By the way, how much will it cost to repair the damage to the retaining walls ?" "About eight thousand dollars, sir, if my first figuring was correct," was Reade's answer.
"Eight thousand dollars!" scowled President Bascomb.

"Now, Reade, doesn't that amount of wanton, revengeful mischief teach you the folly of trying to regulate camp life outside of working hours ?" "I'm afraid it doesn't, sir." "Then you must be a fool, Reade!" "Thank you, sir.

I will add that you're not the first man who has suspected it." "You will, therefore, Reade," continued Mr.Bascomb, with his grandest air of authority, "cause it to become known throughout the camp that you are not going to interfere any further with any form of amusement that is brought to the camp evenings by outsiders." "Is that proposition number two, sir ?" queried the young chief engineer.
"It is." "Then please don't misunderstand me, sir," Reade begged, respectfully, "but it is declined, as is proposition number one." "Do you mean to say that you are going to go on with your fool way of doing things ?" "Yes, sir---until I am convinced that it is a fool way." "But I've just told you that it is," snapped Mr.Bascomb.
"Then I say it very respectfully, sir, but pardon me for replying that I don't consider the evidence very convincing.

I have shown you why I must have good order in the camp, and I have told you that I do not propose to allow gambling or any other disorderly conduct to go on within camp limits.
I can't agree to these things, and then hope to win out by keeping the cost of the work within the appropriation." "Do you feel that you'll keep within the appropriation by making enemies who deliberately blow up our masonry ?" glared Mr.Bascomb.
"I doubt if there will be any more expense in that line, sir.

I intend to have such a watch kept over the wall as to prevent any further mischief of the kind." "Watchmen are an item of expense, aren't they ?" snorted the president.
"Yes, sir; but next to nothing at all as compared with the mischief they can prevent." "I have already told you how to prevent the mischief, Reade.