Hallam again saw the expression of the other's face, and again it nerved him to a firmer will.
"Even that shall not hinder, sir; and now if you will explain to me the work, I'll make a try at it right away."
Mr. Metcalf placed the designs upon a sloping table, at one side the office, and Hallam took the chair before it, as requested. Then the superintendent went over the system of numbering the designs, and illustrated briefly.
"Now you try. I'll watch. Go on as if I were not here. If I do not speak, consider that you are working correctly."
Hallam's intelligence was of a fine order, and he had always been a keen observer. Before Mr. Metcalf had finished his explanations the lad had grasped the whole idea of the work, and he took up the pen the gentleman laid down with the confidence of one who understood exactly what he had to do.
"'Knowledge is power,' there is no truer saying," remarked the teacher, watching the tyro's eager efforts. "It's as easy as A B C to you, apparently."
"It seems very simple. I think I would enjoy it better, though, if I could see the application."
"How the patterns are used?"
"Yes."
"Come this way."