Your age is the only thing against you--not with me, you know, but others may think that I have done wrong, in selecting so young an officer--but you see, I know my man.

I know, too, that several of the inspectors are getting too old for this sort of work.

I do not mean too old, perhaps, in point of years, but they are married men with families, and for desperate work I prefer men without encumbrances.
"The post should be held by an inspector, but I cannot promote you, at present.

It would be putting you over the heads of too many.

But you will have a good chance of earning early promotion, and I know that is what you like." "Thank you very much, Captain Wilson.