"I don't pretend to know the first thing about electrical machinery," he said frankly, "I only know the results I want--that I must have. I've got to rely on the judgment and honesty of others and there's such a diversity of opinion that I tell you, Jennings, I'm scared to death lest I make a mistake. And I can't afford to make a mistake. I've left myself no margin for mistakes, every dollar has got to count."
"There's one thing you want to remember when you're workin' in an isolated country, and that's the need of strength--strength and simplicity. These new-fangled--"
Bruce interrupted eagerly-"My idea exactly--durability. If anything breaks down there that can't he repaired on the place it means laying off the crew from a month to six weeks while the parts are going in and out to the factory."
Jennings nodded.
"That's it--that's why I say strength above everything." Nearly half a century of frying-pan bread had given Jennings indigestion and now as he sipped his hot water he pondered, bursting out finally--"If I was you, Burt, I'll tell you what I'd do, I'd install the old type Edison machines for that very reason. You can't break 'em with a trip hammer. They're so simple a kid can run 'em. There's nothin' about 'em to git out of repair onct they're up. If you aim to work that ground with scrapers, I'll tell you now it's goin' to be a big drag on the motors. Of course they're a little bit heavier than these new-fangled--"
"But the agents tell me these newer and lighter machines will stand it."
Jennings blew out his elastic upper lip and shrugged a shoulder: "Maybe they know more than I do--maybe they do, but it's to their interest to talk 'em up, ain't it? I'm no college electrician--I'm a practical man and I been around machinery nigh to fifty years, so I know them old-fashioned motors. They'll stand an overload, and take my word for it they'll git it on them scrapers. These new-fangled machines will stand jest about what they're rated at and you can't tell me anything differenter. I say them old type Edison machines is the thing for rough work in that kind of a country. Ain't I seen what they can do on drudgers? Besides, you can pick 'em up for half the price and as good as new with a little repairin'."
"I wonder if they would do the work," Bruce murmured to himself thoughtfully.
"What interest would I have in tellin' you if they wouldn't?" Jennings demanded.
"I didn't mean that the way it sounded," Bruce assured him quickly. "I was thinking that if they would do the work and I could save something on the price of machinery I'd sure breathe easier."