"Certainly not. You don't think I would do such a thing, do you?"
Eben made no reply as he was already on his feet, groping with his right hand upon a shelf over his bunk. In a few minutes he brought down a well worn scribbler, opened it, and laid it with pride upon the table.
"There's my drawin's," he began. "No one but meself ever sot eyes upon 'em before."
"You didn't even show them to your parents or sister?" the girl asked in surprise, as she looked upon the first drawing presented to view.
"Indeed I didn't. They'd only make fun of me if I did. I hate to be laughed at, don't you? It riles one all up."
"It does sometimes," the girl acknowledged. "But, then, it is better not to mind what people say or do, but just go on with our work. Why, what nice drawings you have here. I can hardly believe you did them yourself without anyone to teach you."
Eben made no reply, but his eyes shone with complete satisfaction. The girl was seated at the table and he was standing by her side. A thrill of joy possessed him such as he had never experienced before. This beautiful girl appreciated his drawings, and that was enough.
The sketches were crude, but they showed considerable signs of promise, and this Jess realised as she carefully examined them. One bridge, especially, arrested her attention, the one which spanned the falls.
"You must have made a long study of this," she remarked, "I recognised it at once."
"I did, Miss. I spent a whole day there once, an' every time we go under it I see something new. I ain't got it quite right yit."