Still discontented and undecided, Josh met Jim at the restaurant, and they were seated in a concealed corner.

"I'm going to guess your brother doesn't know you're here," Jim said.

Josh laughed. "That obvious, huh? No, I'm not supposed to be here."

"You aren't here to enlist, I hope."

"I'm looking into it. Or trying to."

The conversation stopped as they made their orders and got their coffee.

"What have you found out?"

"Not enough."

"Why are you interested, Josh? You're not the military type at all. Last time we talked, you knew that."

"I've been feeling like one of us should be doing something. Jason can't, because of us, and Jeremy's too young. It doesn't feel right, that none of us are actually out fighting for those people. It bothers me. I think it bothers Jason, too, only he's not free to say so."

"I see. You feel so strongly that you should be doing something that you don't really want to do, that you're sneaking out on one brother and behind the other's back?"

"Well." Josh was stunned. "That's one way of putting it. Not a very nice way."

"It wasn't meant to be. How do you think I knew your brother was here?"

"Figured you've seen him on the street, same as I did this afternoon."

Jim laughed. "I wish I'd seen that. Did he see you?"

"I'm still alive, aren't I?"

"That means 'no,' I'm guessing."

Their meals were served. They ate before continuing the conversation, waiting until the dishes were cleared and their coffees refreshed.

"I saw him again today, down at the waterfront."

"Probably arranging to go home, which means I'd better get going, if I'm going. You seem to think I'm wrong, wanting to fight?"

"I think," Jim said slowly, "that you're wanting to fight the – hm – the least effective way."

Josh sat back. "What do you mean?"

"We need more than manpower to finish this war, Josh. We need supplies. Regular, reliable supplies. Not one man can fight without food and shoes and weapons. And where there are weapons we need medicines. There are few men in the east left who are able to make this happen. The willing, healthy, and eager men joined up in the first flush; the really dedicated men, the ones who haven't been killed or crippled, are still fighting. Fighting as best they can, without knowing when they'll rest or how they'll eat. We need to support them, and that support is going to have to come from us here in the west, along the seaports. From the seaports, from the baja to alaska. It's us, or we, who will win the war! Do you know what that means, Joshua?"

"Timber," Josh replied immediately. "Ships and railroad ties. Dammit, does Jason always have to be right?"

Jim smiled. "You've heard it before, have you?"

"All of it. You even sounded like Big Brother while you were talking. I'm both disappointed and relieved. I'd've liked some excitement in my life, and no brothers holding on. Did you make that speech to Jason when you saw him?"

"Not a bit of it," Jim answered promptly. "I was bargaining, and he didn't need to know how badly we need what he's selling. But he knew."

"He got an army contract?" Josh leaned forward eagerly.

"He got an army contract. And for more than we wanted to pay; more than we'd have dreamed of a year ago. If you boys deliver the way you're supposed to, and you usually do, you'll have quite a lot of business, even after this war is done."

"What if we don't? We don't have a lot of men, you know."

"If you don't, you'll reduce the army to begging and cut the United States roughly in half."

"How big?"

"That's up to you, after a certain point. The contract will renew as long as the war lasts. All fancied up in legal words, of course. Your brother deserves the privilege of telling you himself though, and I will tell you this, Josh. You would never have made the sale. Some of the other provisioners felt Jason was too young, but there were enough businessmen at the meeting to speak for him. It's quite a victory."

"And it probably doesn't hurt that if nothing else, we have a vast supply of raw material. Hmm." Josh thought about that."

"Yes, if manpower becomes an issue, you'll have troops taking over."

"Wow." Josh sat back. He laughed. "I wonder if I can get a train tonight to be headed home. It's going to be a trick getting back before him, especially if he's got something to brag about."

"Do a good enough job with this, and you may get trains running your way more quickly."

"Or a better harbor. Or , Jim." Josh jumped to his feet and shook his friend's hand. "And if you see Jason again, would you ask him if he's advertising for cutters?"

"I will, if I see him again. Have a safe trip, Josh." The army man watched the enthusiastic younger man hurry out of the restaurant, and smiled. If only other supplier/providers could be persuaded so easily.