"The young gentlemen are going to keep the joke to themselves for the present, though." So the mystified and disappointed chainman returned to his own crowd.
"Let me see, Reade," continued Mr.Thurston, turning once more to Tom, "what is your salary ?" "I was taken on, sir, at forty dollars a month, as a starter," Tom replied.
"A young man with your size of head is worth more than that to the company.

We'll call it fifty a month, Reade, and keep our eyes on you for signs of further improvement," said the chief engineer, as he turned to go back to his own waiting dinner..