"Yes, all but this little bit of carving. That Johnson started me on.
The rest of it is mine."
"It's mighty good," said Paul, walking around it. "Straighten that leg out by amputating it just below the knee and it will———"
"Yes, I knew you would laugh at me. All the teachers do," wailed Louis.
"No, I'm not laughing at you, Louis. You have done splendid work. But you mustn't feel badly to have your faults pointed out. That is the way to learn. If you hadn't been in quite such a hurry you would have made a better job, wouldn't you? Your fault, one of your faults, is lack of patience and thorough painstaking over details. Isn't that so?"
"It must be. All my teachers say so all the time."
"Well, if they say so all the time there must be some reason for it. But honest, now, the writing desk is not a bad piece of work viewed as a whole."
Louis felt somewhat mollified and after his father had made one or two more comments they started down stairs. When they reached the hall, the telephone rang again.
"Go into the library and wait for me," Paul said as he went to the instrument.
This time it was Rogers, the doubtful member of the committee. He wanted to ask one or two questions about the bill and Paul quickly and eagerly answered him.
"But we need you right here now. We can't do anything without you. Burke is mad and we can't depend on him. You've just got to come if you want to see the thing through."