costume and wanders
out disguised as a horny-handed workingman.

Not that I'd decided to get a job right away. After my last stab I ain't
so strong for this ten-hour cold-lunch trick as I was when I was new to
the patriotic sleuthin' act. Besides, bein' no linguist, I couldn't see
how workin' with such a mixed lot was goin' to get me anywhere. If I
could only run across a good ambidextrous interpreter, now, one who
could listen in ten languages and talk in six, it might help. And who
was it I once knew that had moved to Bridgeport?

I'd been mullin' on that mystery ever since I struck the town. Just a
glimmer, somewhere in the back of my nut, that there had been such a
party some time or other. I'll admit that wasn't much of a clue to start
out trailin' in a place of this size, but it's all I had.

I must have walked miles, readin' the signs on the stores, pushin' my
way through the crowds, and finally droppin' into a fairly clean-lookin'
restaurant for dinner. Half way through the goulash and noodles, I had
this bright thought about consultin' the 'phone book. The cashier that
let me have it eyed me suspicious as I props it up against the sugar
bowl and starts in with the A's.

Ever try readin' a telephone directory straight through? By the time I'd
got through the M's I'd had to order another cup of coffee and a second
piece of lemon pie. At that, the waitress was gettin