es and publicity
end of this concern if ever anyone did. That's the only part that the
old man has ever neglected."

"I've got a letter to him also," said Jim, producing it.

"I was told that," said the superintendent, reaching for his hat; "but
unfortunately Mr. Sayers is not here. Won't be back for a week or ten
days. Gone scouting to see what the rival concerns have got in the way
of improvements. They can't steal a march on him. He's absolutely the
keenest man in his line on earth! And--see here!--I'll give you a tip.
If you can make good with old Tom Sayers, you've no need to worry. He
runs this whole plant as if it were a family. Knows every man in it.
Calls most of the men by their first names. Gives bonuses and
encouragement to the right ones, and fires the dead wood. Doesn't care a
hang about anything except making the Sayers car the best on earth
because he's proud of it. And--it is! I say so!"

Jim liked that spirit. It promised well. And while he was disappointed
not to see Sayers, he was ready to plunge into work with enthusiasm, and
did.

Two days later he said to the superintendent, in the privacy of the
office, "My conclusion is that your selling organization is a muck. It's
been neglected. It's no good. It runs itself without any real head. In
fact, you've no head to it at all except Wiggins, the old chap with
antiquated ideas, but who is a man I would advise keeping on. He knows
he can't handle it, and says he would like to work under someone with
new ideas."

And then for a half hour he expanded while the superintendent listened,
asked questions, sometimes argued, and finally approved.

"Of course," he said, finally, "your ideas are new. But they are
ingenious, and I think very promising. I shall back them up. I like
them. They sound hustling. I will recommend them to the old man for all
I'm worth, and I believe if you can make him see them, adopt them, and
carry them out, we can work together and make things hum. Now here's a
bit of advice. Old Tom Sayers likes plain, practical statements that he
can weigh and consider. Put all your proposed plans into writing. Put
down hard, concrete facts in terse English. Make it as brief as
possible. Don't be afraid to criticise if you can suggest improvements.
Don't mince words. He loves simplicity and frankness. And if you do as I
say in that regard, and make plain to him the ideas you've made plain to
me--you'll get the job, and we'll make a success bec