Tommy decided to tell the truth, unexplained and unexcused. “Yes, sir.” Thompson said, slowly: “The reason I wanted such a man as I advertised for in the New York Herald was so that I might ask him the question I am now going to ask you.” “Yes, sir,” said Tommy, and concentrated on listening. “What difference do you find between my Tecumseh works and your college?” Tommy heard the question very plainly; he even saw it in large print before his eyes. He repeated it to himself twice. This was not what he had expected to report upon. He needed to do some new thinking before he could answer. This delayed the words of the answer so that Tommy presently began to worry. He knew that Mr. Thompson's mind worked with marvelous quickness. He looked at the owner of that mind. It gave him courage. He said, honestly: “Mr. Thompson, I wasn't expecting that question, and I have to think.” “Think away,” said Thompson, so cheerfully that Tommy blurted out: “May I do my thinking aloud?” “Do, Tommy. And don't be afraid to repeat or to walk back. I'll follow you, and the crystallization also. Think about the differences.” Tommy felt completely at his ease. “Well,” he began, and paused in order to visualize the shop and the men and their daily duties, “you tell your men what they must do to keep their jobs. Their product must always be the same, day after day. At college they tell a man what he must do in order that he himself may become the product of his own work. A man here is a cog in a machine. At college he is both a cog and a complete machine.” Tommy looked doubtfully at Mr. Thompson, who said: “You are right--and very wrong. In the men themselves, Tommy, what is the difference?” “I should say,” Tommy spoke cautiously, as if he were feeling his way, “that it was principally one of motives and, therefore, of--of rewards!” “Yes, yes, so you implied. Don't bother to write a thesis. Give me your impressions both of the human units and of the aggregation.” Tommy remembered the impressions of his first day at the plant. The feeling had grown fainter as he had become better acquainted with his fellow-workmen and they with him. “It's in the way the men feel. Of course,” he hastily explained, “that's a childish way to put it. At college a man belongs to the college twenty-four hours a day. If he makes one of the teams or the crew, it's fine. But if he doesn't, so long as the college wins he is tickled to death. I suppose at college a fellow has no family cares and--well, it is complicated, isn't it?” And Tommy smiled helplessly at Mr. Thompson. “Tell me some more, Tommy,” said Mr. Thompson. Tommy, still thinking of differences, went on, bravely indifferent to whether or not he was talking wisely.