noon
Now , without five dollars in his pocket , he made the elementary discovery that even in chopping wood skilled labor counts . He did not know where to turn next , and he would not have had the money to go far in any case . So , although Shearer 's brusque greeting that morning had argued a lack of cordiality , he resolved to remind the riverman of his promised assistance . That noon he carried out his resolve . To his surprise Shearer was cordial -- in his way . He came afterward to appreciate the subtle nuances of manner and treatment by which a boss retains his moral supremacy in a lumber country , -- repels that too great familiarity which breeds contempt , without imperiling the trust and comradeship which breeds willingness . In the morning Thorpe had been a prospective employee of the firm , and so a possible subordinate of Shearer himself .