"What a fine thing what would be?" he demanded.
"To think that I could really influence an educated and clever young man like you to do something very much worth while in the world. Nelson, you are flattering me."
"Honest to goodness—it's so," he said, looking at her with a rather wry smile. "And I'm not at all sure that I thank you for it."
"Why not?"
"See what you've got me into?" he complained. "I've got a whole bunch of extra work because of the school building, and in the end the old Elder and his friends may discharge me!"
"But you've brought about the building of a new school, and Poketown ought always to thank you."
"Likely. And they'll build a monument to me to stand at the head of High Street, eh?" and he laughed.
"I do not care," said Janice, seriously, and looking up at him with pride. "I shall thank you. And I shall never forget that you said it was my little influence that made you do it."
"Your little influence——"
But she hastened to add: "It's a really great thing for me to think of. And how proud and glad I'll be by and by—years and years from now, I mean—when you accomplish some great thing and I can think that it was because of what I said that you first began to use your influence for good among these people——"